A Jeannie Johal Thriller
Bless Your Heart.
Book Two of the Jeannie Johal Thrillers
A pharmaceutical giant. An arboretum filled with poisonous plants. A new boss murdered on day one. Jeannie Johal lands in Greenville, NC and has to decide who to trust and what to do before more people die.
Synopsis
The story.
A pharmaceutical giant has teamed up with the Pitt County, North Carolina public health department to test a drug that could help millions improve their health. But someone is sabotaging the research. Healthcare researcher Jeannie Johal is sent to Greenville, NC on special assignment to find out why. Little does she know that even before she begins, plans are underway to persuade her to leave the project. On her first day, her new boss is murdered. The beautiful arboretum, next door, contains many poisonous plants and at least one master gardener who threatened Jeannie’s boss. The nearby correctional facility harbors dangerous criminals who will trade invaluable information for a price. Plunged into the close-knit community of Greenville and the larger Pitt County, Jeannie must decide who she can trust, and decode what people say and mean before she herself falls victim. Can she find out who’s sabotaging the data? And can she fix the problems before more people die?
Praise
What readers are saying.
A heartfelt gem. Camus masterfully blends humor, wit, and raw emotion to craft a story that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. The characters are so richly developed that they leap off the page, and the Southern charm woven throughout adds a unique flavor to the narrative. The prose is sharp, yet tender, and leaves a lasting impression long after the final chapter.
Sheldon N., OnlineBookClub reviewer
The author, in Bless Your Heart, not only beautifully portrays the life of an immigrant woman but also delves into the fabric of Southern American society with depth and sensitivity.
Sanjay V., OnlineBookClub reviewer
Five stars. The strength of this book lies in the multidimensional characters, the dilemmas they face, and the choices they make. This is a very well-written novel that features a provocative plot, passionate characters, well-crafted dialogue, and detailed settings depicting communities in transition.
Elisabeth S., Raleigh, NC
Couldn’t put it down. Filled with twists and turns and a very satisfying ending, this thriller makes me want to visit Greenville, NC.
D. Camille, Largo, FL
Where the book lives
Eastern North Carolina.
Bless Your Heart: A Jeannie Johal Thriller takes place in Eastern North Carolina. The City of Greenville and the Pitt County Arboretum play outsize roles. Greenville is about a 90-minute drive from Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina, and roughly the same distance to the Outer Banks.
Pitt County Arboretum
Photos of plants from the Butterfly Garden, where Jeannie enjoys eating her lunch.
Kinston, Tick Bite, Grifton
Mother Earth Brewing – A Kinston landmark that produces the best-tasting specialty beers. Anywhere. In Bless Your Heart, La Donna Rogers samples a pint of Mojito Berlinerweisse.
Tick Bite, NC – An unincorporated community located between Kinston and Greenville, where Will Davis was born. The Okay Corral Training Range is in spitting distance of the Train Depot in Grifton.
Downtown Scotland Neck, The Skylight Inn, The Rickhouse
Near the tobacco farm in Scotland Neck where Detective Henry Smith grew up. The legendary, James Beard Award-winning restaurant for whole-hog barbecue, Carolina-style. Since 1947. (The Skylight Inn.) The Rickhouse American Provisions and Spirits, commonly known as “The Rickhouse,” offers more than forty selections of bourbon, as well as American whiskey and rye.