On the Bayou

by

Sean Bridges

Non-stop action and desperate situations.

On the Bayou is a suspenseful new crime thriller by Sean Bridges, and the story is one of non-stop action and desperate situations. After DEA Agent Jennifer Nash becomes the scapegoat for a surveillance operation gone wrong, a high-placed mentor guides her into an oversight assignment in the Louisiana swamps in an effort to rebuild her career with a series of small, successful jobs. But once on-site with local law enforcement and headed into a major meth lab bust without fully vetted intel, Jennifer realizes that the home team may be compromised, and not knowing who she can trust may cost her and the others their lives. 

Jennifer Nash is a smart and serious protagonist, and although small in stature, she is well able to take care of herself and business. Her male colleagues are hard to appreciate, with their ugly, highly sexualized comments and dismissive attitudes; they are almost caricatures of male chauvinists from decades earlier. The demarcation between federal and local agencies is clear, with mutual distrust and anger. Jenn must work to keep herself from matching their energy, but unfortunately, she’s had a lot of practice. 

The plot is well-paced, and the author creates a truly atmospheric setting, with the treacherous rural swamp as a backdrop. I could feel the mugginess and imagined the mosquitoes as boats laden with officers and equipment set off into the sticky, sweaty unknown. 

While Jenn’s companions are, at times, contemptible, the bad guys are worse. The action sequences are very well choreographed but be warned: some are quite graphic. I was kept on the edge of my seat as the story unfolded, and the surprises along the way absolutely made this a bona fide page-turner for me. 

I recommend ON THE BAYOU for readers of crime fiction and thrillers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Literary Life Book Campaigns.