Christine Feehan, Savage Nature

Savage Nature

Christine Feehan

Jove, Apr 26 2011, $7.99

ISBN: 9780515149333

Saria Boudreaux grew up on the Louisiana Bayou, which may explain why she feels a special affinity to the place's eeriest secrets. However, even Saria is taken aback when she finds several corpses all containing leopard bites. She fears for her older brothers, who are were-leopards though she knows her siblings would not commit these atrocities.

Saria decides not to call the cops, but instead contacts the land owner Jake Bannaconni. He sends Drake Donovan to investigate the serial killings. At first sight (and sniff) Drake realizes that Saria is his mate as he struggles to control his euphoric inner leopard. He also senses she is on the verge of her first shift. As he makes inquiries into the murders and starts his courtship of his beloved, Drake learns a lesson about life on the Bayou when none of the leopard-shifting families including Saria's kin cooperate.

The latest Wild Leopard romantic bayou fantasy (see Wild Fire and Burning Wild) is an exciting whodunit as a serial killer stalks the Louisiana swamps. The bayou locale adds a strong sense of foreboding that feels even more uneasy with each corpse. That strong fearful strangeness accentuates the feuding shifter clans. However, the exhilarating story line belongs to the lead couple as he knows she is his mate, but must be cautious while she wonders why he has not jumped her bones.

Harriet Klausner