AND THEN THERE WERE TWO: SHADOWS OF FRENCHMEN by Michael Rigg

 

It’s been quite a year.

My debut novel, Voices of the Elysian Fields, released in May 2025. I participated in new author programs at Malice Domestic, Thriller Fest, Killer Nashville, and Bouchercon 2025. And the novel received nominations for an Agatha at Malice Domestic 2026 and an Anthony at Bouchercon 2026.

Wow—and Whew! Time to take a breath? Not a chance.

Cinco de Mayo is my new favorite holiday. Shadows of Frenchmen, my second novel, released as an eBook on May 5^th (2026) and in paperback about two weeks later. Both versions are available on Amazon.com (Shadows of Frenchmen: A Jonathan Gray, M.D. Mystery: Rigg, Michael: 9798898202354: Amazon.com: Books) and other online retailers. Here’s a synopsis:

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.

Here are a few snippets from endorsements for Shadows of Frenchmen:

“…A chilling, razor-sharp mystery set against the explosive energy of Mardi Gras…  Dr. Jonathan Gray is a hero you won’t forget—and the Mardi Gras Sweeper is a nightmare you won’t escape.”

—Kathleen Antrim, Bestselling Author, President-Outliers Writing University 

“Michael Rigg does it again, with another thrilling mystery that you won’t be able to put down … Shadows of Frenchmen takes readers into the darkest corners of New Orleans’ lush settings and spooky cemeteries as Gray and his colleagues hunt for a possible serial killer, all against the backdrop of raucous Mardi Gras celebrations…”  

—Ellen Byron, USA Today Bestselling & Agatha Award Winning Author

“… Dr. Jonathan Gray is the new Kay Scarpetta…”  

—John DeDakis, Former CNN editor, writing coach, and author of the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series, at johndedakis.com.

 “Great action from the get-go! Atmosphere, characters, and all the right ingredients. A great read by Michael Rigg!”

—Heather Graham, New York Times Bestselling Author

“Featuring smart and complex characters, Shadows of Frenchmen pulses with energy, taking the reader on a breathless chase for a serial killer terrorizing the city in the days leading up to a city-wide Mardi Gras celebration...”  

—K.L. Murphy, Author of the Detective Callie Forde Mysteries, The Great Forgotten, and the award-nominated Her Sister's Death

“…Shadows of Frenchmen has it all—taunting coded notes from a serial killer, seemingly resurrected from the dead, bodies with mysterious carvings stacking up all over New Orleans, and a race-against-time urgency as pulse-pounding as an episode of 24...”  

—Christi Keating Sumich, author of the Old New Orleans Bookshop Mysteries

“…A propulsive thriller set against the backdrop of Mardi Gras season, Shadows of Frenchmen takes the reader on an unrelentingly tense exploration of the sinister underbelly of the Crescent City’s carefree façade...”

—Norman Woolworth, Author of The Lafitte Affair and The Bolden Cylinder, Books 1 and 2 in the Bruneau Abellard Novel series

And you can check out the book trailer at: SHADOWS OF FRENCHMEN | Book Trailer | New Orleans Mardi Gras Mystery.

Please spread the news about Shadows of Frenchmen far and wide. Check out the book trailer and, if you like the description, download an eBook or purchase the paperback today. I hope I’ll earn a five-star review!

HEADIN’ DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE – WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAPE By Michael Rigg

Lagerstroemia indica 
a/k/a crape myrtle

Even though fiction is all about using your imagination and making stuff up, writers still have to be accurate. Next time you write a novel or short story, have your protagonist hesitate long enough to release the safety on her Glock before shooting. You’ll hear about it from your readers. Believe you me, you’ll hear about it.

So, unless you’re already a subject-matter expert, in-depth research is an absolute must. This is true for even relatively unimportant and mundane details. But, be careful. Once you start down the research path on a particular issue, you might find yourself mired in “find-the-facts quicksand,” struggling to get back to writing.

My current work in progress, Shadows of Frenchmen, is set in New Orleans. One of the characters receives a text message asking her to come to a meeting at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA). Here’s part of the lead-in to the meeting:

She inhaled deeply, then let her breath out slowly as she crossed the street, entered the museum grounds, and traveled along the sidewalk adjacent to Lelong Drive. Ahead stood the museum’s massive, fortress-like main building. In season, crepe myrtles lining each side of the drive showcased a beautiful, yet eerie, combination of green leaves, magenta blossoms, and silvery-gray Spanish moss dangling from the branches. On a chilly midwinter afternoon, the trees seemed bland, uninviting. And under the circumstances, foreboding. 

Nothing particularly worrisome. I’d visited NOMA. I rode the streetcar, exited at the end of the line near Bayou St. John, sauntered down Lelong Drive, and entered the museum. I took pictures of the trees lining the drive. Like I said, in-depth research. Quicksand avoided. Back on the “write” path.

 Ha.

One of my Beta Readers sent me a text with a link to a blog, “Crepe Myrtle or Crape Myrtle? The Real Story Behind the Name.”

Say what? CRAPE myrtle? My feet now mired in the fact-check bog, sinking ever so slowly, I dove down the rabbit hole.

Turns out that most “plant experts” (you know, botanists) say the proper English name for the Lagerstroemia indica is crape myrtle. Yet, there is a substantial portion of the reasonably intelligent populace (including folks at a garden nursery in suburban New Orleans and the people running the NOMA Facebook page) who say it’s CREPE. So, after repeated volleys listing this website and that article on both sides of the issue, what to do to get back on track?

Simple. Ask the ultimate Fact-Checker-in-Chief—my spouse. The answer? It’s CRAPE.

So now comes the next step. What will the Publisher say during the final editing process? Don’t worry. I’ve done the research. I have the source material. I’m ready for whatever crape they throw at me. Or is it whatever crepe they throw at me? Oh, crap.