New Orleans is one of my favorite cities to visit. Nothing beats the sultry atmosphere of the city that has seen its share of colorful citizens, historic events, and renewed hope after tragedy. Robin Caroll has set her newest series right in the heart of the French Quarter, and the first book, Darkwater Secrets, captures all the sights, smells, and tastes of New Orleans. The novel is a wonderful combo of mystery and suspense, romance and drama as good as a seafood gumbo. I give this book a recommended rating.

While the setting is so very satisfying — carnival season with scenes at the St. Louis cemetery, Cafe du Monde, and St. Louis Cathedral — I really, really liked the characters. At the center of the novel is Adelaide Fountaine, general manager of the historic (but fictional) Darkwater Inn. She along with junior hotel owner Dimitri Pampalon and Detective Beau Savoie fuel the story. Along with a murder, there are secrets galore — everyone seems to be hiding something. Add to the mix some voodoo and real life struggles, and you have an intriguing plot. The novel has a definite Christian worldview, yet only one character really lives out his faith. I found this very realistic. Within the faith thread is the complex issues of justice and revenge. At the heart is the question of whether real justice can be achieved and whether people can take that into their own hands when the system fails. I thought the author handled the argument expertly. The story certainly made me think.

Darkwater Secrets was a page turner. Don’t be surprised if you look at the clock to discover you’ve stayed up way too late! 😉 I think for those groups who enjoy intrigue and mystery, it is an excellent choice for a book club. Twisting and turning with plenty to discuss. The mystery is solved at the end of the novel, but there is plenty more to come. I am eagerly awaiting book 2. And for those of you who find themselves wishing for some of Dimitri’s delicious dishes, there is Recipes from The Darkwater Inn — free for Kindle. Yum!

Recommended.

Great for Book Clubs.

Audience: adults.

Robin Caroll does a pretty good job of depicting New Orleans the way I know it. Daughter lives there with hubby who grew up there. The novel captures the flavors and people fairly well.

From the first page, I was captivated with the premise and story line. However, the romance part of it whines through the whole book. You know right off who is mooning over whom. But they just make cow eyes at each other without really noticing. I found that very irritating. It is very similar to the hash rehash that a lot of authors do when characters are trying to make a decision about something. You keep covering the same ground with them and it moves forward at the pace of glaciers, and about as interesting as watching ice melt.

However, the mystery is very good, and extremely intriguing. Well done, Robin, well done.

Got this book from Netgalley, and this is my honest review about the book.

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Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in return for my honest opinion and review.

This was a great start to a new series. After reading it. I want to go to New Orleans more now than I did before. I would love to stay at an old style hotel , like the Darkwater, and lunch at Cafe du Monde. I like the characters, Addy, Beau and Dimitri, I cannot wait to see where the story takes these three, as well as their supporting cast. It was a great summer read and barely lasted the weekend. Good storyline, I liked the way it played out and great set up for future books. Will definitely reading future books in this series.

It's been a long time since I've read a novel by Robin Caroll, and reading her new release, which is the first of her Darkwater Inn series, reminded me why I enjoy her novels so much.

The New Orleans setting of this book is both mysterious and intriguing.
Every time I read the name Pampalon I was reminded of my birth mother. Her last name was Pampolina, and my biological father was an ancestor of the Trizini's who designed the house used in the Steel Magnolia's movie, which is in Natchitoches, Louisiana, a location used in the book.
Reading this book for me was a peek into my birth family's history, and interestingly it felt like home.

Ms. Caroll creates a very realistic setting. With customs, food, celebrations, the folkways of voodoo,
made me feel as though I was in the middle of the historic French Quarter.

My Bottom Line:

This mystery is more than a cozy who-dun-it. It is a suspenseful, thriller. Just when I thought I figured something out I was proven wrong, which makes a great suspense read. Each of the character's were well developed and their dilemma had you emotionally invested. The culture and customs of New Orleans as well as the inspirational thread was really what made this a new favored read. I highly recommended!

Get ready to get sucked into the romance and mystery that is New Orleans! I fell in love with the characters and the colorful setting. Well written plot that will keep you guessing all the way to the end.

Darkwater Secrets by Robin Caroll

Great start to a new mystery series

Dimitri found a snake in his mailbox along with a voodoo-y collection of yucky things. However, that wasn’t nearly as terrible as what he found on his dad’s bed!

Adelaide has a secret pain that no one but her best friend knows. She fears her father’s reaction if he found out. Now that there has been a murder and truths long hidden are being revealed, she fears becoming a suspect if her secret was to get out.

Beau has a secret that he has kept from everyone, fearing that Adelaide and her father would shut him out of their lives if it was revealed. Dimitri has a secret desire that he hides from his father. Moreover, Dimitri’s father has a secret that has him the target of voodoo. Whew!

Darkwater Secrets kept me anxiously turning the pages, not sure what I would find next. Though the subject matter was dark and darker, dealing with rape, adultery, vengeance, and voodoo, the author did a really great job of not making the story ugly or depressing.

There were surprises throughout the story and new conflicts introduced. Though there were a number of characters introduced, it was not too difficult to keep track of them. The clues to the mystery were meted out at just the right pace. I do have to confess that only 10% into the story I concocted a theory as to who the murderer was and felt very proud of myself. As I kept reading I discovered that it was good I had kept an open mind because I then found I really did know (and not who I first had suspected). Though I had correctly figured out the murderer’s identity, I was very surprised by the way it was revealed and had fully expected the story to go in a completely different direction, which probably would have been cliché. I guess that is why it’s a good thing I wasn’t the author!


This book is so much more than a murder mystery. It is a story of secrets that separate people from their loved ones. Of hurts that keep people from God. Of black and white becoming a little gray.

Darkwater Secrets is the first of a new series that, presumably, takes place at the Darkwater Inn. I figured that one out by the title of the series. This appears to be a series where each book builds on the previous ones. The story had a clear ending, yet there were hints of conflicts to come and some unresolved issues as well.


Read the full review of Darkwater Secrets by Robin Caroll with a Preview at AmongTheReads.net

I would like to thank JustRead Tours for giving me a copy of this book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.

I really enjoyed this suspensful mystery and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series! The book is set in New Orleans just before Mardi Gras and I thought the author did a wonderful job bringing that setting to life. I liked the cast of characters that she created and enjoyed trying to solve the mystery. The book draws you in and through the twists and turns keeps you reading.

got this book free on Netgalley through a Just Read Tour, the opinions are my own and I do not need to leave a positive review. I absolutely love reading a book and learning something new, and that happened with Darkwater Inn. I've never visited New Orleans so my knowledge is limited to shows like CW's The Originals and Disney's The Princess and the Frog. After reading this book though I feel like I understand New Orleans culture in a different way. I definitely also want to experience the Crescent City for myself.

The characters were well developed with history and interconnection. I really think the author, Robin Caroll, did a good job on some tough topics including past trauma and questions about faith as well. The only part I didn't like about the writing was some of the repetition in dialogue but the story and mystery was great.

One of the POV's is Dimitri who has a love and skill for cooking. All of the dishes mentioned are mouth watering and I feel cheated I've never tried them including right in the beginning of chapter 2 "A new recipe: egglplant casserole wiht red pepper pesto, topped wiht a Cajun breadcrumb crust." I immediately started drooling when I read that description!

The murder was solved at the end but I like how the author left some things open ended so I still want to revisit the characters and continue the series.

The past comes to visit the Darkwater Hotel where Adelaide Fountaine works as the general manager. When a man is found murdered, the police step in to solve the crime. The detective in charge of the investigation in a man Adelaide has known since childhood. A friend.

Robin Caroll unwraps this mystery one edge at a time, revealing information about the murder victim and her characters in a way that kept me going, wanting to get to the bottom of everything.
Interestingly, the crime solving isn’t done on the last pages of the book. No, Caroll leaves the quarter of the book for the characters to sort out their personal issues (and to introduce some others, setting up future books in this series nicely).

And while love triangles are not my favorite thing in books, I could respect Adelaide’s choice in the end. Of course, I’ll keep reading this series to find out if/when that choice changes.

Caroll delves into the heart of New Orleans, touching on the evils of voodoo and hoodoo, secrets of the historical buildings, and the people who have lived in the city their entire lives. All of that while twisting together a tale of murder, revenge, and discovery.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Excellent suspense book handling a very dark topic. Robin Caroll crafts her characters with excellent emotional appeal and entangles a very intricate web of secrets. Recommended for lovers of romantic suspense and mystery.

Darkwater Secrets Is a very serious murder mystery. Why serious? Well because the author tackles a serious subject as the reason for the murder. A subject that I am sorry to say happens every 98 seconds in this country. This is definitely an older person's story, but one that is so very good And it needed to be told. The author does this Justice. Poor Addy having to deal with crazy people in the hotel - it starts off with in alarm and ends up with a - - - nope can't ruin this for you. Addy, is one lucky lady - she doesn't know that - she has two suitors - Dimitri the owner's son and Beau - the detective and best friend. Which will she fall for? Will she learn to trust again? Will she learn to love and trust even GOD again and let him free her from all that pain and walls and secrets? I Received a copy of this book from the Publisher and Netgalley; All of the opinions expressed in this review Are all my own.

This was a bit of a different murder mystery (first in a series). Set in New Orleans at the fictional Darkwater Inn, it is told through 3 characters: Adelaide, the general manager; Dimitri, the owner’s son and Beau, the detective who investigates the murder. I liked it even though I had guessed the guilty party. My favorite part of this story was the character development. These characters (both main and secondary) are well-fleshed out with backstories and are people that I’d like to actually know. There’s room for these characters to grow and also romance brewing. I’d like to read future books as they come out.
Thanks to #NetGalley & #Gilead.

Darkwater Secrets is the first installment from the Darkwater Inn. I thought it was a great read and I highly recommend it.
5 stars.

Title: Darkwater Secrets
Author: Robin Caroll
Genre: Southern fiction, suspense
Rating: 4 out of 5

Managing the Darkwater Inn in the heart of the French Quarter is a dream job for Adelaide Fountaine. The job is demanding and busy, but she loves the hectic pace. The owner, not so much. But the owner’s son, Dimitri, has become her friend, over late-night meals in the quiet kitchen.

Detective Beau Savoie has been friends with Adelaide since childhood, but when a murder in the Darkwater brings up secrets from her past and leaves Adelaide a suspect, Beau starts to wonder if he really knows her at all. With the murder investigation pushing her into Dimitri’s arms, Beau wants to be mad at Adelaide, but he’s hiding secrets of his own.

I love suspense novels, Southern fiction, and New Orleans, so I was eager to read this novel. And I was not disappointed. The author captures the feel of the French Quarter—and the boutique hotels found there—with style and charm. I was so caught up in the drama between the characters, I didn’t even really care who the murderer was!

Robin Caroll is the best-selling author of almost 30 novels. Darkwater Secrets has just been released in paperback.

(Galley provided by Gilead Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

Darkwater Secrets is the first book in the new series; Darkwater Inn by Robin Caroll. Adelaide is the General manager of Darkwater Inn in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The owner is a total jerk. His son is one of the main characters and he has a crush on Adelaide. His father wants him to take over the hotel so he is learning all the areas of the hotel. However, he wants to be a chef but is afraid to tell is father.
There is a murder at the hotel and Adelaide knows the victim from her past. This is a secret she has kept hidden. The author did a good job of explaining why Adelaide would not share her secret and Demitri said everything we would have said to her. We all have those stubborn people in our lives.
Beau is her long time friend and the detective working the case. He has his own secrets.
I personally do not like a love triangle which this appears to be. So I am not sure if I will read the next book or not. This book was well written. I liked how the ending of the mystery turned out.
It was a little unusual that the mystery is solved 3/4s of the way through the book. The remaining of the book is story line to prepare you for the next book.

Sexual content - a kiss
violence - stabbing death, rape (very few details and it happened it the past)
Alcohol - the conference at the hotel- many of the men are at the bar drinking

This is the first book that I've read by Robin Caroll and I look forward to reading more. This is also the first book in a series about the Darkwater Inn, in New Orleans. General Manager Adelaide Fountaine is dealing with a full hotel when a murder is found to have taken place in one of the rooms.

Adelaide has a dark secret that is only known by her best friend and her secret is on the verge of being discovered due to the murder. Her childhood friend Beau Savoie is the lead detective on the case and he has a secret of his own. Plus, Beau, and Adelaide's coworker, Dimitri, are both harboring feelings for Adelaide, while Adelaide won't be able to entertain the idea of a romance with anyone, until she comes to term with what happened in her past.

This is mostly a mystery story with the hint of a romantic triangle in future books. I liked the three main characters and side characters and look forward to reading more about them. Adelaide is almost a little to perfect, with two men falling at her feet and willing to wait a very long time for her to be ready to date (or not date). Still, she, Beau, and Dimitri are likable and intriguing and I want to see where their paths lead.

Thank you to Gilead Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

DARKWATER SECRETS by ROBIN CARROLL is suspense thriller that takes place at the Darkwater Inn in mysterious New Orleans. It is an exciting and fast moving story, and, not surprisingly, there is a bit of voodoo running through it.
Adelaide Fountaine is the general manager of the Darkwater Inn. Her job means a lot to her and she works hard. She has a secret which comes out when one of the guests at the hotel is murdered. She has thrown herself into her work in order to forget the past. Although she is close to her father and Beau, the only person who knows what happened to her is her best friend Tracey.
Detective Beauregard Savoie is one of her oldest and best friends. He also has a secret.
Dimitri is the son of the hotel owner, Claude Pampalon, and joint owner of the hotel. He is a fantastic chef and that is the only position he wants at the hotel.
Both Beau and Dimitri have feelings for Adelaide.
We see how confession so often brings relief and how important forgiveness is. There is a lot going on in the novel and there are some very interesting characters. It is an enjoyable read.
I was given a free copy of the book by Gilead Publishing from NetGalley. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Adelaide is the general manager of dark water inn. When a guest is found murdered Adelaide is pressed to ensure everything is tidied up especially as her job is at stake. She however has secrets she is hiding from the police. she knows the victim!
There is also a love triangle going on as Adelaide is the object of interest of two different young men
I stayed awake reading this to solve the mystery of whodunnit. The novel is actually filled with a lot of plot lines and secrets besides the major mystery of who killed the hotel guest
I had picked up this book thinking it was a mystery/romance and so I was disappointed about the romance bit. I realized after reading it that it was not actually shelved as a romance.
Its really a 3.5 star book for me. The main plot line was tidied a little too early for me but still an engaging read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an opportunity to read this.
This is my honest review

Darkwater Secrets is an awesome inspirational romantic suspense. Robin Caroll has written another spellbinding book that captured me at page one and kept me revited till the conclusion. The book has a great cast of characters and I can hardly wait to revisit in the next book of the series. Suspense fans will not want to miss this book. I received an arc from Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

This intriguing and suspenseful story captured my interest immediately. The setting of the hotel in New Orleans and carnival time added an extra depth to the unexpected twists in the plot that appeared along the way. The characters were well-written, and by the time I finished the book, I felt as if I knew them. Although the main mystery in the plot was resolved at the end of the book, there were things happening in the lives of the main characters that weren’t quite settled. I’m very interested to see what happens next with Addy, Dimitri, and Beau, so I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

This was a clean story with no bad language or embarrassing scenes. There is a mention of faith throughout the book. There’s some reference to voo-doo, but it fits in the storyline and with setting in New Orleans. This aspect does not dominate the book. There are some difficult situations in the lives of these characters that are dealt with in an appropriate, compassionate way. For these reasons, I’d recommend it for no younger than young adult level readers.

This was my first book to read by author Robin Carroll, and I’ve found a great author to add to my must-read author list.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.