Mississippi River Mischief is the 9th Scotty Bradley mystery by Greg Herren. Released 14th Nov 2023 by Bold Strokes Books, it's 264 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

This is a very well written, slightly gritty destination PI mystery set in and around New Orleans. The author is exceptionally adept at setting, and the descriptions of the area felt so real, the humidity, heat, and history soaked streets draw the reader into the story. It's no surprise the author is intimately familiar with the setting, being a resident himself.

The murder of a corrupt politician who was neck-deep in shady dealings draws Brady in, to help in proving that a friend's teenaged student was innocent of the crime. There was a 4 year (real life) hiatus in this series, so the first couple chapters are background. Once the story gets moving, however, it's engaging and readable.

There's a light paranormal element, MC Scotty is a complex character; he uses ESP and tarot for meditation. The procedural aspects are relatively straightforward, but nevertheless competently constructed, and the denouement and resolution are well crafted.

There is significant M/M moderately explicit content included; the publisher is a well known gay-friendly printer. MC Scotty is part of a somewhat complex throuple, and his partners figure significantly in the storyline.

The plot, denouement, and resolution are self contained in this novel; it works well as a standalone. There are now 9 works in the series, so it would be a good choice for a long binge/buddy read. The spicy content means that it's probably not a good choice for work/commute, and it might prove problematic for public library acquisition, depending on local restrictions, bans, etc (in the USA at least).

Four stars. It's nice to see this long-running series get a boost (book 1 was released in 2003).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The style of writing in Mississippi Mischief is just not for me. A gay man myself, don't speak like the characters in this novel and find it burdensome to listen to the banter. I also didn't feel that the story got off to a very good start. That the author has many novels under his belt amazes me and shows how far out of it I am. Sorry!
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

What a gigantic surprise from author Greg Herren! A brand new Scotty Bradley Mystery! So happy to have received this ARC from Bold Strokes and NetGalley. Another amazing adventure with Scotty, Frank, and Colin. Scotty’s older and wiser and confronts demons from his past while making the world safer for the next generation. This series is always so joyful amid the murders. I love the Goddess, I love the thrupple, I love Scotty facing his past. Love love love!

I went into this book not having read any others in the series, but I still really enjoyed it and didn't feel like I was missing anything. As a New Orleans native, I usually have a chip on my shoulder about stories that take place here, but the author did a good job with the setting and I have no complaints.

The mystery was definitely engaging and kept me interested until the very end. There was so much going on here, I was kept guessing until the very end. The major plot elements of corruption and harassment were believable and well done, and I felt the same tension as the characters as the story moved forward to the conclusion.

Quite the mystery

Scotty takes his mind off all the problems he now has upon becoming a homeowner by following the trail of a new case. A dead politician who was harassing Scotty’s best friend’s student, leaves him investigating if the student is behind it all and takes them on an adventure that has even more surprises waiting for Scotty.

Everything about this mystery story intrigued me, from the characters to the case they were exploring. I hadn’t ready any other Scotty Bradley Mystery stories but as this was book 6 wasn’t sure if that would impact my understanding of the characters. It worked really well as a standalone story, and I had all the information I needed to understand how Scotty knew those around him.

There was an element to this story that kept me hooked, not only the discoveries they were making but also the elements built into the story with the picture painted of the city and surrounding areas they ended up visiting. It eluded to a darker side of New Orleans than I am used to in other stories, and provided a really immersive look into underhand and corrupt business that his hidden often in plain view. As usual with mysteries, I ended up suspecting everyone and missing the clues, which made each twist and turn all the more exciting.

A very interesting adventure with many twists and turns, that I really enjoyed. Hope to join Scotty on future mysteries and explore some of the other Scotty Bradley Mystery stories previously published.

This was my first encounter with Scotty Bradley, a series of novels based in Louisiana by Greg Herren that's been running for 20 years. The last instalment appeared 4 years ago, so unsurprisingly, the first chapters in Mississippi River Mischief are taken up by revisiting our hero, his life, and its environs. Great for someone like me who's new to the series but I wonder whether other readers might expect things to get off to a faster start.

Bradley's an intermittent PI. Both his partners are or have been involved in security matters. Bradley's asked to involve himself with a teen who needs help. His client then disappears and it turns out he hasn't been entirely honest. Twin themes of untruths and grooming drive the story along and they don't just apply to Scotty's work either.

As a newcomer to the series, I wasn't particularly gripped by the crime element of the story. What I did enjoy and really held my interest were the descriptions of Louisiana - the place, the people, and the politics. Very different from my usual reading environs. But there again, people are people everywhere,

Enjoyable but not outstanding.

Corruption, sexual grooming and a lot of guessing who done it are all parts of this story. Politician and sex don’t mix well, throw in some tarot cards and now PI Scotty Bradley has a case that will lead him a killer he never expected.
This is an interesting story and I had nit read the others in this series however thee is enough background to give you a good idea of who Scotty and his friends are.

Thank you #NetGalley #BoldStrokesBooks #MississippiRiverMischief for this ARC

This story is quite interesting with a lot of quirky twists. It seems that New Orleans, while being thought of as a "sin city" is not the only place in Louisiana with interesting happenings. Mr Herren addresses a lot of the political maneuvering and cover-ups that go on in places where certain people have power.
Even though Scotty's life seems to be rather peaceful, with the exception of the termite season, a friend asks him to speak to a student about a situation the student has gotten himself into. And then the fun begins as Scotty realizes that this is a known politician with a family history of covering up the family faux pas. And that is just the tip of the iceberg as Scotty has to confront his own past and make peace with it.

The story is quite convoluted but it certainly keeps your interest. I still have a couple of questions that weren't answered in the final pages. I may need to read it again to see if I can sort out that issue.
Overall, it was a quite enjoyable read..

m/m mystery, family-dynamics, suspense, private-investigators, LGBTQIA, mystery, NOLA, gay-fiction, predators, family-by-choice, family-drama, power-broker, political-corruption, relationships, relatives, dancing, ballet-training, espionage, magical-twist, intrigue, Louisiana, soap-opera, scandal, extortion, extra-sensory-abilities*****

The beginnings of the story caught me up with the backstory enough that I think it is good as a stand alone. I came for the Nola and the place that it is, and I stayed for the complex story of some extremely interesting characters and the investigations. The extra-sensory aspects of Scotty and attention to the Goddess were a real bonus. The personal living habits brought me back to commune days and ways. Basically, I really liked it and found a new author.
I requested and received an EARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley. Thanks.