In a situation where
you find that you may be one of the good guys, but that those that would have
your back in the usual course may be on the take, how do you move forward? When
your entire team is killed and you are the survivor, how do you make others understand,
rogues in law enforcement are often hard to spot. Yet when your career is on
the line how would you move forward, when proof is beyond your grasp?
In On the Bayou by
Sean Patrick Bridges, we follow that path of Special Agent Jennifer Nash as she
finds herself in such a situation. After her entire team is killed in a
shootout she is put on leave. Given an opportunity to redeem herself as a ride
along with a DEA group in the Swamps of Louisiana, she is out of her depth
quite quickly. Not only is her team attacked again, the villains from her first
stake-out, where her partner and group were killed, appear to be involved in
this situation as well. She is forced to rely on men that do not trust her, and
are not aware of her background. Fleeing deeper into the swamps in an effort to
save themselves and put an end to the killing, they only find themselves deeper
in danger. The killers live amongst the swamps and use the creatures that lurk
there as their toys and tools of punishment. Not knowing who to believe in even
as each of her new team are killed and mutilated; she takes a stab at Corey as
someone she can trust. But even he has his secrets as they begin the long
journey to freedom.
Will they survive
another day, or will the cartel win in the end. Can they find and stop the
corruption from within or is it too late for them as well?
Bridges has given us a
slow build up to a frenetic showdown. The action is palpable and keeps you
turning the pages. The killing in the beginning is not as climactic as expected—much
too soon to get close to the characters. But as Agent Nash moves through the
bayou with this new team of defenders you find your favorites and hope they are
not the bad guys.
Surprise is evident at
every turn as you find courage where you least expect it, yet you also find
madness and despair. Some of the action is brutal and deadly, and often just
plain cruel, yet the story keeps bringing you back. How will it end, who will
survive? Who is really the rogue that turned on the team?
If you enjoy danger
and suspense you will enjoy this work. I found the buildup slow and was not
sure of my reaction, but once the action starts you find the background to have
been necessary to guild the lily––so to speak. Bridges has a talent for
bringing in the unexpected and for finding the cruelty that exists in those
special few individuals. This is the second work I have read of his, and he
often borders on horror, with the madness and ideas that his characters create
to keep themselves amused.
There is no lack of
action or questions as you delve into the darkness and passions of the Cajun
life. The darkness and secrets of the bayou make their way into your view with
the depth and depravity that seems just short of horror.
If you worry about
swamps and gator country, don’t stop now.
This is one that will keep you holding on to those fears.
This is one that will keep you holding on to those fears.
Rating 4/5
This book was received free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.
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