Wild Jinx-Sandra Hill

Wild Jinx
Sandra Hill
Grand Central, Mar 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780446616539

Fontaine, Louisiana Police Detective John LeDeux hides from the media and the Dixie Mafia until his time to testify in court. However, Little Tee-John cannot stay hidden from his Bayou swamp neighbor his Tante Lulu. She informs her nephew that she hired Jinx, Inc of New Jersey to find pirate treasure on Bayou Black; that is after she blithely informs him he will be married this year.

New Orleans Times-Tribune investigative reporter Celine Arseneaux is a single mom raising a five year old. Like John she was undercover at the notorious Playpen, but he failed to recognize her from when they first met and made love; he is the father of her son, but remains ignorant about siring an offspring as she never told him since her grandfather loathes his family. Her boss editor Bruce Cavanaugh assigns her to cover the treasure hunt. As red neck pirates and the Dixie Mafia come swamp hunting, Tante Lulu ferments her famous juju love potion as she has done before (see PINK JINX and PEARL JINX).

Although the hide the baby from the dad ploy has been used a zillion times in second chance romances as well as shows like the Maury Povich show, Sandra Hill refreshes the plot device with a swamp oil love potion that readers cannot resist. The story line combines plenty of humor with suspense, Cajun style as the LeDeux tribe up and meets the Jinx crew in an all out wacky thriller.

Harriet Klausner