Diamonds of Ghost Bayou, The

When Jack Edney is assaulted and hospitalized in Priouxville on the banks of Ghost Bayou near Bayou Teche in Louisiana, Tony Boudreaux forgoes his long-anticipated vacation to aid his best friend. He is surprised to learn that Jack’s assailants were searching for hidden diamonds, but the jewels turn out to be the least of his worries. In his efforts to uncover who attacked Jack, Tony stumbles onto three murders the locals attributed to the mythical loup garou, a shape-changing creature roaming the swamps. The deeper he delves into the mystery of the diamonds, the more he becomes a target himself. His hunt for the stolen gems and those responsible for Jack’s assault take him into the chilling eighteenth-century culture of backwater swamps, the unholy mysteries of New Orleans, and the furtive backroom schemes of local politics. As if he didn’t have his hands full already, he is forced to take his ex-wife, Diane, who is married to Jack, under his wing for her own safety.