Get Your Read On: Water Witch by Deborah LeBlanc

From FSB Media

Dunny knew from an early age what it meant to be an outsider. Her special abilities earned her many names, like freak and water witch. So she vowed to keep her powers a secret. But now her talents may be the only hope of two missing children. A young boy and girl have vanished, feared lost in the mysterious bayous of Louisiana. But they didn't just disappear; they were taken. And amid the ghosts and spirits of the swamp, there is a danger worse than any other, one with very special plans for the children -- and for anyone who dares to interfere.

This fast-paced thriller begins in the dark, and mysterious Bayou, deep in the heart of Louisiana.
There the villain "Olm", performs centuries old rituals hoping to gain favor with his ancestral "Great Warrior Spirit" whom he hopes to please by offering blood sacrifices. In Olm's deluded mind, he feels that the God "Tirawa" is displeased with him and he needs to offer a larger sacrifice.
This leads to the kidnapping of two young children.

Meanwhile living in Texas, our heroine Dunny Pollock is called upon by her younger sister Angelle, to come to Louisiana to help locate the children.
Dunny is not a cop-she just happens to possess a special talent for finding things.
Dunny has polydactyly-in the form of an extra pinky finger on her left hand, and she discovered at an early age that the extra digit acts like some kind of a divining rod.

She not only helped her neighbors find water on their land, but also found oil on her grandparents land. She has also been able to find missing items including a lost pet, but never before has she tested her gift on finding people.
In fact, she is ashamed of her power and has done all she can to hide it.
All of that is about to change once she sets foot in Baton Rouge.

With all the folklore I grew up hearing about, I think that The Bayou is always the perfect setting for a little paranormal-even if you're a little skeptic.
I really loved the character of "Poochie" the slightly demented (or as we prefer to say down South, "eccentric") grandmother-in law of Angelle. Poochie has more than a touch of ESP herself, and she plays a vital role in helping Dunny with the search for the children.

I enjoyed this book and read it practically in one sitting.
It has just enough of the paranormal without being too out there, although there was some creepiness of evil visiting Angelle's house and assaulting her, that didn't quite gel with me.
My thanks to Anna at FSB Associates.com for sending me this review copy.

About the author from FSB Media

Deborah LeBlanc is an award-winning author from Lafayette, Louisiana. She is also a business owner, a licensed death scene investigator, and an active member of two national paranormal investigation teams. Deborah's unique experiences, enthusiasm, and high-energy level make her a much sought-after speaker at writer's conferences across the nation. She also takes her Passion for literacy and a powerful ability to motivate to high schools around the country.

She is the president of the Horror Writers Association, the Writers' Guild of Acadiana, Mystery Writers of America's Southwest Chapter, and an active member of Sisters in Crime, the National Association of Women Writers, and International Thriller Writers Inc. In 2004, Deborah created the LeBlanc Literacy Challenge, an annual national campaign designed to encourage more people to read, and soon after founded Literacy Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting illiteracy in America.