5-STAR REVIEW: SHADOWS OF FRENCHMEN by Michael Rigg

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About The Book

A Jonathan Gray, M.D. Mystery: Book 2
Publication Date: May 5, 2026

On a frosty Sunday morning in February, Dr. Jonathan Gray, Coroner of Orleans Parish, faces a gruesome sight. A dead man splayed against the circular steel and cut-glass blocks of the city’s AIDS memorial in Washington Square Park has strange symbols carved into his forehead and chest. A coded note—a cipher—has been placed under one hand. The body mutilation and note are hallmarks of a serial killer dubbed by the news media as the “Mardi Gras Sweeper,” because he strikes during Carnival season and leaves coded manifestos taunting police and giving hints about his next victim.

Hoping to avoid a panic during the city’s most profitable season, Mayor Max Jamerson asks Gray to investigate the murder “on the sly,” without formal assistance from the New Orleans Police Department. Time is of the essence as Gray races to figure out the cipher and track down the Sweeper in order to prevent additional killings—and save Mardi Gras.

Excerpt

The Review

It looks like the Mardi Gras Sweeper has returned for another round of killings, but Dr. Jonathan Gray is hot on the trail.

Author Michael Rigg serves up the second installment of the mystery series featuring the New Orleans Coroner with Shadows of Frenchmen.

From the first pages offering a humorous author’s note to the opening murder scene, New Orleans comes to life. Rather than a celebration, though, the focus is on a potential serial killer who leaves strange symbols carved on his victims.

Jonathan’s task is to connect the dots before panic spreads during the community’s busiest (and most lucrative) time of year. He’s a solid character who easily stands his ground against adversity.

It’s a race against time to find the cipher along with help from his team before more bodies pile up. The fast pace aligns well with an engaging plot full of twists.

Shadows of Frenchmen takes readers on a hunt through New Orleans as a methodical killer threatens to derail Mardi Gras festivities.

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About The Author Agatha and Anthony-nominated author Michael Rigg, a lawyer for more than four decades, writes mysteries and thrillers set in two very different locations: Virginia Beach (where he lives) and New Orleans (which he visits as often as possible “for research,” including participation in three Mardi Gras Krewes). He is a retired Navy Judge Advocate and a retired civilian government attorney, formerly working for the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel. He is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and both the Sisters in Crime national organization and its Southeastern Virginia Chapter—Mystery by the Sea.