The words "Nikki Braziel" made out of books

The Mannequin Maker

A group of people at a Victorian Era seance.

About the Story

Set in New Orleans in 1898, The Mannequin Maker follows Maurice Latour, a young entrepreneur dedicated to breaking into the nascent ready-wear fashion industry by manufacturing dress forms.

His first customer is Rebecca Tabor, a college graduate determined to inherit her father’s department store despite her gender.

As the would-be power couple begin to develop feelings, Maurice struggles to overcome a childhood obsession with the brothel mistress who raised him. Unable to extricate himself from the demimonde, he commits a crime of passion from which his business—and his new romance—can never recover.

Complete at 80,000 words, this historical fiction manuscript is available upon request.