Broken Bayou

By: Jennifer Moorhead

Narrated by: Sophie Amoss

In this debut thriller, a troubled child psychologist returns to a small Louisiana town to protect her secrets but winds up having to protect her life.

Dr. Willa Watters is a prominent child psychologist at the height of her career. But when a viral video of a disastrous television interview puts her reputation on the line, Willa retreats to Broken Bayou, the town where she spent most of her childhood summers. There she visits her aunts’ old house and discovers some of her unstable mother’s belongings still languishing in the attic—dusty mementos harboring secrets of her harrowing past.

Willa’s hopes for a respite are quickly crushed, not only by what she finds in that attic but also by what’s been found in the bayou.

With waters dropping due to drought, mysterious barrels containing human remains have surfaced, alongside something else from Willa’s past, something she never thought she’d see again. Divers, police, and media flood the area, including a news reporter gunning for Willa and Travis Arceneaux—a local deputy and old flame.

Willa’s fate seems eerily tied to the murders. And with no one to trust, she must use her wits to stay above water and make it out alive.

©2024 by Jennifer Moorhead. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Sophie Amoss handles the narration of this audio mystery wonderfully.… Amoss stays energetically involved with the plot and characters and handles a range of Southern accents beautifully. She brings drawls and pacing changes to everyone around Willa, especially her mother, whose life is filled with problems. This mystery keeps the listener involved as Amoss guides the story.” —AudioFile Magazine

“The prose here is taut. Suspense and malevolence ooze from every page…An amazing tense debut.” —Midwest Book Review

“An atmospheric debut that will keep you on the edge of your seat! Broken Bayou had me hooked from the first page!” —Ashley Elston, New York Times bestselling author of First Lie Wins

Great read

This book was surprisingly good for it being the author's debut thriller/suspense novel. The storyline kept you drawn in and wanting to keep listening.

Compelling story

This story twists and turns in unexpected directions keeping me engaged from the start. The characters seem very human and vulnerable

Incredible plot

I loved how the story was always continuous keeping you at the end of your seat.

wow the twists

A story of childhood abuse, secrets, and finally healing. Mental health in many forms.
**trigger warning **

Thrilling

This book was amazing. I couldn't put it down. This book is full of twists and turns with an ending that you don't expect. If you're looking for a suspenseful summer read, this is it!

Great read from the first page!

The narrator is excellent. The story grabs you quickly and doesn’t finish until the last page. Great book and super audio!

It was so enthralling!

Loved the twists and turns and it kept me interested the entire time. Wow! Just fantastic 👏 👏 Bravo 👏 🙌

Captivating & unpredictable

Not typically a fan of 1st person narratives- this story had me hooked and kept me guessing til the very end. One twist actually dropped my jaw.

Not interesting

I did not like this book. I like the narrator in other books but I thought she just didn’t fit the character and it seemed a bit slow.

Surprised until the end

Great character development. The plot was a little wonky but enjoyable enough. I would recommend this book.