’A-ROVING NO MORE

In this fifth installment of a mystery series, an actor and his beloved fiancee return to New Orleans to marry, only to discover that enigmatic evil forces are still threatening them.

In Sanchez’s Big Easy, family and close friendships are everything and drama is everywhere, which is especially appropriate considering his star character, Jeff Chaussier, is an actor. This volume opens with a wedding scene filled with riotous colors and the full complement of quirky characters who have populated the author’s earlier novels. The church is overflowing with flowers. The beautiful bridesmaids, who just happen to be female impersonators from the Cupcake lounge, are crying loudly, when finally “the shimmering snow sculpture that was Bryna” walks down the aisle to take Jeff’s hand in front of the altar. As they are about to say their vows, she turns, tears streaming down her face, and runs out to the street into a waiting car. The groom is crying and the bride is missing, but the wild “Irish Channel” celebration continues well into the night. Despite the frivolity—and there is plenty—the aborted wedding is a foreboding of all the trouble that still lies ahead for the duo. But first, Jeff and Bryna get to enjoy a sex-infused, extended pre-honeymoon, frolicking on a deserted Bahamian island, while his five brothers and assorted compatriots confer about who could be behind the endless stream of assassins doggedly devoted to murder and mayhem. Unfortunately, it is decided that Jeff is needed back in New Orleans to help flush out the coterie of evildoers. Fans of the series have a distinct advantage over newcomers, who may need a score card to keep track of all the players. But Sanchez does eventually fill in many of the complicated backstories. Secret forays through the swamps and bayous outside of New Orleans and a hefty dose of violence keep the adrenalin-pumping action steady. Jeff’s self-deprecating narration, although occasionally repetitive, is engaging, philosophical, and often touching. The explosive final chapters demand another installment.

A sexy, edgy, entertaining, and frequently dark tale with a temptingly eccentric Crescent City backdrop.