Dread Reckoning

2024 GOLD EVVY AWARD FOR HORROR! 2024 BRONZE EVVY AWARD FOR THRILLER/SUSPENSE! It's a Friday in New Orleans, ten days before Mardi Gras. As Carnival season begins, eerie events unfold, coinciding with the first downtown parades. These inexplicable occurrences, termed "Harbingers," mystify locals. In a Bourbon Street strip club, a mysterious figure in a cloak adorned with ancient symbols disappears in a puff of smoke. Simultaneously, during the parade on St. Charles Avenue, an unannounced float labeled "Krewe of Moros" appears. High atop the float rides Harbinger of Doom, an enigmatic figure with a golden wand, surrounded by ghostly riders who terrify onlookers. The float vanishes into the night, leaving the city bewildered. As Mardi Gras week continues, so do the Harbingers, each becoming more ominous and deadly than the last. Paranormal investigator Landry Drake and his friends return to battle an ancient being named Bezaliel, who inhabits a haunted mansion in the French Quarter and may be the force behind the Harbingers. As the Carnival chaos becomes terrifying and deadly, secrets and malevolence intertwine, shrouding New Orleans in fear. Days before Mardi Gras, the most ominous and catastrophic event of all takes place. The people have had enough. As they flee the city, Mardi Gras is all but forgotten. Landry Drake and his crew make one last effort to save Carnival and the city itself, but is it too late? In this ninth Bayou Hauntings installment, Landry and Cate rescue a dog they name Simba. As he becomes part of their lives, they learn that he's more than just a companion. He can lend a helpful paw when they need one. Dread Reckoning is a gripping supernatural thriller, exploring the sinister forces lurking within the city's vibrant traditions. This tale delves into the hart of terror, weaving mystery and the unknown into the fabric of New Orleans history.