Broken Bayou

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars | 27,798 ratings

Price: 4.99

Last update: 12-19-2024


About this item

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.


From the Publisher

Broken Bayou description

Top reviews from the United States

  • Susan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2024
    So many twists and turns. I didn’t want to put this book down. Great writing! Very descriptive. Love the character development. I will definitely read more of this author.
  • BeckyW01
    4.0 out of 5 stars A little wordy but a good story
    Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2024
    Overall: it was a bit slow to get started, but then it draws you in. It has twists and turns. If you've read as many "psychological thrillers" as I have, you'll see most of the turns coming, but that's ok for the ost aprt. The author does a great job of creating an atmosphere of small southern towns. I liked the mix of characters and their development.

    There were some pages that I skimmed over because there was too much description. The antagonist is woefully predictable; it's the favorite antagonist of many a female-driven psychological thriller. The climax was pretty disturbing and very well written so I skimmed over it, but that's not the author's fault. I didn't like the way the relationship with the main character's mother resolved.....just....a little too enabling, but maybe I'm projecting my own issues.

    All in all, worth the read and I'd read the next one by this author.
  • Hope
    5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating
    Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2024
    I love bayous as I grew up fishing on them in MS with my husband. I never knew if we would encounter alligators, cotton mouths, enormous owls, or catch any fish. The bayou is mysterious, amazing, and awe-inspiring.

    When books are written involving the bayou, I pay my money and take my chances. This particular book caused me discomfort initially as the main character's dilemma wasn't clear to me, and her own discomfort irritated me since there wasn't a known cause for it.

    Putting the book down and returning to it later seemed to help. What I enjoyed was that although the plot remained enigmatic, it suddenly took off with many incidents occurring so quickly, I found myself rushing to keep up.

    As the story heated up, I began guessing, "Who Done It?" which kept me engrossed and highly entertained. The more the plot thickened, the better the book got until it was a definite five-star read.

    The main character was one of the most hard-headed persons I have found in a plot. In almost every case, she did the opposite of what she was told. In considering why Jennifer Moorhead presented her as beyond stubborn, I surmised that if I had a mother like this character's mother, I would never follow anyone's advice either.

    Although I have no way of knowing why Ms. Moorhead created the character to be so stubborn (without making it obvious), I did appreciate that she acted in a manner consistent with her lack of a stable upbringing.

    This is a very good book with an excellent plot, and I recommend it highly. No gratuitous violence or cussing. There is violence, but the description is very mild and non-threatening. It exists for the story to exist, not to give us all nightmares.

    My only wish is the bayou itself could have been given more character since every bayou, swamp, and slew has its own tale to tell and its own consciousness.

    Have a lovely day and enjoy this book!
    Hope,
  • Samantha
    4.0 out of 5 stars Such a great thriller that kept me turning the pages!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2024
    A book written by a Louisiana author set in Louisiana. A thriller that makes you keep turning the pages. A really great read!

    Dr Willa Watters returns to Broken Bayou to confront her past and gets more than she bargained for. Running from a tv interview gone bad, she returns to the small Louisiana town she spent so many summers at. Something isn’t right in the town though, a possible serial killer with the police bringing old cars and barrels full of human remains from the bayou. What is going on and does it have anything to do with the past?

    I thoroughly enjoyed this read, Jennifer did a really wonderful job! The plot was well developed and characters were perfectly researched and placed into the story. It held my interest and I almost felt like I was in the story with Willa. I felt scared when she felt scared. Very well done – I look forward to more from this author! Four stars!
    Customer image
    Samantha
    4.0 out of 5 stars Such a great thriller that kept me turning the pages!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2024
    A book written by a Louisiana author set in Louisiana. A thriller that makes you keep turning the pages. A really great read!

    Dr Willa Watters returns to Broken Bayou to confront her past and gets more than she bargained for. Running from a tv interview gone bad, she returns to the small Louisiana town she spent so many summers at. Something isn’t right in the town though, a possible serial killer with the police bringing old cars and barrels full of human remains from the bayou. What is going on and does it have anything to do with the past?

    I thoroughly enjoyed this read, Jennifer did a really wonderful job! The plot was well developed and characters were perfectly researched and placed into the story. It held my interest and I almost felt like I was in the story with Willa. I felt scared when she felt scared. Very well done – I look forward to more from this author! Four stars!
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    Customer image
  • typhillips13
    4.0 out of 5 stars good thriller
    Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2024
    Good thriller and fast paced. Kind of predictable, but still kept my attention. A good read in between heavy books!
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good suspense
    Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2024
    It was a pretty dark read but it is well done and good until the very end. Character development was done well.
  • Shernina B
    5.0 out of 5 stars What a twist!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2024
    I loved everything about this book! The narrator, the storyline, the setting, and the TWIST! This book was perfectly written, the characters developed well. The plot was a complex whirl of emotions. There was a couple of moments that caught me off guard, it was a bit triggering, but I don’t get trigger easily when I read anymore. I took a breath and kept on pushing through. I shed some tears and felt the pain of the MFC. I definitely recommend this one, but don’t be like me. Check for any triggers, they are brief but there.
  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars surprise twist and plot.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2024
    Easy read, Better than I expected. Kept me interested , read the book in one weekend. Surprised by the ending.

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