Rory O'Neill Schmitt PhD
The Blood of the Baroness
9781455628773
The Blood of the Baroness mines the world of the bizarre, tapestried Baroness of Pontalba. A woman grown fierce from fighting terror outside and inside the family—and the proud, tortured, exotic men who betrayed her. The authors, sixth- and seventh-generation New Orleanians, bring you up close to the formidable heiress of nineteenth-century New Orleans and France. Inspired by documented events—and a shocking attempted murder—this historical novel blends meticulous research with the propulsive pacing of a psychological thriller.
The authors, Dr. O’Neill and Dr. Schmitt, reexamine the Baroness through a bold, contemporary lens. They dare to ask: What if? From the marble altars of St. Louis Cathedral—built by the Baroness’s father twice—to the gilded salons of France, readers follow the evolution of the infant heiress from a fifteen-year-old bride to wife, mother, brutality survivor, and ultimately a visionary businesswoman. Her iconic Pontalba Apartments still anchor Jackson Square.
Perfect for readers of historical fiction, literary thrillers, and stories of complex, powerful heroes, The Blood of the Baroness invites audiences to step inside the corseted, dangerous, and extraordinary life of the Baroness Micaëla Almonester de Pontalba.
