Bayou Blues

Spinning off of her Secret McQueen urban fantasy series (Something Secret This Way Comes, etc.), Dean delves deeper into the psyche and life of Secret’s younger sister, Genie, in this light, enjoyable novel. When Genie was 13, she acquired both her werewolf form and her magical power. Either one would have been challenging to master, but having both has complicated her life exponentially. She’s not just any werewolf, but a werewolf princess; and she’s not just any witch, but niece to the King of the South. At 21, Genie’s a college student in New Orleans with a human boyfriend, Cash. Werewolves and other supernaturals have recently made themselves known to the human public, and not everyone is happy about their existence. When one of her pack mates goes missing, Genie drops everything to help his brother, Wilder, find him. Their simple detective work quickly unearths a dark and horrifying corruption that seems to have spread throughout an entire small town. Occasionally slow pacing prevents the story from flowing smoothly and gives the plot a tentative feel. However, beautifully drawn characters and strong worldbuilding ensure that readers will be curious about what comes next. (BookLife)