Trouble in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law Mystery/Romance Book 1)

I was enjoying the story, silly as it was. Then things started to get strange. New characters, back story, had to guess at some. Then gratuitous and graphic sex. An accused doctor, never mentioned again. It ended almost with a "to be continued" paragraph.

Very disappointed. The storyline was good but all of the cursing was annoying and completely unnecessary. In Jana DeLeon's series Fortune there was more cursing than I like and again it wasn't necessary to make it a good read. I did finish them and will read more of that series. But Trouble in Mudbug is way too much. I was totally surprised about the sex scene in Trouble in Mudbug. I don't know why authors think they have to put something like tha in to make it a good book. Won't be reading anymore of this series.

Most of the dialogue is laced with profanity. I don't hang out with people who talk like that and I'm certainly not going to waste my precious reading time on books like that!!!

The biggest drawback was the author use of the Lords name in vain.and the sex both totally unnecessary. I just don't understand why authors ruin a good story by doing this. I have stopped reading books from many authors because they just don't have the courage to stop writing this felth. Do they really believe they will sell more books or that it adds to the storyline? Big mistake!

Too much swearing for me

The 'trouble' was certainly something I don't remember ever encountering before. Easy read some funny stuff. I enjoyed the author's other series about Miss Fortune so much more. Author finds the need for explicit sex scenes in this series, so if you aren't into that (I'm not) be forewarned.

This story started out all right. I was wondering how it was going to turn out. But then there was an Fword. Too bad.

This was my first Jana DeLeon book. I will not read another one. At 1/3 of the book, I realized the book was not very humorous and I didn't care about any of the characters or what happened to them. I can't recommend this book at any level. The mystery elements were weak and the character development poor. I did not finish the book.

Maryse thought the worst of her troubles were behind her when her mother-in-law died. It was at her funeral when she sees her mother-in-law spring to life out of the casket. Unfortunately for Maryse, she was the only one who could see this. Maryse had her attorney on speed dial as she hoped her estranged husband would make an appearance. She was desperate for a divorce after he had abandoned her two years ago. The low-life husband was a no-show at his own mother’s funeral. Maryse was a botanist. She dedicated her life to studying plants with a hope of finding a miracle cure for cancer. She lost her parents to cancer when she was a young girl. When she gets to her office, there is a stranger at her desk. He informs her he works with the state and is assigned to the office. When she thinks her life couldn’t get any worse, she receives a phone call from an attorney. She is to appear for the reading of the will the next day. Her brakes fail as she makes her way down the road and ends up in the bayou. Along comes her new co-worker who offers her a ride to the appointment. He ensures her truck is towed, and she has a rental car for transportation. The mother-in-law makes regular visits. The new co-worker inserts himself into her life. Someone tries to stop her from getting a significant inheritance. There is excitement taking place in this book. The book was an easy read, and the descriptions were wonderful. I envisioned the scenarios perfectly. Humor fills the book with almost every scene. This book is a great cozy mystery. I recommend it for those looking for a light-hearted book.

Trouble in Mudbug by Jana DeLeon Rating 4 stars **MINOR SPOILERS** This book had good potential but did not fully live up to it. It had a fast pace and enough material to make a good story. I did not like Luc when he first appeared in the story. He is written as a playboy who is ready to seduce the heroine, Maryse, to get information. Realistically, I know that happens, but I would have preferred it if he were professional and friendly. The initial scenes with him made me glad that Maryse was a little rude to him at first. I thought that author could have developed his character more. I was rooting for Maryse, but I did not care for the whole “I don’t wear underwear” thing. I am guessing the author thought that was funny or sexy, but it was not to me. I also did not like it when Maryse told Helena that she hated her. The minor characters in the story made it more robust and interesting. I have read the first few Miss Fortune books and I came into this book a little biased because I thought the stories needed to have a little more depth. The first book in this series was free and I wanted to see a new series by the author. I do think the author has a lot of potential to be funny and to write great stories but have the same criticism.

I was enjoying the story, silly as it was. Then things started to get strange. New characters, back story, had to guess at some. Then gratuitous and graphic sex. An accused doctor, never mentioned again. It ended almost with a "to be continued" paragraph.

Very disappointed. The storyline was good but all of the cursing was annoying and completely unnecessary. In Jana DeLeon's series Fortune there was more cursing than I like and again it wasn't necessary to make it a good read. I did finish them and will read more of that series. But Trouble in Mudbug is way too much. I was totally surprised about the sex scene in Trouble in Mudbug. I don't know why authors think they have to put something like tha in to make it a good book. Won't be reading anymore of this series.

Most of the dialogue is laced with profanity. I don't hang out with people who talk like that and I'm certainly not going to waste my precious reading time on books like that!!!

The biggest drawback was the author use of the Lords name in vain.and the sex both totally unnecessary. I just don't understand why authors ruin a good story by doing this. I have stopped reading books from many authors because they just don't have the courage to stop writing this felth. Do they really believe they will sell more books or that it adds to the storyline? Big mistake!

Too much swearing for me

The 'trouble' was certainly something I don't remember ever encountering before. Easy read some funny stuff. I enjoyed the author's other series about Miss Fortune so much more. Author finds the need for explicit sex scenes in this series, so if you aren't into that (I'm not) be forewarned.

This story started out all right. I was wondering how it was going to turn out. But then there was an Fword. Too bad.

This was my first Jana DeLeon book. I will not read another one. At 1/3 of the book, I realized the book was not very humorous and I didn't care about any of the characters or what happened to them. I can't recommend this book at any level. The mystery elements were weak and the character development poor. I did not finish the book.

Maryse thought the worst of her troubles were behind her when her mother-in-law died. It was at her funeral when she sees her mother-in-law spring to life out of the casket. Unfortunately for Maryse, she was the only one who could see this. Maryse had her attorney on speed dial as she hoped her estranged husband would make an appearance. She was desperate for a divorce after he had abandoned her two years ago. The low-life husband was a no-show at his own mother’s funeral. Maryse was a botanist. She dedicated her life to studying plants with a hope of finding a miracle cure for cancer. She lost her parents to cancer when she was a young girl. When she gets to her office, there is a stranger at her desk. He informs her he works with the state and is assigned to the office. When she thinks her life couldn’t get any worse, she receives a phone call from an attorney. She is to appear for the reading of the will the next day. Her brakes fail as she makes her way down the road and ends up in the bayou. Along comes her new co-worker who offers her a ride to the appointment. He ensures her truck is towed, and she has a rental car for transportation. The mother-in-law makes regular visits. The new co-worker inserts himself into her life. Someone tries to stop her from getting a significant inheritance. There is excitement taking place in this book. The book was an easy read, and the descriptions were wonderful. I envisioned the scenarios perfectly. Humor fills the book with almost every scene. This book is a great cozy mystery. I recommend it for those looking for a light-hearted book.

Trouble in Mudbug by Jana DeLeon Rating 4 stars **MINOR SPOILERS** This book had good potential but did not fully live up to it. It had a fast pace and enough material to make a good story. I did not like Luc when he first appeared in the story. He is written as a playboy who is ready to seduce the heroine, Maryse, to get information. Realistically, I know that happens, but I would have preferred it if he were professional and friendly. The initial scenes with him made me glad that Maryse was a little rude to him at first. I thought that author could have developed his character more. I was rooting for Maryse, but I did not care for the whole “I don’t wear underwear” thing. I am guessing the author thought that was funny or sexy, but it was not to me. I also did not like it when Maryse told Helena that she hated her. The minor characters in the story made it more robust and interesting. I have read the first few Miss Fortune books and I came into this book a little biased because I thought the stories needed to have a little more depth. The first book in this series was free and I wanted to see a new series by the author. I do think the author has a lot of potential to be funny and to write great stories but have the same criticism.

When I started reading this book I thought it was just going to be a fun story but I soon realized it was much more. When Maryse attended her mother-in-law’s funeral, she watched her rise from the coffin. It wasn’t long before the ghost, Helena, figured out Maryse was the only person who could see and hear her so she latched on to her. Helena knew she had been murdered and wanted to figure out who did it. But she hadn't gotten the hang of doing ghostly things yet so needed Maryse’s help in the investigation. Maryse was not happy about this. She didn’t like Helena when she was alive so she sure didn’t want anything to do with her when she was dead. Maryse’s life just kept getting better (not) when Luc LeJeune showed up in her office posing as a zoologist. He was actually an undercover DEA agent investigating an anonymous tip concerning illegal dumping. Is Maryse the one who left the tip? Maryse didn’t want Luc around. She’s happy working by herself and doing her tests in the bayou. Learning her mother-in-law left her the huge parcel of land in the bayou was shocking. It wasn’t long after that someone tried to kill Maryse. Who and why was a big mystery. This suspense had a few laugh-out-loud moments. Many having to do with Helena, the ghost. She was very manipulative, causing lots of problems for Maryse. Starting with giving her the land.

Maryse Robicheaux is in for a surprise at the funeral of her mother-in-law. She wasn’t the nicest person and Mudbug, Louisiana isn’t missing Helena Henry. In fact, the entire town, her family included, seems to be relieved that she is gone. Unfortunately Maryse isn’t lucky enough to say the same thing when Helena’s ghost sits up in her casket and makes her way over to Maryse’s seat. Maryse works as a botanist for the state doing research in the bayou. She is used to working alone and likes it that way. When Luc LeJeune shows up in her office unexpectedly, she is not happy. Her life becomes even more complicated when she is summoned to the office of Helena’s attorney for the reading of her will. This is the first book in the Ghost-in-Law series. I will first say, that this book does contain some profanity and sex. The characters are well-written. I enjoyed Helena’s character and the interaction between her and Maryse. They had me laughing aloud more than once. The setting is what I would expect for a small town in Louisiana, hot and humid and resting on the bayou. The action in this book moves along and is engaging. I would recommend this book if you’re not offended by swearing and one sex scene. I will read the next book.

In Jana DeLeon's Trouble In Mudbug, the first installment in the Ghost-in-Law paranormal cozy series, this debut has some humorous and enthralling moments that would leave you chilled and bewildered. For Maryse Robicheaux, she was just a botanist who's looking for a cure for cancer. But when her mother-in-law Helena Henry died, she didn't expect her life to get exciting and interesting for sure in Mudbug, Louisiana, when Helena's ghost visited her from the grave. At first, she had butted heads with Luc DeJeune, an undercover DEQ agent posing as a zoologist, who entered her life and had a mission to find out where she knows. And he might be a little over his head, when he first met her. When Maryse received word that Helena gave her the land with oil fields in her will, that might be a prime target with her absent-minded husband Hank and her father-in-law Harold. And they would do anything to get the land back. With multiple attempts on her life, she had to know that someone meant serious business, while Helena wanted to know who wanted her dead and why. As they worked together to find the answers, sparks did fly for Maryse and Luc in an intimate way when she became face-to-face with her would-be killer in a climatic showdown.

A total spoof and funny tale of a ghost, murder and mayhem set in the Louisiana coastal waters. This is a funny lighthearted read, except as some readers have pointed out to many nasty words and the sex scenes are to much. Unfortunately some writers think that it takes these kinds of scenes to make a reader choose their writing over another writer.

~I thought this was going to be another fluffy little murder mystery…however, I was mistaken. There was a lot more to the story than I’d originally expected. ~A mean cantankerous person in life, makes for a demanding ghost from the afterlife. Add in a down on her luck daughter-in-law in debt and her dead-beat husband. Throw in not one, but two handsome available men. And a whole bunch of people with motive for murder…that pretty much sums up the cast of characters. And it is a well-rounded cast. ~There were plenty of plot twists and some unexpected surprises…some of the story line was rather predictable, like the romance and parts of the mother-in-law revelation. ~Definitely not a “cozy” mystery due to the rather graphic sex scene in the main characters office. This really did not add a whole lot to the story. We all know that they are going to get together by the end of the book…they really don’t need to romp around on the office desk midway through the story. ~While not a gritty, heavy-duty murder mystery, it was a good read, and rather enjoyable. There were several unanswered questions at the end of the book…all part of keeping the series going.

The plot about a young scientist trying to develop a cancer cure while living alone in a cabin on a bayou while also trying to find an estranged husband to serve with divorce papers while she is interrupted by the ghost of her dead mother-in-law and attempts on her life is a chock full of promise. Throw in a handsome, sexy DEQ agent and you have everything needed for a spell binding story. B.U.T. The attraction is melted away like sugar on bayou water by the incessant padding of in meaning, unending conversations with the ghost or unrelated events. The padding caused the story to really drag, bordering on being boring and much too long. I did like the story although there were too many cliches and cliche situations. My favorite character was the ghost of Helena. She became more endearing as the story progressed even though some of her restrictions were difficult to believe and caused the reader to wonder if more research was needed. Her "costumes" were hilarious and evidence of the insecurity the supposedly powerful woman really felt. I don't know if I would recommend it, probably would depend on the person.

I like this series even though it's not as humorous as the Miss Fortune series she writes. I like this one but I love that one! Maryse is the main characters name and I wish authors would consider how these weird spelled names are going to sound when you are reading them because it causes me to stumble in my mind every time I come across it which aggravates me to no end. Maryse is living apart from her no good womanizing husband and hasn't seen him in a year and can't get a divorce with him being served. Her mother in law dies and Maryse is the only person who can see or talk to her. It's very humorous in spots and the pace is very fast. If the mother in law weren't in the picture, the story would be pretty dull so I guess she will be staying in the picture.

Let me start by saying I really enjoyed the heroine and hero, Maryse and Luc. They were both thoughtful, caring, smart, and tough. I even liked the ghost, Helena once I got to know her. And although I'm giving this book 3 stars, which isn't bad, I can't say why it also isn't great. There is a small interest to read the next book in the series, but I can't see myself going out of my way to do so. Honestly, since these books are not in the online library I use for my Kindle it probably will not happen. The funny thing is I have nothing bad to say about the writing, writing style, story, or characters. This book just didn't inspire loud feelings good or bad. It was cute and fun. The end.

I live in a small town in Bayou Country. The setting could easily BE my town. The characters are memorable, well crafted and have the unique personalities that bloom in small towns. Of all the ghosts I've ever met from those who haunted Scrooge to the one in my home as a kid, and consistently got me into trouble, to Blackbeard's ghost, etc. Helena is, hands down, my favorite. The plot has plenty of twists and turns. The murder and mayhem are crazily believable, (OK, so a little suspension of disbelief is never a bad thing.) I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

This book was so much fun! I had hoped that this book would keep me entertained at the gym and it did that job so well I found myself listening to it not only at the gym but on my way to the gym and really anytime I was in the car. This book isn't anything serious and was a bit silly at times but it was exactly what I was looking for. Maryse attends her mother-in-law's funeral like any good person would do, even though she is estranged from her deadbeat husband, Hank. Maryse would love to get a divorce if she could find Hank so that he could be served with papers. During the funeral, Maryse sees her mother-in-law, Helena, get out of the coffin and nobody else seems to see it. She is shocked to learn that she has been named in Helena's will and even more shocked to find out what she has inherited. Luc is in Mudbug investigating an anonymous tip concerning illegal dumping in the bayou. He is an undercover DEA agent and moves himself into Maryse's office by posing as a zoologist. As Maryse has one bad thing happen to her after another, Luc realizes that more may be going on than he first realized. This book was incredibly funny at times. I can only imagine what Maryse would have looked like as she talked with a ghost that nobody else could see. The ghost, Helena, became funnier as the book progressed and by the end of the book I just loved her. The situations the characters found themselves were always amusing. I thought the mystery was quite interesting. This book had some twists and turns that I was not expecting at all. There were at least two times during the book that I was absolutely shocked. I love that this light-hearted story was able to keep me guessing. The romance in this book didn't take over the story and I liked the chemistry between Luc and Maryse. I listened to the audible edition of the book and thought that the narration was wonderful. The narrator added to the story. Her character voices were distinctive and the pacing of her speech was wonderful. I think that Johanna Parker was the perfect narrator for this story. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted book. This is the first novel by Jana DeLeon that I have had a chance to read but I definitely plan to look for her work in the future.

I wanted to read this book because I juts LOVED the Miss Fortune Mystery series by this author. This is a nice series starter and it is quite comical. I loved that this story is about a mother-in-law who has passed but her spirit remains due to some unfinished business. The characters and dialogue are all in line with it being a small town and I liked that it had great humorous elements too. As far as mysteries go it was nicely done. There are plenty of twists and turns and just when you think you are certain who did what another element is introduced that blows your assumptions out of the water. #### Potential Spoiler Alert ##### What I think ruined it a bit for me was that the main characters made great declarations of love by the end that made my eyes roll. I think that their "I love you forever sentiments" could have been stretched through another few books. Maybe the author did this because the next book is going to be about different characters? I don't know. What I do know is that I will be carrying on with this series as I did find it quite enjoyable and humorous.

I fell instantly in love with the character of Maryse Robicheaux. She is smart, strong-willed, flawed and amazing. The little town of Mudbug, Louisiana is just as unique as Maryse. This little story has a little bit of everything: danger, romance, humor and paranormal. It is part cozy mystery, harlequin suspense and a telling of living in Louisiana. The character of Helena Henry is absolutely hilarious and I loved how she wasn’t constantly in Maryse’s face. For a ghost, she gave Maryse plenty of space. I also really liked the love interest because appearance/description wise Luc Lejune is very different from other men I’ve read in books and his connection to Maryse was well written and played out. Maryse doesn’t rely solely on Luc in the book and I love that there is plenty of scenes between her and the other citizens of Mudbug. One of the better parts of this book is how unique the rules to the ghostly world are compared to other books. Jana Deleon did a good job of letting the rules of the ghostly realm be explained in tune with the story’s progression. Johanna Parker did a good job of narrating. Her accent felt natural and realistic and the characters were very well developed. There were only a couple of times where I got confused between Maryse and her best friend Sabine.

I started reading a while back and put it to the side and came back to it when I was out of better things to read. I felt like it started off kinda slow and then everything was kinda jammed together towards the middle and the end. It was very hard to find the protagonist likeable in my opinion. I ended the book still hating her and having no sympathy for her whatsoever, but I did for the ghost. I keep reading thinking "I don't get it, why am I supposed to hate this person And this is the one I'm actually supposed to like?!?" And there seemed to just be too many nonessential elements or underdeveloped elements that quickly escalated just for the sake of evolution to an ending and the story too convoluted at times and trite at others. The progression of romance seemed rather quick and unrealistic. And there was one suspect that just got left hanging without resolution. That being said, there were some good moments and some jawdropping cliffhangers. I personally prefer the Fortune series much better. I will give this one another book to see if it gets better and where the characters go from here but I'm not fully committed to finishing the whole series.

Took awhile to get into, but the story began to take shape. At first I thought the story would be too far out for my liking, however as I read on, I was surprised to find myself becoming. more interested. Just who would want the heroin dead? What was the reason the author brought in a ghost 👻? I would have liked less description of the love 💘 detail, but maybe I 'm a bit old-fashioned. Actually, I rather enjoyed this book, a nice change from all the violence out there. An easy read. A good way to spend a rainy day. Of course, the popcorn to munch on was good too. Try the book and see for yourself.

This is one of the most fun reads I've had in a long time. I read it to my daughter while we were on a long drive and we were both cracking up, which made the drive go so much faster. The author draws you into the story quickly and without spending the first half of the book doing unnecessary character development at the expense of the plot. The plot rolls quickly, keeping you entertained the whole time. There are some things that you know are going to happen, but there are still twists and turns. DeLeon has a real ability to give you ridiculous imagery (like Helena's absurd outfits" that will keep you laughing. If you want something lighthearted and fun, I strongly recommend this book. *There is a gratuitous sex scene that is unnecessary since everyone knows it's going to happen, and a good deal of profanity. If that's a deal breaker for you, now you know without buying it and being angry about it.

Trouble in Mudbug ( Ghost-in-law Mystery/Romance Book 1) is a very good and humorous murder mystery that earned a rating of five stars. I enjoyed reading this book and found Maryse 's mother in law Helen' s ghost coming out of her coffin during her funeral very funny. When she realised that only Maryse could see her she haunted her to enlist Maryse to help her find her murderer. The book is suspenseful as Maryse tries to stay alive while trying to help Helen and herself. I would recommend this humorous romantic mystery to everyone who enjoys reading murder mysteries.

Premarital sex. dirty language. What book# does it reveal who murdered Helen? The mystery was interesting, but end the end, we have no answer as to who killed Hellen. It just was to long. About 59% was where I thought it must almost be over. Should have been over.. They could have wound it up super sooner than the end. Felt cheated. No indication it was continued in who knows how many books before we find out who killed her.

I was under the impression that this MudBug series was also Fortune and friends. But it is about another character we met in the Miss Fortune series. I love these books. They just draw me in. I'm already on Mischief in Mudbug, and plan to get all of them. Then I'll get the Miss Fortune's World series. I have enjoyed these so much. Can't give away the plot but it is so wonderful. Jana Deleon can really write. I have my daughter, who is grown, reading too. she has finished the last book before starting Mudbug. It's mystery, and funny always. You will not regret reading these.

Ehhhh, a cute story but not as funny as the Miss Fortune series, also by this same author. The characters here also lack the sheer force of personality that those in the Miss Fortune series have. The one thing that this series has more of that I wish Miss Fortune had is a bit more attention to the romance aspects . Here we have Maryse, a botanist, and Luc, an undercover DEQ agent (I had to google DEQ and learned it's the Department of Environmental Quality...just as an FYI). They were okay but I thought the scenes between Maryse and her ghost-in-law, Helen, had more spark. The mystery aspect was just okay.

Love a good romantic comedy and New Orleans so I really wanted to write a review about this book. I discovered it 'unread' in my library during' Lockdown'. Even though the name 'Mudbug' put me off first time round, I decided to give it a go having earlier read 'Louisiana Longshot'. I see it has had some negative reviews re 'language' but I have to say it didn't offend me. Yes the story line was a bit 'incredible' but hey this is a work of fiction! It kept my interest throughout. The only thing that confused me was a couple of characters who returned to the storyline but I couldn't remember them so needed to re-read earlier chapters. Johnny was one of those & Maryse's Dad. If it weren't for that I would have given it 5 stars. Look forward to the next book.

I enjoy cozy mysteries that include quirky additions like ghosts, witchcraft, or magic cats. When I began this this Bayou-set story of a funny, independent young woman being haunted by her hated mother-in-law, I was sure I'd hit pay dirt. The first chapters were funny and engaging. Soon the author introduced the inevitable hunky love interest, which was done with humor and taste - at first. To my dismay, around page 224 the relationship degenerated into soft porn. If I wanted a steamy novel complete with anatomical descriptions of a couple's reactions, I'd simply choose an R or X rated book). The author could take a cue from Janet Evanovitch, who keeps the heat between characters turned up and even has them hookup without so much as a mention of the gory details. I won't be choosing this author again.

If I had known that an important character in this book is a ghost I would not have bought it. However, once I started reading it was clear that the ghost is the best thing in the book. Her character is written with finesse and great humor. I loved the outfits---especially the "I See Dead People" tee shirt. Unfortunately, the other characters are predictably unoriginal cardboard cutouts. There are enough brilliant, beautiful, tough as nails, but stupid about everything else heroines in books now. And, there are enough gorgeous, sexy playboy men with guns who are finally struck dumb by these brilliant, beautiful, and tough, but stupid women. It's a worn out stereotype. A sex interlude with interior security cameras and the chance of Helena popping through the wall at any time? I don't think so except in porno movies. I don't recall any swearing. Perhaps it was removed from the Kindle version or there is so much on TV and in movies that I didn't notice. The plot is a little ridiculous, but fine. I didn't mind that I had no idea who was trying to kill Maryse; the brilliant, beautiful, but stupid "heroine". All I cared about was what Helena was going to do next. That's what made the book worth reading for me.

As a real fan of the cozy mystery, I found book a fun read. I mean, how would you react to sitting at a funeral and watching the deceased sit up, crawl out of the coffin, and talk to you? Pretty disturbing, huh. Of course, no one else can see or hear them, but you. And you have just asked to help find the person who murdered them. Who said anything about murder, anyway? And so we begin the adventure. And you don't even like the person who died, let alone her ghost...who is still getting used to this ghost business and has found she can walk on water but can't go through doors or walls - yet.

I decided to download the book bc the storyline of a woman who sees a newly dead ghost reminded me of Sophie Kinsella's book called Twenties Girl, which was funny so i said hey why not? And although i was happy the books storyline's were very different, i didn't really care for this book. The reason why i gave this book two stars is because it wasn't pulling me in to keep reading. That sounds crazy since the story is about a scientist woman who starts to see her dead mother-in-law, who can't cross over to the other side because she seems to have been murdered, then the scientist falls for a man who says to be a zoologist but really is a cop. The scientist woman is dealing with someone trying to kill her, an inheritance, and knows someone who talks to dead people. So how can this book be kind of bland? It seems like everywhere the author was taking the reader was an "almost". It was almost a romance, it was almost a paranormal book, it was almost a murder mystery, but just not quit. The chemistry between the scientist and the zoologist was almost there, the ghost was almost a funny character, the scientist was almost annoying, the best friend was almost likeable, etc you get the point. It was, however, well written as in the book flowed well, the editing was good etc. I feel like this storyline had so much potential to be a really funny novel but it just lacked. I'd say the author should have less smaller problems so that she can concentrate on the bigger picture which in this case was a woman seeing her dead mother-in-law while dealing w the inheritance she was left while falling in love; Everything else just distracted and took away from the main point.

This book was a multi-dimensional romantic comedy; meaning a lot of layers. I love love the characters in this book. The mother- in-law Helena was with her matter of fact personality and persuasive charm. The scientist Maryse was strongly independent however afraid of life after feeling abandoned by the death ( cancer) of her parents. Her personality had a lot of humor very hilarious. I really enjoyed the light-hearted laughter in this book , unknown and the innocence of Maryse.

A reluctant heiress, an undercover cop, and a ghost are the unlikely protagonists of this wonderfully whacky story. Maryse Robichaux is a botanist on a mission to find a natural cure for cancer. Her studies are interrupted when her mother-in-law dies, but continues to pester her in ghostly form. Adding to her headache are mysterious near-fatal accidents and a sexy botanist who keeps turning up wherever she goes. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series!

I liked it. I liked it a lot. I recommend this author and suspect she will improve with time. She has talent and warmth. If I have one criticism it is this: she doesn't give us much locale description. She may get better over time. She's good with dialogue, she's good with story, she's good with action. But we never get a feel for the town, the layout, the bayou, the weather, even the layout of the hotel. As I read, I could not tell you how things were arranged. It would have been nice if she had spent a bit of time making it clear. It would have been nice to have learned a bit about the Feel, the Smell, The Look of the Bayou. I would have eaten that up. As it is, she could have put this story on the shores of Lake Michigan. Still, it's a cute story and I enjoyed it. I recommend it.

This isn't the best cozy I have read, but it's far from the worst. Maryse, the main character, leads an uneventful live until her witchy mother in law dies. From there, her life becomes far too interesting as a stranger named Luc comes into her life with ulterior motives. The plot is fairly interesting if at times a little far fetched, especially when mom in law returns as a ghost, but it's a cozy so we roll with it. I stayed interested in the story and most of it is resolved, but one mystery is kind of left hanging although we know the answer. There is one fairly detailed sex scene that is easily skipped over if you choose, one f-bomb that is in context, and some humor. I haven't decided if I will read book two. This is a light read and will pass the time easily if you want to give it a chance.

If you are looking for an intellectual challenge or meaningful direction, this is not the book for you. But..if you like a well-written light mystery with an easy-to-like heroine, an interesting plot that includes a ghost and some sex mixed in to keep it spicy, you'll enjoy this book as I did. It is a quick and easy read and had me laughing out loud at some of the ghost's comments and antics. I'm sure I'll enjoy the rest of the series just as much.

This was a cute story, and I did love the ghost-in-law. However, it seemed to move slowly, and I was about 75% through before it really held my attention all that much. My biggest complaint is that there was absolutely no need (that I have been able to come up with) for the one graphic sex scene. The passionate kisses would have sufficed just fine. Kind of ruined the whole book for me. That and the cliff-hanger at the end. In fact, I read a few Amazon reviews about the next one in the series, hoping to learn if it would resolve the cliff-hanger and was turned off by reports of steamy love scenes that weren't necessary.

I love the Miss Fortune series so much that I jumped at the chance to buy this one for free—without reading reviews. My mistake. As usual, Janna DeLeon draws you into an interesting story with likeable characters, but it turns out this isn’t a cozy mystery series. The language was noticeably more coarse (admittedly I overlook a little mild language in the Miss Fortune series) and the graphic sex scene came out of nowhere. Sadly I won’t be reading anymore of these and I’ll be sure to check reviews for new series from now on.

I liked this book sooo much more than I thought I would. Mystery/romance with a ghost and a psychic best friend is not normally my cup of tea but this book is very well-written and the characters grew on me with each page I read. The mystery kept me guessing till the very end. And since I don't mind a little adult behavior and language in my books, nothing here had me clutching my pearls and fainting in indignation. I will definitely be reading more in this series.

4 Stars This book was so much fun! I had hoped that this book would keep me entertained at the gym and it did that job so well I found myself listening to it not only at the gym but on my way to the gym and really anytime I was in the car. This book isn't anything serious and was a bit silly at times but it was exactly what I was looking for. Maryse attends her mother-in-law's funeral like any good person would do, even though she is estranged from her deadbeat husband, Hank. Maryse would love to get a divorce if she could find Hank so that he could be served with papers. During the funeral, Maryse sees her mother-in-law, Helena, get out of the coffin and nobody else seems to see it. She is shocked to learn that she has been named in Helena's will and even more shocked to find out what she has inherited. Luc is in Mudbug investigating an anonymous tip concerning illegal dumping in the bayou. He is an undercover DEA agent and moves himself into Maryse's office by posing as a zoologist. As Maryse has one bad thing happen to her after another, Luc realizes that more may be going on than he first realized. This book was incredibly funny at times. I can only imagine what Maryse would have looked like as she talked with a ghost that nobody else could see. The ghost, Helena, became funnier as the book progressed and by the end of the book I just loved her. The situations the characters found themselves were always amusing. I thought the mystery was quite interesting. This book had some twists and turns that I was not expecting at all. There were at least two times during the book that I was absolutely shocked. I love that this light-hearted story was able to keep me guessing. The romance in this book didn't take over the story and I liked the chemistry between Luc and Maryse. I listened to the audible edition of the book and thought that the narration was wonderful. The narrator added to the story. Her character voices were distinctive and the pacing of her speech was wonderful. I think that Johanna Parker was the perfect narrator for this story. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted book. This is the first novel by Jana DeLeon that I have had a chance to read but I definitely plan to look for her work in the future.

A fun listen involving murder, mystery, and lots of humor. I always enjoy DeLeon's stories. The characters, although from a small town, are always interesting. Helena Henry, a busy body ghost that shows up to her own funeral, was probably my favorite character. She gave me several laugh out loud moments. When Helena discovers that her daughter in law, Maryse, the book's protag, can see and hear her, the fun really begins. Helena ensists that she was murdered and Maryse has no choice but help, especially when Maryse discovers that she's the killer's next target. This is my second book by DeLeon and I don't usually do book series but I think I'll continue getting to know the residents of Mudbug. Johanna Parker is a wonderful narrator and never makes me feel like I'm listening to someone reading. Parker just sounds like a great storyteller, Helena Henry being the highlight. Looking forward to the second book in the Ghost-in-Law series, Mischief in Mudbug. There is a free preview at the end of this audiobook and after listening, I think I'll stick to the audio version. I did by the boxed set. Maybe I'll do a bit of both.

Following my Amazon advise on books to read with new authors, I choose to see if I would like Jana DeLeon. Well let me tell you, I have found another winner. Scientist Maryse Robicheaux who is married to Hank Henry who she hasn’t seen in two years, leaving her with his gambling debts, didn’t really get along with her mother-in-law, but felt obligated to attend her funeral. Helena Henry had always been rude, pushy, and manipulative and used her considerable wealth to run herd over the entire town of Mudbug, Louisiana and Maryse. Out of a sense of obligation Maryse attends the funeral of Helene, just as the minister is to begin the service, Helene jumps out of the coffin and Maryse passes out. The story only gets better from there on. The attorney for the estate of Helene informs Maryse to come to his office in New Orleans the following day to hear the reading of the will. Not to give away too much of the story, I will stop here. However, I promise you will not be bored. Enter zoologist Luc LeJeune who turns out to be a DEA agent undercover, which he keeps a secret from Maryse, until things begin to go wrong and it appears someone is out to kill her. All Maryse wants is to serve divorce papers on Hank. Helene keeps turning up, and haunts Maryse at every turn. This book will have your laughing out loud. The mystery keeps you guessing and of course what would the story be without romance between Luc and Maryse.

Trouble in Mudbug has quirky characters that you can't help but like. Maryse is the lead, a botanist dealing with a many of life's complications. I found her to be interesting, independent and witty. She did not come across as whiney or needy like so many female characters I've read lately. This is book is a nice, light read with all if the main components. It did a great job of entertaining me and I plan to check out book 2.

I got this book for free. I started reading it thinking it would be just so so. As I got into it, I realize that this book is Way Beyond so so. usually the books I like are written by Stephen King, Dean Koontz, or Walter Mosley. I'm adding Jana DeLeon to my list. This book was humorous, witty, suspenseful, sexy, and a touch scary. Maybe a little bit mushy in a couple of places. But I loved it to the end which was a surprise. Just wish one final mystery had been solved. But I would also love to see Helena and another book, so I'm just ready for the next one!

I bought Trouble in Mudbug after enjoying Louisiana Long Shot. It was so bad in comparison. I could barely get through it. (As far as the sex scene goes for everyone who complains about it being like Stephanie Plum until gets to that part, we've obviously read different Stephanie Plum novels because those have their moments as well.) Overall I found the story trite and frequently stupid (the wardrobe changes...come on) and a bit convoluted. As a mystery writer I understand wanting to have that unpredictable twist but let's not get silly. I had to force my way through this one. Done with this series but I'd still go back to the Louisiana Longshot series

Sometimes I'm just in the mood for a cute cozy and Trouble in Mudbug fits the bill. Jana DeLeon certainly doesn't need my review, among the plethora of others, but I had to share what a delightful read this is. Jana creates a light, fast read murder mystery in paranormal mystery with a hint of romance, add a bigger mystery and no wonder the New York Times had listed her as a best selling author. The book starts off with a larger than life ghost, who was pretty one-dimensional 'haunting' her daughter-in-law. THe MIL had ulterior motives in life treating her DIL so horribly, but we dont find that out until close to the end of the book. Together, they solve the mystery of who killed the MIL/most hated woman in Mudbug. There are many characters, from the kooky fake psychic/astrologer, to a somewhat over-the-top-testosterone (you know how i feel about those) good guy and some not-quite-there townsfolk. The place is somewhat unbelievable but sure as snow exists somewhere down in the bayous of the southern United States. The main characters live through some somewhat unbelievable situations that they just seem to shake off and plod on through life and investigating. The Ghost MIL helps throughout the story, oftentimes in comical ways, the read is very easy to get lost in. The ending was ok, leading to another book in the series but not quite enough to make me want to fork over my hard earned money. I give 4 stars.

Maryse thought her life was hard, struggling to do groundbreaking research in her small town, trying to divorce her deadbeat AWOL husband, trying to find the balance between work and a social life she shies away from like the plague, and struggling to pay her pushy mother-in-law her husband's debts. Then her mother-in-law died. That's when the real trouble began. Rising from her coffin, Helena (Maryse's mother-in-law) becomes visible only to Maryse. She then has to work her job and clear her mother-in-law from this mortal plane and everything else, so Maryse is understandably stressed. Yet her troubles don't end there as she watches over her kooky best friend oh yeah and keep from being killed by someone. With Helena's death Maryse got an inheritance that many people were less then happy to find out was going to her. Now on top of all her problem's she has to deal with new death threats against her and a pushy new hunk who is trying to take over her workspace and may be harboring secrets of his own. Trying as all that is, Maryse's faces her adventure head on. She deals with the ghost (who herself is learning the ins and outs of ghostly abilities) by taking things she requests, no matter how odd, with a grain of salt as she knows despite all the crap she gives her its for her best interest... hopefully. This book is really funny, from the situations to the dialogue. It has great pacing. The mystery in this book is suspenseful and a great challenge. Overall, just an enjoyable read.

The only reason Maryse Robicheaux even attended her mother-in-law's funeral was to get her hands on her estranged husband and demand that he sign their divorce papers. After all, Helena Henry was not a nice woman and would not be missed. But unfortunately for Maryse, Helena has no intention of taking death lying down...so to speak. While the other mourners see the deceased peacefully laid out in her casket, she appears to Maryse completely animated and demanding help in solving her own murder. Meanwhile... Maryse's peaceful existence as a scientist working in one of Louisiana's isolated bayous gets seriously derailed when an undercover DEA Agent is assigned to see what Maryse is REALLY up to. A mother-in-law that just won't go away, a sexy cop that won't take "no" for an answer and a killer out there somewhere ready to eliminate you...sometimes a girl just can't win. I enjoyed this; it was a fun read. I would not describe this as a "cozy" mystery, nor is it really a serious mystery at all. I would describe it as part romance and part screwball mystery, with just a hint of paranormal thrown in. The scenes with Maryse and Helena are humorous and their dialog is both snappy and snarky. I thought the setting - small town in the deep South - was described very well and the secondary characters are well drawn and add some layers to the storyline. There is definite chemistry between Luc (the DEA Agent) and Maryse, but perhaps one of the funniest parts of the story concerns Maryse's disastrous attempt to resuscitate her floundering dating life. There is one brief "love" scene, and while fairly tame by Romance standards, it is descriptive. This is the first installment of a three part series. There is occasional strong language and some sexual content. Book One:

It was not to my taste. I'm not a big fan of ghostly help in mysteries but I have read them in the past when they are done well and keep me intrigued. I guess none of the characters really captured my attention or made me sympathetic toward them. The cover might be a stock photo. I had another book (a romance book by a different author) with a similar cover.

This is meant to be an easy, fun read, with a fast pace, but I just couldn't get into this one. Going from light hearted to cursing and sexy scnes, makes it feel like two different books in one.

I received this book free from one of the book sites. I do not remember which one! This is my honest review. How would you feel, attending the funeral of your nasty mother-in-law, only to see her spirit rise from the casket? Maryse plain passed out and everything was going to be more crazy, once she came to! Go to the bayou and join Myryse in the craziest mystery. This book does have a explicit sex, drinking, and murder.

A real good plot, ABSOLUTELY NEW KIND, well written and gripping till the. last line. Using a ghost in a really believable manner is an unique feature of the book. Without disclosing too much, I would say the plots and subplots gel very well and the several attempts at the life of our heroine is dramatic. One scene of her losing control and falling prey to her lust is presented with class and just one sentence at the very end leads to imagine a sexual scene with no words written. Such shuttle handling calls for full appreciation of the authors intellect and sensitivity. I thoroughly enjoyed.

Trouble in Mudbug was a very entertaining lite mystery with a touch of the paranormal and a little romance. The main mystery was interesting and may keep you guessing until the big reveal. There were also suprising revelations, and numerous twist and turns. The paranormal angle was unique and I laughted until I literally cried during a couple of scenes involving said ghost. The book DOES contain one sex scene but IMO it's not overly or particularly graphic. I found it astounding that one reviewer stated that there "were too many sex scenes" and another reviewer implied that the sex scene was gratuitous and extremely graphic. Both reviews had me wondering what book they read because it couldn't have been this one. One of the same reviewers then stated that she is not a "prude." However, IMO only the latter could say that this book had "too many" sex scenes when there was only one in the entire book. And anyone who considers that scene overly graphic or gratuitous has most certainly never, most certainly should never and most certainly would never read anything in the erotica/erotic genre. LOL Based on some of the reviews, apparently there are some grammatical errors but quite frankly I didn't notice them. I was too busy enjoy the story. Yes, some of the characters are a little one dimensional but I still liked them. Futhermore, one reviewer stated that Maryse's researching a cure for cancer wasn't feasible well if I not mistaken aren't major companies currently spending millions on research for the same thing. Come on people lighten up stop over- analyzing and let others enjoy this delightful book. Sheesh!! Thankfully there are substantially more positive reviews for this book than ther are negative ones and rightly so. Thus, my recommendation is that you get the book and judge for yourself. I willing to bet you'll like it. I'm off to read the second book in the series.

Ive kept this ebook in my kindle for months without touching it. I dont know I like to buy free books that seem good before amazon marks up their price. And I have read almost every other book except this one. I thought maybe it was a boring ghost story....but NOPE! This book has comedy, romance, a WHOLE-LOTTA mystery, along with a bit of action. With this book I've experienced what its like to live in a house full of people with no privacy and laughing out loud while having your family look at you like youre crazy. Maryse(I never understood how to pronounce it so I changed it from Marcie, Mareese,Mary-se etc.) Is a botanist. That part took forever for me to understand. Her mother-in-law, Helena (who is HILARIOUS) is a rich-ol-bitch-pain-in-the-ass. It starts off as Maryse attending Helena's funeral...and right dabb in the middle of it she sees her mother in law rising from the dead...only to find out that shes the only one who can see her (Helena is a ghost). Throw in a super hot zoologist (or DEQ Secret Agent), a sleezeball-money-hunting father-in-law, a husband who doesnt have the balls to show his face, two best friends, and a ghost-mother-in-law and this story is one you will never forget. *Spoiler Alert! Towards the end...mother in law and husband-hank redeem themselves. Dr. Do-Kiddies! HAHAHA!

(mrs.featherpicker reviewing) I love a good mystery, one with some laughs and just enough romance to say "oooookay". This one sure did it all. I laughed in so many places and at the same time the story kept me chewing my lip not quite knowing what or who was going to do what or when, next. The story had it's heart searching moments too, the memories of what could have been or should have been with several of the people involved. I had to stop and get a hanky right close to the end with the conversation between Maryese and Sabine. That was so moving. You get the love between friends and the love blooming between Maryese and Luc. I lived in So. Louisiana for a good many years and the people there are so like these. The honest and down to earth way about them is just so true. I will recommend this read to any and all that like the combination of good mystery, bonds with friends and love. I also liked the end, yes, it could have gone on a bit more but for this part it was complete. It left the door open for those that wanted to know a bit more to get the next group of stories too, having to do with Helena, Sabine and others. I will probably get some more of them myself but I won't feel left out if I don't.

This was a really fun read. The most hated woman in town dies, and her daughter-in-law goes to the funeral. Not unusual you would think. But the daughter-in-law is estranged from her husband and dislikes the deceased woman. There starts a wonderful story with a murder mystery, suspense, attempts at murder, and quirky friends trying to figure out what is going on. Oh yes, and they get some unwanted ghostly help. This book was a hoot!

For a free book, I got my money's worth. The author is trying to give us another Stephanie Plum, and the setting is certainly right for hijinks: deepest Louisiana. Unfortunately, the characters are one-dimensional cardboard, though the author has a chance to make outrageous figures. Everyone talks alike (and not very bayou-ishly). When the killer was revealed, I couldn't recall who they were, yet they were supposed to have been a fair part of Our Heroine's life. Many people have a Change of Heart, whether to evil or good, but they aren't established well enough either way to give it the drama it needs. The writing isn't crisp, and a humor book should be so crisp you can cut yourself on it. Many scenes seem thrown together and the heroine rockets from work to home to work to hotel to work to home without accomplishing anything in between. The all-important motivation explanation was rather cursory and not referred to as much as it should have. Yes, there's a big sex scene but I skipped through it since the lead-up gave me full warning that it wouldn't mean anything and wouldn't advance the plot/characterization. By that time I was reading as quickly as I could to finish. If I were this author, I would demand a better editor who could help me. There is certainly talent here (that's why the 3 stars); it just needs to be trained and funneled. Beef up your characters to cartoonish proportions. If a recurring character is supposed to be a b-word, show her as such. Play it up! Have fun with it so your readers will as well! Figure out your novel's action: who goes where, how scenes advance either plot or character, what is the funny part and how do you utilize it to best effect. Make us care about your characters, and try to make them unique, rather than formulaic. And when you're using initials to talk about a government agency, tell us what the heck they stand for instead of leaving us wondering. Also: Don't write stupid heroines. This one certainly was. Among MANY other things she should have done, she should have asked the hero what his job was as soon as he showed his face. I never figured it out.

A mother-in-law that only agrees to help you pay off your disappeared husband's debts if you pay her back-with significant interest-isn't the kind of person any woman would want hanging around watching her every move. Maryse Robicheaux is no different. When her mother-in-law Helena dies suddenly, she doesn't exactly miss her. However, her moment of relief only lasts halfway through Helena's funeral. She can't figure out why no one else is freaking out at the site of Helena climbing back out of her coffin. The bigger problem is, Helena isn't going anywhere any time soon. Trouble in Mudbug is the first book in the "Ghost-in-Law Series" by Jana DeLeon. The adorable cover first caught my eye. The covers for all three books are cute, but the premise of the book sounded interesting as well. It reminded me of Ann Everett's "Laid Out and Candle Lit," which I loved, so I was willing to give this book a try. For those who enjoy Ann Everett and Janet Evanovich, you'll probably be entertained by this one. It's not nearly as funny as Everett or Evanovich, but it did have me chuckling when Maryse finds herself completely unable to ignore Helena's ghost and ends up making statements like, "I never wear underwear!" There is also a lot of humor between the two main characters as far as the romance goes. DeLeon did a good job of playing Maryse and Luc off one another. Helena was by far the funniest part of the book. Her wardrobe challenges provide humor in just the right places, and her antagonistic nature frequently riles Maryse up to the point of something going badly wrong. Given that this is a mystery romance, I expected both to play a big part, and I wasn't disappointed for the most part. The romance between Maryse and Luc is engaging and steamy. Maryse is determined not to give him the time of day, practically throwing herself at another man to accomplish it, and Luc is supposed to stay focused on his work, not Maryse's curves. DeLeon kept the tension up throughout the book pretty well. There was one sex scene that I wouldn't let my teenage nieces read, but that was the only part like that. As for the mystery, it was interesting. I didn't feel like it was incredibly gripping, and at times I thought the clues were not terribly subtle. I correctly guessed who the killer was two-thirds of the way through the book. I was still entertained by the twisty path DeLeon took the mystery down before revealing the answers, but the mystery behind Helena's actions was more entertaining to me than the murder mystery in some ways. Throughout the book you get hints that even though Helena was the worst mother-in-law on the planet, she had reasons for at least some of her vileness. I enjoyed learning more about why she did what she did quite a bit. Thinking of the book as a whole, it was a fun read. It was made me laugh, had a good romance, and was filled to the brim with memorable characters. I'm not running off to buy the next book, but I am planning to read books two and three. They were entertaining and fun, and DeLeon's writing ability leaves nothing to complain about. I look forward to getting the rest of the details about what's going on in Mudbug, especially figuring out who really did kill Helena.

Man, I sort of waffled on this book. It was funny and wildly entertaining and yet I had some serious crazy eyes at parts because, OMG!, the things Helena did to Maryse drove me batty! I just... NO. She'll be lucky if she doesn't come back as a slug in the middle of a salt marsh with some of the stuff she pulled. However, her shenanigans were entertaining. And in the end, that's what I want from a book. So... well played, Jana Deleon. Well played. But this review isn't about me (lying. It's totally about me.)... wait. I lost my train of thought. Anyway. This book, it amused me. These characters. They amused me. The snarky ghost who makes some AWFUL fashion choices amused me. Especially since her fashion choices were all over the place. And she couldn't quite control them. HA. I find that funny. Also, the cat suit. I find that funny. I liked the sparks between Luc and Maryse. I liked how dedicated Maryse was to her job. I liked how easily she could be swayed to do ridiculous things by the snarky ghost. Frankly, there was a lot of entertainment to be found all around. *thumbs up* -Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

I enjoyed the book enough to look forward to reading the next in the series. I picked up Mudbug off the free Kindle list. Will I actually put money towards the next installment? I don't know. I have enough stored on my Kindle to keep me busy while waiting for the next to come along also for free. I've read a lot of the reviews for this book and have to agree the sex scene didn't add to the book at all. It would have been a better read were Maryse and Luc to have an attraction but saved the "hooking up" for a future installment where their progress as a couple made more sense. Was it graphic? I didn't particularly think so. I preferred it to the more flowery stuff you get from a Harlequin romance. I'd rather they get on with it instead of drawing it out. What didn't make any sense to me was Maryse and Luc already agreeing to live together at the end. They hardly know each other. Again, put that into a future installment. I'd say the author hadn't planned for future books and wanted to wrap up their future in this one book if she hadn't left the killer a mystery. I am curious to find out where they go from here since it was pushed so much in the first book.

Oh, how I LOVE an author who makes me laugh until I cry. Honestly, this book just gets funnier and funnier as it goes on. Drop in the shades of paranormal from a very confused and unwelcome ghost and it's a fresh twist on mystery, humor, and paranormal. I can't quit reading this fast-paced, hilarious author. Hooray! I know I'll hang on to this book and re-read the series over time. It's one of those. Pure enjoyment. Buckle up.

I don't usually read ghost stories, but this one started off so funny that I was hooked. The thing I disliked was the language. I don't like to read books with that much bad language. I also didn't like the way the sexual scene was described. It was too graphic. I can't recommend this book because of the things I just mentioned.

I have to say that this series of books is a real treasure. It has everything...excitement, romance, mystery and humor. The character of Helena, the Ghost-in-Law, is a masterpiece of good writing. These books would make a great TV series, or some awesome movies. Ms. Deleon handles romance and sex masterfully, as well. While sex occurs, her skill as a writer is so great that she does not have to fill pages with graphic detail. The plots are clever, and the people thoroughly enjoyable. Many of these people are some I would love to know in real life. Probably the most difficult thing about making TV or movies from this series would be the difficulty of finding an actress capable of doing justice to Helena. The ghost is a fully fleshed-out character, with humor, pathos, and a ton of quirks. So many books today seem derivative and repetitive, and it is a real treat to read books with a totally fresh and inventive idea and plot. All in all, I really enjoyed these gooks and recommend them highly.

This book has so much — humor, suspense, mystery and romance, plus a ghost. I would have preferred a more definite end, but you can't have everything, I guess. I don't mind references to sex, but the multi-page sex scene really reduces who I can recommend this book to, where I could recommend it to most readers if that scene were not there.

I downloaded this book because I thought the cover was adorable and the book blurb made me smile. Immediately I loved it and that didn't change all the way through. This book is hilarious and the author has such a fun quirky sense of humor that the book never has a chance to get boring. The character development was great and I love that the author took the time to give each of her leads a personality of their own and give a little history on who they were. This is a light and uncomplicated read that would be perfect for a vacation or just a pick me up when you could use a good laugh. Some of the scenes were a bit silly and hokey, but I suppose that would be expected in a book about being haunted by your mother in law. Still, I found myself wishing I could be in Mudbug getting a cup of coffee at the local cafe. Such a cute little town! As a side note, there are some graphic sex scenes in this book, but I never felt they were handled in a way that was inappropriate. Often, during the course of reading this book I found myself nodding my head in agreement with thoughts of the main character. Jana DeLeon has written a sassy, funny romance with twist after twist. Excellent book. 4.5 stars.

Finally and adult book that's very entertaining and doesn't leave you sore reading about all the sexual trysts and every detail...there's a time and a place. For me, I was greatly entertained and didn't want to stop reading! There's mystery, intrigue, romance, murder mystery....it's all here! You won't be disappointed!!!

This has to be one of my favorite series in a long time! Great story lines and the author really paints a vivid picture, so you can actually watch this book in your mind, just like a movie. I find myself busting out laughing from the antics and shennanigans the characters get themselves into. The plot twists are not so obvious that you know "who dunnit" without finishing the book. Love Love Love!

I am glad I read of the "growing up" years of the author, & suggest other readers do the same. Why? Bcuz then U can believe the Louisiana aspects w/o finding unwanted pauses of thot - which can impede the flow of reading. example: I grew up where no poisonous snakes existed ... so might face disbelief when she slogs thru her swamp w/o abject terror 😵 once I know the background of the author, I just think OK & move on Yeah, no pause about ghosts ~ just the bayou 😊

A frolic with murder and maham galore. A ghost of a mother in law that's unreal and unpredictable. I enjoyed this far fetched story with two people that could see a ghost that helped solve part of the mystery. Of course the other part of the mystery is in the next book. I gave it a 4 because of having to skip so many pages of an unnecessary explicit sex scene.

Mary’s, the botanist loves heading around on her boat in the bogs and discovering plants. Her husband is terrible and is hiding from divorce papers- his mother is killed and comes to see her as a ghost. Has been a bitch is real life, but has a terrible son and husband. chemical company emptying waste into the bog.

I really enjoy this author, and I thought this book was ok. I adore Helena! And Mildred. Everyone else is ok. I didn’t mind the sex scene. I thought it was done well. Though I imagine if you didn’t know there was one it might come as a shock. Overall it was just an ok book. I enjoyed the mystery. Will probably buy more of this series because like I said I love Helena!

I really wanted to like this book since I really enjoyed the author's Miss Fortune series (I bought all of them after receiving the first one free, which I don't usually do.). But the romance between the main characters was forced and they have (spoiler, but the kind of thing I like to know about before I read a book) sex at the end without really developing a relationship to back it up. The mystery aspect was alright. It's been a little while since I read it but I believe they only solved one portion of the mystery. But the book still felt finished. However, I was turned off enough by the undeveloped yet consummated romance relationship that I did not feel compelled to "find out what happened next".

I must admit that I passed over Trouble in Mudbug (A Ghost-in-Law Mystery Romance) by Jana DeLeon, several times while searching for a new romance mystery novel... but you shouldn't! When Maryse's mother-in-law Helena died, nary a tear was shed since Helena was not well liked in the small town of Mudbug, Louisiana. Helena had made Maryse's life miserable the two years and thirty-two days she had been married to her son, Hank. Hank ran off not long after they were married and Helena, the wealthiest person in Mudbug, forced Maryse to pay his debts. Maryse is a botanist, works for the state and lives in a small cabin in the bayou, accessible only by boat. Maryse didn't intend on attending Helena's funeral but found herself peering at her in the casket, dressed in a Pepto Bismol pink suit that she wouldn't have been caught dead in, that is if she were alive. When Helena sat up in the casket and began talking, Maryse fainted. Unfortunately for Maryse, no one else could see or hear Helena. Helena proceeds to make Maryse's life even more miserable then she had when she was alive. She follows her everywhere imploring Maryse to help her determine who had murdered her. When Helena's Will is read, matters only get worse. Chock full of fun, mystery, suspense, a multitude of secrets, and a hot romance!

Of course the boy gets the girl but the story around it was funny and kept my interest. It was a fast easy read but it was different from the usual pattern because she used a ghost for great entertainment value and it added great comic twists. Very clever. I will be looking to read the next in the series.

When you just need to read something light & funny go for Jana Deleon or Janet Evanovich. How many times would you love to be able to tell a worthless relative what you really think of them? How about if it was your mother-in-law & now you have that chance. It was a funny thought...what if I saw someone's ghost & could tell them just what I thought of them. This book was not quite as funny as Jana Deleon's Miss Fortune's series, but still a humorous & relaxing read.

I liked this book. The main characters were funny and the suspense was actually pretty good. Maryse finds herself at the funeral of her miserable mother-in-law, showing up in the hopes her worthless husband will show up in order to serve him with divorce papers. Not only does her husband not show, but she discovers her mother-in-law Helena is rising out her coffin and she is the only one who can see her! That is the last thing Maryse would ever wish for is for Helena to follow her around and critize her even after death! That is the least of Maryse's problems though, a new employee Luc has showed up and she is forced to have to share her already small office space with this beautiful creature. Little does Maryse know he is actually there to investigate her. Maryse has also learned from Helena that she was murdered and has asked Maryse to help her find out who did. The icing on the cake is that someone is also now out to kill Maryse over some land Helena left her in her will! This story has a lot of twists and turns, but is written with fun and humor. I really enjoyed it.

Interesting plot - murder mystery with romance in the Louisiana bayou - likable characters with a couple of twists. Nothing too deep or heavy, but includes a full range of emotional tugs from the childhood loss of parents to a search for a cancer cure while surviving cut brake lines and exploding houses. Add in the undercover agent with the "Adonis ass" and the ghost of an ex-mother-in-law and the fun read is pretty much guaranteed:)

3.5 Stars... This was a fun mix of humor, mystery, and romance with a ghostly twist... I will say that the first half of this read was a little slow, but it picked up in the second half with the unveiling of secrets and past moments that influenced these characters’ personalities... Helena was definitely my favorite with her true southern “spirit” all wrapped up in feistiness with a heart of gold... I will definitely continue on with the series and am eager to see what shenanigans Helena gets herself mixed up in:)

Trouble in mystery. This review will contain some spoilers. This book was funny, entertaining, and could have been so much more, had it not commited that mystery no-no. On the pro's side I am glad that ignored the reviews about too much graphic sex, as I was 2/3 in the book before there was more than 2 kisses, and while the sex was descriptive, there was less than 2 pages of it. Easily skipped. And that was it. Really! Also ignored the reviews about Maryse and Luc (issues on butt, personality etc.) and am not sorry as I did not think those reviews gave a fair portrayal of what I read. Characters were well written with humor and shading. This makes the story, under any circumstances entertaining, enjoyable and readable till the end. SPOILER However, there was a serious con. The actual mystery of the book is not solved. This is just not done. I do not care if you need to keep a ghost around, find some other excuse, but do not leave the mystery unsolved! Had not the rest of the book been so entertaining I would have given it 2 or more likely 1 stars. The sad thing is, had the mystery been solved, this would be IMO a 5 star book.

Normally I am not a fan of paranormal or ghost stories. This book is funny because of Helena who happens to be a ghost. I like funny. Maryse first sees Helena, her late mother in law, at the funeral. From then on Maryse is gifted with a ghost. Maryse is a botanist who works for the state of Louisiana in the swamps and bayous. She has a husband who has disappeared for 2 years to prevent their divorce. And when Helena's will gives Maryse a huge surprise, life becomes very difficult. And of course she meets Luc, a scientist who is going to be sharing her office. He also happens to be a HUNK who has a mutual attraction for her. So, we have ghosts, science, attempts on Maryse's life, and big time lust. There is humor and mystery, but I figured out the villain rather early. I think if it had been a little more tightly written, I would have liked the book more. I know there is at least one other book in the series, and I think maybe at some future date I will need to check on Helena and see if she has overcome her wardrobe malfunctions.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one. I don't want to give away any spoilers. This book is funny, serious, tears and romance all rolled up together in a supernatural murder mystery/thriller. Read it for yourself and see if you agree !! - there is a very tiny slight cliffhanger ending but it doesn't distract from the book, more like just takes you into the next one (Sorry if this doesn't make sense but I have been up all night reading)

This is a laugh out loud book! The story was funny and engrossing that I was done and looking for the next in the series before I finished. Inadvertently, I started with the second book, and I still enjoyed finding this one to read next. Each book in the series can stand alone. I was happy to find this series.

This book is funny, mysterious, well defined, great plot and twisted. I loved reading it and cannot wait to work my way through the rest of the series. I dint typically write reviews or read second, third, etc. books, but I have found a book that pulled me in from the start. So much that I hated to put it down. Page turner for sure!

Amazing! I wouldn't pass up any of this series or the miss fortune series. I just discovered Jana Deleon and am oh so happy I have. It is always amazing to find new authors on a freebie from Amazon but nothing compares when you find an author that you cannot find a thing wrong with their work....where you can dive right in and feel the area, connect with the characters ETC. you know what I'm talking about :) Jana does an absolute amazing job in every department thus far. The comedy and romance is not something I usually care for BUT I must say I literally laugh out loud at most of the comedy and the rest has me smiling. The romance is something I have always hated in a book and I can promise you that it just makes it that much better of a read. This book kept me guessing until the very end and as I said before, I cannot wait to get into the next!!!!!! DO NOT PASS UP THIS BOOK!!!!

There are many 1 star reviews that say "too much swearing". Did they actually read the book? There's very little swearing in this book. Not that I care about swearing one way or the other but I DO resent people lying in reviews. This is a quick and entertaining cozy mystery. I laughed out loud at bits and, all in all, it was a pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It's a romance so there is sex but it's not raunchy or over the top. It's simply humans connecting and it's actually sweet. I'm suspicious that the negative reviews are from people who don't like sex being in the conversation.

This was a funny and romantic mystery book. I enjoyed the chemistry between Maryse and Luc. The author did a great job building their relationship. There were some truly hilarious moments that gave me a good laugh. My favorite character was definitely Helena. She is full of wit, sass, and attitude but also has some hidden compassion. This is a good read for those who like romantic comedies.

This is a mystery story that is funny and interesting, with a researcher who has become a hermit and is desperately trying to get a divorce from her absent husband, a friend who wants to see dead people who pretends to do it for a living. Add to that a good looking researcher who isn't quite what he seems, a ghost who is the last person you want to see alive or dead who has dubious taste in clothes and someone who is trying to kill you. All in all an interesting and at times a laugh out loud story this is a book that I will be buying the next one to as I just loved the story and the writing, even though some of it is predictable its just such a fun story that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not one for the serious murder, mystery reader but I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good read, a bit of a laugh and an interesting story with some really good funny characters.

This is a cute and fun little mystery. Helena Henry's death is a welcome relief to her long-suffering daughter-in-law Maryse, and most of the town of Mudbug, Louisiana. Unfortunately for Maryse, it turns out that Helena is not quite dead enough. She's back in Mudbug and only Maryse can see her. To add to the troubles, Maryse's inheritance from Helena's will puts her in mortal danger. Maryse and ghostly Helena team up to solve the mystery of who is after the inheritance. This is a bit of fun summer reading. It reads quickly, and the mystery is quick to draw in the reader. I was not very interested in the romance and sex, they took away from the mystery. I'm not opposed to sex in my reading, but the main sex scene in this book went on for pages and simply wasn't very interesting. There were also things that were very hard to believe. I don't mean the ghostly elements, those were quite well done. Still, it was difficult to believe that a hospital would leave medical records lying out on a table, that they could easily be broken into, and that a mystery flower could provide adequate cancer treatment. Still, a fun read.

Maryse faints at the funeral of her mother-in-law; when her mother-in-law comes to life as a ghost only Maryse can see! And, the fun begins! A botanist living out in the bayou by herself doing a job for the State of LA, Maryse seems quite happy and content, except she's been married for two years to a supposedly no good person and can't find him to divorce him and she's too nice to murder him when she does find him. Plus she's stuck paying back all his bills he piled up before he left. But thanks to Helena's (her mother-in-law) inheritance that she left her things are happening: her truck is totaled, office doors are open, house totally explodes.............Only thing I didn't like is that I have no idea how to pronounce Maryse and other characters names in the story but the story was quite entertaining, fun and interesting! We have an area kind of like that here in Michigan and I believe I could handle living there! There was one graphic sex chapter, but easy to skip without missing any of the story! Am looking forward to finding the other Mudbug novels! GREAT summer entertainment!

***read full review at Gin's Book Notes*** I knew from page 1 that Trouble in Mudbug was going to be an entertaining read. The opening has our main character Maryse and her best friend Sabine attending Helena Henry's funeral. Helena was a total witch of a mother-in-law to Maryse and has a personality so strong that even death can't hold her back. Maryse thinks it a trick of the lights or possibly stress that has her seeing Helena rise up out of the coffin and exclaiming, "What the hell is going on here, Pastor Bob? For Christ's sake, I'm Catholic". Poor Maryse soon discovers that Helena is sticking around to wrap up some unfinished business and she is the only one who can help her. This book is fast paced, funny, and just plain fun.

Scientist Maryse is thinking her problems died with her mother-in-law. She was bossy, rude and thought her money was the way she ruled the town. When Helena dies Maryse problems just start. Helena names her in her will now everyone wants Maryse dead. Can she survive the week named as terms of the will states to get the inheritance? Fun, easy and enjoyable read.

This is not a complicated book yet it has lots of twists and turns that add to the fun and the humor of the situation. There are only three main characters. Maryce is a married girl who is living alone because she can't find her husband in order to file papers. Her mother in law is named Helena. She was not well loved by very many people when she was alive. And now she's dead. Luc is the good looking man that is sharing an office with Maryce. When Helena dies, she doesn't go away. She is a ghost trying to find out who killed her and the only one who can see her, but doesn't want to is Maryce. Much of the comedy comes from Helena as she learns to move objects, transport herself, and so on. Many of the touching moments also comes from Helena as we learn that she isn't as horrid as she acted when alive. Luc is a good foil for these two women as they tromp around in the swamp, break into Helena's home, get shot at etc. As other reviewers have noted there is a minor sex scene in this book. I didn't think it added to the book but it wasn't horrible either. I enjoyed it enough that I'm looking to pick up the other books either in book form or on my kindle soon. Enjoy.

I really liked this story and felt it should have been a stand alone novel. This story dragged on entirely too much. Details and unessary dialouge occured too many times for me to rate it any higher. This story could have been condensed and still gotten it's unusual but somehow sweet and beautiful story across. I'm sort of upset I need to read the next novel to find out what happens to the female protagonists friend and the real mystery behind her mother-in-law's death. I'm happy that the female lead and her mother in law came together and resolved issues between them when her mother-in-law was alive. The love story was pretty sweet and added to depth of the story. I would recommend, just don't expect too much from it because you'll come out dissapointed.

This could have been so much more. The writing was OK but repetitive. After the third time they could feel the heat off his/her body it was dull. The mystery part was good but why mention the doctor as a suspect and not show what happened with that? The sex scene was not needed and made the book worse.

A twist on the movie, Ghost, but Whoopi was more interesting. The hunt for toxic chemical dumping made it have some value, but characters were not developed.

I don’t even remember why I got this book, but I’m glad I did! I don’t usually read anything remotely related to romance novels, but the paranormal aspect lured me and the writing hooked me. If you’re looking for something witty, ghostly humor in it, drop everything and get this book. Recommended!

Went into this expecting it to be along the lines of the Miss Fortune series by same author. Its not. It does have its moments along the way but I found this to be missing a lot as well, and was very disappointed that it didn't come up to the standards I expected from the Miss Fortune series. A book needs to entertain, inform, and keep you reading to get answers to the questions posed within. This book was semi entertaining, but storyline itself was rather blah. There were a lot of "could haves" leads that then petered out to nothing, and other areas where the leads started to resolve and then were just dropped rather than utilizing to the max the possibilities presented by the leads. It was entertaining for an evening's reading, but nothing really there to make me want to read the next book in the series.

Got this book because it sounded like it was a real cute book and the price was fairy inexpensive. The heroine in the book thinks she's gotten her mother-in-law out of her life with her death until unfortunately she sees Helena emerge from her coffin. From then on in the book, Helena periodically has her dead mother-in-law accompany her on some of her business. Some images of imagining this was pretty funny especially one instance where her mother-in-law actually manages to follow her while out on a pond/lake. The course of the book is with her trying to solve a mystery and trying to track down no good husband Hank so she can serve him with divorce papers as she doesn't want to waste another minute married to the man. I found the concept of the ghost of her mother-in-law popping up from time to time more cute then annoying and pretty early on I was caught up in the story and couldn't wait to see how the story would end. Have recently purchased the second book in the series and I'm eagerly anticipating reading about more adventures.

My second time to read it and I am not a person to reread novels. I stumbled upon this author on Kindle, read all her books and after a year with nothing new to read decided to revisit this series. It is funny, creative, southern humor. Easy to read, just enough romance for the person looking for a romantic story and enough plot to make a good detective series. Kinda has it all. Throw in a little supernatural spin and you have a wide market. Enjoy everyone .

My dad recommended this to me while he was still reading it. Part way through I recommended it to my niece. Unfortunately that was before we had gotten to the unnecessary graphic sex scenes. The book has a cartoon cover and a description that says nothing about mature readers. I don't mind adult content for myself, but it didn't need to be snuck into this story. The rest of the book is very funny.

I found this book to be entirely too juvenile in the sexual thoughts and comments and actions department. Might be OK for the 25-30 yr old crowd but not for a mature adult. Like I said, very juvenile. I also didn't care for the vulgar language though it wasn't heavily used, it was used enough to turn me off. The story was boring, predictable and like I said: juvenile! I kept trying to stick with the book and read it because I stupidly PAID for it instead of waiting to see if it ever came around as free. Had I waited, I would not have wasted my time forcing myself to read it because I'd paid for it. There was a heavier slant towards better reviews at that time. I see that has changed - and agree completely! PS - ADDED AFTER ABOVE COMMENT: I thought I paid for this; I didn't! It was FREE. YAY! Had I realized that when I was reading it, I would not have put myself through so much of it.

Mudbug mysterious death due to the chemical dumps in water of the bayou, sends more mysterious people to the area. Including a fake zoologist. A ghostly person makes her presence known to the main characters, confusing all involved. Nothing is as it seems until all players slowly let out the truth.

This ghostly, mysterious, romantic story involves sexy scientist Maryse Robicheaux who doesn't get along with her mother-in-law, Helena Henry. She has always been rude to Maryse, as well as pushy and manipulative. Now, Helena has died and is buried in Mudbug, Louisiana. But ... apparently she is not trapped below earth, but appears as a ghost to Maryse because someone wants Maryse dead also! DEA Agent Luc LeJeune is undercover hoping to keep lovely Maryse alive. This is a wonderful story which mystery will captivate you. It's very well written and I enjoyed it tremendously. You'll love it, too!

A nice enough story, but with some flaws. The biggest flaw for me was the random gratuitous sex scene just tossed in the book. Don't get me wrong, a well done sex scene is a good thing, but there wasn't believable attraction between the characters, and it was a "by the numbers" sort of scene. If they had to jump into bed (which I'm not sure they did), the story would have been better off if it had been a "fade to black" sort of thing. The rest of the story wasn't too bad. The heroine only had brief moments of stupidity, which for a "romantic" mystery is on the good side of the scale. The ghost was pretty funny, but the rest of the characters were a little two-dimensional for me. Overall: Not bad, but not great either Read again: Probably not Recommend to friends: No, if you want a cozy mystery go for Charlaine Harris Would I buy the sequel: Sorry, but no. There was a preview of the next book at the end of this book and it just didn't capture my interest.

I read for enjoyment and I'm a fan of romance, comedy and mystery. This book has all 3. Starting out with the ghost of a dead mother-in-law rising out of the casket to haunt daughter-in-law is a little unusual. Add in that the mother-in-law was murdered (but only she knows it), three attempts on the daughter-in-law's life, chemical dumping in the bayou, a search for a cure for cancer, a missing ex? husband, a hunky agent masquerading as a zoologist for romantic interest, and a small town - what more could you ask for? Lately I've been frustrated by "stupid women" as the protagonist and Maryse is anything but - what a refreshing change. She does have awful taste in men - her ex, the doctor - but the 3rd time she gets it right. I could hardly put this down and despite my backlog of books, went out and purchased the remainder in the series - I can't wait to see what happens next.

Jana DeLeon is a good writer, but this book? Nope. Three pages of explicit pornography that could have been written in three words was just not what I wanted to read. If I read any of her other books I will want some assurance that she's going to keep it clean

Trouble in Mudbug is a fun, light mystery book. I enjoyed the characters, and the mystery portion had some unexpected and interesting twists and turns. When I read the synopsis for the book I wasn't sure it was something I would enjoy. The premise seemed a little cornball with the 'ghost-in-law' aspect. Turns out though that the author skillfully crafted a tale full of humor and surprises. The interactions between the heroine and her ghost-in-law are extremely enjoyable, as are Helena's attempts to figure out how to fit into a 3 dimensional world when she's just a phantom. Her strong force of will helps her get the job done, however, and with amusing results. The only downside was the romance part. There was a little too much inner dialogue of the characters mooning around over one another. However, this IS a mystery/romance book, so it was to be expected. It certainly won't keep me from reading the next book in the series.

This novel is listed as a mystery with romance and comedy elements. It is heavy on the romance but very light on the comedy. Maryse Henry character takes everything so seriously that I was turned off by her. Luckily I was so curious by the story idea that I kept on reading. The mystery aspect and subject matter kept my interest. It's not just the paranormal element, but the ethics of chemical dumping and the lengths people will take to survive. I liked the turns the author took and I look forward to see what happens in book two of the series. Maryse Henry thought her disaster driven life had taken a good turn until her mother-in-law's ghost rose from her casket. Helene Henry was murdered and unless she finds out by whom, her haunting days have just begun. Luc LeJeune is working undercover investigating a tip of illegal chemical dumping. The problem with tips is you don't know who it is and their leads have dried up. They need their informant. His most likely snitch is Maryse. Has she been compromised? Is somebody willing to kill her to keep their secret?

Helena is the typical mother-in-law, manipulative, causing trouble and doing what she thinks is best for the family. Did I mention that she is a ghost? But nothing like Casper. She was the most hated person in town until someone poisoned her. Now someone is trying to kill her daughter-in-law. Throw in a phoney zoologist, a pedophile doctor, a bunch of weird friends and you have the makings of a great story. Give all these things to a great story teller with a way with words and you have a great book.

For the most part, this was a pretty good book. The characters were likeable (Helene was my favorite), but the plot line is similar to a lot of other books out there. I do love that it took place in the bayou, but I wish the physical characteristics of thr characters would have been brought up every now and again. When I stopped reading, I couldn't remember some things like what color hair Maryse had. More descriptive writing would have definitely made this a 5 star review. Still worth the read!

The first in what appears to be at least a four book series. Maryse is a young botanist working for the state in a bayou near the tiny town of Mudbug, Louisiana. The story begins with Maryse attending the funeral of her despised mother-in-law, Helena. All is proceeding normally until Maryse sees Helena get up out of the coffin and walk down the aisle. Maryse soon realizes that she is the only one who can see Helena and communicate with her. Maryse is surprised to learn that Helena owned the land the bayou is on and even more surprised to learn that she has inherited it. Helena left it to Maryse because she knew Maryse would protect it, but someone else has other plans for that land that cannot be realized as long as Maryse is alive. Cute, well-written story with intrigue, romance, a steamy sex scene (just one!), and humor. There are unresolved issues that I look forward to reading about in book two of the series.

I chose this book because it was free, and for no other reason, so I wasn't expecting much. I'm happy I chose it, and would gladly have paid for it. Since, I've read each book in the Ghost-in-Law Mysteries, and loved each one. The first book begins with Maryse coming face to face with her mother in law, who not only is Maryse not a fan of, but Helena is dead. Maryse is the only one that can see Helena. The murder mystery is well written, with so many twists and turns you're sure you have it figured out, yet you don't. The antics of Helena are hysterical and will keep you laughing throughout. I'm so happy I chose this book and recommend it to anyone that enjoys a great mystery, with some romance and the funniest ghost you'll ever encounter. Well deserved 5 stars.

This was a surprise for me because when I started it awhile back it didn't do,a lot, but since I really enjoyed the Sinful Louisiana series I pressed on and I am glad I did. I really enjoyed the characters especially Helen and her antics. Great story.

Helena Henry is the dead mother-in-law to Maryse Robicheaux. Helena was never well liked in the town of Mudbug and her daughter-in-law was at the top of the list of people who couldn't stand her. Maryse is married to Hank, Helena's son who disappeared 2 years ago. Maryse's life suddenly gets exciting when the ghost of her dead mother-in-law starts haunting her. Someone is trying to kill her and on top of it all she has a new and hot office-mate that is wreaking havoc on her hormones. I really enjoyed this book. It is laugh-out-loud funny and cute. The mystery has just enough side tracking to keep you guessing, but not too difficult to figure out. The romance is just hot enough without being too steamy. The story started out with a bang but the ending was wrapped up too quickly. The style is similar to Stephanie Plum, but not as silly. Overall, this was an enjoyable and light read. I recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

The book sounded promising except for the mother-in-law. I was worried about her being too much of a pain. I enjoy stories about ghosts and I was pleasantly surprised. The MlL was definitely a pain but it weighed well with the story. The story had a lot going on but it wasn't too much that you couldn't keep it in perspective. I'll definitely read more of her books.

DeLeon writes this cute, laugh-out-loud that creates in the reader a desire for more! First time I read Trouble I was in a restaurant. The people's expressions when I laughed so hard tears rolled was priceless. I'm hooked on all things Jana DeLeon!

Very well built mystery with a great deal of romance. I loved the structure of this book and made me think a lot about why it works after I finished. Every little piece of information has a purpose, and I can see that the ones that didn't add up in this book, will probably add up in the next books of the series. A botanist haunted by the ghost of her bitchy mother-in-law and accompanied by a great deal of townspeople who hopefully will develop later. And then there is the romance part. I know this is supposedly a romance but, to me, the mystery part worked a lot better than the romance. And I hated that even though Maryse acted all independent and all, she enjoyed when Luc protected her. I might have need a bit more development in this part. Anyway worth reading for a light fun time

Ew. Was ready for a light read and a laugh but couldn't even start this book, let alone finish it. The first couple of pages were so bitchy and flippant. If you like this sort of humour then go for it. But too lightweight and unkind for me.

This was such a good book!! I both read and listened to the audio book and both were excellent!! The story was exciting and intense and I absolutley love Maryse and Luc!! And I really liked Sabine and can't to read more about her in the next book .

Very much enjoyed this book. Entertaining, funny, and kept moving at a good pace. Maryse's dead mother-in-law, Helena Henry, rises out of her casket at her funeral and thinks this must be a joke as she cannot understand why people are ignoring her. Maryse is the only one that can see her. When dangerous things begin to happen to Maryse, it can...or cannot....be a good thing to have someone on your side that no one can see. Very humorous as Helena learns to navigate in this new form. Who and why Maryse is targeted is a mystery and Maryse has no idea what she did to cause this. Not every question is answered, altho the story is OK as a stand-alone, so am anxious to read the next in the series.

The book wasn't terrible and had a semi-strong heroine. **SPOILER ALERT** The heroine has REALLY bad taste in men. The hero entered her life on a lie, and she slept with him within a week, because he was her night and shining armor. I honestly could've done without the romance, and this is coming from a person who loves romance novels. The mystery was more interesting than the so-called romance. I mean if they were gonna put the hero and heroine together they should've carried their relationship on to the next book, so we readers would actually get a chance to know the characters separately and as a couple. Like I don't like how ALL her problems were solved in a few days. The author rushed the story and was better off either lengthening the story or having a cliff hanger (and I hate cliff hangers).

I chose this book because it was free, I know to continue the series I'll have to buy the books. But this is a good story line with real women and not damsels in distress. Very well written with a 'who done it' twist. If the next book in the series is written as areas this one, I'll have to buy the entire series 😊

Love this story that keep side-tracking you. As soon as you think who was the murderer, another evidence get thrown in your face. Maryse have a hard time living without having a ghost popping up unexpectedly. A mixed attitude to Luc LeJune causes Maryse to cloud her mind in which this causes Luc infusion about her. I recommended you all to read this enjoyable story of mixed-up Maryse, confused Luc, Sabine & Mildred making head or tail about Maryse and a ghost (Helena) that talk in confusing statement to Maryse.

There wasn't much to this story. It wasn't as good as Louisiana Hotshot. There wasn't a lot of action in this story. Most of the time they were talking and it wasn't about who murdered who.

I truly enjoyed getting to know the characters in this story. The author is great at painting a picture and letting the reader become part of the story. The Mystery and imagination is captivating. Can't wait to see what is next.

I'm an older retired engineer and this stuff isn't my usual fare that being more oriented towards Clive Cussler and adventure stuff with lots of mayhem. BUT, this was a free Kindle book which my Scottish genes simply wouldn't let me pass on. That free hook just cost me $11.97 since the author has caught me as thoroughly as one of those critters down in her LA bayou. I bought the next two Mudbug "Ghost-in-Law" books plus "Rumble on the Bayou" for me and my wife who's likewise hooked. Anyway, This book was a really good murder mystery with excellently well-done likable (even the villains), characters and lots of twists and seat-edge action which was quite hard to put down. Also it left me feeling happy instead of depressed like with many of my usual books and I can definitely use a bit more of that these days. I'll toss in charming as well. To Jana DeLeon - well done, thank you.

This was a delightful romantic mystery ghost story. The characters are quirky and fun. The plot is complicated enough to keep you guessing. There are enough twists and turns to mimic a good roller coaster ride. And there's romance but not too sappy. I really enjoyed it. If you are looking for a light-hearted read, this is a good one. I'll be checking out the next one in the series.

While I probably don't fit the authors normal reader (being older and male) I enjoyed the book immensely. My wife introduced me to Janet Evanovich's books after listening to me complain that I couldn't find anything to read that was light and humorous but still had a plot. Having exhausted those I moved on to Stephanie Bond, Jenna Bennett and Laura DeSilverio. Jana Deleon is my new find. Well written with an obvious knowledge and love of the setting (Louisiana Bayous). Ms Deleon exhibits a wicked sense of humor and a light touch with her characters and her stories. I haven't laughed this hard reading a book in quite a while. I must admit knowing some people who could be Helena's twin probably lent to my enjoyment of the book as well. I look forward to more from this author. I would give this one 6 stars if I could.

Trouble in Mudbug is cute and fun. It is a relatively quick read and the characters are enjoyable. Maryse is a biologist whose life is turned upside down when she starts seeing the ghost of her mother-in-law, Helena. Helena of course wants Maryse's help in solving her murder. Soon Maryse finds herself in all kinds of trouble and she is not sure who she can trust. The story is well-plotted with some exciting twists and laugh-out-loud moments. I found the sex scene to be a bit oddly placed, but that is probably just personal preference. (I don't like him, I don't like him, I'll sleep with him isn't my favorite) In all I found Trouble in Mudbug to be a fun read and I would definitely recommend it to fans of cozys or mystery lovers.

When I started reading about a ghost as one of the major characters I thought I would stop reading this book. I usually am not into this type of book. However, DeLeon drew me in and I wanted to find out what was going to happen. The characters appealed to me, even the ghost, and their development by DeLeon kept me reading on. I want to buy the rest of the series to see what kind of trouble the characters will find themselves in. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest of the series.

When a storyline begins with a funeral where the deceased climbs out of the casket-- and almost nobody notices-- you have a tale that's right at home in the Louisiana Bayou country. Throw in a wayward absentee husband, a worthless (but greedy) widower, and a hunk from New Orleans to invade the heroine's space (and life), and it turns into a well spun yarn. The suspense builds, and the action is lively as the tangled web is unraveled a piece at a time. The 'whodunit' leaves one loose end, which I trust will be resolved in the next book. The only detractor was the graphic detail of the sexual encounter. The fact that the encounter occurs is part of the story, but the explicit description adds nothing of value. It's a good read that keeps the pages turning.

Helena Henry, the dead mother-in-law to Maryse Robicheaux. Helena was never well liked in the town of Mudbug and her daughter-in-law was at the top of the list of people who couldn't stand her. Helena's wayward son disappearedtwo2 years ago and Maryse needs to find him to serve him divorce papers. Unfortunately, he still hasn't made an appearance, but his mother is now haunting Maryse. Maryse's dull life suddenly gets interesting with a ghost haunting her, someone trying to kill her, and a hot office mate that is wreaking havoc on her hormones. I enjoyed it. There were a lot of twists and turns.

I have to say, this book started off well, and I really got into it, however about half way thru its like the Author actually finished the book and then came back and added the most graphic and yucky sexual junk that just turned me off. I quickly paged over that to get back to the real story and finished the book although it was weak after that and I struggled to get thru it. I do not know why authors get some idea that this sexual smut stuff really send us. Well, I have to say, it sends us, but right out the door. I am not interested in seeing what happens to Sabine after all since I am afraid DeLeon will get off track with her story and wallow in the sex pit again! Been there, done it and like my own memories!

I love this book, it was so fun to read and I read it quickly because I really wanted to uncover the mystery, unfortunately it was finished too quickly and I was left wanting more. There was an additional mystery left for the next book but it was necessary I think for the series to continue and I am looking forward to reading the next one...there was a sample of it in the back of the book and it looks just as promising. I love the interaction between the heroine and the ghost and I particularly love the ghost learning and developing as she goes. This would make a fabulous movie. I thought the hot and steamy scene could have been toned down a bit but that's just me, not what I'm looking for, but it was not too graphic and it didn't carry on for long so I was okay with it. I would definitely recommend this book and I'm sure you will enjoy it too.

This was a good read, although it took me months to read as I lost interest in it, but eventurally ended up finishing it. A little bit of violence, a bit of humor, some sexual parts which were good for romance novel. The ghost showed up at unlikely times, a new person in the office leads to mystery. Who was trying to kill our main character? Maybe they were just trying to scare her and why would her ex mother in law come back to haunt her? And why did her mother in law leave her the property and not to her son? The who, what and whys were there, I just found it was easy to put the book down and pick it up when I felt like reading again. The good part was, I always remembered where I was in the book.

This book was funny. It was just the right mixture or mystery, suspense, sass and fun. I've read other books that claim they are in the style of Janet Evonovich (I loved most of her books); but, this one really could claim that distinction. The dead mother-in-law was a hoot. There were surprises I never expected and I never did figure out who the killer was, untill the end.

Well it started out rocky with swearing. I can take a little, but don’t really like any. On we go with the story. Ok intriguing. Then there are some crude remarks. I feel it’s going downhill and then the romantic scene was too explicit for me. I didn’t finish it. Too bad too because I was interested in the mystery part of it.

I really liked this book. One of my favorite things to do is laugh out loud, and this book provides the perfect material for that! I love Ms. Deleon's writing style and the development of her characters. The mystery was good as well. I admit I had a fleeting thought as to who I thought "done it" but then revised it only to find out I was right all along! I love a book that keeps me guessing til the end. Another great thing about this book is that while it is book one of a series, you get a resolution to the main characters' stories. The other books focus on different characters. I appreciate that as I don't like hanging from a cliff! I will definitely read more of Jana Deleon's books, and I hope you will as well!

This story is different. It has drama and humor. And, it has a restless ghost who can't cross over until she rights the wrongs she has committed while on earth. The main characters in this story is Maryese who is a scientist and the ghost who was Maryese's mother in-law, Helena. And what's so bad about it is that Maryese is the only one who can see her. When Helena was alive, she was the riches and meanest woman in town. Now that she is dead, her no good husband and son will inherit all her fortune. Or will they? This is a lively story. At times I caught myself laughing out loud. It's a good thing I was at home reading this story. Laughing out loud on buses and trains can garner some very strange stares.

I love the Miss Fortune Mystery Books by Jana DeLeon and looked forward to reading the Mudbug series. However, the story just fell short of my expectations. I felt it was written much earlier than the Miss Fortune series as it was not as well developed, and a disappointment. I will not be purchasing another Mudbug, which is also disappointing to me as I so enjoyed the Miss Fortune stories that DeLeon wrote - not the other writers - just hers.

This book was nearly impossible to put down! I don't read mysteries very often, but this one was the perfect combination of mystery, suspense, romance, comedy and "Holy S#*!" moments. The foreshadowing isn't overdone, which is great because I didn't know who did it until the last book, an believe me, it will throw you for a loop.

Takes your mind off your troubles compared to our poor heroine. She's in it up to her eyeballs! It starts off with a whopper of a funeral. Add one nightmare of a mother-in-law, a less than worthless missing husband, mix in a handsome stranger, a snazzy city doctor and of course stir in a whole lot of money up for grabs in a small bayou town and you've got the makings of one heck of a wild river boat ride!! Not all may be as it seems, or who it seems, however in Mudbug. It's a thrilling easy read that will keep you guessing.

From the beginning pages till the end had me laughing. Although there was many heart touching pages my funny bones were tickled! This book has it all!! Romance, comedy, mystery, and just good clean fun! I would recommend this book to anyone 17 to 105 years of age!! To tally enjoyed this even on the third time reading.

Interesting twist: the heroine is relieved her mother in law is dead only to have her return as a ghost only the heroine can see. And of course there is a handsome hero and crisp.dialogue. Good read.

This book is just fun - the writer really seems to have that wry sense of humor, and is able to capture that it its characters. I like that it is lighthearted, and silly, even when the truly, the story is very serious...only 4 stars - b/c the girl meets boy is way to cliché - and somewhat disappointing...and, although I am far from a prude, I also tire of graphic, "amazing and mind blowing" love scenes...I get the feeling it is "required" and, in my opinion, totally un-necessary to the flow of the story line. There are ways to allude to the fact without filling 3 or 4 pages of predictable life altering sex. We get it. Again, fun reading - would read again - would recommend.

I found this book for free on amazon, and on a whim I downloaded it. I so loved this book, it was funny, romantic, and a great mystery with a touch of paranormal to it! The storyline was done so well I finished it in like a day and a half, I wanted to keep reading late into the night to finish it!! Helena was so funny, and the things she does thinking it was the right thing to do, and being a ghost has got to be trying in it's own way!! I so can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series !! Thank you Mrs. Deleon for offering this book for free, you now have a new devoted reader!!! I would recommend this one to anyone looking for a funny, romantic mystery!!

I don't get much luck with the free ebooks, but this was an enjoyable read. I got a real kick out of Helena, the dead mother in law's character. The story line kept my interest and with a few surprises thrown in. While I think the author could have painted a more detailed picture of the town of Mudbug and developed Luc's character a bit more, it was fun. Some reviewers have stated that they were offended by the graphic sex scene. Unless you only have sex to strictly procreate, I didn't find it to be outrageous enough to cause offense. It was one scene that takes you less than two minutes to read. If a book it going to have only one sex scene, you might as well make it a good one and I thought the author did a fine job!

This book has any quirky comments and events. The idea of being stuck with the ghost of my ex-mother-inlaw just makes me shudder. But this ghost was amusing, at least. A very good read this was!

There are no surprises in this book nor will you find anything original. The characters are pretty one dimensional. The male lead is handsome and and a womanizer but falls for the good looking woman who is unlike any he's every known. Like I said, not original. The only fun character is the ghost who is brassy and unapologetic. The female lead has only bad feelings about the ghost but for some reason is at her beck and call. I would not recommend this book to anyone. The sexual content, which seems to have been "thrown in" for whatever reason, does nothing for the story but makes it inappropriate for young readers. If not for that it would probably be a story that girls in their early teens would enjoy.

Jana DeLeon is an excellent, talented author, and Trouble in Mudbug is a reflection of these attributes. This book has impressionable characters, including an eccentric ghost mother-in-law that's shrewd, humorous and wisely insightful. The heroine of the story (Maryese) is a botanist that prefers to isolate herself from mainstream Mudbug society, after her husband abandons her. However, her mother-in-law decides to leave her a fortune that someone is willing to kill for. The book had lots of twists and turns, romance and adventures, and its definitely a good read.

I liked this book (although I think I like the Miss Fortune series a little better). The characters were likeable, the ghost funny and yet sympathetic and the plot interesting. I don't know what some reviewers meant by excessive curse words and a gratuitous sex scene. Didn't find the language offensive and the sex scene was a culmination of a growing attraction between two adults. Skip over it--you won't miss any clues and your heart rate won't increase!

I liked the story for the most part, I just don't know why the heroine has to be not very bright and go to bed with a guy after just meeting him. It can be interesting without hearing about their sex.

What do you do when you go to your monster mother-in-laws funeral only to watch her ghost sit up in her coffin and start complaining because the funeral was not being done to her specifications? What do you do with a dead beat husband? How do you keep from getting yourself killed while falling in love with the man that is personally investigating you for some strange reason? Who should you trust or tell what is going on without putting them in harm's way? Add in lots of laughs and awesome characters that are alive and loveable, and you have "Trouble in Mudbug." Deleon knows how to keep you interested, keep you guessing, and keep you reading until all hours of the night!

This book didn't get me hooked the way I expected. I'm on the fence about buying the rest of the series. It was pretty entertaining, but took a while to get going. I didn't mind the sex scene, unlike the rest of the negative reviews. There were some painful parts in the beginning where I almost stopped reading like... Honestly who would do that, what type of idiotic character are you trying to portray? But the book definitely did get better by the end. Not bad all in all.

I liked the book at first...however, it just continues to drag on and on.... Could have been completed in a 100 pages. I do like the mother in law ghost she's funny

The storyline was a bit repetitive throughout. The main female and male characters were wishy washy. Together they were annoying. It was okay for a throwaway, but I wouldn't read anymore of this author's books based on this one. The best part of the book was the ghost. The character was amusingly clueless.

First I want to say that Jana DeLeon is a very talented writer. She drew me in from page 1 and didn't let go. The story was a bit over the top, but what ghost story isn't? It almost made me believe. The characters were lovable and the storyline was really interesting. I honestly didn't want to put it down. I took my Kindle in my truck on the way to work and turned the Text-to-Speech on so I could still "read" the book while I was driving. It really was that good! There's one thing that kept me from giving it a 5 star and that was the gratuitous sex. It wasn't needed. I don't mind a love scene, but this was pretty graphic - detailed step by step of what they did to each other. Not my thing in a cozy mystery book. At least there was only one scene. But otherwise, I'd highly recommend this book.

If you like romance, comedy and mystery, you'll love this book! It's an easy read with a great storyline. I love the characters especially the mother in law. It leaves one mystery at the end so I'm starting the next book right away!!

I'm stuck between Okay and Good. Having been recently associated with a funeral and all of its preparations, I found the first chapter hard to stomach, but later chapters moved along well. It has multiple mysteries running through the plot, causing one to keep reading while trying to separate each story, as well as, trying to predict how each story relates to the other stories.

The story is not too bad but there is too much sexual content I will not read another book by this author

This author created a book that is delightful, suspenseful, and a smattering of lust. I stead of depending o. Blood and gore or x-rated sex scenes, this author has used her skill to take you on journey while enjoying the characters. Excellent read.

I've got egg on my face over this one! In my original review I rated this a one star because I couldn't buy into the ghost theme and gave up on it very early on. However, I've since read another work ("Louisiana Longshot") by the same author and I found it to be a fun read, so decided to give "Trouble in Mudbug" another chance. It was certainly worth the effort as just a little further in it grabbed me and turned out to be a very entertaining and fun read. I just loved the whacky characters. So to any other potential readers who are turned off by paranormal themes, all I can say is that this one is different and worth giving a decent chance.

Trouble in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law, #1) by Jana Deleon Maryse is a scientist living in the small Louisiana town of Mudbug. When her Mother-in-law dies she thinks she is done with the rude and brash woman, but she is wrong. Maryse sees her ghost at her funeral. Her mother-in-law believes that she has been murdered, and she wants the help of Maryse. I liked the originality of the story, the characters are well developed, with some likable others not as much. The story is fast paces, the suspect list is high and it leaves you guessing. Overall I found Trouble in Mudbug very entertaining.

This book is so much fun to read! The characters each have their own separate personalities yet combined they make quite a story. Helena, the mother-in-law from hell has to be one of my favorite characters. I think everyone has known a woman like this at one point in life. Helena's ability in the after life to make mistakes, put together hysterical outfits, and allow the reader to still love her through her faults are just some of the things I loved about this book. Also, I think some sizzling passion adds a little fun to this mystery as well. I certainly was not bored reading this kindle book! I love it when an author has the ability to think outside the box and not follow romance cliches!

Trouble in Mudbug has a fun list of characters who become entwined in a complex plot in this engaging book by Jana DeLeon. Abandoned by her worthless husband, Maryse is a self-contained, self-motivated, scientist who leaps from a quiet, lonely life to one of high adventure upon the death of her mother-in-law, the bitch who became a ghost. Ms. DeLeon created lovable characters who engage the reader: from Maryse, her space best-friend Sabine, almost-mom, Mildred, hated mother-in-law Helena, the old classmate, cute and attainable doctor, and, finally, the sexy zoologist, each Mudbug inhabitant and visitor add to the excitement. A quick easy read, this is a delightful way to spend an evening or two.

A cute premise and a new series to enjoy... a win-win. I haven't read this series before so I went in not knowing anything. I like doing that to see if the author can grab me. I enjoyed this book. Funny dialogue, a roving MIL ghost and a handsome detective. The mystery was solid and the sexy romance was great. The ending kind of confused me but I think I'll go ahead and read more to see what happens next. My Rating: 4 stars

Thoroughly fun & enjoyable read. Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Humor, Ghost-in-Law 01, Series, Contemporary, American South, Louisiana, Maryse, Scientist, Estranged Daughter-in-Law, Helena, Dead Mother-in-Law, Ghost, Haunting, Paranormal, Luc, Undercover Cop, Fun Read, PopLit,

I really enjoyed the characters and the story, even with a ghost involved. I know, it challenges credibility, but it is so well written, that it was thoroughly enjoyable. Well done, Jana DeLeon!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ghosts are real? Who knows, but this one was a lot of fun & it looks like she'll be around for a while yet. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, & I'm assuming the same kooky characters - and more - will be back. An easy read, a fun little town & a mystery thrown in...you can't beat it!

I've read Jana DeLeon's Fortune series & really enjoyed them. While waiting for the next book in that series to be published, I decided to try this book. It also takes place along the LA bayou, Maryce is a lot like Fortune & both have a hunk giving them hot flashes, but thats where the similarities end. The plot is substantial enough to keep me engaged, which says a lot. I highly recommend it, if you dont mind a ghost in your story.

The first few pages were like speed bumps, but before the 1st chapter ended, the story took over and the ride was a fun beach read that lasted all day. I had passed this title up before because of the 'ghost' factor; not interested in solving problems via the benevolent fantasy character handing out contrived answers. Big surprise,this one works, it was fun -- for a while. Definitely more graphic than necessary in the sex scene or I'd have given it another star. Would rather have skipped the interruption and enjoyed the end of the story without the TMI paragraphs.

I thoroughly enjoyed Trouble in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law). It had mystery, action, humor and a good plot. The antics of the ghost kept me laughing out loud. Although the ending was a little disappointing, I still rated it with 5 stars. I wanted to know who killed Helena!!!!I Guess I'll have to read the next book in the series....

Every so often I find a book that makes me laugh, cry, feel romantic and uneasy all in the same chapter. This was one of those finds for me and I loved it. The charming characters made this a page turner for me and I found myself looking forward to my reading time each evening, after the kids are asleep,in my bed with caramel corn and hot tea. I also enjoy a gripping thriller, but this easy read was a nice break from the more stressful mysteries I've read. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

I absolutely loved this book. Kudos to Jana. It has everything one would want in a good book. I read this in one day, couldn't put it down at all. Of course, my pup wasn't all that thrilled about that. Thank you for a great reading.

This is another light, enjoyable read by Jana DeLeon. I really enjoyed the characters and laughed a lot at some of the situations surrounding them. One thing others may need to know is this book does contain some graphic sexual scenes. I'm no prude but I could have done without them. As a result I just skipped over them and was still able to keep up with the story. I get it. The two lead characters were hot for each other. I just happen to think sometimes it's better to let the reader's imagination fill in the gaps. This is a fast read and I'll definitely be reading the other books in this series.

I had never read a book like this before! It has action, mystery, romance and a dash of supernatural! It read fast, the characters were real and it kept my interest! What more could anybody want in a book!

I have read romances, mysteries and popular fiction books, this was so much fun to read and had all the elements theses popular books have. I was pleased to get this book for free and will likely purchase the other books. The only complaint is the name of Maryse, I wasn't entirely certain how to pronounce it so I found it a bit distracting. Is it Maris, as in the ex of Niles Crane in the show Frasier, just spelled differently? I honestly can appreciate wanting to use unique name for characters, but I personally like to be able to pronounce them without question, so popular spelling preferred. Other than that this book was great, and as others have mentioned, hard to put down once you start!

The story is a good murder mystery, bad romance novel. The romance is way overwritten. Too much repetition. It's also kind of dated. Time period is recent but attitudes are dated.

This book was really light on mystery so if you are looking for an edge of your seat-can't figure out who dunnit kind of story this is not the book for you. If you are interested in a book that is thoroughly, laugh out loud entertaining chick lit then this is for you. Although there was some back story missing from the development of Maryse's character; the gradual revelations about her Mother-in-law Helena Henry was great. The bitchiness of Helena coupled with the difficulties she faces being dead are just hilarious! I actually think that Helena Henry was the star of this book. Enjoyed and would recommend to others who could enjoy some light entertaining reading.

I loved this story and have recommended the entire series to several family members. I was hesitant to purchase this ebook even thought it was only $0.99 at the time. Even before I had finished the book I already knew that I had to read the other two installments in the series. This book has it all, a well written mystery, a little bit of romance and a big dose of humor that does not take away from the book. Helena is too funny and she just gets better in Mischief in Mudbug and Showdown in Mudbug. Enjoyed all the characters and was happy to see that I didn't have to put them away too soon. The entire series is on my re-read list and will be purchasing several other books by this author.

An absolutely hilarious, light, entertaining read. Maryse hated her mother-in-law. Her husband disappeared right after their wedding leaving her with all his loan shark debts. She was forced to borrow the money at a hefty interest rate from her mother in law to pay them off. She paid it back to her mother in law until her mother in law died. There were only two payments left to go. At the funeral, guess who climbed out of the coffin. Only Maryse could see her. Maryse was needed to help find out who killed her. This book was so funny. If you're having a bad day, or if you just want something light, funny and entertaining...this is it.

I absolutely loved this book. It was such a fun read. I laughed out loud many times. Yet, it was still an intriguing mystery story. Kept my attention from the very beginning. I can usually figure out the culprit, but I was wrong in this case. Loved Helena, Marsey and Luc. Looking forward to reading more of Jana's books.

I just finished reading this book for the second time. I have to say that it was better than the first time. Now I can get back to the story in the fifth book. I have enjoyed the series thus far and I am sure that the next two books will be as good. I always hate to get to the end of any series. It kinda like leaving part of my friends and family behind. I really hope there will be a good series to follow.

Searching for the cure for cancer leads to a very difficult situation ! But! You never know when love and romance will remedy that situation. Just a little long in some places. Sweet story!

This cozy mystery is alright if you are looking for an escapist evening of reading. The actual mystery plot is lightweight, but there are some nice touches of humour, and the mother in law ghost figure is the most interesting character in the book. Initially, she is presented as a bit of harridan with a reputation for being a demanding, difficult woman. As the storyline progresses, she is not a villain, but rather a complex figure with some altruistic motives behind her demanding ways.

A unique plot, a little love interest, a little twist here and there, and a lot of fun along the way, what's not to love? This was a fun read all the way through! I'm a newcomer to this genre of books....humorous mysteries, but am really enjoying them, and Trouble in Mudbug is one of the best. The cast of characters is weird and wonderful, your typical gorgeous science nerd, fake fortune teller, not-really-who-you-think-he-is-hero, villanous absentee husband and father-in-law, and of course, the ghostly mother-in-law! Just your average who dun it! I'll be sure to look for more from this author...an entertaining read with just a little bit of risque thrown in for excitement.

This was very enjoyable book. It was a mystery with a lot of humor in as part of Mary’s and Liv’s interactions with Helena’s ghost. I plan to continue the series.

An exciting yet hilarious murder-mystery with an unexpected ending. Except for the much-too-specific sex scenes and off-color language, this story was truly enjoyable - a fun and funny read.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked Maryse, Sabine, Helena and the other inhabitants of Mudbug. There was the side story of Maryse's attraction to Luc (and one pretty graphic sex scene, reader be warned) to keep the romantic in me happy while the mystery was unfolding. My one complaint is that everyone seems really hard on Helena and I found myself wanting them to lighten up a little. Yes, she was a mean person when she was alive but she had been having a hard time ever since she woke up dead so little compassion would not have been remiss. Other than that I am happy I found this book and took the time to read it. Now I can't wait to read the next one.

This is the first official book in the series (Helena's Diaries is a novella that should be read immediately after but is not necessary to enjoy the rest) and is probably the mildest. Ms. DeLeon takes everything you have ever learned about ghosts and flushes it right down the toilet! When you read this books, you will laugh so hard, especially as it goes further along in the series. The only quibble I have is in the first three books, it seems the reason Helena is there changes. I don't care though. I'm enjoying them and cannot wait for Chaos in Mudbug to come out!

To start off, I have never heard of this town, but I always learn something new through reading. I enjoyed the characters who live in the town. I was truly surprised when a bitchy mother-in-law turned into a ghostly hero. And if you want romance, there's a little bit of that, too.

Trouble in Mudbug isnt badly written so why the 1 and a half pages of Porn about 3/4s the way through..A good read spoilt by this.Wilber Smith does this in most of his books to try and attract those who dont appreciate a good story without smut,Sad really.Peter Anderson.

This story took me to the back waters of Louisiana and the intense study of a young botanist, searching for a cure to cancer. Murder, mystery and a sweet love story. I enjoyed my visit to Mudbug and look forward to visiting this small town again.

Cute little story of adventure, mischief, murder, love and chuckles tossed in to boot. And, of course, every good story has life advice for the reader as well. Enjoy!

I loved this book! It was a wild ride of murder, attempted murder several times, a hunky undercover cop, and a hilarious most annoying ghost. It makes you laugh, pulls at your heart strings, puts you on pins and needles, and finally makes you sigh at theove sensual love found. If you enjoy crimer drama with a light hearted twist you'll enjoy this book.

Heartily enjoyed the story line as well as the character development. Impossible to not like even Helena. Enjoy the setting also. Would be a great place to visit! Look forward to more in this series.

If I could I would give this book 10 stars! It is full of laughable pranks, sincere emotion that will have you tearing up, the good guys winning will make you cheer and the passionate, sweet love between Maryse and Luc will leave you sighing. I was so captivated by the ghost in this story and by the "who-done-it" aspect that I just couldn't put it down. Great dialogue! Excellent read!! I've already bought the second book in the series. Can't wait to get started!

Great little book. Small towns hold multiple mysteries and intertwined answers, specially with a ghost-mother-in-law. Find oit whi did it to whom and why.

I usually avoid romance stories like the plague, likening them to getting all of my teeth drilled without Novocaine. But, the title grabbed my attention and then I read the summary and it just struck the right chord for me. From the very first page I was hooked and I could not turn the pages fast enough! Helena is a hoot and I would love to hang out with her, Maryse is a girl after my own heart and Luc, well, what can we say about Luc? You just can't help but love him. The MOST important aspect of this book for me is that the whole love part of the story isn't over-done. It is tense, endearing and frustrating in all the right places and just the right amounts taking you through a myriad of emotions. It has all the right facets to make it a gleaming jewel of a series that I cannot wait to continue reading.