I really liked this mystery.

GInny came out of the swamp at 6 years old with no memory of who she was. Many years later, as she was starting getting some memories back, Paul comes into town looking for his sister who dissappear from a girl's school long ago.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ginny does not remember life prior to being found wandering down the street at six years old. A local girls' school caught on fire, and everyone assumed she must have been a resident. A local adopted her. Now, as an adult, she is starting to get flashes. As she goes out to investigate the property, she runs into a man. Paul's sister vanished after the fire and he is trying to find her. His presence in town has stirred people up and now both Ginny and Paul are in danger. They start working together to figure out who is behind everything.

As I was reading this, I kept thinking that it felt very amateurish. I did not recognize the author's name and figured it may be a debut. After reading, I realized that this is an old Harlequin book being rereleased as an audiobook. Things made a bit more sense- it is the early work of the author.

I enjoyed the book overall, but it could have used some polish.

Blythe Renay narrates. While I like her tone, I wonder if her narration played a part in my feelings about the book seeming amateurish.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I started enjoying this book, it was so short and I believe that there was something much more that could have been added. The potential is there, it needs expanded on and added to.

I enjoyed the mystery and chemistry between the MCs in the book. It was interesting to discover what really happened in the school. Ginny and Paul are a couple I wouldn't mind seeing again.

I enjoyed Blythe Renay as the narrator. She did a great job giving voice to this story.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This was a very quick and easy listen. I felt the story could have had a lot mores added to it . I hate when you finally make it to the why and how part and it's told in less than two paragraphs . I also didn't realize that this was a reprint and not a book from this year. I was excited when I seen the setting was in the bayou and didn't pay attention to much more . The narrator was ok but I would have rather had someone with a southern and or cajun voice .

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fast cozyish mystery. It had an interesting premise, but I feel like it need just more: more character building, more details/history about the the school, just more. It had a satisfying ending and was easy to read. I didn't dislike it., If you are looking for something easy, fast and not too stressful give it a try.

I really enjoyed the mystery of this novel. I loved the premise of a young girl emerging from a swamp with no memory of what happened to her for years. I was instantly intrigued by this premise. While the mystery aspect kept me coming back, I did feel like something was missing from the rest of the novel. It may have just been that the dialogue was off? It felt really unnatural. I like Jana DeLeon, so maybe it's just that I'm used to her lighter novels.

This was good but not ground breaking. It’s a super fast, short read which is refreshing at times. This book just lacked the extra spark to make it higher rated.

This is a rerelease of Deleon's 2012 novel, but my first time checking out this story. Her Miss Fortune series is one of my all-time favorite cozies, so of course I couldn't pass this up. I listened to the audiobook and felt at home combing through clues. Regardless of genre intricacies Deleon crafts smart mysteries with enough suspense to have me avoiding the pause button.

Ginny walked out of the bayou at the age of six when The LeBlanc School for Girls was burning. She was one of only two girls to survive the blaze. The trauma caused her memories to go dormant and because there were no leads as to her identity a kind local woman adopted her. Ginny's leads a relatively quiet existence until she starts to question her past. Her curiosity leads her to poke around the abandoned school where she meets Paul.

Paul is a P.I. who has been searching for the sister he was separated from twenty years ago. He has reason to believe she may have been a resident at the old school. The more the pair digs into the past the more danger comes to call. Someone doesn't want the truth uncovered and they are willing to kill to keep the silence.

The mystery is the main focus with the elements of romance and suspense being secondary. It seemed like all three had to be included and felt like ticking boxes instead of a natural progression. The romance is mild but felt like it moved from zero to sixty without much cause. Less would've been more believable and a better fit for such a short novel. The blend of suspense and mystery was well balanced. There were some minor plot holes, but nothing glaring. I had lot of appreciation for the communication between characters. There is an abundance of miscommunication happening in books right now. I felt like applauding that these two were open and spoke like adults. My favorite aspect was the author's use of red herrings and subtle clues.

*Be aware there are mentions of dark subject matter, most of which is off page. *

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for an Advance Listening Copy for review. These are my unbiased opinions.

3.75 rounded up to 4.
An intriguing, fast paced mystery. The narrator of the audiobook kept me captivated throughout. The romance aspect was predictable and seemed forced. I think the story would have been better without it.

Jenny has no memory of her time at LeBlanc School for Girls, which mysteriously burned down sixteen years ago. One night, she finds herself near the old school and runs into Paul, a newcomer to town. From the start, this one had me hooked. I didn’t know who to trust, and the creepy atmosphere kept me on edge. The twists and turns had me hooked! I liked that Jenny wasn’t alone, she has Paul and her mother to rely on. There’s a bit of romance, but it develops naturally as the story unfolds. Blythe Renay does a fantastic job narrating, bringing Jenny and Paul to life with distinct tones and inflections. Her voice kept me engaged until the very end.
This one is great for lovers of eerie mysteries, slow burn romance, and atmospheric thrillers.

Title: The Lost Girls of Johnson’s Bayou
Author: Jana DeLeon
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Blythe Renay
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Genre: Mystery/Romance
Audiobook Pub Date: February 25, 2025
My Rating: 3.6 rounded up
Pages: 218

Ginny Bergeron is a young woman who for sixteen years has wondered who she is and where she came from.
She was six the night of the firs at the LaBlanc School for Girls were several if the girls died. Ginny was found wondering the streets but had had no memory what happened. In fact she still doesn’t remember if she even lived at the school.
She was taken in by a wonderful woman who lived in Johnson’s Bayou and is mother to her.

Private Investigator and former police officer Paul Stanton has been looking for his sister for over twenty years. They were separated by the foster care system at that time. His investigation has brought him to Johnson's Bayou and the LaBlanc School for Girls. He knows two girls survived the fire has great hope that his sister is one of them.

This was better than expected. I did enjoy it.
This was my first Jana DeLeon however she has written many stories – many of which were cozy mysteries. In fact, this story was close to being classified as a cozy and I would have been loved if had been!

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this enjoyable audiobook.
Audiobook Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 25, 2025