Today, I'm delighted to welcome author Laura Rahme to Ruins & Reading. I'm sharing my review of her thrilling mystery, The Signare of Gorée. Make sure to read on. Don't miss it!
The Signare of Gorée is currently on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club. Find other fascinating posts, enticing excerpts and more reviews HERE!
The Signare of Gorée
Laura Rahme
I was intrigued when I first heard about this novel, and thrilled to find it up for review during The Coffee Pot Book Club blog tour. I love historical mysteries in (for us) unusual settings, and the island of Gorée, off the coast of Senegal, proved to be the perfect backdrop for a series of seemingly unexplained deaths.
On the French-occupied island of Gorée, the dead bodies of two French soldiers are discovered within a short time, and whilst the first could have a simple explanation, the second appears to be a little more sinister.
So when Inspector Maurice Leroux is called in all the way from France, he finds himself in a strange environment. The local tribes, with their – to a European – strange, supernatural beliefs; the métis women called signares, who held court like queens; the surreal heat and humidity – and European merchants keen on profits, whichever way possible.
As running slave ships was no longer permitted, other ways of making money had to be found, and Maurice feels he entered a nest of vipers. But at first, he is irked that the deaths seem natural. Has he wasted his time? Then another body is discovered – and it is definitely murder.
But with his gut instinct telling him that everyone he meets holds secrets – the mayor, Laporte, the army command, and especially the signare women – he must dig deeper into the island's dark past to uncover a plot no one wants to be revealed. And the dead men don't come away unscathed. What did they do to deserve such cruel deaths?
When he meets beautiful signare Angelique Aussenac, he feels drawn to her, but he knows she doesn't trust the French. And with not-so-secret French plans of setting up a major city in Dakar – disturbing the tribes and their traditional way of life – Maurice treads a fine line.
Will he uncover the person or persons responsible for the murders? And will he be able to bring them to justice? Find out by reading this vibrant, intriguing mystery!
The Signare of Gorée is a fascinating tale, combining European arrogance and greed with a most exotic setting. The signare women are utterly compelling creatures, highly respected and revered by the local tribes – and wanted by European adventurers for their wealth and the power they wielded.
It is an unhealthy setting, and not only from a physical point of view, with mosquitoes, parasites, and crocodiles amongst other threats to human life. The cooperation between the signares, the locals, and the French occupiers is fraught with distrust, and rightly so.
No one emerges from this adventure unscathed. The reputation of the French amongst locals is shredded, and their arrogance in face of what they deem to be local superstitious beliefs is staggering, though not surprising.
Not having ever heard of signare women before, I found them utterly compelling. Women with power were rare in the mid-19th century, and these women were highly regarded. I'm sure that alone was a thorn in the side of any European occupiers and their pitiful views on women. It made for a truly unique setting.
Maurice is a typical investigator when he first arrives on Gorée, but as he delves deeper into the background, his assumptions are challenged, and he must decide where his loyalty lies.
Angélique is a truly incomparable woman, surrounded by an air of mystery, yet at the same time, she is forced to ensure her own independence and survival by evading the attentions of the French. She has a solid network of allies who help her preserve her status as one of the most powerful women on the island.
Lieutenant Leopold Candeau (an ancestor of the author) is another fascinating character, torn between his duty to the French state, and his experiences of living in an area which turns out to be a hotbed of intrigues, rogue deals, and open hostility. More than once is he forced to question his calling.
The Signare of Gorée is a vividly painted mystery that takes you to another world – a world of djinns, sacrifices, and strange beliefs. The beat of the tam tam drums sounds in your head as the stifling heat descends. But it is also a world of occupation and dominance, of obliteration of 'blasphemous' traditions and old ways of life. And it is a world of European greed and cruelty.
Ms Rahme paints a colourful picture of West African island life, with a thrilling plot, lots of dubious characters, and a stunningly vibrant backdrop. There are some unexpected twists and turns, which increase the tension slowly but steadily, until you eventually arrive at the final revelation.
The Signare of Gorée is a truly sumptuous murder mystery that sweeps you not only back in time, but also into a world unimaginable to many 19th-century Europeans.
A highly recommended novel with a clever, satisfying ending.
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Blurb:
1846. In the heat of West Africa, the French navy uncovers the corpses of two French soldiers. Inspector Maurice Leroux arrives at the island of Gorée. It seems death has come to this small colonial outpost off the Senegal coast, home to the prosperous mixed-blood women known as the signares.
The navy suspects that the Bambara people, emboldened by approaching emancipation, may be out for blood. While confronted by the locals’ strange magical beliefs, Maurice remains skeptical. Does malevolence play a part, or are these deaths accidental, brought upon by the brutality of nature in an island known as the white man’s grave?
But when murder strikes, it becomes clear that a killer is stalking Gorée.
Swept by a mystery unlike any he has known, Maurice meets Signare Angélique Aussenac. The proud métis, deserted by her wealthy Bordeaux lover, casts her spell upon Maurice.
But beyond the throbbing sounds of the tam-tams and the glittering signare soirées, danger lurks. Someone is watching. And the deaths go on.
Could the killer be one of the rich Bordeaux merchants? Or are they hiding among the powerful signares?
A historical mystery spanning France and Senegal, THE SIGNARE OF GORÉE explores a world of magic, murder, and passion.
Buy Link: Universal Buy Link
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
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About the Author:
Laura Rahme
Laura Rahme is the author of seven historical novels.
Born in Dakar, Senegal where she spent her early childhood, she moved to Australia at the age of ten.
A graduate of two Honors degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Psychology, she has worked over two decades as an IT professional. Her greatest joy comes from travel, researching history, and penning historical mysteries.
She now lives in France with her screenwriting husband.
Connect with Laura:
The navy suspects that the Bambara people, emboldened by approaching emancipation, may be out for blood. While confronted by the locals’ strange magical beliefs, Maurice remains skeptical. Does malevolence play a part, or are these deaths accidental, brought upon by the brutality of nature in an island known as the white man’s grave?
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