Swamp Spirits

Miss Fortune Mystery #23

by Jana Deleon

Ghost of a chance?

Fortune is thrilled when Ben Harrison, her former CIA partner, and his fiancée, Cassidy, decide to leave DC and move to the Louisiana bayous. They’ve already secured jobs and are only lacking a place to live, so everyone is excited when they quickly find a home. There’s only one problem—the house has a reputation. It’s haunted.

Fortune doesn’t believe in ghosts, but when Cassidy starts seeing a woman in white inside her house and can’t determine how she’s entering or exiting, Fortune knows she’s got to figure out what’s going on before things get worse. As Swamp Team 3 takes on the “spirited” case, they dive into a decades-old mystery of love, money, voodoo curses, and a missing woman. But can they get answers before Ben and Cassidy give up the ghost and go back to DC?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Humor, Fiction, Contemporary, Cozy

308 pages, Paperback

First published August 7, 2022

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jana DeLeon was raised in southwest Louisiana among the bayous and gators. Her hometown is Carlyss, but you probably won't find it on a map. Her family owned a camp located on a bayou just off the Gulf of Mexico that you could only get there by boat. The most important feature was the rope hammock hanging in the shade on a huge deck that stretched out over the water where Jana spent many hours reading books.

Jana and her brother spent thousands of hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these "studies," but they kept makers of peroxide in business.

Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.

She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series never fails to entertain. I love the characters, the plots, the mystery and the bayou setting. Everything about these books works for me. With each new edition I hang a "Do Not Disturb" sign and settle in for another wonderful ride with Fortune, Ida Belle and Gertie. "Swamp Spirits" is no exception, and I just loved the addition of Harrison and Cassidy to the cast of marvelous characters. In this book it was great to see Fortune and Carter working together as opposed to Fortune and her Team off solving the mystery without him. This solve was a true group effort and I loved the part Ronald played. He and Fortune have come a long way.

Fortune's former partner at the CIA, Harrison, has retired and taken a position as a floating Deputy for several small towns around Sinful. His fiancée, Cassidy, is doing her residency at a local hospital and they have bought a big, sprawling property with a view to the future. Life is good until they move in and find out that the property has a sordid past including ghosts, disappearances and possible murder.

Cassidy sees what appears to be a ghost, takes a fall and the Swamp Team 3 is off on another adventure. The road to the truth is a twisty one and the answer to the problems in the present are firmly rooted in the past of this creepy castle like house and the people who built it and once lived there. Like a dog with a bone, Fortune will not give up until every mystery is solved and all the questions have an answer.

[Aimee Nicole Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy these audiobooks, and I think this was the best mystery yet. Lots of twists and turns. I like how Ronald has become part of the inner circle and that Harrison has moved to Louisiana. I really loved the surprise at the end of the book. That should create some interesting conflict going forward.

[Valerie Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

More twists and turns than a backwoods country road!!!!!

Oh my goodness...what an adventure!!!!! I was glad to see some real depth to this story and not just the continuing attempts of Celia trying to get at Fortune! This book is EPIC!!!!!!!

Fortune's former CIA partner, Harrison, and fiancé Cassidy buy an empty mansion which looks like a castle, only to learn afterwards of its reputation for being haunted. When seeing the "woman in a white gown" herself one night when she was alone in the house, Cassidy falls down the staircase after tripping over a hole in the carpet, one that would later be found to be purposely cut!!

Enter Fortune and the rest of Swamp Team 3 who are determined to discover who is behind the disappearing ghost figure so that her friends can enjoy their new home. There are secret tunnels, trap doors, valuable heirlooms that came with the house...but it's the rumor of jewels hidden within that causes scene after scene within the covers of this book! Gertie's purse gets a real work out this time and we meet a few new characters as the truth about the jewels and those who want them are revealed!!!

If you're already a Swamp Team 3 fan, do not hesitate for another minute!!! BUY THIS BOOK!! If you've not read this series before, do yourself and read the others first so that you know everyone involved! I am absolutely excited to read what happens next!!!!!

[Amy Major · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a funny, crime solving series this is the one!! It reminds me a lot of Stephanie Plum. The books are quick reads, full of humor and never ending adventures and mishaps for Fortune and her 2 side kicks. They are some of my favorite books

[Sonia Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Let's go pick up some cameras, pack our bags, and head out to track a ghost." 👻

"The whole world is going to hell in a handbasket." 🤡

'"(...), this case might be the coolest one we've worked on yet. (...)
"It's definitely outside the box."'

'"Let's try that bar that Elijah used to frequent."
"The one Destiny said we shouldn't go to? Ida Belle asked, one eyebrow raised.
I laughed. "If Destiny knew us, she'd be calling to warn the bar.'"

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swamp Spirits by Jana Deleon is another great mystery with Swamp team 3 and Miss Fortune. I always have fun reading about the antics in Sinful Louisiana, it's a place I would like to visit. This book is one of the best in the series and the mystery is marvelous. I also like the fact that Miss Fortune has more friends moving in.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

Swamp Spirits is book 23 in the Miss Fortune Mystery series. These books are cozy mysteries.

I am obsessed with these books. I adore all of the characters. And I love that the author has added some new characters.

I absolutely cannot wait to see Fortune's next adventure.

[GEOrocks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun adventure with the gals of Sinful LA! Laugh out loud escapades and over the top ridiculousness. Excellent way to start the year!

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any time a new Miss Fortune book comes out, it comes straight to the top of my to-be-read-next list. There are plenty of reviews here, so I'll just say, what a fun read!

[Kelly Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jana Deleon has done it again with an absolutely brilliant and funny book to enjoy as summer comes to a close.
It's great to get back together with Fortune and the gang, and this time Ronald has more of a role, as well as new characters in Harrison and his fiancé Cassidy. The mystery features an old castle of the house with disappearing 'ghosts', closed room escapes, an old mystery mired in rumours, and the usual shenanigans that only come with the presence of Gertie and her handbag.
It's a multi-faceted, complex tale that is another indication on how much Deleon is growing as an author, all the while not forgetting the fun and hilarious undertones that attracted readers to her in the first place. The continuing character development of Fortune is a pleasure to read, and I look forward to more in the future.

[Ann Gillaspie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gertie’s Antics and Plot Twists

As in all of the Miss Fortune series, Gertie’s antics and what she pulls out of her purse will keep you in stitches laughing. How Jana can come up with different explosions and other life threatening situations and make them hysterical is pure magic. And the ending was truly a surprise that I will not give away here. Just read the book cover to cover and don’t cheat by reading the end first!

[Karina Fabian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giggled for 10 minutes utes straight

I love Jana's humor. I started this last night, giggled for 10 minutes straight and intermittently for the next hour. I finished it today because I could not put it down. Great mystery, too.

[Candi · Rating 2 out of 5]

It quite literally pains me to give this installment of the Fortune series two stars but it honestly didn't even read like it was written by DeLeon!! If I were asked who my favourite authors are Jana Deleon rates in the top 5 easily so I'm not sure what happened with this book! I'll pray that this is just an aberration and the next book will be back to the Deleon that I love so much.

[thatbrunettebooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

5🌟

SUMMARY

fortune redding isn’t easily spooked considering she used to be one. her former partner in the CIA has relocated to sinful, closing on a house that the locals consider haunted. she starts investigating, thinking that the case is related to illegal activity, not paranormal activity.

carter leblanc doesn’t particularly like hearing about a shootout involving his girlfriend no matter how capable she is with a weapon. he has pressure from the district attorney to close the case, and to put the thief behind bars. he doesn’t want his newest recruit to get run out of sinful, which would haunt him more than the house.

👻 cozy mystery
👻 sheriff
👻 small town

SPOILERS

fortune has been taking on insurance cases to pass the time until there’s another murder investigation. her former partner, ben harrison has moved close to sinful with his wife. cassidy is an ER doctor and plans to find a place that’s in close proximity to the hospital and has enough acreage to have horse stables. she eventually wants to open her own live-in therapy practice.

ida belle adopts a basset hound puppy, aptly naming him rambo. he’s getting house trained and learning new tricks like how to track. he definitely has a nose on him but i still think fortune has him beat.

cassidy keeps seeing a woman with red hair in a white nightgown on the property. she followed her, armed of course, only to find glowing red eyes and she took a tumble down the stairs. harrison found her and rushed her to the hospital.

harrison had to go out of town to close their condo and asked if fortune could stay at his plac to look out for cassidy. they bring rambo along and enough ammunition to decimate the entire building. that, and snacks.

the victim is elijah charitte, one of the burglars. they found him in the hidden tunnel. the cause of death was a gunshot wound, but since he died during the commission of a crime he’s considered more of a perpetrator than a victim.

i think destiny was leading her cousins on the search for the missing jewels. i was right on the killer but wrong on the motive. she thought her cousins involvement in that estate would curse their family, deciding to cut him out of their family permanently.

karmin, the first real estate agent, was arrested for criminal mischief and trespassing. she did manage to find a way out of her arranged marriage—jail. mary, the hundreds was old woman with a loaded shotgun was guilty of two murders. she poisoned her husband and lied telling everyone he died in combat. she poisoned lucien, after realizing that he wasn’t going to pursue a relationship with her.

i thought that celine might be impersonating clotilde. ooh she was! she didn’t know if there would be an arrest warrant out under her name, so she returned from paris using her best friend’s name. carter ended up closing the case and then needing to catch up on sleep. carter called to let her know that the sheriff had a heart attack and is in the hospital, leading us to think he might step down soon.

0🌶️

[Ray Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable mystery which takes place in a dark mansion in a small town in Louisiana. The main character, Fortune, a former military spy, is a private investigator looking into what appears to be a haunting. The book is bursting with Southern charm, Voodoo, and spirits. The book is also bursting with guns. Fortune's posse is made up of a bunch of older women who are friends and neighbors. This is a mid-series book that I picked up without reading any others. Despite my lack of background, the story stood alone just fine.

I mention guns because everyone in this book is packing and firing. It's not unusual for a character to reach for an umbrella and end up with an AR15. At one point and 80 something woman forgets who Fortune is and goes after her and her friends with a modified shotgun that fires a dozen time before the old lady gets tired and falls asleep. There isn't much actual killing, but there is gun violence on every page. I take it Ms. Deleon has some background with Southern Christians who make guns and firing them socially a part of everyday life. Funny at times abd creepy at others.

All in all, and despite the guns, this was a light, fun funny book. The characters are likable, and the plot well developed. This was a solid light mid-summer read and a break from the heavier books of historical fiction I've been on. I may be back.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2022 bk 314. What could be more perfect for reading in the month of October (it was published several months ago, but I held onto it for now). Fortune's former partner and his spouse have moved to Sinful, well half way between Sinful and Mudbug, and purchased a home with a reputation. Yep - a haunted house, thing is, former CIA agents don't seem to believe in ghosts and Fortune and her crew of seniors go into action to find out who and why behind the nightly visitors. I have to admit - I didn't totally see the end coming on this one and enjoyed my befuddlement totally! What a fun whacky read for this month!

[Rhonda Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Mystery

Loved the mystery. It was full of interesting history around the inhabitants of an old mansion. As the author described the mansion, I kept thinking, wish I lived there! I would have been exploring that attic before I unpacked anything but the necessities. Great book.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the eBook then listened to the audiobook and I’ve got to say the audiobooks seriously bring these stories to life in a hilarious way.
Gertie, Ida Belle and Fortune have a new mystery that involves Harrison and Cassidy who have just moved local into a haunted house!!!
Let the sinful antics begin

[Janice Yager · Rating 5 out of 5]

best series ever!

This series is wonderfully funny and sarcastic and full of laughs!!
The characters are funny, human and having fun living life! Weaving thru the series is a strong sense of strong women solving problems-a wonderful role mod

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very different and loved it. The twist was so unexpected. Please continue. Can’t wait for next one

[Luisa Rua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! The swamp-Gothic vibes? 50/10

[tina beckum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hilarious book

I enjoy the Fortune Series, they are a lot of fun and easy to read. The last two books are good and I would recommend them however I miss the antics of Swamp Team 3 and their stories to Carter. I really hope Jana gets back to the girls trying to get one over on the men.

Great job as always

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jana DeLeon has done it again! A wonderfully funny read. Very entertaining. Love the how she’s brought Harrison into town and giving Ronald more action.

[Aline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Errors

It was hard for me to enjoy this book with all of the grammatical errors and missing words. From chapter 1 I am back tracking and trying to figure out what some of the sentences meant. Then there was the error with the person killed. This book should have been proofread before printing.

Having said that, the book was good once I could wrap my head around all the errors.

[denise cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the series

I love the series but found some errors. Eligiah name come up before he was identified. The scene where the blood splatter was first mentioned. And many grammar errors. Editing was poor.

[Per Gunnar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I guess I am repeating myself but this is another good one in the A Miss Fortune Mystery series.

The basic story is more or less the usual one. An unexpected mystery, a dead body or two and the game is afoot for Fortune and the geriatric mafia.

This book adds a bit of variation though.

First of all the mystery involving ghosts is quite cool. Of course it is not a real ghost, this is not urban fantasy after all, but it is still a nice twist.

Second, a ex assassin colleague from the (in the real life disgraced) CIA have decided to move to sinful.

What follows are the usual investigation, funny dialogue, shenanigans by Gertie and her lethal handbag, Carter trying to pretend he doesn’t know who caused the latest explosions in Sinful etc. etc. and of course, the resolution of the mystery.

Once thing I like with the these books lately is that Carter is much more relaxed about Fortune and the swamp team going about doing their thing even though he tries his best to put up and law abiding and innocent facade.

As I wrote, another good book in the series.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it… you will love it

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books in this series always leave me in stitches with the trio's antics.

In the opening chapters, we have cats freaking out parkouring off all persons in the room, some one getting stuck upside down on a stripper pole, naked.

It always surprises me what Gertie can get up to, and how klutzy she can be. With her history in the Army it's hard to imagine, but I suppose her klutzyness could have started later as she aged. Especially since she won't get a new prescription for her glasses, which I can't fathom. I can't stand the floaties in the eyes or blurry vision.

Also, she's like a pack mule, the variety of items she carries in her purse, or bra always amazes me. Weapons of course, dynamite, fire crackers, glitter, a roast beef sandwich, an egg roll, and of course food, beef jerky, sunflower seeds, and other items. The items that emerge often cause more trouble than good. And when questioned the only explanation needed is often "Gertie's purse"

Ronald's character has developed and is becoming better and better. I love his one liners, you never know how he will respond.

Ida Belle adopted a dog. A bloodhound puppy. "I took him off Scooter's hands this morning. Pick of the litter because Scooter wanted to keep a female. I wanted a prize male."
"Everyonewants a prize male, honey," Ronald said.

Another.
"I found these super soft shorts that are also boxers." Gertie said.
Ronald shook his head, "Honey you can't just go around dangling for centuries."

He cracks me up.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to believe that after 23 installments I could still love a series as much as I love the Miss Fortune Mysteries. Yet, Jana DeLeon manages to find a way to keep this series as fresh as in the beginning. "Swamp Spirits," is one of the most unique storylines yet. So, what makes this installment so unique? It's all of the subplots and unique characterizations. There is so much going on that even Celia or her rear end doesn't have time to make an appearance and that is saying a lot.

This time, Fortune's former partner, Harrison and his wife Cassidy have move to a long deserted mansion in Sinful. Most of Sinful believes that the Leroux mansion is haunted but Harrison and Cassidy are in love with the acreage as well as the possibility of Cassidy opening up a facility in the mansion in time. However, when Cassidy believes she has spotted a ghost and this apparition maybe responsible for her fall down the staircase, Fortune, Gertie, Ida Belle and even Ronald set out to discover exactly what is going on.

There are so many plot twists and turns and the bad guy possibilities are endless. I enjoyed every minute of this read as well as the major cliffhanger ending. It was great fun watching the exchange between my favorite characters as well as the new ones. I cannot wait to read book 24 and that is really saying something about the writing prowess of this author!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I am reading this book twice, back-to-back. It seems there was an issue with the publishing, and an uncorrected copy actually saw print. There were some errors which were corrected, and there was a plot change in the second publication. And being the die-hard DeLeon fan that I am, I read the first, uncorrected copy, and am now IMMEDIATELY reading the actual "finished product," and looking forward to spotting the differences with great glee. It is rare to have an opportunity like this, and I am tickled to death! If the second, corrected copy is much better than the first "oopsie!", I may not survive it!

OK, the corrected version is a bit tighter, there is a plot change that pulls things together better, but honestly? The uncorrected version was REALLY GOOD, as well! Jana has, again, left me sore from laughing!