While the mystery element kept me turning the pages at a blinding pace, I could have done without the romance. Gabriel's disappearance was more than enough to hold my interest and the romance that springs between Charlie and the gardener felt hurried and tacked on. Love story aside, however, I was thoroughly enchanted by The Gates of Evangeline. This Southern Gothic mystery reads like a true crime novel and had me guessing until the very end (and I feel I owe an apology to certain completely innocent characters I had initially pegged as being guilty!) Though the ending left me wanting - it's a little too sitcomy for my tastes, especially with the rest of the novel being somewhat gritty - I enjoyed this one immensely and eagerly await the next installment!

For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!