Marsh Mystics (Miss Fortune Mysteries Book 30)

Namaslay all day.

Yoga retreats are supposed to have bodies…just not dead ones. But when Eleanor, the owner of the retreat, turns up dead, Ronald and Gertie know just who to call. Eleanor’s sister, Mildred, is convinced Eleanor’s shady business partner had something to do with her death, but there’s no evidence to prove it.

To add more limitations to the mix, Carter is being audited by the state police due to complaints concerning his conduct, with specific claims that he’s feeding Fortune confidential information. Swamp Team 3 fully intend to help Mildred find out what happened to her sister, but they’ll have to fly below radar to avoid risking Carter’s position as sheriff.

How far can they bend?

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jana DeLeon was raised in southwest Louisiana among the bayous and gators. Her hometown is Carlyss, but you probably won't find it on a map. Her family owned a camp located on a bayou just off the Gulf of Mexico that you could only get there by boat. The most important feature was the rope hammock hanging in the shade on a huge deck that stretched out over the water where Jana spent many hours reading books.

Jana and her brother spent thousands of hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these "studies," but they kept makers of peroxide in business.

Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.

She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with her husband and the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.

Sinful, Louisiana, is never quite as peaceful as it seems, especially with former CIA assassin Fortune Redding hiding out there. Along with her best friends and partners in crime, the formidable senior citizens Ida Belle and Gertie, Fortune makes up the unofficial investigative group known as Swamp Team 3. They are used to finding trouble, or having trouble find them, but their latest adventure in Marsh Mystics brings a completely new kind of chaos to the sleepy bayou town. The town is introduced to the zen lifestyle when a new yoga retreat opens up, promising relaxation and inner peace. However, tranquility is the last thing on the menu when a dead body is discovered on the premises, quickly turning the retreat from a sanctuary of meditation into an active crime scene.

The victim is Eleanor, the owner of the newly established yoga retreat. At first glance, her death might seem like a tragic accident or a deeply unfortunate suicide, but those closest to her know better. Eleanor’s grieving sister, Mildred, is absolutely convinced that foul play is involved. Mildred points the finger squarely at Eleanor’s shady business partner, believing that greed and hidden financial swindles led to her sister's untimely demise. Unfortunately for Mildred, there is a distinct lack of hard evidence to support her claims. Desperate for answers and justice, Mildred reaches out to Ronald and Gertie, knowing exactly who to call when official channels hit a dead end. Once Swamp Team 3 is on the case, Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie are fully committed to uncovering the truth behind the yoga retreat's deceptive calm.

However, this investigation is fraught with much more risk than their usual escapades. The stakes are incredibly high, not just for the victim's family, but for Swamp Team 3 and their closest ally, local Sheriff Carter LeBlanc. Carter is currently facing a massive professional crisis. The state police have launched a full-scale audit and investigation into his conduct as sheriff. Anonymous complaints have been filed, explicitly claiming that Carter has been feeding confidential police information to Fortune and allowing her to interfere in official investigations. Because of this intense scrutiny, Carter’s job and reputation are hanging by a thread. If the state police catch Fortune and her friends poking around the yoga retreat murder, it will provide the exact proof they need to ruin Carter's career permanently.

This intense limitation forces Swamp Team 3 to operate entirely under the radar. They cannot rely on Carter for background checks, crime scene access, or official backup. Fortune, who usually utilizes her extensive CIA training in tandem with Carter's local authority, must now rely purely on stealth and the chaotic, albeit highly effective, undercover skills of Ida Belle and Gertie. The trio must infiltrate the yoga retreat, blending in with the health-conscious guests and spiritual gurus while secretly digging through financial records and searching for clues. The humor of the novel shines brightly here, as the image of the pragmatic Ida Belle and the eccentric Gertie trying to fit into a world of downward dogs, green smoothies, and crystal healing provides endless comedic relief amidst the tension.

As they dig deeper into the retreat's operations, Swamp Team 3 uncovers a tangled web of lies, financial swindles, and bitter resentments. Eleanor's shady business partner proves to be just as slippery and deceitful as Mildred suspected, hiding behind a facade of spiritual enlightenment while quietly draining the retreat's funds. The investigation reveals that Eleanor had likely discovered the embezzlement and was prepared to confront her partner, making her a prime target for murder. The suspect pool widens as Fortune and the ladies discover other disgruntled employees who might have had motives of their own. They carefully piece together the evidence, connecting the staged death scene to the financial motives hidden in the retreat's ledgers.

The climax of the story requires Fortune to use all of her tactical expertise to trap the killer without drawing the attention of the state police hovering over Carter. The ladies devise an elaborate and hilarious sting operation, using Gertie as a distraction in a way that only Gertie can pull off, complete with her signature wild antics and lack of filter. Through a mix of CIA precision and geriatric unpredictability, they manage to corner the shady business partner, forcing a confession and uncovering the definitive proof of the murder. They anonymously feed the neatly wrapped evidence to the authorities, ensuring that the killer is apprehended while keeping their own involvement invisible.

In the end, Swamp Team 3 successfully secures justice for Eleanor and brings peace of mind to Mildred, all without leaving a single fingerprint behind. More importantly, their stealthy operation ensures that Carter passes his state police audit with flying colors. By flying completely below the radar, Fortune protects the man she loves and secures his position as sheriff of Sinful. The story delivers the perfect blend of high-stakes mystery, clever detective work, and the laugh-out-loud humor that fans of the series expect. It highlights the unbreakable bond between Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie, proving once again that no matter how complex the murder, there is no problem that bayou ingenuity and friendship cannot solve.