Midnight Bayou (Paperback)

by Nora Roberts (Author) "The baby was crying..." (more)
Key Phrases: spirit bottles, gallery doors, Miss Odette, Marie Rose, Manet Hall (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Triple-platinum romance doyenne Roberts spins a tale of bayou passions old and new in her latest romantic suspense novel, set on the grounds of a dilapidated postbellum mansion outside New Orleans. Declan Fitzgerald, a Harvard-educated Boston lawyer, has longed to possess Manet Hall ever since he and his friend, Remy Payne, broke into the old place as drunken students on a lark. Now, on the eve of his wedding, Declan leaves Boston, the law and his fianc‚e, buys the decrepit hall and embarks on a mission to restore it with his own sweat, blood and money. But Manet Hall comes with a dark history, and restoring it means uncovering its past, which includes rape, murder and betrayal. Declan encounters an additional challenge in the person of Cajun beauty and bar owner Lena Simone, who has her own dark history and a surprising connection to Manet Hall. As Declan digs deeper at the Hall, he often hears a baby crying. The cries are followed by voices, particularly that of Abigail Manet, the baby's mother. Abigail's story, which unfolds in 1900, is woven so tightly with Declan's that he finds it difficult to escape her grasp. In the end, only Lena can bring him back from the tragic past that threatens to engulf him. Roberts's role reversal here it is the male character who hears voices and even swoons gives her faithful readers a little extra thrill, and the lush setting and the satisfying if predictable romance round out the package. Literary Guild main selection.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
Always check to see whether the crumbling manor house you impulsively decide to purchase and renovate is in fact haunted. That is what Declan Fitzgerald failed to do, and now he must uncover a 100-year-old secret before it is too late.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Jove; 1st THUS edition (February 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515133973
• ISBN-13: 978-0515133974
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (172 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #49,110 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Midnight Bayou, February 4, 2008

By	Kelly "Reviewer for The Sinfully Sensuous" (Littleton, Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Midnight Bayou (Paperback)

This story takes place in the present, but also in the past. Delcan Fitzgerald is drawn to a house in New Orleans called Manet Hall, but he really doesn't understand why. He just knows that since he first saw it in college, he would own it someday. He gets strange vibes from the house, and when he meets Angelina, they intensify. Together they go on the 100 year old journey to find the answers to the strange happenings within Manet Hall.

While I generally like ghost stories with the paranormal added to the mix, this went beyond the scope of what I can take. The rebirth and reincarnation of characters was just too far out in left field for me. I normally like Nora Roberts books, but this is one I couldn't get into.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She just keeps getting better!!, November 12, 2001

By	Cindy "ChaosInBlue" (Jackson, WY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Midnight Bayou (Hardcover)

I usually ration out my Nora Roberts books so that I can pick one up after I've read a truly horrid book....but, this one I just had to pick up!!! Am I glad I did!!! Nora Roberts writing about New Orleans and the bayous?? The mystery and the romance written by my favorite author??? A match made in heaven for sure. I started this book just before I went to sleep last night. Knocked off the first chapter and went to sleep with a smile on my face.... Today, the book didn't leave my side until I had finished it!! So what if dinner was late getting to the table? So what if my son barely got a nod from me when he got home from school? This was Nora writing about bayous and Louisiana and reincarnation and Lena and Declan and Lucian and Abby...he, that fabulous teenager, understands when I've got "a Nora" in front of me!!

I was hooked from the get go with this tale of love and redemption, murder and sadness. Roberts' touch of romance
interlaced with her wonderful sense of humor and a taste of mystery entertained and delighted!!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This has become one of my favorites!!, October 22, 2001

By	Patti (Doylestown, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Midnight Bayou (Hardcover)

I loved this book!! I enjoyed that it was told from mostly the male's perspective and I really liked the lead characters. Declan feels compelled to leave his job as a lawyer and buy a house--Manet Hall--that has fascinated him for 11 years. It is in disprepair and he puts his all into bringing it back to its former grandeur. However, strange things happen while he is there, including flashbacks (memories?) of a murder that took place a long time ago. While doing this, he meets Lena, who plays an integral part in his memories. Declan has a sense of humor and makes you want to believe that people like him really exist. I would have to say my only complaint is that I wish the ending scene was longer--I would have liked to see Lena's reaction to the ring. This is defintitely one of my favorite Nora Robert's books, and I'm usually not into past lives, etc. Buy this book--you won't be sorry. Nora never disappoints!!