I enjoyed reading this entertaining and informative novel. The setting is New Orleans and Caroll has included much about the flavor of the city into the plot. I liked reading about some of the celebrations, food, and customs of the area. There was a bit about voodoo too. That was a bit disconcerting but I know it is a reality in that community. I do enjoy a murder mystery and this is a good one.

I had mixed feelings about the main characters. I think that was by design. I love Addy and her father. Addy has done so well with all she had gone through. She really tugged at my heart. And I liked Beau too. Both of them had deep hurts in their past that needed to be faced. I liked that it was not a given that both would exhibit unconditional love. Dimitri made me a little nervous and I look forward to seeing how his character is shown in the sequel. (Yes! A sequel is already planned.)

I do recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a novel that has a well developed plot in a setting that is very interesting. You'll read about how secrets from the past can have life changing effects in the present. You'll also read about the healing that comes from forgiveness.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Robin Caroll has long been one of my favorite Christian suspense authors, and this first novel in the Darkwater Inn series demonstrates that her writing simply gets better that I could have imagined. Her love of and knowledge about New Orleans is evident throughout, as I have seen in her earlier mysteries. Descriptions bring to life the Darkwater Inn, a majestic, luxury hotel that has been in the Pampalon family for generations. Characters come to life through their realistic dialog, actions, and emotions. The mystery is intricately woven with surprises throughout.
Adelaide “Addy” Fountaine loves her job as the general manager of the Darkwater. She loves everything about the inn and her work is exemplary. Dimitri Pampalon is the son of current owner, Claude Pampalon. Claude has groomed Dimitri for his proper place as CEO of the hotel, but Dimitri is happy in the kitchen as a chef. Bringing recognition to the Inn through the recipes he creates and perfects as a chef is his dream, even though Claude would never allow it. Addy and Dimitri had become fast friends, and Dimitri finds it increasingly difficult to keep his feelings for her a secret.
Thankfully, Claude is out of town when the body of a murdered guest is found in his second floor suite. Addy would have time to get the room ready for guests again. The murdered man seems to be a stranger to most of the staff. When Addy sees a picture of the man, she realizes this is the man who, using a different name, had shattered her world years ago. Those who knew her well noticed a slight reaction to the photos, including Dimitri and Detective Beau Savoi. Beau and Addy have been close friends since childhood, and her father mentored him after his father had been murdered. How well she can keep her secret hidden remains to be seen…as well as some of the secrets the old Inn has of its own. Most folks have some kind of secret. Including Claude.
Each of the main characters are very well-rounded. I appreciate Addy, especially the crisis of faith she has had for several years. Despite how different of a career that Tracey has, I like, her, also. Addy is blessed to have her father, who loves her so much, as well as her almost life-long friends Tracey and Beau. Dimitri seems like a good guy, but I did not like his father at all.
Plot twists and turns bring surprises at the least opportune times. A man murdered at the Darkwater. Not just murdered, but with the inner security door hasp in place, no way to the tiny balcony, absolutely no visible entrance to the guest’s room. Over time, I had a good idea who the bad guy was, even if I didn’t know the how; I also thought I knew the why before it was revealed. While I was right, I was sad to be didn’t want to be as I had liked the person. The necessary secrets were revealed and all loose ends tied up. There are situations I will look forward to seeing more of in the next novel in the series as each person grows and changes as a result of the secrets revealed. I highly recommend this extremely well-written suspense novel to those who like their intriguing mysteries coupled with faith that doesn’t preach or apologize.
From a grateful heart: I received an e-arc of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and was not obligated to post a review.

Robin Caroll is a great suspense writer and she did not disappoint in this first book of a new series. Set in the French Quarter of New Orleans where there is voodoo and all sorts of witches and curses. There is intense mystery surrounding the murder of a guest in the Darkwater Inn. When the guest doesn’t check out when he is supposed to, his room has to be opened by the manager of the Inn. Adelaide Fontaine, General Manager, Dimitri Pampalon, owner, and Security Officer Geoff Aubois found the body in the bathroom. …..Such a shock to all concerned, the door was locked, security camera shows no one entering prior to his death. How did someone get into the room? Very strong and believable characters and events……Caroll has woven a very intriguing story with lots of twists and turns and yes, even secrets. I was given a complimentary copy to read and review by Gilead Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions and thoughts are mine.

The novel, DARKWATER SECRETS, boats a colorful cast and setting. The story is set in New Orleans with threads of faith and voodoo interwoven among the threads of mystery and developing relationships. Just as the name suggests, this book is filled with secrets. More than just a who-dun-it type secrets. An engaging read, although, at times, I questioned the main character's response to certain things due to her past experiences. That said, it was a very enjoyable read and I really liked the characters. The ending dragged a bit. Once the case was closed, I was surprised to see more than 40% left yet to read. As others have noted, I kept expecting a twist to pop up such as clues that hinted that the killer was only covering up for the true killer or something like that. The rest of the story did a satisfactory job in wrapping up loose ends and preparing us for the next installment in DARKWATER LIES where we hope to see what is next for the characters we've grown to like and root for. Or see dead? I'd recommend this story to anyone who loves a good mystery filled with colorful characters and a dash of romance.

*I received a copy from Netgalley to read and review

This is the first murder mystery that I've read by this author and I found it to be quite intriguing. It seems to be the start of a great new series. I'm looking forward to reading more about the Darkwater Hotel and it's staff. Mystery is definitely in the air. Highly recommend!

An engaging page turner. New Orleans is unique and adds character to the story. Having been to New Orleans does add my interest to the location. The characters are varied and intriguing. Voodoo is typical of the city and the author tries to counteract some of it with Christianity. Not a fan of either in books, but it won't keep from eagerly reading the next one in this series.

I don't generally read Christian vooks but this one was an excellent start to a new series. Set in New Orleans, the author does an excellent job with character and plot development and leave you editing for the next book in the series to come out. #netgalley #darkwatersecrets

*I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*

In New Orleans’ French Quarter stands the Darkwater Inn — a confluence to a bustling street life, eclectic guests, and now murder. Managing the inn comes with plenty of challenges, but Adelaide Fountaine loves the job. However, the hotel guest stabbed with a kitchen knife could not only ruin the inn’s reputation but also cost Adelaide her job.

Detective Beau Savoie, Adelaide’s childhood friend, lands the case. As he delves into the victim’s past, Beau not only discovers a sordid history but also a surprising connection with Adelaide — one she’s kept secret for years. Hurt by the betrayal, things only complicate further when the investigation pushes Adelaide, the woman he has loved for years, into the arms of another man.

Part mystery, part romance, part drama, Darkwater Secrets is one story I’m not quite sure how to place. I picked Robin Caroll’s latest novel expecting a high-stakes romantic suspense read. However, the murderer is revealed and apprehended around the 70% mark. What follows is Adelaide dealing with long-held secrets and feeling torn between two men.

To be honest, the jury is still out on how I feel about this book. Though not completely let down, I didn’t feel totally satisfied either. The outcome will probably depend on how the series continues from here on out. In a way, it felt like the entire novel was just one long set up for what is to come. A risky move, but one I’m willing to give a shot.

At the moment, both Beau and Dimitri seem like nice men who genuinely care for Adelaide. She, on the other hand, tests the waters with both. A big no-no in my book. First, that’s a major red flag that she doesn’t truly love either one. Second, one should find out how s/he feels and then explore the possibility of a relationship. Not the other way around. One shouldn’t toy with people’s emotions. Despite being strongly, and wisely, advised by people in her life, Adelaide continually chose to disregard them, making poor decisions.

Set in New Orleans around Mardi Gras, the occult plays a role in the story, which again, I am waiting to see how the author handles it. While the one Christian character does say he has nothing to worry about because he has God on his side (which is true to an extent), he also takes the spiritual world too lightly — a dangerous stance for a believer.

Still, as a whole, Darkwater Secrets provided a quick read, and I will give the next installment in the series a shot.

Darkwater Secrets is the exciting first book in a new series that looks to be a winner by Robin Caroll. There is an intense mystery surrounding the murder of a guest in the Darkwater Inn in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans. When the guest doesn't check out when he is supposed to, his room has to be opened by an instrument to open the night latch. Adelaide Fontaine, General Manager, Dimitri Pampalon, owner, and Security Officer Geoff Aubois found the body in the room bathroom. So, how did the murderer get into the room since the night latch was on? The guest was not a nice person; that was witnessed by hotel personnel but the question is who could get to him and kill him? There are probably lots of people who would like to kill him but things are a little complicated to figure out. Beau Savoie and his partner Marcel Taton are the detectives on the case and that is a question that they have to answer. Beau and Addy grew up together and have been close friends for a long time. Things get a little sticky as the investigation surrounds the hotel and its personnel. The mystery is great and kept me guessing for most of the book. The characters are all likable and well developed with a cast of secondary characters that give support to the story. The descriptions of NOLA and landmarks were easy for me to envision, especially Jackson Square and Cafe du Monde and added a lot of atmosphere to the story. Both Beau and Dimitri admire and have feelings for Addy that she is not aware of right away.
This is a story with a great mystery and complicated relationships that takes place just before Mardi Gras. Faith is something that is important to Dimitri and something that Addy is struggling with. While the murder is solved, the story ends in a way that you know will be continued and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I was given a complimentary copy to read and review by Gilead Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions and thoughts are mine only.

Not my favorite by Robin Carroll, but I’m the top ten. Carroll captures the essence and flavor of New Orleans, and she’s created memorable characters. They just never made it off the page for me, and the ending was unusually rushed. I’m still eager for the next book, but hoping for a more satisfying ending.



Darkwater Secrets
by Robin Caroll
Gilead Publishing
Christian , Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 17 Jul 2018


I am reviewing a copy of DarkWater secrets through Gilead Publishing and Netgalley:


In DarkWater secrets we are taken to the Darkwater Inn an Inn that stands tall in the French quarter the hub of New Orleans. Bourbon street where the Inn stands is so busy that the General Manager Adelaide Fountaine has her hands full with the hotels guest, the Inn is filled to capacity. When Adelaide discovers one of her guests have been murdered with a kitchen knife she and the others are in shock.



Detective Beau Savoie, is called to the case. He and Adelaide had been friends from childhood. When Beau digs deeper into this mans past he is shocked to discover his connection to Adelaide. Beau is hurt that his friend kept the truth from him , he had been secretly in love with her. To complicate things even more, Adelaide turns to her coworker Dimintri for comfort. Beau is not able to press Adelaide to hard though because he is holding onto his own secrets.



Can Adelaide and Beau afford to hide the truth with a killer on the loose.


I give DarkWater Secrets five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Darkwater Secrets draws you in from the beginning and keeps you up late into the night. Full of mystery and suspense set in the French quarter of New Orleans. Strong characters with twists and turns will keep you engrossed in this intriguing novel.

This book has it all, mystery, suspense, action and a little romance. If you are looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is it!! This is the first book I've read by Robin Caroll but it won't be the last. Very well written. Thank you Gilead Publishing for the ARC copy of this book through NetGalley. I really enjoyed reading it. This is my honest opinion of the book Darkwater Secrets.

I was so looking forward to this book because it takes place in New Orleans, a city I want to visit someday. The suspense and the characters were great but I was disappointed in the fact that the case gets resolved but the story continues. It felt like the last few chapters should have been included somewhere else in the book before the case is solved. Adelaide Fountaine is the general manager of the Darkwater Inn and she is friends with Dimitri Pamaplon the son's owner and Detective Beau Savoie, a childhood friend. When a man is found murdered in his hotel room, Beau is assigned the case and must work closely with Adelaide. A secret from Adelaide's past could destroy her friendship with Beau.

I'm not a fan of series. I want closure at the end of a book, at least in the major issues.

It was labeled as a Christian book, but references to faith were few and scarce.

This book deals with two important issues: rape and vigilante justice and as if this wasn't enough with a little witchcraft and a women between two men who love her.

I don't want to give any spoilers but in order to address the main problem I've got with this novel I need to mention how vigilante justice is seen: for me it's disgusting to justify murder, all the more in a book that claims to be Christian.

"Darkwater Secrets" is a novel about how secret traumas affect our lives. It's not really a mystery as I easily and correctly guessed who committed the murder (and why) very shortly after the murder occurred. While the detective did follow up obvious leads and was able to get forensic results nearly instantly, the mystery was solved by the murderer confessing at 66% into the story. After that, it was simply a matter of dealing with the non-mystery relationship problems that had developed and healing from past trauma.

Gorgeous Adelaide had no desire to date (and for good reason), but both Dimitri and Beau secretly love her. It's not really a romance novel, though. I liked the characters and cared about what happened to them. However, the story had a lot of filler. For example, several conversations were basically repeated (since the good advice was rejected the first time or two). Also, the sentence structure was often poor, creating sentences that were confusing or unintentionally funny.

One main character was a Christian, while other characters practiced voodoo. There was no sex or bad language.

I have loved Ms. Caroll’s books and always enjoy reading anything written by her. This book is the first book in the Darkwater Inn series. This story focuses on Adelaide, the manager of the Darkwater Inn. Other characters include her friend and coworker, Dimitri and Beau. Beau is a homicide detective that is investigating a murder at the hotel. He is also a longtime family friend. There are many twists and turns to this story. The book was engaging and very interesting. Throughout the book, I did not want to put the book down. One Christian aspect of the book examined why God allows bad things to happen and where God is during those times. The book was encouraging and the reader could see how God can use any situation for good. I highly recommend you read this book! You will not be disappointed.
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, I have purchased her books before.

DARKWATER. SECRETS by Robin Carroll.
Adelaide was manager at Darkwater, security camera showed two men had pulled the alarm, which was a false alarm. They were attending the pharmacitical convention. A snake was found in mailbox by Dimitri. His creations from the kitchen were a wonder,but a thorn to his father.. Who wanted him to head the hotel,that had been in the family for years The third prank was deadly, his name on card may say Kevin. She knew him under another, and all that he took from her. Had he done this again using the conventions he goes to. Dimitri father wants it solved before he comes or they will be out of jobs. The security is state of the art, will that help. Robin has given us a great plot, the hotel personal seem like we know them, and now for us to figure out the clues. Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion. Gilead Publishing

The book started very well. Despite all the reference to God (in my opinion they were way out of place and context in this book), the story seemed interesting and characters likable.
However, the fun abruptly ended mid-way. The killer was found and confessed. The case was closed. The rest of the book (HALF OF IT) was about nothing. It was about memories and old mistakes, re-hashing and re-telling of everything that just happened in minute details.
All in all, disappointing end to something that promised to be interesting.

I’m conflicted about this one. Admittedly, I grabbed it because it’s set in New Orleans. And murder mysteries are usually pretty fun. So I wasn’t disappointed in those aspects. But when the mystery was seemingly solved at about 80% through, I kept waiting for something twisty to happen. Surely it wouldn’t take 20% to tie up loose ends. But alas, that’s exactly what happened. Basically I feel like this was a pretty good story that could have been a bit shorter. Maybe 3.5 stars would be more fitting but no such thing on Goodreads.