While author Rachel Marsh grew up in Baton Rouge, she has always cherished the special memories of visiting her grandmother down on the bayou. In her new novel, Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp, she pays tribute to her Cajun roots and the environmental issues Louisiana natives face.

At the center of the story is 12-year-old Basil Theriot, a girl whose life seems mapped out for her, right down to taking over the restaurant her family owns in the French Quarter. But when the ghost of her bayou-dwelling grandpére begins to guide her to the swamp he once called home, Basil finds herself pulled in a new direction.

Throughout the novel, Basil falls in love with the beauty, mystery and future of the Louisiana wetlands. Her dreams soon shift from occupying a kitchen to protecting the land she holds so close to her heart, even if it means going against her parents’ expectations.

Marsh hopes to give Cajun culture more representation while also drawing attention to the land-loss crisis in her beloved home state. This cozy read hit the shelves on March 24.

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