Blood in the Bayou. C.M. Sutter.(FBI Agent Jade Monroe Live or Die Series Book 1) 2021. FBI agent Monroe has been promoted to Senior Special Agent in Serial Crimes, and is sent into swamps of Louisiana when some hunters discover some human bones. At the same time, several young women have been missing. The villain, Robert Lee Williams is an off-the-radar loner who ingratiates himself to Jade. They eventually catch him after he has killed a couple of hunters and kidnapped another woman. I wanted to like this book because I do like to read books set in Louisiana, but this book is entirely too gruesome. That is saying something from someone who liked Silence of the Lambs! Not enough plot or character development. I’ll stay with James Lee Burke! ( )

I can't remember if I have read this author before. The name Jade Monroe seems familiar but I can't say if that's just because I've seen it in the series name a few times or if there's another reason (or an entirely different character with a similar enough name that I'm confusing them).

This is a series that I won't actively be seeking to find the next book. If another one crossed my path and I remembered the series at that time, I'd probably pass. If I didn't remember the name, well perhaps I'd end up reading another.

In this book, Jade Monroe joins the FBI and is stationed near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I never figured out why two agents from Wisconsin are sent all the way to Louisiana to investigate. Does the FBI not have any field offices closer to Louisiana than Wisconsin? Sure seems like they should. There's no reason given for why these two particular agents are sent. No special skills one or the other has or no history with the area or with any of the victims.

Wondering that, almost from the get go, probably marred my enjoyment of the story. ( )