New Orleans native Francesca Dumas is a quadroon courted by moneyed white men. She leads a sheltered life of elegant gowns and lavish balls until a bullet shatters her dream world. While awaiting arrival of the Union Navy atop a Mississippi River levee on April 25, 1862, Francesca's lover is shot dead. Rain soaked and blood-stained, Francesca vows revenge. Conundrums confront Francesca: solve her identity crisis, succeed as a spy, and find and defeat a three-time murderer.