Customer Reviews

Blood Bayou: A Novel

5 star:		(9)
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3 star:		(3)
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This is my first book review in response to Library Thing's Early Reviewer program. I would like to first of all express my appreciation to the publishers (Simon and Schuster/Howard Books) for having sent me this book in exchange for a review. It has been a rewarding experience. I have not previously read a Karen Young novel, and am grateful for this opportunity to be introduced to her.

Blood Bayou was truly enjoyable. I was actually a bit surprised to discover how much I liked it. I had been a bit skeptical as I started reading the book, for a number of reasons. I don't often read murder mysteries, I had not read any works by Karen Young previously, and I just about never read a book categorized under the "Christian Fiction" genre; as it sounds entirely too religious in theme.

The story grabbed my interest from the start, however; and had me in its grip until the very end. That's not always easy to do, even by a work from one of my favorite tried-and-true authors. The characters are well defined and the story masterfully crafted. Karen Young is an excellent writer; which is all too much of a rarity these days. Time and again, I will start a "bestseller" and end up in frustration and disappointment from a poor and clunky writing style. I have found a new author to add to my "good" list!

The Christian theme of the story was not too overpowering to take away any of the enjoyment of reading it and, in fact, added a great deal of depth to the storyline. The plot was suspenseful and believable. I am really looking forward to delving into more Karen Young novels soon and would definitely recommend Blood Bayou.

RESPONSE FROM AUTHOR KAREN YOUNG:

Hello, Shirley, Thank you for your positive review of my book, Blood Bayou. I'm glad my publisher selected you from a number of reviewers to receive the book. I'm glad you liked it and hope you'll look for other releases in the future. As you will see on my web site, I have written many books, but Blood Bayou is my first effort at writing Christian fiction. I was nervous at first, but words of encouragement such as you've written in your review go a long way to assuaging my anxieties. Again, thank you. Best wishes, Karen
[...]

After several years without a new release, Karen Young is back and better than ever.

BLOOD BAYOU is her first Christian fiction novel, but the genre designation is the only thing that has changed. Karen delivers a spell-binding suspense that starts with murder and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Camille St. James believes in justice and the law. A professor at Talbot College she heads The Truth Project, an organization dedicated to the exoneration of innocent individuals who have been wrongly convicted and sentenced to death row. Their work on behalf of Chester Pelham is successful, but within hours of his release from prison another woman is dead and Chester is found wearing bloodstained clothes. His arrest lands Chester in the hospital in a coma. The Truth Project is suspended and Camille is forced to take a month's vacation.

Camille is devastated to learn that the murdered woman is her ex-husband's sister. A former attorney and recovering alcoholic, Jack spent several years in prison after a tragic drunk driving accident. During his incarceration, Jack found his true calling and his salvation in the word of God. Jack and Camille have been divorced for seven years and he is now a minister.

Camille knows that his sister's death will devastate Jack and is certain he will blame Camille and The Truth Project. Still, she feels obligated to tell him how sorry she is for his loss and drives to Blood Bayou so she can do so in person. It won't be easy to face him after all these years, but it is the right thing to do. Camille is surprised by the changes in her ex-husband and uncomfortable with his religious calling.

As evidence mounts against Chester, Camille is the only person who believes him innocent. She launches her own investigation, forcing her to stay in Blood Bayou and thus remain close to Jack. But someone doesn't want Camille nosing into things and several attempts are made to chase her out of town, which quickly escalate to attempted murder. Jack has never stopped loving Camille and is determined to keep her safe.

Can this star-crossed couple rekindle their love, even as she works to free the man accused of killing his sister? Can she accept and ever be comfortable with the changes religion has brought into his life? Will her blood be the next to pollute the waters of Blood Bayou?

Don't miss this who-done-it that offers all the clues, and still delivers a surprise ending!

Camille St. James has worked tirelessly to gain funding and respect for the Truth Project, a college-supported program to free wrongfully convicted prisoners. After several years of nose-to-the-grindstone investigative work, her most newsworthy success has freed Chester Pelham from his incarceration on death row, where he awaited execution by lethal injection for a murder he did not commit. But even before the press conference announcing his release is over, Chester is accused of yet another vicious murder with the same exact MO. Camille is shocked to find the victim is her ex-husband's younger sister.

Seven years before, Jack Vermillion's obsessive behavior and alcoholism destroyed his and Camille's marriage, his career, and the lives of others around him. Camille hasn't spoken to him since their divorce. Only after he lost everything did Jack find salvation. Now he's a minister and serves God by serving others.

He has never stopped loving Camille, but she doesn't trust Jack's newfound piety. Jack's faith makes her uncomfortable because her own spiritual journey is not yet complete.

When Camille refuses to allow Chester to be railroaded for yet another crime he didn't commit, her questions irritate the wrong people, putting Camille in jeopardy time and again. Jack teams up with her to protect her and to find his sister's true killer. In his heart, he prays that Camille can find a way to forgive him for their past. But the chilling events that follow might send this couple to their heavenly reward before their love is renewed.

I stayed up entirely too late to finish this book. I think that is the greatest compliment one can give an author. I've enjoyed Karen Young's novels for years. Ms. Young delves into the darkest secrets of her characters, and compels her readers to join them in their journey to redemption. By adding an inspirational element to her already riveting romantic suspense, her storytelling has reached a new depth of richness, which leads to a very satisfying ending.

After her horrible divorce, Camille St. John poured her life into the Truth Project, an organization that helps wrongly convicted people prove their innocence. Just as a man from one of her recent cases has begun his old life again, a woman is found murdered and the evidence points to him.

The entire town of Blood Bayou is convinced that Camille's client is the killer. Even more disturbing than that is the identity of the victim: her ex-husband's sister.

Despite her vague connection to this murder and how difficult it will be to see her ex-husband, Jack, Camille feels it necessary to pay respects to her ex. After all, she and the deceased were once sisters of a sort. Camille finds Jack completely changed. Once a drunk, he is now a pastor. At first Camille doesn't buy his so-called life change. But as they search for the real killer, Camille can't help but see the truth: Jack is not the man he was. They still share a rocky past. Can they work together to find the real killer, who now seems bent on making Camille his third victim?

This is the first Karen Young book I've read. I always enjoy a good mystery. This one starts out really good, but I feel like it needed some more time in the rewrite stage. It was entertaining. The characters were well written and realistic. But it was obvious to me "who done it." I wish that the author had introduced a little more suspicion into some other characters to keep the reader guessing. Also, the story is entirely in Camille's point of view, until it nears the end. Then we are suddenly privy to a few other points of view. I'm a stickler for a well-written book. And while this one was written well, with engaging characters, these few mistakes felt lazy to me. I appreciate a book more when the author takes the time to perfect it, and despite being entertaining, this one felt like it needed a bit more work.

Lawyer Camille St. James works for the Truth Project, an organization whose mission is to get innocent people off death row and out of prison. Their latest success story is Chester Pelham, a man with low intelligence who was convicted of killing socialite Stephanie Hill in Blue Bayou New Orleans. After new evidence surfaced, the Louisiana Governor pardoned Chester. However during the news conference, a reporter blindsides Camille with the news that Chester was arrested in the death of Luanne Richard.

To make matters personal, the victim is Camille's former sister-in-law. She has not seen her former husband Jack in seven years, but heads to Blue Bayou to make a condolence call. Jack has come a long way from driving drunk and running over Camille's student as he is now a pastor. He blasts her for freeing Chester, but she defends herself and furthermore insists he is innocent. She intends to prove Chester did not kill Luanne. Someone makes two attempts on killing Camille, which shakes Jack up as he agrees to help her find the real culprit. As their love reignites, she does not have his faith and has doubts about ever forgiving him for what he did to them even as the killer waits for the right moment.

BLOOD BAYOU is an exciting suspense thriller with a romantic subplot that fits perfectly into the main storyline. The heroine is dedicated to insure justice occurs as she works for what is the equivalent to the Freedom Project; however that same obstinacy that is so helpful in her vocation prevents her from forgiving Jack who desperately wants a second chance. Although the theme of a stalking killer in the lurk is old, Karen Young refreshes it with the Truth project, strong characterizations especially the star-crossed lead pair, and a terrific whodunit rivaling the suspense of Mary Higgins Clark.

Harriet Klausner

It's fast paced and jam-packed with action and mystery. And there's a bit of romance that will speak to female readers and not put-off male readers. The characters have an emotional depth that allows the reader to share their struggles and empathize in a way that few novels are able to capture. Camille is a strong, confident woman learning that it's OK to lean on others - especially in times of crisis - including her ex-husband Jack and ultimately, God. Jack, a fairly new minister, is coming to terms with bitterly tragic past sins and be patient for in waiting for God's timing to be reunited with Camille. Together they manage to outwit one of Blood Bayou's most cunning criminals.

Completely credible. Completely entertaining to read.

This book was provided free of charge by the publisher. No payment was provided in return for this review. The publisher had no editorial rights or claims over the content or the conclusions made in this review.

the book was received by the date promised. It was in excellent condition, and I appreciate the fast service you provided for me.

This is the first book I've read by Karen Young, but it definitely won't be the last! This was one doggone good book! I loved it from the first page to the last. Actually, the very first sentence grabbed me in completely.
Young has a wonderful knack of building suspense and faith and it works tremendously well. The writing reminded me of Robin Caroll, who has written similar books.
The faith aspect of the book was not overpowering for those who aren't Christians, but enough for believers like myself to understand the depths of Christ's love for His children and His amazing love for them.
My mind was working the entire time trying to figure out who the bad guy was. I won't give anything away, but this was a superb book and I look forward to reading more by Young.

BLOOD BAYOU by Karen Young follows Camille St. James, a lawyer that helps to exonerate the wrongly accused. When she helps to free Chester Pelham from a murder charge, she is shocked to find out he has been hospitalized by injuries sustained when the police of Blood Bayou cornered him with incriminating evidence of another stabbing. When she finds out the latest victim is the sister of her ex-husband, she is horrified at the ramifications of her actions. Could she really have been so wrong about Chester? She doesn't think so . . . no, she knows so, and the only way she will get to the bottom of this latest killing is to prove who the real murderer is. Of course, having to come face to face with Jack, her ex-husband after seven years, will be her biggest obstacle.
I enjoyed BLOOD BAYOU's original plotline. A lawyer who defends the presumed guilty, and a relationship based on a past marriage where unique inroads to this suspenseful novel. Jack's vocational change added another unique twist to this fast-moving novel.
This is the first book I have read from Karen Young, but I will be keeping an eye out for her in the future.

I have to be honest: when I first started the book, the story line was a bit dry, and it moved slow, too slow for my tastes. It wasn't enough to make me want to put the book down, unfinished, and it didn't make me hate the book in the end, but I think it's only fair that I say this, in case others happen to find themselves thinking the same thing, wondering if they should read the book. And here's my answer: yes. I don't regret reading this book, it was good. Maybe not at the top of my favorites list, but definitely not on my least favorite either.

Moving on. After the story line picked up, I started to enjoy it. The characters were interesting, and Young did a wonderful job at making them seem real. They had flaws, they had pasts, but they knew what mistakes they may have made, and weren't wimpy or annoying. Good characters are a must for a good book, they're what holds the rest of the book together!

The one thing that confused me a bit was how Young started the book out telling us about a murder mystery in this relatively small town, and it's Camille's job to help figure it out. But suddenly, less than a fourth of the way through the book, the mystery element kind of...disappeared, and suddenly it's all about Camille and Jack's rekindling of their previous relationship. Now, I like a good suspense/mystery that the author combines with a romance story, but the melting of the two elements in this particular book weren't the smoothest. Sorry, Karen, it's nothing really against your writing, maybe it's more of my own particular opinion on what I like to read in a book? It's hard to explain...

However, as the story continued, I found myself enjoying it more and more. Jack and Camille's connection started to grow (again), and there were more than a few parts where I found myself chuckling (always a good thing). Most importantly, the mystery came back, with a powerful kick, adding drama and suspense back into the story. After they started putting more of the 'clues' together, I instantly knew who the killer was, but even figuring it out before the big climax didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.

If there is one thing I would have liked a bit more of in the book, it's the back story of Camille and Jack. The author touched on it, briefly, a few times, but it always left me wanting a bit more. Jack was an alcoholic when they were married, but it finally became too much for Camille and she divorced him. After he sobered up, he became a man of God. (PAUSE) Wait, how did that happen? Don't get me wrong, I know it's possible, and I think it's great, but I would like to have read a bit about it! Talk about a strong, but previously tortured hero... So why not give us a little nibble of what he went through? And I know this was suppose to be more of a lite Christian novel, which means no 'R' rated sex scenes, but I wish they'd had a bit more passion along the way, even if it was only kisses. Even sweet, innocent ones are better than nothing!

4/5 stars. All in all, this was a very good book. Just the right amount of mystery and a light touch of romance (I loved how the story shows you that love can be won, even after it's lost). Not too fluffy, but not too much hard core suspense either. Great for a quick read by the pool side! ;)