In the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter, where history and mystery dance to the rhythm of jazz, DJ Marissa Gray thinks she knows every shadow of her beloved city. But when a murdered man is found backstage at her club wearing an antique jester's costume, she discovers that the darkest shadows often hide the deadliest secrets.

As Mardi Gras approaches, Marissa is drawn into a deadly performance orchestrated by the mysterious LeBlanc Society—a centuries-old organization that treats murder as high art. With Detective Grady Mills at her side, she uncovers a chilling truth: her mother's sudden disappearance from New Orleans decades ago wasn't a random act, but part of an ancient pattern stretching back to 1868.

Beneath the city's historic theaters lies a maze of tunnels where science and stagecraft blur, and where masked figures conduct experiments that transcend the boundaries of both. Each clue Marissa unravels leads to more questions, and every answer comes with a price. The society has chosen her for a role in their grand performance, and the show must go on.

But in a city where every mask hides a motive and every costume conceals a killer, can Marissa unmask the truth before she becomes the next victim in New Orleans' deadliest theatrical tradition?

Before the Masks Fell is a gripping prequel novella to the six book Murderous Mardi Mysteries series, perfect for fans of atmospheric mysteries where history and horror collide. Step behind the curtain of New Orleans' most biggest secret society—if you dare.