What happened to Jeopardy Belle?
Is she the lost soul that haunts Summerleigh?

Jerica Poole had no idea how quickly life could change until hers is ripped apart at the seams. After a messy divorce and the tragic death of her daughter, she jumps at the chance to fulfill the last wish of her friend, Harper Belle Hayes. The troubled nurse makes the journey to Harper’s hometown of Desire, Mississippi, and immediately finds herself swept up in a 75-year-old mystery: what happened to Jeopardy Belle? When she begins exploring the Belles’ old homestead, Summerleigh, she discovers that some of the former tenants live on in ghostly form and would love nothing more than to add Jerica to their numbers. Small-town drama and a rich southern background add to the tension of this riveting, ghost-filled murder mystery.

My Review

The story starts off in an interesting way, and I immediately loved the historical setting and the diary-like storytelling. The beginning reminded me of The Notebook, as we’re introduced to Harper and her family in Mississippi. Her family intrigued me, with four daughters, their mother, and a father who is away.

Then we jump forward in time and meet Jerica, a nurse working at a nursing home in Virginia, caring for Harper. Over time, Jerica has befriended the older woman and listened to her stories. Even though Jerica’s own life is a mess, she keeps picking herself up by her bootstraps and moving forward.

The story moves back and forth between Harper’s past in Mississippi and Jerica’s present in Virginia. Eventually, Harper passes away and leaves Jerica her assets, including the house where she grew up. But there’s a catch: Jerica is also tasked with finding Harper’s missing sister.

I loved the incorporation of spooky ghosts, the sisters who speak to ghosts, and how each sister has her own unique qualities. The mansion is full of lingering stories, family history, and secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Between the ghosts haunting the house, the mysteries surrounding the family, and the friends Jerica makes along the way, this book becomes an intriguing mix of mystery, treasure hunt, and the kind of ghost story you might tell around a campfire. As we uncover more of the past, we learn about the final moments, the things that haunted Jerica and her family, and the spirits lingering in the mansion.

The story builds toward a satisfying conclusion, tying together the mysteries and supernatural elements in an enjoyable way. Overall, this was a fun, spooky read with family secrets, ghosts, and a mystery that kept me interested until the end!

If you would like to read The Belles of Desire, Mississippi by M.L Bullock, you can find this book on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn on qualifying purchases.

If you like this book you may also enjoy books with these tags and categories: ghosts, mystery, and Supernatural.