Smoke in the Cypress, Owen Pataki
Smoke in the Cypress, Owen Pataki
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.49

Smoke in the Cypress
A Napoleonic Officer in New Orleans

Author: Owen Pataki

Narrator: Derek Perkins

Unabridged: 15 hr 34 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 05/20/2025

Synopsis

As the War of 1812 rages, Marcel Moreau, wounded in service with Napoleon's Grand Armée, must journey to New Orleans to find Celeste de Beaumais, a young aristocrat who has fled her family and has settled herself on a sprawling Louisiana plantation. Standing in Moreau's way are various factions in and around the city—soldiers, slave hunters, marooned slaves, and Baratarian pirates—all of whom have their own interests, and enemies. As he ventures deeper into the city and the vast cypress swamps beyond, Moreau will find that circumstances are much more complex—and dangerous—than he could have imagined.

Meanwhile, a massive English fleet looms on the horizon, causing panic in New Orleans and desperation from the outgunned and outnumbered Louisiana militia. Hoping to benefit from his years of experience with Napoleon's Grande Armée, these French-speaking creole farmers and townsfolk, and their American allies, enlist Moreau to help train them for the coming fight. As he does what he can to help this motley fighting force, Moreau soon comes up against another enemy. With the city's eyes on the battlefield, a ruthless plantation master plots his own designs. But those who've escaped his clutches have no plans to return to a life in chains, and Moreau must decide where his experience and instincts must be put to the best use.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Tim on August 06, 2025

Having won this book through the goodreads giveaway (I never win anything!) and being a history buff from Louisiana, I was very excited for what this book may hold - and I have to say, Pataki delivered on the potential the book's premise held. This book plunges you into early 1800s New Orleans with......more

Goodreads review by WeLoveBigBooksAndWeCannotLie on August 04, 2025

I’ve always loved history.📘 One part I’ve never known much about is Louisiana’s history. I visited once many years ago, and I knew about the Louisiana purchase and the French infusion, but as someone that visits Paris often and likes reading about Napoleon, I’ve always meant to read more about it, bu......more

Goodreads review by Allison on July 20, 2025

What little I know about war history comes from the Hamilton play:-p but I was excited to win this book. The cover is gorgeous. The story really drew me in. Great characters, heroes and villains. Felt like I was actually there in New Orleans in 1812:-) I'll be looking out for more books by Owen. Tha......more

Goodreads review by Lisbeth on June 20, 2025

SMOKE IN THE CYPRESS, I found very interesting. At first when reading the first two chapters, I was not interested and I felt like it was going to be more about history and no action or romance. The setting is in New Orleans during the time of slavery. As I kept reading, I found the main character M......more

Goodreads review by Kimberly on May 26, 2025

Smoke in the Cypress is a well-researched, immersive historical novel set in the months leading up to the Battle of New Orleans in 1814. It follows Marcel Moreau, a wounded veteran of Napoleon’s Grand Armée, who travels to the Louisiana Territory to locate a missing French noblewoman. What begins as......more

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List