Saturday Review of Books: Kathy Herman's False Pretenses

Well-written, page-turning suspense

Having lived in Louisiana for four years, and having some family roots there, I know what a great Cajun meal is all about--and I enjoyed this book with all the gusto of a big bowl of spicy gumbo or a heaping dish of tasty jambalaya.

Set in the fictional southern Louisiana town of Les Barbes, this well-written mystery is about Zoe Broussard, a happily-married woman with a thriving Cajun eatery.

But Zoe has a secret. And when she starts getting anonymous notes from someone who claims they know what she's done, Zoe is terrified that her secret will be revealed and that life as she knows it will be destroyed.

Suspenseful complications ensue, and Zoe faces them with the help of her new friends Ethan and Vanessa Langley, who are strong in their Christian faith. The book is also peopled with colorful and endearing characters that reinforce the authentic feel of a small Cajun town.

(Ethan and Vanessa seem to have a strong backstory that makes me wonder if they weren't the featured characters in a previous Herman series. Anybody know?)

The main thing I ask of a suspense novel is that it keeps me turning the pages (usually way past my bedtime!) and makes me care about the characters. This book more than filled the bill.

Besides being entertaining and engrossing, the story highlights important truths about grace and faith.

I thoroughly enjoyed False Pretenses, and I look forward to the next book in Kathy Herman's Secrets of Roux River Bayou series. So pass the Louisiana hot sauce...I'm hooked!

Do check this out!

I was so excited to find that Carol at MagistraMater read and reviewed one of my favorite books of all time--the wonderful, but somewhat obscure "Auntie Robbo"--that I blogged about it on my main blog, Notes in the Key of Life. Read about it here!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Wynn-Wynn Media. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I'm participating in Semicolon's Saturday Review of Books--click the icon for more info!