Revenant

by Carolyn Haines

Something old, something new, something borrowed . . . and something macabre. Reporter Carson Lynch has returned to Mississippi with a half-formed desire to start over. Since her daughter's tragic death two years ago, she's been self-medicating with vodka, karaoke and work. Her reputation as a journalist hangs by a thread, but she's just been handed the story that might save her career . . . A bulldozer has unearthed a mass grave near a notorious Biloxi nightclub. The remains of five women lie within, each one buried with a bridal veil -- and without her ring finger. Now more would-be brides are turning up are these copycat crimes, or has a serial killer resurfaced after nearly twenty-five years? With a fury bordering on obsession, Carson throws herself into the story. But the cozy relationship her editor wants with the D.A. and local police jeopardizes her ability to tell the real story . . . and find the monster before he kills again.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Fantasy

362 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2007

About the author

Carolyn Haines is the USA Today bestselling author of over 70 books. In 2020, she was inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. She was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alabama Library Association, the Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing, the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence, as well as the "Best Amateur Sleuth" award by Romantic Times. Born and raised in Mississippi, she now lives in Alabama on a farm with more dogs, cats, and horses than she can possibly keep track of.

Reviews

[Sarah (is clearing her shelves) · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/5 - A pretty decent thriller featuring a newspaper reporter who is abusing alcohol in an attempt to cope with the murder of her daughter. Carson's work covering the unearthing of five skeletons in the local casino parking lot finally begins to bring her out of the pit that her grief and alcoholism has left her in only to put her in more immediate danger as she gets closer to the identity of the killer.

For the most part I thought this was good, except for the explanation of the killer's motives which I felt was weak. My first thought upon reading the explanation was "Did she do her research by watching Criminal Minds?". Like a number of other reviewers I feel like there was space for a sequel, the ending certainly seemed to imply there would be one.

[Lynn Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars Well, that was creepy as all get out. This is a good, solid thriller and even though it's a few years old, it's well worth finding.

The crime at the center of the book involves a decades-old mass grave unearthed near a nightclub in Biloxi. Each of the victims has been buried in a bridal veil and missing her ring finger. The heroine, reporter Carson Lynch, starts digging into the story and as she unearths old secrets, the old mystery starts to bring some very present-day dangers.

Carson is an interesting heroine. Once a very well-regarded investigative journalist, personal tragedy and alcoholism largely derailed her career. Her current job involves working at a small paper with a reputation perhaps a small step above a tabloid. Watching Carson develop her story and try to report it responsibly(I can think of a few media outlets that could learn a thing or two from her) is interesting stuff. Through her work, readers get to see how she develops relationships with law enforcement and other sources. As the story opens, Carson still actively drinks and we see how her condition affects her life and her job.

The title suits the book well. Not only is an old mass grave discovered and brought to light but Carson herself goes through a process of rebirth and rediscovery after having largely checked out of life in some ways. This book is a standalone, but something about it just cries out for a sequel.

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't a page turner but I enjoyed it. My one frustration with the book is that I had figured out two parts of the mystery within the first few chapters of the book. It drove me nuts that it took the protagonist the entire book to figure them out herself. It's not like we, the readers, knew anything more than she did so I felt like it was something she should have at least suspected. In fact, I'd have been happier if she'd even given it some thought and then dismissed it. That's how obvious it was to me. Other than that, it was an interesting story and I was drawn into Carson's backstory enough that I overlooked the parts that were annoying me.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this creepy suspense. Well-written and certainly kept me reading to the end.

[Lee Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wrote Carolyn after I read this shortly after its publication, hoping and praying that there would be a sequel. However, the publisher, didn't see the need...silly publishers! It begged for a follow-up with its intriguingly tortured main character. Oh, well!

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked the writing style, liked the main character. Started off just a bit slow, picked up in the middle and then flew by at the end. I don't wanna say too much about the story and give anything away, so I won't. :P

A nice, enjoyable read. I think fans of Carolyn Haines' 'Bones' series would also enjoy this.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me about 3 chapters before I was really interested in this book, but once I got interested it was hard to put down. Nice twist at the end I wasn't expecting.

[Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some books are un put downable. This book will captivate you by the title, blurb page, and front cover. This one is not among the un put downables. There are names of at least ten people to have to keep up with, plus the names of two hurricanes all crammed in chapter one, and the chapters are short. Short chapters are nice, no problem. By chapter two I had to go all the way back to chapter one to figure out who was who, and lost interest fast. I am pretty good at remembering names, but please. I am reading a mystery for pleasure, not working a crossword puzzle. This book is just not for me.

[Dawn Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story by Carolyn Hayes

This book was originally written 20 yrs ago but it doesn't read as or feel dated. It is a great mystery with a surprise twist at the end. While Carson, the MFC, does some growing and soul repair, the story doesn't come across preachy or get mired down. Carolyn is a great writer and this book shows it. I recommend you check out her other stories too - the Sarah Booth series is a hoot!

[Jane Pettitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carson a journalist with a rocky past , five women found burie under a old casinos parking lot twenty five years later two more deaths, same type of killing ring fingers missing and a bridal veil, what do these girls have in common? Why is the killer doing this again, I enjoyed this read

[Joan Strayham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good one!

I live on the Gulf Coast, so it was fun reading with familiarity. Fast enough pace to make it a quick read.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was interesting,fast paced.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story; I would read a sequel.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not want this book to end and I was left wondering what happened to the characters!! Wondering where their lives led them and I would love to see this turn into a series!!! Fantastic book!!

[books_with_sass · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. I've had it for a long time, but always chose something else from my shelf to read. There were a lot of twists and turns that I didn't really see coming. I know some other reviews said they had it figured out in the first few chapters, but I don't see how they could have. I watch a lot of mystery, suspense, cop-type TV and movies, and read a lot of the same. I vaguely had the thought that the killer was the killer (I hope you understand that--I didn't want to put in a name or anything and spoil it). But my vague thought was just that--vague--and fleeting. Even knowing that other people had figured it out, I kept trying to go back in my mind to what happened at the beginning, and I still didn't work it all out until the last couple of chapters.

Overall, a very suspenseful murder-mystery. I kept thinking that Carson Lynch was a cop though, instead of a newspaper journalist. She seemed to get clues and leads a lot quicker and easier than the actual cops did. Maybe she should change occupations :)

I would definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good mystery, something that makes you think. Well written, although there were a few times where it seemed Carolyn Haines was repeating things from earlier in the book. This is definitely one to put on your "To Read" list!

[Shannon Teper · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the author created a brooding and suspenseful mood and a main character with a compelling backstory, the solution to the mystery itself was too easy to solve. I knew who did it in the first few chapters, since the clues were not well enough embedded. I kept reading because I enjoyed the characters, setting, and mood--and to be sure I was right about the murderer.
I got frustrated with the protagonist at the end. In a mystery, the reader shouldn't feel smarter than the detective, amateur or otherwise, or feel that he or she is one step ahead of her, especially when our protagonist is an experienced crime reporter.
I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone, so I'll be vague. There is a matter at the end of how a body got from one place to another that is highly improbable and not explained.
On the whole, though, I enjoyed reading the book because the author kept the action lively, the mood mysterious, and the characters likable.

[Emilie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

I don't know what I expected with this book, but this is by far one of the best books I have ever read. I have enjoyed her "Bones" series and another stand alone written several years ago was very, very dark. This was deftly crafted so much so one did not have a clue until the end as to who was responsible for all of the blood shed. I like the heroine, complete with flaws although she has a right to be so messed up. The story is well written and will have you on the edge of your seat. Enjoy!

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice read. It felt dark... definitely not a "cozy". I thought that the portion about the protagonist's coworker, Jack, was undeveloped and unfinished-it didn't really fit with the book and I kept thinking that what was going on with him would somehow be tied into the "reveal" but it never was. I'm interested to know if this was one of her first novels... I love the "Bones" series and feel that this one just isn't in the same league.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before the end, I was putting my own sleuthing skills to work, and guessed whodunit, but it didn't spoil the story or the denouement, which takes place in a cemetery. All in all, this is an engrossing story. The Heroine is a sympathetic character, though I'd like to have seen her talk back to her condescending family just a little. Revenant is a good book to read in one sitting, if you have the time, because you won't want to put it down and lose the thread of tension woven through it.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Need a quick mystery to settle in with on a road trip or plane ride? This is the book for you.
Not amazingly well written, the characters are a wee bit predictable, but the person who did the crime...man oh man. That was well done.
Every time I thought I had it figured out...I was wrong. The real culprit caught me completely by surprise and even made me go back and thumb through a few pages to see where I'd missed the clues.

So, give it a look~see and test your skills of deduction. :)

[Lori1035 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was set in the Biloxi area pre-Katrina. I thought I had the mystery solved toward the beginning of the book but there was a little twist at the very end that messed up my theory. I did consider this a real page turner but with everything going on in my life right now it took me awhile to finish it.

[Destiny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was alright had a good storyline. I feel the author was a bit too detailed at times with specific information such as the highways driven and specifics on certain areas. Like those were used as fillers but didnt really play in to the main part of the book. Too much information made it slow down or get a bit boring.

[Sue Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twists and turns abounded in this book. I wanted to cry with Carson and yet yell at her and tell her she could make a change in her life. The ending was quite a surprise if I hadn't figured out what the outcome was going to be. It pulled me in from the beginning and didn't let go until I was finished with it. Loved it. Sure wish there would be another book in the series.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average "zombie" thriller. Not bad if you're looking for just some light entertainment. I wanted to read it because it was set in Maine, my home state, but there wasn't much in the setting that distinguished it as Maine except backwoodsy. The zombie and his thinking processes was rather far-fetched, but, after all, zombies are a pretty far-fetched horror fantasy, too.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorites of Haines' non Sarah Booth novels. In fact, it had a similar flow as some of the Bones mysteries, but with a darker edge.

I sort of saw what was coming, but it wasn't overly predictable; just the right blend of surprise and expected. I liked the characters and would actually love to see a sequel!

[Georgiana Huizenga · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had primarily read the Sarah Booth Delaney books from this author. This was a standalone and was somewhat darker than those. It was very good, though, and the principle character was flawed but very interesting. I would have liked to see this as a series as well, but I guess this will be the only one.

[Sarai · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was surprisingly better than I thought. It had a slow beginning but it picked up in the middle and end. The twist was good but not surprising. I figured it out mid way but she kept throwing different angles at me to make me second guess on it.

[Laura]

This is a story of a journalist who has comeback from alcoholism after her daughter's death in a fire meant for her. She is working on a story about a serial killer. It is a good murder mystery, but nothing special.

[Sarah Murphy]

I enjoyed it as it is set in my hometown, Biloxi, Mississippi, but I wonder how many readers who are not familiar with this area can follow all of her detailed directions in moving from place to place.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent novel. The mystery of the story wasn't as interesting to me as the main character. She was well written with her large set of emotional baggage and that just improved on the story. Would recommend it.