Saving Louisa: 4

Josiah Beede, "Boy Hero of New Orleans" who fought at the side of Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans, is a farmer in New England in the year 1837. He accompanies his freed slave and now friend, Randolph, to New Orleans in an effort to locate and free Randolph's wife Louisa. Meanwhile, Louisa decides to flee her plantation after she becomes pregnant by the white foreman. What she doesn't know is that her owner was murdered and Louisa is now the prime suspect. Josiah and Randolph must search the slave markets of New Orleans to try to locate Louisa before she is caught and possibly tried for murder. Clyde Linsley has written a very compelling historical mystery that very much brings to life New Orleans of the 1830s. He seamlessly intersperses the political and social issues of the day including the problem of dueling and cruelty of slavery. Characters are quite likeable and very well portrayed. I had some problems with the dialogue. For example, would a recently freed slave use words such as 'lascivious' or 'onerous'? The solution, however, is quite clever and satisfactory. A strong recommendation.