The Lafitte Affair

If you’ve ever wanted to visit New Orleans, but haven’t had the chance… I suggest you read this book. It completely embodies what New Orleans is.

The dual timelines intertwine so perfectly, from present day to the 18th century. This was a great who done it mystery detective story. It was full of grave robbers, pirates, phantom, thieves, pugnacious, French bulldog, and a competitive puzzler just to name a few. Needless to say, the characters were lively and eccentric.

You can tell that Norman Woolworth did his homework before writing this one. It was Rich with his historical information, that I just devoured.

I gave up reading modern detective fiction - well, all modern books actually - some time ago, and having read this one I remember why. The story was actually rather interesting and would have been quite good but for the characters. The main characters were, to a man, the quite unpleasant people to read about. None of their personalities made me want to read about them and know them more intimately, and this ultimately made for an uncomfortable read.

The worst of them was Sally Maguire. Was there ever a more unlikeable character? She was domineering, overbearing and self-righteous, and I found myself saying that Bruneau had had a narrow escape when their relationship fizzled out. Unfortunately for him, they got back together and no sooner than they do so, then she begins taking over his nicely solitary life, and begins telling him what to do, how to live and even what to think. I live the single - but by no means lonely - life that Bruneau enjoyed before Sally Maguire, and I know I would have hated that. Angie and Sally's almost histrionic over-reaction when Bruneau gets hurt while investigating is very stereotypical. Women do not behave that way in reality. We are more likely to shrug our shoulders and say ' well, you asked for it, a~#hole'. I found Duplesiss' constant attitude of cynical sarcasm difficult to stomach. I hate that kind of behaviour in anyone so it made reading his scenes very difficult since it seemed to be his regular manner, and he never seemed to switch it off. His unnecessary hectoring of rookie Rodgier was especially difficult to read, since this was borderline bullying behaviour, and was totally unwarranted.

Hearing the police chief's derogatory speech regarding various individuals, such as calling Sally Maguire a bimbo for absolutely no reason at all beyond the fact that she is a woman, not to mention the offensive way he referred to her relationship with Bruneau is something that I can't read and won't read. I will not read another of these books because I cannot bear this sort of thing. Such derogatory speech against women is something that, had this book been written 100 years ago - even 50 or 60 years ago - I would have accepted as being just how things were at the time and been comlacent in the knowledge that we are much more enlightened nowadays. However, this book is contemporary and to see that people are still speaking in such a way and it is not called out just goes to show that we are not so enlightend as we think. Many's the time I have seen apologies written in forewords of books written decades ago saying that the views expressed are not endorsed by the publisher and that readers should make allowances for the views and attititudes of the times. What is the excuse for this book, then? I thought that in this modern age we knew better. Apparently not.

Come to think of it, whe WAS this book written? When he uses the term 'serendipidous' Bo tells the enterprising Rodier that he would have to start speaking like a cop if he was to get anywhere around there. What a cliched and outdated attitude. This sort of thing is what I often see in the historical books I usually read, but to see it in such modern book just goes to show that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

All in all, I cannot say I enjoyed this book. The book was very long and the story moved along very slowly. I actutally spotted the villan very shortly after he entered the scene, and I was surprised that it took the others as long as it did to work it out for themselves. The characters were an awful group of people. They were supposed to be friends but all they seemed to do was snipe and carp at each other. There seemed to be very few friendly exchanges, even between the two central couples. They all seek to control each other and all they seem to do is baton on each other's negative points instead of just accepting each other for who they are, and getting on as friends. So much dischord is very uncomfortable to read. This group of characters seem to revel in scoring off the discomfort of others. Angie's behaviour towards her husband in forcing him - in front of others - to acknowledge what she thinks is his mishandling of the case. Who is the detective - him or her? I have seldom read a more selfish, self-opinionated, bombastic group of characters and they ruined what for me could have been an interesting book.

This was such a thoroughly engaging mystery based very loosely on historical New Orleans events, which was so cool to read living in New Orleans. Sometimes I had to pause and just point at the book because of a location that was used (including my place of work!) and because of some of the cool historical events and mysteries that are discussed.

I loved the eclectic cast of characters that are so very New Orleans, you know the author has lived here and met some version of them. We love our ragtag found families here.

FOUR AND A HALF STARS

Thank you to @levelbestbooks, the author, and @getredprbooks for my copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This gently paced debut is set in New Orleans with a host of characters including pirates, jewel thieves, a hermit, a puzzler and an epicurean antiques dealer who is helping his best friend from school, a detective, to solve a crime. This cozy book passed the time pleasantly and the plot was very easy to follow.

I really loved this book! It was so good and I was totally surprised by it all. It was such a fun and entertaining read. It’s a historical mystery with a dual timeline. The story line was so good it’s all about a New Orleans detective who enlists the help of his close friend who is an antiques dealer. Together they try to solve a very unique and very old mystery. The story was so full of rich history and details that really drew me in from start to finish.

Also, the food! This one also takes place in New Orleans and the main character is a bit of a foodie. The meals had in the book all sounded so good and delectable, this one really made me hungry. It also increased my desire to go to New Orleans! The author wrote the city so well into the book. I got such a good feel for it and I like it!

No spice or swears.

Thank you to the author Norman Woolworth and Get Red PR for the advanced copy of the book!

I really enjoyed this mystery. Bruneau, while not an investigator, had a lot of traits of a good detective. I loved his quirky personality and his routines. The way he thought through the information logically and gathered as many facts as he could before dismissing even the least plausible of theories. I loved how the history of Lafitte was told and how the evidence came to light and the twists that came along with it. I hope that Bo and Bruneau continue to solve cases together because I really enjoy the friend group.

Thank you @getredprbooks @uwoolnx56 @levelbestbooks for the gifted copy.

The Lafitte Affair
A Bruneau Abellard Novel
Norman Woolworth
August 20, 2024
Level Best Books

The Lafitte Affair is engaging; full of details so clear you can see and smell the city of New Orleans steeped in history, grandeur and secrets. Detective Thibodeaux “Bo” Duplessis has come upon a crime that is a puzzle so difficult he calls upon his childhood friend Bruneau Abellard, an antiques dealer who loves history and the great city of New Orleans.

Bo and Bruneau, the fantastic amateur sleuth duo, are tasked with figuring out who broke into the Hope Mausoleum and disturbed the sanctity of Crypt 1083-A. The characters and the life that the characters bring into this book just kept me reading way past my bedtime. The banter between Sallie and Bruneau was quite hilarious. Let’s not forget to mention the ghost of pirate Jean Lafitte!

This book just has everything that I want in a historical mystery. Friends, foes, laughter, frustrations, diamonds, secrets and maybe a little voodoo. Sprinkle in some Moroccan mythology and a LOT of food and you have one of the most enjoyable reads of the year. The amount of research that our author, Norman Woolworth, did for this book that covers a 200 year time period blows my mind. One of my favorite things to do when getting into a historical mystery is go to those locations and dig a little myself and I cannot wait to get back The Crescent City and have another adventure.

Thank you to @getredprbooks, @levelbestbooks and the author, @uwoolnx56 for the gifted book.

I love historical fiction and this one was an absolute gem. Set in both present-day and 1820s New Orleans, it follows the efforts of a detective and his childhood friend, an antiques dealer, to unravel a puzzling crime involving a 19th-century actress's grave.

The narrative immerses readers into a riveting tale of grave robbing, romance, pirates, diamonds, and mystery. The character of Bruneau Abellard shines brightly, with his intriguing combination of stuffiness, intelligence, passion for history, love of food, and engaging personality. The supporting cast is equally captivating, each playing a role in solving the mystery. The letters exchanged between Jane and her sister provide a beautiful backdrop to the love story. The mix of history and fiction was just perfect.

If you're a fan of mystery novels, this one should be at the top of your reading list!

This book engaged me from the start. New Orleans is the perfect setting for this modern day crime rooted to the past. The crime, the breaking in to a grave of an actress from the 1800's, could have been written off by the police as unimportant but the detective, Bo Duplessis consulted a friend, antiques dealer Bruneau (Bru) Abellard to learn about the actress. Ties to between Jane Placide, the actress, and the pirate, Jean Lafitte are discovered. and Bru is hooked on learning more. With every discovery by Bru and his friends the more questions there are. What secrets were hidden in the grave? The cast of characters are quirky and interesting and their relationships with each other add depth to the story. I loved the historical research and problem solving involved in figuring out this mystery. There was so much to love and I hope there are more books with these characters. I highly recommend this book to readers of mysteries or historical fiction.

The Lafitte Affair was everything I expected being set in New Orleans. History, intrigue, culture, and a mystery of some kind.

Bru and Bo quickly became favorite characters and the mystery of Jane Placide was so well done.

I love how the author included letters and records from various characters to add even more mystery.

Every character in this book was interesting and I hope the author writes more so we get to know them better.

Be sure to read the note at the end to find out what is based in fact and where the author took creative license.

Thank you to Level Best Books and Get Red PR for the copy of this book. All views are my own.

While I found the concept interesting I think the writing was off. It felt very highbrow and even at 35% in most of the story was about the food the MC ate rather than the actual mystery. I’m a New Orleanian and was really looking forward to reading about this chapter in history but it just didn’t hold up.

362 pages

3 and 1 / 2 stars

Three mysterious persons break into a mausoleum. Did they take anything? Who were they? The case is assigned to the property crimes detective. He contacts his good friend, an antiques dealer, to get some background on the early 1820’s crypt.

The friends soon uncover an affair between the owner of the broken into crypt who was a very famous actress and the notorious New Orleans pirate, Jean Lafitte. Believing this to be an important clue as to why the actress’ crypt was robbed, the two friends have a two hundred year-old mystery on their hands.

I had heard the name of Jean Lafitte in passing, but did not know his real history, or even that he visited New Orleans. This book captures the city so well. I could envision myself there in the 1820’s as well as the present day. I have had friends visit the city and they describe it like no other place. I’d love to go.

This book has a slow start, but it does pick up. I enjoyed it. The descriptions are very good, of the people and the scenery.

I want to thank NetGalley and Level Best Books for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

This is the most New Orleans book I’ve ever read, and I do mean that in a good way. As a local reading this, it’s obvious that the author has lived here and enjoyed his time here as there are navigations and random locations that are not tourist go-to’s and really only someone who lives here would be aware of. I very much enjoyed this aspect, as it really helped me visualize “the scene”.
I also really enjoyed the history lesson; it’s probably blasphemy being from New Orleans and not knowing much about Jean Lafitte outside of the name, but hi, it’s me. I know some of the story is a fictional take, but it was still intriguing to learn. I found myself enraptured in the mystery and enjoyed the blend of modern time with 200 years ago through the letters and just unraveling the mystery. New Orleans is very much a city lost to time; here it doesn’t feel like the current age, and that really shined through in this book I think.

Thank you Get Red PR for the book!

Inside Hope Mausoleum, in old New Orleans, burglars have broken into a crypt. Who were the violators, and what, if anything, did they steal? Detective “Bo,” Thibodeaux Duplessis is in charge of the investigation, but he needs help. He calls his long-time friend Bru (Bruneau Abellard). What a hilarious character—an obtuse and overweight antiques specialist with a wealth of historical knowledge.

The two uncover a secret love affair between a former famous actress and the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte. The story is imaginative and highly entertaining. I loved the author’s writing style and quick wit. The narrative is tight and clean, and the story held me from the very first page. For mystery lovers, this book is the perfect read.

Grave robbing, diamonds, pirates, a love affair and a great 'whodunnit'. This is such a great book! Written over dual timelines, present day and 18th Century New Orleans, this is a clever detective story and a great historical fiction. Well researched with lots of historical information that is convincingly written into the story.
I really enjoyed learning about the main characters lives as well, this is not just a mystery story but a well rounded character driven fiction.

First thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This book was so good. A journey to discover truth, there are twists and turns and moments where you gasp. This was my first novel by this author and I can’t wait to read more. The intrigue was there and it gave me everything I needed in a historical thriller.