Masterful storytelling! This book was a surprise for me. I was expecting a paranormal romance with some untidy bits. What I got was a compelling, exciting, tension filled, terrorizing, atmospheric paranormal horror, romance thriller. Hot biscuits! How did the author manages to pull this off?
Well she thought up a story that grips you from the start, locates it in an area steep with mystery and adds a cast of characters that are well written. Then adds surprises.
First surprise two of the main characters, (Jack and Donovan), are male friends/partners who aren't gay. I really love how the author portrayed this friendship between partners. The banter and love between them was exactly the type I see and hear between my brothers and their best friends. Second surprise she was able to make me sympathetic to the rougarou. Since he viciously murders a child, (actually two), as well as a dog, (I am a dog lover), I would not think it possible for me to feel any sympathy for him. Yet I did. Kudos Judith Ann Mcdowell. Along with the rougarou is Chandra. The woman who is the center of the romance in this book. The mixed feelings that Jack had were, in my opinion, accurate. As was the grief experienced by the murdered girls parents. Each of these characters are well written as are the supporting characters.
The author painted scenery with her words. You can feel the heat from the Bayou and picture the creepy mansion as well as the cave. You feel the eyes watching you as you venture into the mansion.
Though the story flips from now to flashbacks, back to now and off again and a few times scenes changed abruptly I felt the author kept the story flowing at the perfect pace.
Due to language, graphic violence and sex I would recommend the book to adults. ( )

The Hindel House has been empty for five years, ever since the gruesome tragedy that befell the Rawlins family there. Roger and Janet Stewart just moved to Saint Anthony Parish, Louisiana and were thrilled to lease the huge house at such a bargain price, unaware of its horrific history. Their three young daughters would have plenty of room to romp and play. The Stewart’s paid a full years’ lease on their new home to the creepy caretaker, Quigly, which left them basically broke.

Jack Oliver had his heart torn to pieces two years ago by the exotic beauty and powerful Psychic, Chandra, when she unceremoniously dumped him without any warning or explanation. As the story opens Jack is rowing out through the swamp to ask Chandra for her assistance. Jack believes that a horrible, unspeakable evil is set to unleash its fury on the new, unsuspecting family -- an evil that possibly only Chandra can defeat.

Full of passion and unholy desire, this beautifully structured story of a twisted love that survives untold years through the application of black magic conveys just the right sense of the heaviness of the thick, humid Louisiana air as it does the weighted, putrefying flesh of the tormented, insane villain. The conversations flowed easily and were believable as the characters raced to expose and destroy a murderer amid the ensuing supernatural chaos. Still, even in the midst of evil, levity at times found a foothold and a new love struggled to be born. Truly, the author is talented. She is seemingly able to effortlessly convey the gothic essence of this frightening story while still causing the reader to feel some compassion for the monster who can never let go of his doomed Angelia. ( )