Water Witch by Deborah LeBlanc

Publisher: Dorchester Publishing
Pages: 290

From the Cover: 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 Louisiana bayous. 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.

Dunny has always been special. Since she was a little girl, she has had a secret. She has an extra digit on the right hand and that extra digit has always been able to do weird things. Like finding the right place to dig a water well, like finding oil on the Pop's land that helps take care of her and her sister, Angelle, after their parents death. The thing is that when people find out what she can do, they call her a freak, but they want her to do those things for them.

Dunny is all grown up now and has hidden her special gift all of her life. She wondered why her parents didn't have the extra digit removed when she was born, but it's a part of her now. Angelle has married and moved from the hot dry plains of Texas to the bayous of Louisiana. Now strange things are happening to Dunny, a rag tag hound dog, Fritter, has taken up residence on her farm. He seems to know when bad things are going to happen. So, when Angelle calls Dunny begging her to come to Louisiana, Fritter goes nuts as if warning her of the evil to come.

Children have disappears from Angelle's classroom, and she fears the worse. But Dunny has always been able to find misplaced objects, maybe she can find the children too. When Dunny arrives, it's to find Gelle's life in disarray. Her husband's grandmother, Poochie, has moved in with them and Poochie is wild, Cajun, and may know more than everyone thinks. In fact, maybe she has her own special gift. Gelle is beside herself and losing touch with reality. Dunny has to get her grounded and the children found for them all to find peace.

Water Witch by Deborah LeBlanc was a mystery thriller with a paranormal twist. It was an interesting read that was a fun ride as well as a read that involved the sick part of society that there's just no explaining. What drives the villain in this story over the edge is unknown. But he creates his own world that invokes spirits, both malicious and those seeking to help in the here and now. I tried, but could not figure out his mind set. This tale is a little bit ghost story, romance (but not until the very end of the tale), mystery, and thriller. It was impossible to predict the villain until the last few pages when the events and characters fell into place. Combine all of this with the gorgeous backdrop from the hot desert of Texas into the incredibly humid bayous of Louisiana, and the setting helps tell the story. The Cajun influence brings a whole new flavor to the story that was fun and shows a lifestyle almost forgotten. The story would lose a lot without Poochie's presence throughout. This was a fast read that kept me guessing. For more information about Deborah LeBlanc or her books, please visit her website.

Here's a peek at the book trailer.