A Free Man of Color cover art

A Free Man of Color

The Benjamin January Mysteries, Book 1

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
Thousands of incredible audiobooks and podcasts to take wherever you go.
Immerse yourself in a world of storytelling with the Plus Catalogue - unlimited listening to thousands of select audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

A Free Man of Color

By: Barbara Hambly
Narrated by: Ron Butler
Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

This lush and haunting novel tells of a city steeped in decadent pleasures and of a man, proud and defiant, caught in a web of murder and betrayal.

It is 1833. In the midst of Mardi Gras, Benjamin January, a Creole physician and music teacher, is playing piano at the Salle d'Orleans when the evening's festivities are interrupted - by murder.

The ravishing Angelique Crozat, a notorious octoroon who travels in the city's finest company, has been strangled to death. With the authorities reluctant to become involved, Ben begins his own inquiry, which will take him through the seamy haunts of riverboatmen and into the huts of voodoo-worshipping slaves.

But soon the eyes of suspicion turn toward Ben - for, black as the slave who fathered him, this free man of color is still seen as the perfect scapegoat.

©1997 Barbara Hambly (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing Historical Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Fiction Detective New Orleans

Listeners also enjoyed...

 Beloved Poison cover art
The Undertaker’s Assistant cover art
Into the Wilderness cover art
Magic Words cover art
Daughter of Destiny cover art
Beau Geste cover art
The Peculiarity of Mr. Darcy's Mirror cover art
Down Where My Love Lives cover art
Enemy Women cover art
Wicked by Design cover art
Charleston's Daughter cover art
The Midwife's Revolt cover art
The Girl Who Wrote in Silk cover art
The Jungle cover art
Tipperary cover art
Lost Roses cover art
All stars
Most relevant  
I really enjoyed how the 1830 New Orleans was depicted and the mystery solved. History has not been nice to colored people, but there are nuances of acceptance that is really well depicted.
I really enjoyed the narrator as well. Loved it all.

Nicely woven mystery

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A great story, brilliantly told a real insight into the ways and thinking of the era. Would definitely recommend.

Excellent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I admit to.knowing very little about this period of history in America so found the story fascinating, particularly how society worked at all levels, prior to and during the Americanisation of the area. Book is beautifully written exposing the prejudices of the times from the victim's position and at times bewildering discrimination amongst races, and within races. The reading was superb and brought the characters to life. An intelligent read which manages to thought provoking and entertaining. Highly recommend.

A Really Good Read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I vaguely knew that there were different levels of mixed race in 19th century America but I had no idea how these related to New Orleans or how it was perpetuated by people of colour. It all makes for a fascinating backdrop for a solid murder mystery.

Fascinating community

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Excellent introduction to the series look forward to hearing more about Benjamin January and early nineteenth century New Orleans

Very enjoyable

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
3 chapters in and still nothing of interest has happened. Being knowledgeable on the subject, there was way too much exposition on how 19th Century new Orleans society worked. Gave up before I died of boredom.

deadly dull

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.