The Nubian’s Curse

Benjamin January #20

by Barbara Hambly

A cursed statue . . . A haunted house . . . A seemingly supernatural death . . . The unexpected arrival of a friend from his past plunges musician, sleuth and free man of color Benjamin January into an old, unsolved case in this historical mystery set in New Orleans

December 1840. Surgeon turned piano-player Benjamin January is looking forward to a peaceful holiday with his family. But the arrival of an old friend brings unexpected news - and unexpected danger.

Persephone Jondrette has found a Sudanese man with extraordinary mental abilities who January last saw in France, nearly fifteen years ago, during a ghost-hunting expedition to a haunted chateau. January and his friends survived the experience . . . but Arithmus' benefactor, the British explorer Deverel Wishart, did not. He was discovered dead one morning, his face twisted in horror, and shortly afterwards Arithmus vanished, never to be seen again.

Did Deverel succumb to the chateau's ghosts - or did Arithmus murder him and run away? January is determined to uncover the truth about the tragic incident from his past, and clear his old friend's name - but even he isn't prepared for what happens next . . .

The Nubian's Curse by NYT -bestselling author Barbara Hambly is the latest instalment of the critically acclaimed historical mystery series featuring talented amateur sleuth and free man of color, Benjamin January.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Mystery Thriller, American, Fiction, Murder Mystery

269 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 2, 2024

About the author

aka Barbara Hamilton

Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.


"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly

Reviews

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unusually for a Benjamin January novel, this is a dual timeline. In it, we see some incidents from January's 1825 life in Paris that directly impinge on the events in his present 1840 life in New Orleans.

This time, old friends (and a couple of adversaries) have come to town. Belle Wishart's husband is putting her aside for a wealthy young heiress, Miss Emmett, who is his ward, and she's not doing well in the whole thing. One member of her household is a slave called Arithmus, whom she has known since traveling with her family in Egypt. Arithmus appears to be on the autism spectrum to the modern reader; at the time, he would have been called a savant. He can remember events in great detail, including what time they took place.

And then there's Miss Emmett, and her friend Miss Grice ... who are vying for the attentions of Hungarian Prince Serafin even as every mother in town is putting her marriageable sons in their way in hopes of netting a fortune.

Mr. Wishart and Mr. Grice soon turn up dead ... and it's up to January and his friend Abishag Shaw, the laconic American sheriff, to figure it all out.

This book is full of all kinds of twists and turns that rely on clues from 1825. It's a fair play puzzle, with everything laid out along the way ... but I was still surprised by the twist at the end. Highly recommended.

[JoyReaderGirl1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barbara Hambly’s, “The Nubian’s Curse” (20th in the Benjamin January Series), and the first that I’ve read, is an action-packed multiple time-line historical fiction full of numerous ‘who dun its” set in multiple locales from Europe to the pre-Civil War Antebellum South.

“Curse” is chock full of interrelated characters whose hopes, dreams, plots, and plans mesh and merge resulting in complex and often inexplicable results.

I was drawn to “Curse” because of the intriguing title that whispers of ancient times and compelling enigmas—which is exactly what it does. Not to give any spoilers away, it’s up to the readers to decide if the outcomes in the novel could be traced back to an ancient goddess and her curse….

…HOWEVER WARNING, ⚠️ I must note that this novel is rife with triggering content that made me uneasy from the start. Consequently, completing this book was an act of professional conviction and commitment as a reviewer, rather than for personal pleasure and enjoyment.

As noted above, this is my first Hambly novel and I had absolutely NO IDEA what I was getting into.

Consequently, I was shocked and dismayed to discover that “Curse,” which I consider almost a “Cozy Mystery,” prominently features slavery.

Admirably, featured protagonist and hero Benjamin January, and many of his cohorts, are portrayed as well-educated, erudite, 19th C. Classical Greek and Shakespeare-quoting free-men-of-color.

This in and of itself is quite an accomplishment considering that in the early 1800s illiteracy was rampant amongst all levels of society—rich and poor, white and black, female and male. Yet again, these books are fiction.

Nonetheless, ‘The Benjamin January Series,’ including “Curse” are books that I can’t endorse because of their controversial nature.

JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Barbara Hambly, and Publisher for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.

[Phyllis | Mocha Drop · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this novel very slow to get into and a chore to complete. I found myself distracted with the numerous characters and their relevance to the story and its “mystery.” At its core, the musician, Benjamin January, is called upon by an old acquaintance to investigate the death of a mutual friend they both knew during their exploits in Paris years earlier. The author’s style of writing is layered and the storytelling is constantly peppered with flashbacks to Paris or other events/happenings in the character's lives. I gleaned a few notable bits of knowledge – it is historical fiction set in New Orleans and ventures to other areas in the slave-holding South - but those were few and far between the passages of heavy, stilted dialogue.

No doubt I’ll be in the minority as this is a story that is satisfying if one has the patience to persevere to the end.

Thanks to the publisher, Severn House, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review.

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not finish liked it but need something faster right now. Will try it again later in year when not so busy.

[Betsy Hoek · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nubian’s Curse by Barbara Hambly
Barbara Hambly writes historical mysteries as well as science fiction. It’s an intriguing mix of gifts—and I would say that it takes a science fiction writer to convincingly portray such an alien world as antebellum New Orleans. She places her detective, the trained musician, surgeon, and free man of color Benjamin January, in a fully-realized world of family, friends, enemies, comforts and dangers, sights and sounds (and since this is Louisiana, flavors as well). The action takes Ben up to Natchez and out on the bayou, as well as to balls in the city where gossip provides clues to a string of mysterious deaths. The key to the mystery lies in past events and relationships in Paris, France, so there are flashbacks at intervals, clearly signaled to the reader with years and dates in the chapter headings. Although the Benjamin January series is sequential, I have read some of them out of order and it has not detracted from my enjoyment, so it’s ok to jump in here. This richly-textured, immersive historical mystery is highly recommended. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Benjaimin January and was glad to read another story featuring this story. Barbara Hambly is a great storyteller and this is an excellent story that mixes historical fiction, horror and mystery
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Avidreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Figures from Benjamin's past draw him into a situation that is occuring now. As Benjamin tries to find a long lost friend, he is put in jeopardy as well as some of the people closest to him. Finding a body and finding a killer becomes the only way that Benjamin can decide who can be trusted.

I do like a new Benjamin January book. As always, I love the background and historical aspects that the author includes in these novels. I always learn so much about how society operated in that time, and the different roles that people of color had to play .

I am torn about this book. I absolutely have enjoyed the Benjamin January series...but this one for me was difficult to finish. I forgot how many french words and descriptions you had to learn or remember to understand each person's "place" in society at that time. The descriptions of the balls and the plantations etc. are always very vivid and make you feel like you are living in that world for time.

I am not sure why put I found it had too many characters, and sub plots to keep up with. Although I appreciate the plot device of flashbacks to previous times, in this instance they did not really add much to the story other than to keep you confused.

The addition of the situation with January's niece was unresolved and , again, did not enhance the story in any way.

I love the way that Hannibal and Benjamin support each other, but I wouldn't mind learning more about Hannibal away from Ben, the same with his wife Rose. I can't put my finger on it, but there was something missing in this story, or maybe it was just too similar to some of the others?

For someone new to the series I think they may find it hard to follow the characters. I do look forward to another January novel.

[Lea Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read Barbara Hambly’s Fantasy books before (dragons) and really enjoyed her stories so I recognized her as an author.

I have not heard of this series before but boy am I glad I read this book. This is book 20 in a long going series which I fully intend to go back and read all 19 predecessors.

This is about Benjamin January is a Creole in 1850s New Orleans. He is a classically trained musician and trained in medicine.

Benjamin is enjoying his life in New Orleans when people from his past arrive in New Orleans bringing troubles from the past.

He had gone ghost hunting with them in Egypt and France. Mysterious death happens which remains unsolved.

The niece of his benefactor is part of the group that has arrived bringing with them memories Benjamin would rather forget.

There is savant character wrongfully enslaved, prince’s, plantations, voodoo and ancient Egyptian curses.

It all evolves into a complex and intriguing mystery of who killed the gross Crise who is a very bad man trying all kinds of tricks to steal artifacts and money while being horrible to women.

I really enjoyed this mystery. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own

[S.J. Higbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I appreciated the shift in scene and tone to change things up – which must be an ongoing problem in such a long-running series, I was very glad that I’d read several books charting Ben January’s previous adventures. This is not one to plunge into if you haven’t previously read any of these books.

This particular adventure takes time to build, as the current situation comes with a detailed and complicated backstory that Hambly interleaves with the current narrative. I’m not sure it wholly works. There was also a new cast of characters to get to grips with and keeping both sets in my head took some effort and certainly meant that I didn’t immediately get pulled into the story in the way that normally happens with this author. Perhaps if the backstory leading up to the current adventure had been told in a single chunk, rather than constantly interrupted, the narrative pace would have been smoother. However, at no point was I ever tempted to DNF this offering – for starters, the genuinely creepy, gothic nature of the backstory was well depicted.

That said, once the narrative stayed in December 1840, the pace picked up and I once again found myself fully involved in Ben’s world. Hambly’s vivid descriptions of a New Orleans society from the viewpoint of a freed slave always resonates with me. It helps that Ben is a thoroughly likeable chap – intelligent, thoughtful and possessed with a strong sense of justice at a time when the colour of your skin absolutely defined who you could be and how far you could rise. Even a free man of colour was at risk of being kidnapped and shipped off down the Mississippi to the cotton fields. If you were a woman at that time, you were defined by how desirable you were and how much money your male relatives possessed. This tale gives a brutal example of how vulnerable a young woman was if she no longer had any male relatives around to protect her – and while there are no graphic scenes of any assault, I think a trigger warning for rape is in order.

In addition to the vivid descriptions of the landscape, the clothing, customs and food that makes this world leap off the page – there is also a thumping good murder mystery, full of tension and drama. Overall, this is a rather dark tale, but Hambly provides occasional shafts of humour that stops it from becoming too grim – as he was running through the swamp, I loved Ben’s changing opinion of his recent gift of a fine new waterproof. If it hadn’t been for a rather slow start – it would have been a solid ten out of ten and once again reminds me of why I like Hambly’s writing so much. Highly recommended for fans of historical murder mystery set at an unusual time with a particularly well portrayed protagonist of colour. While I obtained an arc of The Nubian’s Curse from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara Hambly's Benjamin January historical mystery series is a favorite of mine. Given that The Nubian's Curse is the twentieth volume in the series, it must be a favorite of a good many others. The series is set in the mid 18th Century, primarily in New Orleans. January is a free man of color with a wide range of life experiences. He was born a slave, then was purchased by his mother when she became a placee (a sort of mistress/concubine) of a wealthy white man. He's a gifted musician; he's also studied medicine. He's lived in both slave-holding and free states; he's also lived in France.

The range of January's life experiences is what gives this series its power. January has lived in enough places that he understands the ways the rules of race differ by location. In the U.S., he's always at risk of being captured as a runaway slave and sold "down the river," despite being a free man. In New Orleans, he's generally a respected figure. His social opportunities are limited because of his race, but he is friends with an interesting mix of individuals, Black and white, wealthy and poor. In Paris, he had the freedom to interact with whites in ways that would have placed him at risk of violence in the U.S.

The Nubian's Curse is a two time-period novel. The mystery at its heart began in Paris with the murder of a white scientist and showman. That man's business partner, Arithmus, a Black man born in Africa who has exceptional memory and numerical skills is presumed to be guilty of the crime. When one of January's friends from Paris, a white woman, arrives in New Orleans and explains that Arithmus is in the U.S. living on a plantation to which she must travel, January winds up traveling with her and with the wealthy, recently-orphaned young woman who she is escorting to the guardian named in her father's will. Of course, January isn't "just" travelling with her. He's joined by a white friend, a fiddler, a former (and perhaps current) reprobate and acts as this man's servant.

The mystery here is complex and involves several more important threads that I haven't included in this summary. Past and present overlap.

If you enjoy historical mysteries, particularly those that examine uncomfortable periods in U.S. history, you'll be deeply satisfied with The Nubian's Curse or any other of Hambly's Benjamin January novels. Hambly handles this series with a deftness that makes it possible to begin with any volume in the series without feeling ungrounded. The Nubian's Curse is being released in January 2024 and is worth keeping an eye out for. In the meanwhile, if you come across a different Benjamin January mystery, read and enjoy.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

[Jan Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading Barbara Hambly since the 1980s; I think it was The Dark trilogy. I stopped reading Fantasy for the most part, and was very happy to find the Benjamin January historical mystery series still going strong now after the first was published in 1997: A Free Man Of Color. The Nubian’s Curse is the 20th novel in the series, and I’ve read most but for the last few years.
Benjamin January is a young Black man in pre-Civil War New Orleans, freed by his mother’s “protector,” and goes to Paris, swearing never to return to America. He becomes a doctor and a musician and an amateur sleuth with the help of some very interesting characters, including an aunt involved in voodoo, an opium-addicted Irish fiddler, and a tobacco spitting “Kentuck” constable.
What I love about these books, and this is also true for The Nubian’s Curse, is the complicated tapestry of memory that informs the current murder mystery and layers it with the past. A death in a haunted and derelict chateau in 1820s France somehow is a part of a disappearance and a murder in the present.
The books are steeped in detail of life and culture in that era. Benjamin is a likable character filled with heart and soul for his fellow humans. If you haven’t read any of these books yet and love historical mysteries series, this is an excellent one, written by a well-seasoned author who’s survived publishing for many decades. Also, Severn House is one of my favorite publishers, and I’m never disappointed in any book of theirs I’ve read.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review.

[Rachel Roberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigh...I have now read all the books in this series and loved them all! Seriously, there wasn't a dud in the bunch. I appreciated how the pace and plot picked up over time without sacrificing the historical immersion, which gave the reader a tour of major elements of U.S history in the late 1830s and early 1840s. These decades leading up to the Civil War are not much studied. Hambly--and our hero Benjamin January--are here to remind us of the highlights.

Book #18 took us all the way to upstate New York at the time of the Second Great Awakening where January and Chloe Viellard search for a missing girl in a spiritualist commune. PT Barnum makes an appearance, as the plot weaves around true believers and flimflam artists both. This book was one of my favorites and also had, by far, the most classic mystery vibe. Yet in true Hambly style, we also see through January's eyes how the beginnings of circus and vaudeville reinforced white supremacy and victimized those least able to speak for themselves.

In Book #19, we are back in New Orleans for the barely memorable Van Buren/Harrison election of 1840 (Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!). We meet the Henry Clay, whose mixed legacy January grapples with in real time as he helps clear the name of a longtime friend who is accused of murder on the barest evidence, since it's always easier to convict the nearest Black woman than ask tough questions. The whole gang is in this one, which is always nice.

We stay in New Orleans in Book #20, but are treated once again to flashbacks of January's years in Paris and a separate cast of characters we've gotten to know from several books. The mystery in this one is less central, though still fast-paced with some satisfying intricacy. Instead, the interactions among characters are among the best in all 20 books, including the inclusion of someone clearly on the autism spectrum. Hambly does this in a historically accurate way, so the inclusion reads as another facet of what life surely could have been like, not a 21st century anachronism. Such a pro move!

I'm done with the series, but I hope and pray the series itself is not done! "The Nubian's Curse" was published this year, and I read a review that started me on this journey. Crossing all fingers and toes that there is more excitement coming for January and Co.!

[Menzie Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

20 books in and still going strong

I’ve been reading the Benjamin January books for years and this one was as great as they all have been. I love how 1830’s New Orleans and the wild swamps of the lower Mississippi River are as much a character as any person. Hambly’s mysteries in each book are great, too; twisty and turny. One of the few authors I pre-order every time a new book is announced!

[Kyri Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe a few too many characters and subplots for me... I really wanted the statue herself to be toxic, like her red shoes were cinnabar or something, and there were some loose ends for me (what does he sense in the abandoned building? How does that help him figure out what was going on at the chateau?)... still, this whole series remains above average and well worth reading.

[Joe Slavinsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve really liked this series from the beginning. Being somewhat of a history buff, I really appreciate Hambly basing the stories in historical fact, even if tangentially. This story has a lot going on, red herrings included. It’s very suspenseful at the end, especially. I’m looking forward to the next volume.

[Betty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Follow the bouncing ball

There are too many characters, too many plots. You need to diagram the WHO, WHAT, WHY, WHEN. In the end you are exhausted, but pleased Benjamin January survives (but of course).

I can't believe I've read 20 of these. I must be addicted or a glutton for punishment.

[Sheri A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one is who they appear to be

This was a great story! Weaving together a murder from the past with peril in the present, the plot twists through secrets, desperate plans, and hidden identities. Very intriguing. It kept me turning the pages from beginning to end.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

1840 New Orleans. An old friend of Benjamin's reappears in his life in a new guise, bringing back memories of events they were involved in fifteen years earlier at a deserted and supposedly haunted chateau outside Paris. This very convoluted mystery is hard to put down. Highly recommended.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the sights, sounds, and flavors of New Orleans that Barbara Hambly evokes in this series. To say nothing of the nastiness of slavery and the dangers of being a free man of color. Always interesting characters and mysteries.

[Cecilia Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This mystery shifts from 1840 Pairs to 1825 Natchez.
Benjamin January reluctantly travels to New Orleans.
The mystery involves the death of a prominent plantation owner, and a cursed bronze statue.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Benjamin January series has good plots, well-developed characters, and lots of interesting historical context featuring ante-bellum New Orleans.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first of Hambly's Bejamin January series I couldn't get into. The jumping back and forth in time without a definite connection in story, made be close the book and not finish it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series!

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Just couldn't connect with this book.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this was so good!

A fascinating tale of Ben’s past interwoven with his present, as he discovers the answers to mysteries from both times, and rights old wrongs.

[Ann Buchmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benjamin January is a valued member of the freed black society in New Orleans in the 1840s. He is an accomplished musician and a trained physician (though not generally able to practice in New Orleans because of his race). This book details the upcoming marriage of January's niece coupled with an old mystery of a haunted house in France where January lived with his first wife. The undercurrent is the tensions of marriage in a society unequally divided between black and white and women and men. The story was interesting and the historical detail were well rendered. New Orleans really comes alive in these books, and the interactions between Americans and Creoles, blacks and whites, enslaved people and free people are always interesting. I found the part of the book set in France to be less convincing and less easy to follow, but overall this book and this series are well worth the read.

[Rebecca Libersat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series so much it's hard for me to be objective about any individual title, but this was a solid entry. Lots of interesting information about January's life in France, with a mystery there tying into the reappearance fifteen years later of several people he had known there. Also interesting to see a character presenting as what we would now probably classify as autistic, and how that would have been interpreted at the time.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the last book that I read by this author, so I decided to try this one, as I liked the cover design and description.

I thought the writing itself was very good, but I felt that I didn't really connect with the story, and I didn't feel any connection to the characters, I was indifferent to all of them. I would still be interested in reading some more books by this author though.