Fans of Starns Clark's mystery series will be surprised, but certainly not disappointed by this stand-alone novel. Those who grew up reading VC Andrews will be reminded of the New Orleans vividly detailed in her Ruby series. There is also a storyline that brings to mind The DaVinci Code, and this is a good thing.
A Bad Day
This book opens with Miranda Miller experiencing a very unsettling day in her New York City life. She argues with her husband (again), has a mysterious visitor at her workplace, and gets attacked in an alley, all before lunchtime. Miranda still meets up with her Aunt Janet (AJ), whom she meets for lunch once a week. AJ insists that Miranda rest rather than return to her job in art restoration.
Miranda was raised by her aunt after her mother died in a "tragic accident," of which Miranda has no memory. Her father is living, but she rarely hears from him as he remarried and had a new set of children to tend to. When AJ shows Miranda a letter that she's been keeping from her niece, things really get crazy.
Family Secrets
As the heir to the old family homestead in Louisiana, Miranda learns that the caretaker who has been living there is dying. He desperately wants to talk to her before it's too late. AJ does not want her to go, but Miranda decides it will be good for her to get away from all of life's headaches, which she's ashamed to admit include her young daughter. On impulse, she takes her daughter with her so that her sister-in-law can meet them and take her to the in-laws' for a visit.
Once in LA, they are met at the airport by the family attorney, who then escorts them to the estate. Miranda is amazed to see how large and lovely the home and grounds are. She wonders if she will begin to remember her first few years, which have been repressed to the point of nothingness.
Miranda meets with the caretaker and his nurse, also his niece. Secrets are shared, oaths are taken (which is where The DaVinci Code comes to mind), and the caretaker dies suddenly in the presence of Miranda and the nurse. When police arrive and announce that he was murdered, things begin to heat up.
Time Well SpentWhile staying in the home, Miranda takes every opportunity to search the home for clues pertaining to the caretaker's secrets. In the process, she discovers hidden murals painted by her grandmother, an entire floor of the home that had been closed off, and most importantly, her old bedroom. There she remembers something that causes her to faint on the spot.
Miranda also explores the grounds surrounding the home, taking in the views of the bayou and the lushness of Louisiana. She happens upon a neighboring home and finds her wheelchair-bound uncle living there. They hit it off and are happy to catch up with one another.
Tangled Webs Unwoven
All throughout her stay, Miranda keeps noticing a strange light outside the home. She also thinks that she sees the man who visited her on that fateful day in NY. It all comes together as the mystery unravels. Miranda's husband comes to see her, reminding her of why she fell in love in the first place.
Though Mindy Starns Clark is a Christian fiction author, there is not a lot of blatant religion in this book. Other than Miranda's uncle, who explains that he changed when he accepted Jesus, the characters seem to be largely without religion. Of course, Miranda and her husband do feel the desire to accept Jesus in the end. But it's the story up to that point that is intriguing. Starns Clark includes a rich history of the Cajuns, educating her readers on a culture they may know little about. This is a well written, fascinating tale of love, family, and deceit.
Learn more about Mindy Starns Clark.
Starns Clark, Mindy. Whispers of the Bayou. OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2008. ISBN 978-0-7369-1879-4
Nicole Schuchart - I am currently a full-time mom of two, part-time yoga instructor, and part-time writer. I’ve been married to my high school ...
