Wild Jinx (Warner Forever).

Wild Jinx (Warner Forever)

Sandra Hill

Grand Central Publishing

c/o Hachette Group USA

237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017

www.HachetteBookGroupUSA.com

9780446616539, $6.99

Ninety-two-year-old Tante Lulu is ready to make a hope chest for Tee John LeDeux. She's had a vision and knows he will be getting married soon. He's a cop with the police department in Fontaine, Louisiana. He has a reputation as a womanizer and he is definitely not ready to settle down. She's a bayou healer and notorious buttinski. She believes in that bolt of lightning that's going to make John settle down.

Celine Arseneux had a one-night stand with sexy John LeDeux six years ago. She regrets it--except for her son Etienne. Celine is a reporter and a good one.

Celine and John meet again at a sex club called The Playpen, run by the Dixie Mafia. Both are undercover. And both are caught in a raid, along with TV mogul Ed Warner, evangelist Leroy Evington, and the wife of a prominent congressman.

This fascinating premise is then dropped, as the characters move to Black Bayou to hunt for pirate treasure left by Jean Lafitte. The treasure hunting is interesting, but I did not find it as intriguing as the sex club story.

Celine has never told John about their son. Her grandfather has helped her raise the boy and hates the LeDeux family.

Sparks fly as Celine and John take part in the treasure hunt. Their passion is rekindled. John returns to testify at the Playpen trial near the end of the story. But I did not feel the story lines blended all that well.

Sandra Hill has written several stories about the Cajun LeDeux family, and has left the door open for future installments. I just hope she maintains her focus more clearly in future books. "Wild Jinx" was less than compelling for me.