A New Orleans homicide detective who wife disappeared inexplicably some months ago is baffled by the multiple unexplained disappearances every Full Moon. Attributing the crimes to some practitioner of voodoo, he hunts in every corner of the city and countryside while those he befriends fall, and fatal danger becomes imminent upfront, and personal.

Magic! Sex! Murder! The combination of these elements within this book made it a wild ride. Detective Lawrence Ribaud aka Cork woke up one night to discover his wife gone and nothing left on her side of the bed but a pool of blood and a heart. But she's not the only one. On one night every month, people wake up to find their significant other gone with nothing left but sheets full of blood and a heart. Cork does not believe in voodoo but nothing else fits and soon he finds himself entangled in the side of New Orleans nobody likes talking about, the one filled with secret rituals, snakes and sacrifices.
This book started off running and I could not put it down until I was finished. Cork is frantically trying to find the murderer before he/she strikes again. However, no matter how he tries, the murderer keeps one step ahead of him.
As the story progressed, I was able to see the shift within him as he changed from skeptic to believer. After all, there was no other explanation for what was going on.
I must mention that I love stories based in New Orleans. I've never been there but I seriously hope that it is just like it is described in all the books I've read about it or I would be very disappointed when I visit.
I would definitely be keeping an eye out for this author in the future. I was very impressed by this offering.

This book is meant for adults just for the sex scenes alone. There's also a lot of black magic and intense scenes which may be scary for some (I'm a horror veteran so I was not bothered. Lol)

Well, wow. I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into when I started this book but well…wow.

The story centers around Detective Lawrence “Cork” Ribaud as he tries to solve the freakiest case of missing persons I’ve ever heard of: once a month, a few people in New Orleans wake up to find their spouses missing, their side of the bed soaked in blood, with nothing left of them but their heart.

Detective Ribaud has his doubts about the actual power behind Voodoo, but he’s pretty sure these disappearances have all the markings of some sort of curse or dark ritual. And he will get himself into some incredibly dangerous and disturbing situations to figure out what is going on.

I love stories set in New Orleans, I have ever since I read that first vampire book back in the 90’s, and this book gave me all those good New Orleans vibes.

Part police procedural, part supernatural thriller, part whoa-did-that-really-just-happen, this book starts out freaky and just gets freakier. It’s dark and dangerous and exciting, full of magic and sex and some seriously tense moments that had me racing through the pages to see what would happen. I really enjoyed the thrill of this story and will be checking out what else Mr Everson has to offer.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Taking place in New Orleans, Detective Lawrence Ribaud has been dispatched to an unusual violent crime scene. Upon further investigation the detective begins to slowly uncover what seems to be a connection to an underground voodoo ridden society.
Published by Flame Tree Press, author John Everson has awaken the voodoo mythos with his most recent novel Voodoo Heart. Easing the reader into a sense of calm security with his appealing characters and pleasant locations such as Bourbon Street and The French Quarter within The Big Easy, make for an alluring setting. His work of fiction quickly turns into a menacing chase towards evil. Missing bodies, dark rituals and black magic governed under a supernatural environment quickly become the forefront of this intense novel. Unfolding into a twisted morbid plot of manifested dark arts, the power held over it’s victims and sacrificial rituals substantiates a fine line between fiction and nonfictional true crime that make the story believable and all too real. Because of the subject matter and Everson's talented writing skill one can't help but have the uneasy feeling of exploring the unknown and treading on sacred hollowed ground. It's certainly an uncomfortable thrilling ride, what horror and being scared is all about.
The constant evolving twists and turns will no doubt leave the reader with a desire to seek out their own local mambo priestess for any spells or potions that could aid their ailment and ward off any evil spirits and curses that might linger upon finishing this book. You too will find yourself dredging the swamps for a release of any ritualistic hold this novel will have on you. A strong ceremonious recommendation from The Horror Bookworm.

Voodoo is an underrated topic in supernatural horror/thriller fiction. Don't get me wrong, I still love me a sexy vampire, but vamps and shifters are a dime a dozen in fiction, these days. Voodoo still feels really fresh. I'm not sure if this book was intended as horror, per se, but it wasn't what I would consider scary. It was gruesome and creepy, though, and that's sufficient for me. I so rarely get scared by any book that I don't subtract points for being less than terrifying I did have a few gripes with Voodoo Heart, though. The main character is a cop, but he spends almost no time at the station or doing actual police work. A real life detective with his habits would have been fired or killed before they started their 2nd case. Also, if I had read this book without any knowledge of the author, I would still have known it was a man. Multiple instances of "intimacy"with various women, and the poetic waxing about that woman's body gave it away. But overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the book and how much I enjoyed it.
3.5 stars

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to Flame Tree Press and Netgalley.

I'm torn on my feelings about this one. On one hand the characters are interesting and the plot is way more unique than I expected. There is plenty of action, suspense, and tension. The descriptions are excellent. I was sucked in and had to know how it ended.
On the other hand there are points where you have to go even beyond suspending disbelief. The main character is supposed to be a detective. If so it's no wonder the cases have been piling up unsolved. Cork is also a man whore. He can't seem to help himself. After all he has such a "strong connection" with so many women. Never mind that his choices in partners are abysmal and detrimental to his cases.
So even though I am torn, I have to say it's a great read. It sucked me in and I couldn't put it down. Even when I felt like the main character was a moron too stupid to live I had to keep flipping pages to see if he survived. And I really wanted answers to the cases. Which kinda blew me away with the reveal.

A horror novel set in New Orleans involving voodoo? Yes please! I had been wanting a read like this for a while and rather enjoyed it.
The lead character comes across as a bit shallow at times, but he is who he is, and it all ties in with the story. Plenty of mystery to go along with the horror, and a refreshingly modern treatment of witches and witchcraft, all while maintaining an air of menace.

I was very excited to receive this book. The subject matter seemed interesting, so I settled in to read it. The title of the book fits the storyline. The book is about people disappearing and only their heart is left behind. And there is voodoo involved. Overall, although the book dragged in some areas, it was a good read. The build up to the ending was very good. I enjoyed this book as a whole. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.

Absolutely riveting tale that combines a detective novel with elements of the supernatural brilliantly. While it seemed to be a bit of a departure for John Everson, as soon as I put his other work out of my mind and approached this without that baggage, I was immediately drawn in and stayed in until I'd finished.
Yes, there are dozens of treatments out there that involve voodoo, rituals, murders, etc. but make no mistake about it--this isn't "Angel Heart" or "Serpent and the Rainbow." This is original, captivating, and well worth a read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Flametree Press for allowing me to read Voodoo Heart in exchange for an honest review.
This was really interesting. I've always wanted to visit New Orleans. The book makes great use of its setting. It was vivid and atmospheric. And I feel like I learned a bit about voodoo (or at least voodoo through the author's filter). His world-building was solid, and the voodoo element felt natural and believable.
So, the plot. It was sleazy and over-the-top and (apart from the mortifying sex scenes) I enjoyed it. It was a fun, fast story with an ending that should have been obvious, but I honestly didn't see it coming.
Some of the writing felt awkward and stilted, and the pop culture references didn't seem to fit (like Adventure Time, twice, AC/DC and Billie Eilish) Here's a quote:
"Turns out, Rowan was a huge fan of Firefly and Farscape, two of my favorite classic science fiction TV series. Don’t ask me how we got on the Fs. After debating the necessity of wholesomeness in the character of Kaylee from Firefly (played by the ultimate ‘girl next door’ Jewel Staite) we agreed that this was a connection we needed to continue. Rowan texted me so that I’d have her number." That is a pretty representative sample of the writing style, and a pop culture reference that kind of threw me off.
The characters were interesting but many felt underdeveloped or even unnecessary (his fellow police officers, for instance. I actually forgot the protagonist was a cop! It was almost incidental- it hardly came up. All of his investigating was done on his own, off the clock).
That said, though, it was an entertaining read. As I mentioned,the world-building was great, and I would totally read a sequel.

Another terrific story from John Everson.

Voodoo Heart follows Detective Lawrence Ribaud as he tries to discover what's behind all the missing bodies in New Orleans. Every full moon bring more vanishings, leaving only beds of blood and a human heart.
Looking for help anywhere he can find it, Ribaud goes deep into the world of voodoo witnessing sacrifices, sexual rituals, and more on his way to uncovering the truth.

This one felt a bit different for me from Everson, but I loved it anyway. The traditional Everson flares show up in just the right places and the mystery was done well.

I give Voodoo Heart 4 stars!
Definitely recommend this one. If you're a fan of the author, New Orleans, or swampy voodoo stories check it out!

John Everson can sure bring out some entertaining writing, can't he? I took my time with Voodoo Heart because that is how much I wanted to savor and enjoy it. Everson creates some complicated characters, but not so complicated that you want to throw the book (or Paperwhite) across the room. You feel for Cork, for his friends, his detective colleagues, and Everson definitely brings out the humanity in his characters, even if you can't for the life of you understand why someone is choosing to make THAT decision. I liked Cork although he has some questionable and unlikable tendencies and I liked Renee although she was making some life-threatening choices for herself, but honestly you wouldn't have such a good story without them.

The details in Voodoo Heart were enough to make me itch and not want to ever visit a swamp of any kind. I'll keep to the French Quarter, thank you, much safer even with a curse going around. There were parts of this story that was hard for me to handle and I'm a horror fan. I got a few Se7en vibes while reading Voodoo Heart and I did have some deep suspicions about one character in particular (I won't spoil that for you), and when I finished this book, I definitely had some images in my head that I'm not sure that I wanted.
This isn't a perfect book, there were some plot holes that I still have questions about (two detectives go missing while in the middle of investigating with our main boy, Cork, but no one asks about them later? Huh?), the references to the voodoo religion seem written as for a horror movie later down the line and Cork's quick move from nonbeliever to warding his house to deflect bad spirits is a bit questionable. However, that does not make this a bad story, I learned a few things, got a good horror mystery with some very interesting characters and a not so predictable ending. My thanks to John Everson.

This book is an interesting mix....a blend of hard hitting detective novel and occult horror Voodoo style. Set in New Orleans, the story has a lot of rawness about it -- sex, blood, human sacrifice, pure evil....

Although I enjoyed the story, I just couldn't get away from the thought that I'd read so many stories like this before. There are 10000000 New Orleans Voodoo blood and guts everywhere books out there. And this is really just another one on the stack. I didn't particularly get into the characters, the action or the horror edge.

This is a well-written story....and I did enjoy reading it for the most part. In the end, I think it's just a matter of the story not being for me. I've read too many jaded-detective-gets-embroiled-in-evil stories before,and just didn't get lost in this story like I wanted to. But that is just my opinion. It didn't work for me....doesn't mean others won't absolutely love it.

It's a miss for me this time. I do look forward to more by this author though. The next book might be something I really love!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book by John Everson. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Another good read from John Everson! I couldn't put this down once I started. I can't wait for another book from the author.

John Everson’s new book is another treasure to read that fits within the universe of his other works but is slightly different from his horror output. This does not make the book any less pleasurable but it does show the diversity in the amazing style of Everson’s work.

The characters are very well constructed and interesting from the small cameo to the main characters. Lawrence Ribald, the main character, tells the story in the first person and he finds himself in the middle of an investigation that has horrifying aspects that starts our hero down a rabbit hole that may not bring him back to reality. He has his faults and they work very well within the confines of the story and make him extremely human which is an asset to this detective thriller novel.

The subsidiary characters are very well defined and helps the readers enter the voodoo world in New Orleans. Some of them become victims and there is an emotional strength when this happens that it makes you yearn for Ribald to solve the crimes. All characters play a part in the overall mystery and they do help push the plot forward.

The plot is well constructed which makes this a real page turner with very little room for the reader to catch a breath. The setting and pacing are above par and drives the reader to its ultimate conclusion. There are some very interesting voodoo rituals and I am not versed in voodoo rituals but these are quite the head turning.

This is an exciting read and as a horror novel probably will not be for the hard-core but as a mystery thriller novel it does exceed. Everson’s novel always turns the normal tropes on their heads to give the reader a very unique experience with the confines of each genre that he tackles. This is an exceptional novel and one that I thorough enjoyed and highly recommend.

This was an entertaining read. I was able to learn more about Voodoo through the eyes of the main character and that was a great benefit. There were some scenes that made no sense as he is a detective and should have known better. It wasn't as scary as I was led to believe and would be good for those dabbling into horror. Trigger warnings include: graphic sex and violence as well as sex with non humans. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I will blog this book closer to publication date.

With a title like "Voodoo Heart," perhaps it is inevitable that this book reads extremely similarly to "Falling Angel" by William Hjortsberg, famously adapted into the film "Angel Heart" starring Mickey O'Rourke and Robert De Niro. There is no Lucifer-like entity at play in Everson's novel. Instead, he introduces us to jaded veteran detective, Lawrence Ribaud, whose friends call him Cork. He knows most people think voodoo is just a fun tourist trap and a fun part of the New Orleans experience. Although he is nowhere near a true believer, let alone a practitioner of the religion, he has some experience with it. Specifically, he starts to learn it may be at play with the very odd string of missing bodies whose count goes up as the book progresses.

I don't normally like police procedurals (or at least, they take a look to keep my attention), but "Voodoo Heart" kept me turning the pages and had compelling elements.

Ribaud's wife was recently murdered, and infidelity may have been involved (that's all I will say otherwise I will be ruining the plot).

I found it a bit obnoxious that Ribaud starts to consider voodoo as a possibility only after hearing an unidentified Black woman blame the murders and abductions on a pattern that fits with voodoo and the full moon. The other aspect that bothered me about this is--having established he doesn't have much connection to the world of voodoo and is a skeptic, he conveniently just so happens to know a mambo--a voodoo priestess--who operates a shop in the French Quarter that caters to tourists and pays the bills while she does "the real stuff" for a select group of clients. Along with this, the author's "let me show you the research I've done" irked me because there's a way to do this in which it feels organic to the plot. It was a bit clumsily handled here.

I wasn't expecting the author to do anything new or original, but there's always that feeling of disappointment for me when there are the typical voodoo "scares." In particular, some readers may not enjoy the author's look at voodoo through a very white lens. I did not like the author's reliance on sensationalized images from Hollywood films of naked sex rituals involving snakes to depict voodoo. As well, the higher beings prayed to were not the names of the loa in the Louisiana voodoo, Haitian vodou, or West African vodun traditions. He uses names such as Antimons and Herodeus, which seem made up and vaguely Greek/Roman. It's fine to have that as a plot element--but I felt it would have benefitted the author not to conflate this with voodoo.

Nonetheless, some elements were interesting, and I did enjoy reading much of the novel. It is compulsively readable and is a great Halloween read.

Review Copy

I love voodoo, mysteries, murder and all of these set in modern day New Orleans. I also love, love, love John Everson. He's the kind of guy I wish I had met,oh, say in high school. What fun that would have been!

I enjoyed VOODOO HEART as I do all of John's books. It was well written, was fun, horror filled, and noir-detective. It just missed out on getting five stars from me because the main character was just a little too unbelievable in his wishy-washyness regarding his love for his wife. Is that how a "guy" acts? It could be. I dunno. Either way, this woman reviewer is going to knock a star off that guy for that! But, that star notwithstanding, John Everson remains one of my go to authors. If you like sex voodoo magic, blood, horror and sex read VOODOO HEART. Set aside your real world inhibitions and escape.

Set in New Orleans, this is a hard boiled detective novel mixed with the culture of Voodoo. Detective Lawrence Ribaud finds himself investigating a series of disappearances where people go missing in the middle of the night and only their ripped out hearts are found in their beds in the morning. Ribaud suspects Voodoo is at play and although a non believer he begins to realise there may be more to it than shops selling charms and potions to tourists.

If you are looking for a procedural read then this isn't the book for you. However, if you want an entertaining crime/horror with lots of Voodoo then this is the read for you. Easy to read that keeps you turning the page to the end.

Voodoo Heart takes a deep-dive into the occult world of New Orleans and its famous, yet also infamous, voodoo culture. While the author makes it clear that voodoo is often mistaken for being considered bad juju and something that immediately has a negative association, the thorough research made on the topic also brings to light that there are as many positive things about voodoo as well.

Mainstream society unfortunately only clings to the bad shit because happy endings don’t really sell, do they?

As great a detective novel as any other, I will admit that after finishing Voodoo Heart, this book will hold a special place in my digital shelf of favorites. Obviously, it’s because of voodoo and New Orleans, but also because Everson has written a novel full of acute observations about the place (the kind of people who live there and their beliefs) that he has created an enthralling world of its own not many people are aware of. Heck, some of us can’t help but to associate New Orleans with voodoo because it’s such an integral part of that specific society (myself included).

Detective Lawrence Ribaud is thankfully not a close-minded individual and it’s a relief to read a detective story that breaks away from this mindset. Initially he is dismissive about all the voodoo nonsense in the beginning as any believable person would be, but gradually opens up to consider every angle, doing what he can to ultimately ‘solve the case’. In this regard (don’t worry, you’re not getting any spoilers) Everson did a great job about his character’s development and for that I applause him. Ribaud uses what he knows and proves to be a quick thinker, therefore making him as good as any of the other well-known detectives that exist in fiction today, especially when handling supernatural cases.