This is a wonderfully spirited collection of short stories that highlight different aspects of New Orleans and the different populations which are drawn to the city’s mysteries. Each story is a tribute each author’s imagination. I received an ARC and am so glad I did!

My Name is Death by Laura Daleo
What does Death do on a vacation? In this supernatural story, he visits his favorite places in New Orleans—a city known for its joie de vivre—and encounters a young soul who needs the help and understanding only Death can provide. Annalise, a 17-year-old girl who has been sick her whole life escapes the hospital from where she is staying and searches out life’s experiences that she has been unable to take part in up to this point. Death’s and Annalise’s serious conversations and interactions are imaginatively woven with the more vivacious aspects of modern-day New Orleans.

The Ghost of Toulouse Street by Rhonda Bobbitt
As Rose’s 25th birthday arrives, she has the feeling that she is being watched. Rose reaches out to her sister Lydia and tries to convince her that she has seen the same man in various places throughout the city. Lydia remains dubious while Rose explains the strange happenings that have occurred at her work and other locales. Merrick has his own mystery to solve and a curse to vanquish and believes he has found the answer with Rose. Rose, Merrick, and the supporting cast of intriguing characters weave in and around 1969 New Orleans in this paranormal thriller.

Bidding Up Knox by Fern Miller
This page turner of a second-chance romance takes place in modern-day New Orleans and showcases Kara and Knox. Kara’s caring personality drives her to work for a non-profit organization, and Knox’s father presses him to work in the family industry and to make as much money as possible. Kara and Knox once had a budding romance that left Kara with more questions than answers. When they meet again at an auction that Kara’s organization puts together, Kara wonders if she’ll ever receive the answers that have eluded her for years. Will Kara and Knox be able to reconcile their obvious differences to try again at love? Or will the same issues drive them apart once again? Read along as the descriptions of love and the hustle-and-bustle of New Orleans keep you reading.

Crossed at the Cafe by Preston Allen
Modeste’s life is one of intrigue, voodoo, and witchcraft. She is a voodoo priestess who helps her father with the family store. While ordering a coffee in an unassuming cafe, she has a chance encounter with someone who will greatly influence her life. Modeste, her father, and a family friend try to unravel the mystery of the woman from the cafe, and the readers are taken on an adventure that lends itself well to the magical-realism setting. The characters leap off the page and entwine the reader in a wonderful description of the magical side of New Orleans.

Borrowed Bayou by Savanna Loy
Estelle’s story is one that traces back throughout the ages and evolutions of New Orleans. This sci-fi romance tells of a cursed family who runs a cafe and airboat tour business in the bayou country. Estelle and her close-knit family have sacrificed to ensure the safety of New Orleans over the course of 100 years. Their sacrifices have been many, and each family member has grown weary of their role. One day, handsome Thiago walks into the cafe and catches Estelle’s eye, heart, and soul. But how will Thiago react when the terrible secrets that the Dupont family have managed to keep hidden away all this time are revealed? This story is full of rich descriptions and engaging characters that have the reader engrossed until the very end.