James Lee Burke’s most beloved character, Dave Robicheaux, returns in this New York Times bestselling mystery set in the towns and backwoods of Louisiana: an “enthralling yet grim novel that…will captivate, start to finish” (Publishers Weekly).Dave Robicheaux is a haunted man. From the acts he committed in Vietnam, to his battles with alcoholism, to the sudden loss of his beloved wife, Molly, his … of his beloved wife, Molly, his thoughts drift from one irreconcilable memory to the next. Images of ghosts pepper his reality. Robicheaux’s only beacon remains serving as a detective in New Iberia, Louisiana.
It’s in that capacity that Robicheaux crosses paths with powerful mob boss, Tony Nemo. Tony has a Civil War sword he’d like to give to Levon Broussard, a popular local author whose books have been adapted into major Hollywood films. Then there’s Jimmy Nightengale, the young poster boy of New Orleans wealth and glamour. Jimmy’s fond of Levon’s work, and even fonder of his beautiful, enigmatic wife, Rowena. Tony thinks Jimmy can be a US Senator someday, and has the resources and clout to make it happen. There’s something off about the relationship among these three men, and after a vicious assault, it’s up to Robicheaux to uncover the truth “in the barn-burner of a climax” (Booklist, starred review).
Complicating matters is the sudden death of the New Iberian local responsible for Molly’s death; namely that Robicheaux’s colleague thinks Robicheaux had something to do with it. As Robicheaux works to clear his name and make sense of the murder, a harrowing study of America emerges: this nation’s abiding conflict between a sense of past grandeur and a legacy of shame, its easy seduction by demagogues and wealth, and its predilection for violence and revenge. “It has been almost five years since James Lee Burke’s last Dave Robicheaux novel, and it was absolutely worth the wait” (Associated Press).
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Excellent read. Hard to put down!!
Burke is my favorite author and he continues to knock me out with every new book
He writes. All his stories take place in Louisiana and his prose makes you feel like you seeing everything in his view from the miss hanging in the trees to the Bayou flowing last his home. Awsome!!!!!!!!!!
Great book
Robicheaux is back in all his flawed glory! He fights for women, children, minorities, religion, justice and the American Dream; what’s not to like! I’ve read, I think, all his books and a couple of Alafair’s books.
I’m a Northern transplant to Mississippi and love climate and the beauty of the Gulf coast. All his books through his words; let you see in your minds eye in living detail.. nature, human nature, justice and injustice.
I love this character
This is vintage Burke at his finest.
James Lee Burke is one of the best story-tellers writing today. Dave Robicheaux is a recovering alcoholic police detective mourning the murder of his wife and trying to clear his name in a crime from the past. I get angry reading about many of the situations he deals with, because they are so realistic and frightening.
James Lee Burke at his best!
Burke’s best! But I say that about each new book he publishes!
Burke paints pictures with words.
Good
Colorful characters placed in steamy Louisianna.
Anything written by James Lee Burke that say Robucheaux buy it
One day at a conference of mystery writers, the presenter waxed on about James Lee Burke. I’d never heard of him. Years later, I can say, I’ve probably read all of his dozens of books. Burke takes the reader into the bayou, into the grit of the lives of horrible people — and at once shows their human side. His main character, a broken alcoholic detective, Dave Robicheaux, always gets his man, or woman, but not after a hairy ride through the swamp, usually with his troubled behemoth of a friend, Clete. I love Burke’s description of the beauty of Louisiana, while I feel for Dave and his struggles. This latest entry into his catalogue is a bit formulaic, but for a fan such as I am, give me more, and more. Dave is not perfect. He slips and falls, and we want to pick him up and get on with it until he puts things right. The reader knows it’s never going to be right with the underpinning of evil all around Dave. So we can only hope and expect that Dave Robicheaux will be back with more adventures, eating po-boys, wrangling with Clete, feeding his pet raccoon, sitting in the bass boat thinking, and not drinking. Or trying not to.
#21 is a James Lee Burkes winner. All you’d expect and more. Definitely a fave among his fans of Cajun lore.
Made me want to read every one of his books! You can smell the landscape
Of all of the authors I’ve read no one has the command of the English language and uses it as effectively describing surroundings, people,and emotions as James Lee Burke. Truly amazing!
Excellent word selection to describe the scenery or action.
Love James Burke
This was not a great read.
I have followed the Robicheaux series for a long time.
This was not as exciting as past books have been.