Family Inheritance

The sticky Louisiana bayou comes alive in first-time author LeBlanc's imaginative chiller about family curses and witch doctors. Jessica LeJeune has the ability to heal people simply by touching them on the forehead. As the story opens, she begins having bizarre hallucinations and severe headaches; shortly thereafter, she learns that her brother, Todd, has been placed in a mental hospital for self-destructive behavior. Meanwhile, a bayou shaman (""gris-gris man"") named Eli with similar healing powers starts having visions of a woman he must locate. He and the woman share the ability to heal, but they are both host to the malevolent demon Maikana--the force that is driving Todd insane. Before long, all three primary characters are losing their minds and experiencing gruesome and painful visions, which gives the reader an exhilarating sense that anything can happen at any moment. LeBlanc's dialogue is spot on, particularly Eli's twangy Louisiana slang (""Gets out, you demon! You gots no business in this place. Get!""). The book loses steam at a pivotal moment, and the climax is an over-the-top, blood-soaked mess worthy of a B-grade horror movie. The journey up to that point, however, is riveting.