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.
Book Title: The Signare of Gorée
Author: Laura Rahme
Publication Date: 9th September 2024
Publisher: Independently Published
Pages: 301 Pages
Genre: Historical Mystery / Historical Fiction
Join me in a cosy chat with Laura.
What inspired you to start writing?
After writing the Victorian gothic mystery, Calista, I wanted to bring back Inspector Maurice Leroux but in a different geographic and cultural setting. I liked the idea that my 19th century detective could travel to an unusual location like Gorée island. I had long toyed with setting a novel in my birth country. The year 1846 seemed like the right time to bear witness to significant events in Senegal.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
The Signare of Gorée contains distressing slave-trading passages. My early years of schooling in Senegal exposed me to the transatlantic trade at a young age but this was the first time I delved in details into the logistics and the psychology of its actors. There was immeasurable human suffering and debasement, but it was more confronting than that. Knowing that one of my ancestors had been a slave ship captain, I could now picture just exactly who the man was and what he did. It was painful to realize. Another sad facet of all this research is that the cruelty is far from ended. Consider that today, according to the UN, there are 49.6 million people in modern slavery worldwide, and 12 million of them are children. UNICEF indicates that human trafficking is a $150 billion industry. The reality is that slavery and the trafficking of humans are not confined to the past. They continue today.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
The character Lieutenant Leopold Candeau was actually my adventurous 19th century ancestor, but he lived too long ago for anyone to have any idea about his personality. I ended up drawing from traits I had observed in his direct descendant: my beloved grandfather. When my grandfather was a young man, he was slight of frame, dutiful yet courageous, and by all accounts showed wit in unexpected circumstances. Throughout his life, he loved food, remained open to learning, and demonstrated a genuine interest in travel and in meeting people from different cultures. He was very advanced for his time, and he dwells in my heart.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
This is so hard, but I love this question!
Inspector Maurice Leroux reminds me of a younger Michael Shannon, but I’ll go for a bearded James McAvoy. Nikki Amuka-Bird could be a fantastic Anna Colas Pépin. She’s a strong actress with a penchant for theatrics.
Other cast members would include:
✦ Pierre Niney as Lieutenant Leopold Candeau
✦ Jérémie Laheurte as the Bordeaux merchant, Jacques La Plante
✦ Jessica Lucas (with curls) as Signare Angélique Aussenac
✦ Danny Glover as Mayor Armand Laporte
✦ Djimon Hounsou as the Lebou marabout (he often plays magicians so I think he would love that!)
✦ Last, Tahar Rahim with longer locks as André Aussenac, and I hope he forgives me.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
My primary aim was to entertain with a puzzle unfolding in a unique setting. I also sought to fill a gap in literature because maybe there are others like me who might wish to read a detective mystery set in 1840s Gorée. Beyond these aims, it would be wonderful, of course, if The Signare of Gorée could inspire further interest in the island, in Senegal, and in the Senegalese people and their history. I would personally like to return to Senegal one day.
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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.
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