Brought to you by OBS reviewer Daniele

Synopsis:

Deep in the Louisiana bayou, Mala LaCroix cannot escape the mysterious things she’s seen. Haunted by her otherworldly past, she only wants to hide her special abilities and care for the man she’s come to love. But the dark swamp she calls home holds more than just Mala’s secrets, for a killer is leaving behind ghosts trapped between worlds, hungry for vengeance . . .

Landry knows Mala could never turn her back on those in need. It’s part of what attracts him to her. But now that he’s wrestling with his own demons-and losing-he fears that just being near the woman he loves endangers her life. And that traps him in a terrible dilemma: leave Mala alone to catch a murderer by herself or stay close-and risk entangling her in the brutal battle for his very soul. (Goodreads)

Review:

Dark Redemption picks up right where Dark Sacrifice ended.  Mala is still trying to come to grips with her new abilities and her failure to save her cousin, and Landry is literally fighting his own demon.  They are both taking on the responsibility of an instant family when the Acker boys come to live with them.  To make matters worse, there is a serial killer dismembering teen boys near Mala’s swamp.  George seeks Mala’s help with the missing boys, thinking that her otherworldly ability will make finding them easier.  Mala gets more than she bargained for when she herself becomes trapped on the other side by the murderer who seems to be more evil than human, and the police learn of her abilities.  Is Aunt Magnolia involved with the killer?  What is her agenda?  Can Mala trust Magnolia’s minions? Will Landry lose his battle with his demon?  Will Mala’s biological father acknowledge her as his own?  And is she pregnant?

I am so glad to see Mala and Landry mature here.  They still have a ways to go to be adults in my opinion, but at least they have settled into responsibility and a real relationship.   Though I see the point of the pregnancy plot, I must admit that it irked me a bit since I felt that made them backslide into immaturity.  I also felt the whole installment was somewhat shallow.  The murders and Magnolia’s intentions were not fleshed out as much I would have liked – it all seemed glossed over and rushed in the end.  I was not satisfied with the resolution of the trilogy.  Also missing this time out was the creepy, dark atmosphere of the bayou.  Most of all, I found Mala’s betrayal by someone close to her that she fully trusted heartbreaking.

This is not to say I did not enjoy the book; I did.  Having read the previous two installments, I had to know what happened to Mala and Landry.  I recommend Dark Redemption to fans of the trilogy and those who appreciate mysteries with a big emphasis on the supernatural.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*