Midnight on the Mississippi

October 19, 2015
The swamps and cities of south Louisiana hide a myriad of crime scenes and suspicions, most of which point to wealthy, handsome, and upright Hunter Galen, a securities broker whose business partner has been murdered. Financial malfeasance and personal grievances cause local police to focus their energies on Hunter, who fights back with the help of independent PI Nicki Price. Haunted by her father's death years ago in the swamp, which may have been murder, Nicki faces her own demons as she pursues the truth regarding Hunter's partner. Undeterred by Hunter's beautiful but spoiled girlfriend, to whom he is practically engaged, Hunter and Nicki forge a professional partnership that deepens into a romantic connection. Their escapades beautifully showcase the south Louisiana culture and topography. If not for the weakly written antagonists and recurrent clichés, this first installment of the Secrets of the South Mysteries series would shine. However, Hunter and Nicki carry the plot and should make readers willing to give this series a chance.

A newly minted private eye bids to enter the big time in the Big Easy. Nicolette Price, a small-town girl from straitened circumstances, has worked her way through college and acquired her private investigator's license. Arriving in New Orleans, she hopes to work with her cousin Nate Price, who has his own agency. Shrugging off his suggestion that she go back home, she follows him to a meeting with Hunter Galen, a wealthy socialite with big problems. Hunter and his college roommate, James Nowak, have been running an investment firm whose tactics are not for the faint of heart or poor of purse. In the wake of his old pal's murder, Hunter discovers that James was running a scheme, complete with double sets of books, to defraud some investors. The detective in charge of the case, who dislikes the rich on principle, is too convinced of Hunter's guilt to look for other suspects. When Nate gets into trouble, Nicki talks her way into the job of helping Hunter find the truth. Meanwhile, lovely mean girl Ashley Menard, Hunter's longtime girlfriend, arranges a surprise party at which Hunter feels forced to ask for her hand in marriage. A peacemaker eager to see the best in people, Hunter, who's fallen for Nicki, finds the courage to break off the engagement before it's publicly announced. An attempt on Nicki's life makes her wonder whether it's the killer or Ashley trying to get Hunter back. Ellis, best known for her Amish series (A Widow's Hope, 2009, etc.), starts her new Secrets of the South mystery series with a pleasant love story but not much mystery. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.