A dangerous charade... In 1813, with America embroiled in a war with England, the search to recover a precious jewel and save her family's Virginia plantation sends Raven De Lys to New Orleans, where the Creole code of honor is threatened by an emerging American way of life and cannons of war reverberate throughout the countryside. The path to the jewel leads Raven on a dangerous game of cat and mouse through the marshes of Barataria, hiding place of smugglers and thieves, across the high seas as a privateer and into the arms of the notorious pirate who holds the jewel, and her fate, in the palm of his hand. From the war-torn Louisiana countryside and the glittering society of post-war New Orleans to the raging sea, through duels and deception, happiness and heartache, can the love that burns in Raven's heart for the man who is her enemy survive a murderous pirate's thirst for vengeance and a risky deception that proves not everyone is who they seem?