Lafitte's Treasure

by Joe Corso

The British offered Jean Lafitte a Captaincy in the British navy along with extensive lands, titles and $30,000 in gold if he agrees to join with them to fight against the United States. So why does Lafitte refuse their generous offer? In the approaching War of 1812 General Andrew Jackson hasn’t any weapons, ammunition or money to fight the British with and no one to turn to for help but the notorious pirate Jean Lafitte. Jackson hates pirates, but he agrees to meet with Lafitte, and he forms an unlikely alliance with the dashing pirate. What changed Jackson’s mind about attending the meeting? Before the war begins, Lafitte buries an unusual treasure, one that is sought in the 21st century by two men and a beautiful woman. Julianna Montaigne a direct descendent of Pierre Lafitte has found his diary in her grandfathers old sea man’s trunk. The diary has a clue to the treasure. Eddie Calto a New York City firefighter has a second clue left to him by his great great grandfather, The two join forces in an attempt to find Lafitte's Treasure. But there are dangerous men who want the treasure for themselves and for 200 years they have waited patiently for anyone seeking Lafitte’s Treasure.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery

212 pages, Paperback

First published July 4, 2014

About the author

Koren Veteran, FDNY Retired, I grew up in Queens,New York and my motivation to write came from my wish to help my grandchildren pay for their college education. So far I've completed 16 books and 9 short stories including my popular 'ENGINE 24 FIRE STORIES' trilogy and I've just finished the 5th installment in the 'TIME PORTAL' series as well as LAFITTE'S TREASURE which is presently being edited.

THE STARLIGHT CLUB 5: The Nazi has been published. I'm in the process of writing a sequel to my award winning western 'THE ADVENTURES OF THE LONE JACK KID', titled 'THE RETURN OF THE LONE JACK KID'.

Reviews

[Susan Keefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great treasure hunting adventure.

This book begins way back in the past, and Governor Claiborne of Louisiana’s refusal to meet with the pirate Jean Lafitte, denouncing him as a “Hellish Banditti,” a decision which was to affect the lives of future generations of both families, and others.

For in 1813, the British had approached Jean Lafitte, asking them to join them in fighting the Americans, they had no idea of what sort of a man he was. He was a pirate, yes, but he was also a mason and lived his life by their codes of honour. Luckily, General Jackson recognised those codes and virtues also, and the rest as they say is history...

The decisions we make in life not only affect us, and the lives of those around us, but their repercussions can be felt, as ripples, far into the future. Eventually though these ripples do start to settle, and so it is, that through chance events and discoveries, the lives of two people, who had previously never met, converge.

The legacies, left to Eddie, and Julianna, bond them as they embark on their exciting and dangerous adventure. Following clues left in the past, they travel to New Orleans on their quest to discover the lost treasure, however, they are not the only ones who know about it, other’s want it too, and will do anything to procure it.

This story, for me, it has all the vital ingredients, action, adventure, murder, mystery, and romance. This author’s attention to detail has meant that he has also added a lot of fascinating history about New Orleans and the famous pirate Jean Lafitte.
I can thoroughly recommend it to lovers of treasure hunting action adventures and think it would make a great film.

[David Kempf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Corso's book is a fast but satisfying read. It's Dan Brown meets Steven Spielberg. Let me explain that! It's like a cross between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Da Vinci Code. Corso's book will make the fans of old fashioned adventure and conspiracy fanatics pleased. Great character development and a wonderful Free Masons treasure hunt to treat readers to an entertaining reading experience. Our protagonist Eddie is one tough customer and the ending is simply every lawyer's dream.

[Joe Corso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jean Lafitte always intrigued me and I thought it would be interesting to write a book that involved him either directly or indirectly. Plus I thought it would be interesting to include a treasure and a series of codes that Lafitte would have left behind that would have to be interpreted in order to locate the treasure.

Once i began to jot down words, the story began to write itself. I introduced Julianna Montaigne, a beautiful woman and a direct descendent of Pierre Lafitte who discovered a clue to the treasure in her ancestors old sea chest. Then I had her meet Eddie Calto a handsome firefighter who was also left a clue by his great, great grandfather. There was an immediate attraction between Julianna and Eddie. Feeling they could trust one another they decided to search for the treasure together and if the treasure was found they agreed to share it equally.

I had a lot of fun writing this book and from the reviews the book is getting I think that the people reviewing it had fun reading it.

[Steven Arnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and interesting and compelling novel!

This is the kind of story I really like: A complicated mystery that needs to be unraveled. In this case, I’m not talking about the mystery genre, where people are trying to find a killer. I’m talking about a mystery related to finding the treasure of Jean Lafitte that was hidden 200 years ago. The main characters Eric and Julianna are descendants of the Lafitte family and are also interesting and likable: I won’t tell you in advance whether romance develops between them. I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery with them and reading about the adventures related to solving it. All in all, Lafitte’s Treasure is a great read. There is a library full of novels by this author listed on Amazon. I’m sure I’ll be reading some more of them!

[john mclauchlan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Downloaded this for free on Amazon unlimited but I still want my money back, totally unbelievable. Why do American heroes have to be so perfect? Always good looking, always fit and always get the gorgeous girl

Don't know much about the legal system in the US but I'm sure finding the title feeds to a property wouldn't automatically make one the new owner ?

[Lori stauffer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good idea but that is it

The idea was good. Writing stinks. The people use tools or weapons and then the author tells a little story about how or why he has them. Should explain about tools and weapons before the persons use them. Book could also used a little more details. It feelz like it was written in a hurry.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good premise but terrible writing. The tense kept changing from one sentence to the next, and sometimes within a sentence! Clumsy dialogue. I felt the hero was quite misogynistic towards the heroine; ordering her about and making important decisions for her rather than with her. Poorly edited. I could go on but instead I just won’t bother with any more of this author’s work.

[Richard Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, but not much else

The book tells Ann interesting story but had too many cliches for my taste. Seems like another tough guy story that was tying to be like a old hard-boiled detective novel. The dialogue is stale and contrived.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

several editorial errors (double words etc.) Good story set in New Orleans during war with England and also modern day searching for a treasure can be dangerous

[Chet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Escapest

The reader of this story has the opportunity to imagine oneself as one of the main characters leaving behind reality for the duration. Interesting, yet predictable.

[william bluer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read

Couldn't put it down , great page turner with plenty of action and a brilliant plot, worthy of being made into a film

[Michelle Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite

Lafitte’s Treasure is a historical adventure by Joe Corso. Jean Lafitte, a pirate, was instrumental in helping General Andrew Jackson acquire money, weapons and ships needed to win the war against the British in 1812 as part of a contract they had. This agreement displeased Governor Claiborne, who disliked Lafitte, and he dishonoured it after the British were defeated. Two hundred years later, his direct descendant, Julianne Montaigne, finds his diary with a clue to Lafitte's buried treasure pertaining to the deal. Firefighter Eddie Calto learns that his great-great-grandfather specifically left him instructions and another clue to Lafitte’s treasure. The two unite and go in search of their legacy. Unfortunately, danger lurks, as there are persons who have been waiting for the opportunity to claim what they feel rightfully belongs to them, and will kill to acquire it.

I like reading treasure hunt stories and Joe Corso did not disappoint me with his book, Lafitte’s Treasure. He captured my attention with an intriguing prologue and the story continued to be just as fascinating. He knows how to keep a reader in suspense with a well-developed plot that blends historical facts into a lovely action filled mystery. All the characters are interesting ones that played significant roles. Eddie and Julianne will take you on an exciting adventure that also includes romance. Although I know some history regarding Freemasons, I did not realize how prominent and influential the members were until I read Lafitte’s Treasure, which I recommend.

[Phil Bolos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lafitte’s Treasure by Joe Corso is an incredibly well written novel of treasure hunting, action, and adventure. During the War of 1812, the British were looking to gain a quick victory over the Americans. They decided that they were going to hire on pirates to do some of the fighting for them, a way to keep British lives safe. A famous pirate, Jean Lafitte, is asked by the British to join in the fight. Jean is a pirate, there is no doubt of this, but he is also a man of honor and he passes on the offer preferring to live his life according to them code of honor he believes in. Andrew Jackson is attempting to rally the nation into fighting the British, but he has few men, not money or weapons or ammunition. The fight will be over before it even begins. But, Jackson recognizes Lafitte’s refusal of the British as an opportunity to gain a valuable ally. Years later, the Americans had won the war and a secret treasure had been buried. Now, treasure hunters are racing to find the treasure using clues left to them by their ancestors. The profits could be huge but the dangers are just as massive. Dangerous men are also hunting the treasure and they will do whatever they need to to be able to get their hands on it. I was very impressed with this story and the creativity it took to put it together. Think of National Treasure, but better, and that will give you a general idea of what waits for you inside these pages. Don’t hesitate, just get it.

[LyndaVee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I often think that the most successful novels occur when the author uses as a basis what he knows; there is many an autobiographical element to successful novels and convincing characters. In this book, Joe Corso uses his own back story as a Korean vet and as a firefighter for the NYFD to create the appealing protagonist, Eddie Calto. He also shows his love of history – the plot concerns the hidden treasure of legendary pirate, Jean Lafitte, who assisted General Andrew Jackson in the 1812 war against the British, by providing ships, manpower and finance in exchange for a pardon for his smuggling activities. Eddie is given a clue to the whereabouts of the treasure in a bequest left to him by his great-great grandfather. Fortuitously, he is approached by a beautiful young woman, who has found a sea chest belonging to her ancestor, Pierre Lafitte, brother of Jean. They team up to solve the clues which will enable them to find the treasure, but others are following them in an attempt to steal it for themselves.

[Sdan12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast-paced adventure with historical roots
This fast-paced adventure story opens with a meeting been pirate Jean Lafitte and General Andrew Jackson. At this meeting, Lafitte offers his ships, sailors and the expertise of his team to the Americans in the coming war against the British. In return he expects a full pardon for his illegal activities. This really did happen; it is historical fact. From the distant past we move to modern day New York and meet our hero, retired firefighter and SEAL, Eddie Calto. He inherits a clue to the whereabouts of the fabled hidden treasure of Jean Lafitte and is determined to find it, using his own knowledge of Freemasonry to help him. The action gathers pace rapidly as it becomes apparent that Eddie has inherited enemies at the same time as his clues. These enemies will stop at nothing to get the treasure and need Eddie to solve the puzzle for them and lead them to it. Along with the adventure, there is a gentle love story as Eddie meets he beautiful descendant of Jean Lafitte’s brother, Pierre.

[Kalda Orso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title Lafitte captured me

Title Lafitte captured me

Being of French descent the name Lafitte caught my eye. The story of his treasure intrigued me. I was raised on the bayou of coastal Al. at one time it was part of La., during Lafittes time of piracy. Many stories have been told of his black slough entering the bayou and of him burying treasure in the area. So naturally this story would be of interest to me. When I was ten I found a candlelabrum at low tide in the bayou while looking for lost fishing lures, of course my Papa brought up the story of Lafitte. Although there is no mention of silver items in this story and I am sure there were. I know Lafitte helped in the battle of New Orleans but I doubt he was a Master Mason. This story was believable and held my attention to the end. I will give Corso a thumbs up and another go at his other books. Enjoyed

[Pegboard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Corso writes Lafitte’s Treasure merging the history surrounding the Battle of New Orleans with modern day adventure.
This novel starts with the notorious pirate Jean Lafiite trying to unite his forces with General Andrew Jackson. Jean unknowing the true nature of Governor Claibourne, tried to use his connection with the General to conduct business.
Because of Governor Claibourne’s greed, he captured Jean Lafitte’s men and ships to profit his own plans. As a last resort Jean contacts General Jackson hoping their bond as a freemason will allow him to help his country with a unique plan and a vast treasure.
Generations later we have descendants of the key players hunting down the treasure passed down through diaries, journals, and word of mouth.
I love how history, adventure and romance blended together. Julianna was an important descendant, but other than her beauty she didn’t seem to contribute much to the plot.

[Kenneth Eade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember being fascinated by stories of buried treasure when I was young and was pleasantly surprised when I read Joe Corso's "Lafitte's Treasure" to find that fascination and wonder awaken in me. This novel will grip you with mystery and suspense from the very first page when we learn the story of Jean Lafitte and the Battle of New Orleans, and unravel the mystery of the age-old search for Lafitte's treasure. This book has it all-historical events, action, romance and intrigue 200 years later as we team with Eddie Calto, a retired New York firefigher and Julianna Montaigne, a descendant of Pierre Lafitte as they follow the clues to find Lafitte's treasure, with a band of murderous privateers on their heels.

[bruce a tangeman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too fanciful

I didn't dislike the book but I also can't say I really liked it. The action was unrealistic and too fast paced. The hero and heroine were just a little too perfect. Book was not very gritty or suspenseful, which was what I expected. Very formulated writing. No surprises.

[Jacquelyn Dearth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lattes treasure review

I chose it for the title and content. I think it must be hard to write a book. This book needed to not have anything like a love relationship, it was gratuitous,unrealistic, and frankly annoying. It was a book you read when you literally don't have something else to read. Sorry but the premise was good, the writing wasn't. I bet you can do better.

[Jean Sink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your gonna love this booj.

I enjoyed the book . it was a page turner . The historical information was great and the book was almost like a dream that we all hope could happen us. Read the book take your mind off this stressful life we lead.

[Michelle Hoyt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book

I love historical fiction with a little adventure and romance. It was a irritating book and a real page Turner.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

First 3/4 of the book was good. The last quarter the plot did not seem plausible. While the main action was over by then the ending was a bit more than I liked.

[john marsh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing

Good concept, but needed a better editor. Poor sentence structure and repeated words. Read like a young kid wrote this book, not an award winning author. Very disappointed. Would not recommend.

[Bren Finn]

Disappointing g

Read this bc I am from NO and am familiar with area and history. Started fine, but the failure to develop the female character frustrated me. She would disappear for pages while the big strong man would do all the work. Toward the end of the book, it seemed rushed. Very little dialogue, lots of he did this, they told him that. I wanted to like this story, and had no issues with the plotline. It should have been fleshed out more.