7 hrs 54 mins | Fiction | African American and Black | HistoricalNew Orleans native Mademoiselle Francesca Dumas is a kept woman. At age eighteen in the second year of the American Civil War, she is the concubine of a rich New Orleans banker, Joachim Buisson. Born a quadroon, Francesca leads a sheltered life of elegant jewels, gowns, lace, and lavish balls—until a bullet shatters her dream world.
An assassin murders “her man” as Francesca stood beside him among a throng gathered atop a Mississippi River levee on April 25, 1862. Bowed by Joachim’s body, rain-soaked and blood-spattered, she vows revenge. Francesca’s passionate desire for retribution dri...
New Orleans native Mademoiselle Francesca Dumas is a kept woman. At age eighteen in the second year of the American Civil War, she is the concubine of a rich New Orleans banker, Joachim Buisson. Born a quadroon, Francesca leads a sheltered life of elegant jewels, gowns, lace, and lavish balls—until a bullet shatters her dream world.
An assassin murders “her man” as Francesca stood beside him among a throng gathered atop a Mississippi River levee on April 25, 1862. Bowed by Joachim’s body, rain-soaked and blood-spattered, she vows revenge. Francesca’s passionate desire for retribution drives her into a new life as a sleuth. Becoming a detective to solve a murder mystery is far from the role of women in 1862 New Orleans—especially a woman who perceives herself to be African American but appears to be white.
As Francesca’s investigation begins, the assassin kills two more people and kidnaps Francesca’s best friend, Emily. Driven to recover Emily and avenge Joachim, Francesca’s arduous mental and physical journey takes a circuitous route—far from a concubine’s life of extravagant balls, lace, and leisure. Amid the flowering of spring and early summer in New Orleans, she finds herself mired deep in the perilous abyss between Union, French, and Confederate spies.
Aboard mule-drawn streetcars, Francesca’s gumshoe work takes her through Vieux Carré, Tremé, and many famous city streets in search of the assassin’s motive, means, and opportunity to commit mayhem. In her undercover role, she frequents Café du Monde, Antoine’s Restaurant, and the famous ballroom at the present-day Bourbon Orleans Hotel. Francesca gets help from three historic people of New Orleans; humanitarian Mother Henriette Delille, actress Sarah Butler, and Union spy John Mahan.
Can rookie detective Francesca’s passion, determination, and wit overcome a kidnapper and three-time murderer?
| # | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | 00 Opening Credits |
0 mins 12 secs |
| 2. | 0.1 Dedication & Quote |
0 mins 32 secs |
| 3. | 0.2 Preface |
1 mins 41 secs |
| 4. | 01 Chapter 1 - Murder on the Mississippi |
11 mins 37 secs |
| 5. | 02 Chapter 2 - New Orleans Police |
20 mins 17 secs |
| 6. | 03 Chapter 3 - Class Climbing |
21 mins 21 secs |
| 7. | 04 Chapter 4 - Placage |
15 mins 48 secs |
| 8. | 05 Chapter 5 - Missing! |
20 mins 44 secs |
| 9. | 06 Chapter 6 - Beginning the Search |
20 mins 00 secs |
| 10. | 07 Chapter 7 - Rookie Detective |
9 mins 31 secs |
| 11. | 08 Chapter 8 - The Veteran |
16 mins 26 secs |
| 12. | 09 Chapter 9 - Am I a Suspect |
21 mins 24 secs |
| 13. | 10 Chapter 10 - Foreclosure |
14 mins 18 secs |
| 14. | 11 Chapter 11 - Gumshoe Work |
23 mins 49 secs |
| 15. | 12 Chapter 12 - The Actress and The General |
4 mins 54 secs |
| 16. | 13 Chapter 13 - The Potted Plant |
21 mins 38 secs |
| 17. | 14 Chapter 14 - Enter the Spy |
17 mins 33 secs |
| 18. | 15 Chapter 15 - Detective or Spy |
7 mins 05 secs |
| 19. | 16 Chapter 16 - A Body Cannot Tell |
19 mins 18 secs |
| 20. | 17 Chapter 17 - Another Murder |
23 mins 01 secs |
| 21. | 18 Chapter 18 - A New Orleans Ball |
20 mins 51 secs |
| 22. | 19 Chapter 19 - French Allies |
13 mins 15 secs |
| 23. | 20 Chapter 20 - I am Lost |
3 mins 44 secs |
| 24. | 21 Chapter 21 - I Was Manumitted |
8 mins 05 secs |
| 25. | 22 Chapter 22 - Belle Chasse Plantation |
5 mins 43 secs |
| 26. | 23 Chapter 23 - I am in Love! |
9 mins 04 secs |
| 27. | 24 Chapter 24 - A Date with a Gentleman |
9 mins 12 secs |
| 28. | 25 Chapter 25 - Mother Henriette |
13 mins 57 secs |
| 29. | 26 Chapter 26 - A Mission and A Motive |
33 mins 01 secs |
| 30. | 27 Chapter 27 - Warning and Escape |
11 mins 46 secs |
| 31. | 28 Chapter 28 - I Have a Suspect! |
11 mins 10 secs |
| 32. | 29 Chapter 29 - A Perfect Plan |
2 mins 32 secs |
| 33. | 30 Chapter 30 - The Rescue |
10 mins 34 secs |
| 34. | 31 Chapter 31 - Auld Lang Sine |
8 mins 57 secs |
| 35. | 32 Chapter 32 - Trapped |
12 mins 16 secs |
| 36. | 33 Chapter 33 - Wins and Losses |
4 mins 03 secs |
| 37. | 34 Epilogue |
1 mins 39 secs |
| 38. | 35 Closing Credits |
0 mins 24 secs |
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