The Slave Maker
“…while charming, neither Fiona, Henley or S&H are quite who they purport to be”
On any given day in 1883 New Orleans, at 416 Royal Street, you will find a black door and a discreet bronze plaque engraved with “S&H Investigations”, should you need such services. Within, you will be offered café au lait and beignets, and taken down a softly-lit passageway to meet Fiona Shanahan, a pretty young Irishwoman, and her associate, Michael Henley, a gentleman with a hard face but a kind smile. You will leave assured your troubles are in good hands. However, while charming, neither Fiona, Henley or S&H are quite who they purport to be.
For three years, Fiona and Henley have taken excellent care of their clients at S&H, which is the public facade of Julius DeMonte Enterprises, serving clients rich and poor alike, no matter how trivial, fantastical or even illegal, their case may be. At their masquerade Halloween ball, Voodoo’s Fete Gede, the Day of the Dead, Julius DeMonte returns from his summer showboat cruise down the Mississippi bringing his old friend, the mysterious Comte Saint Germain.
The Comte is searching for an old lover who disappeared many years ago. Fiona and Henley set out to find her but instead discover a new and horrifying threat taking root among the plantations in the post-war Louisiana countryside, taking them and their friend Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, on a dark and dangerous journey into the world of the dead.
Publishers Weekly Review
Morris once again brews a captivating blend of historical thriller, mystery, and the supernatural with the second installment in her Fiona Shanahan series, after Fiona Rising. Set in the vibrant but shadowy streets of 19th-century New Orleans, the novel follows Fiona, an investigator with a hidden past, and her steadfast partner (and lover) Michael Henley, on their latest quest—to locate a client’s estranged lover. That assignment takes the couple down a perilous journey into the very heart of darkness, as what appears cut and dried on the surface transforms into a sinister plot involving malevolent voodoo priestess Annette Chambord and her army of zombies.
Morris’s portrait of New Orleans is a tantalizing mix of shadows and glitz, and she skillfully captures the area’s rich cultural heritage and underlying darkness, from the mouthwatering Creole dishes and evening sheen of the St. Louis Cathedral to the city’s stringent social hierarchies and voodoo magic. Her meticulous research is evident throughout, giving the novel an historical accuracy that grounds the supernatural elements and pulls readers deeper into the story’s richly textured world—a world underpinned by well-drawn, memorable characters. Fiona is both compelling and resilient, brimming with courage that propels the narrative, and her interactions with the mysterious Comte de Saint Germain and loyal Henley bring both tension and depth to this enigmatic tale.
From sharp, authentic dialogue to the novel’s stunning atmosphere, Morris delivers evocative imagery and lavish sensory details that bring vivid life to every scene, particularly the otherworldly battle Fiona must undertake—with help from her friends and the legendary Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau—to stop Annette’s reign of terror. Themes of power, corruption, and redemption coil throughout, adding emotional weight and thought-provoking subtext, and Morris’s well-timed twists will keep readers hooked. The seamless blend of historical fiction and supernatural intrigue makes this installment one to savor. – Booklife/Publishers Weekly
I was utterly and hopelessly lost in this story and didn’t want it to end
“In 1876, a young orphan, Fiona Shanahan, is sold into marriage to a violent man. When her child dies, she has nothing to lose and fights back, escaping his brutality and leaving him to burn. In fear and foreboding, she travels to America, where she stumbles into the theater and a career as an actress. Danger follows and threatens to interrupt her new freedom. In a harsh world, Fiona invites blessings into her life. She takes nothing for granted. She is kind and ruthless when survival is at stake. Kathleen Morris creates a remarkable world rich in danger, beauty, joy, grace and good old-fashioned luck. I was utterly and hopelessly lost in this story and didn’t want it to end.”
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Book Details
- ASIN : B0DN49S2WH
- Publisher : Dunraven Press (December 3, 2024)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 268 pages
- ISBN-13 : 979-8987456385
- Item Weight : 11 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.67 x 8.5 inches
Another brave woman of the Old West
What I enjoyed most about the book is that it's NOT a book about Doc Holliday. Though I am very much a fan of the Doc Holliday story, this book has a different tale to tell. The story is scattered with non facts and reality but overall it's well told and well written. But most important it told by a woman of the Old West about life in the Old West. I recently visited the grave of "Big Nose" Kate in Prescott, AZ so I really felt a connection with her. Her grave is simple but people are always leaving flowers, trinkets, and other tidbits.
A very well written historical novel by Kathleen Morris.
This is a wonderfully written book that could appeal to both women and men. I don’t typically read Westerns, but this book had so many great elements, that it kept my interest throughout the book. It is a great story of perseverance, through extreme difficulty.
A great read from cover to cover.
Beautifully written, telling the story of a young girl, and her growing into a woman of the "wild west". If you love stories of triumph over tragedy, placed in an historical setting with an accuracy and a telling, that will keep you turning each page to learn more...you will love this book.
A Spirited Book of a True Woman of the West
You don't have to love reading westerns to thoroughly enjoy this book. From the beginning to the end, Kathleen Morris' superbly written work of fact entwined with fiction portrays the life and tragedies of Mary Katherine (Kate) Haroney, Big Nose Kate. It is a book I could not put down. From the moment Kate's parents fled the Mexican court of Emperor Maximilian to her days filled with saloons, gambling, entrepreneurship, betrayed friendships, tragic courtships and death, Kate was a true survivor in a man's world amongst the unforgiving and lawless west.
Enjoyable and hard-to-put-down book!
Loved how the historical characters came alive. I especially enjoyed reading about Kate’s life and how she lived, loved, and survived as a woman in the wild west. Lots of page turning intrigue as well as interesting historical background. I can’t wait for Kathleen Morris to publish her next book!
