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Dave Robicheaux #14
Crusader's Cross
Critically acclaimed and bestselling crime writer James Lee Burke returns to Louisiana where his ever-popular hero, Dave Robicheaux, sleuths his way through a hotbed of sin and uncertainty.
For Dave Robicheaux, life in Louisiana is filled with haunting memories of the past -- images from Vietnam, the violent streets of New Orleans, and his own troubled youth. In Crusader's Cross, a deathbed confession from an old schoolmate resurrects a story of injustice, the murder of a young woman, and a time in Robicheaux's life he has tried to forget.
Her name may or may not have been Ida Durbin. It was back in the innocent days of the 1950s when Robicheaux and his brother, Jimmie, met her on a Galveston beach. She was pretty and Jimmie fell for her hard -- not knowing she was a prostitute on infamous Post Office Street, with ties to the mob. Then Ida was abducted and never seen again.
Now, decades later, Robicheaux is asking questions about Ida Durbin, and a couple of redneck deputy sheriffs make it clear that asking questions is a dangerous game. With a series of horrifying murders and the sudden appearance of Valentine Chalons and his sister, Honoria, a disturbed and deeply alluring woman, Robicheaux is soon involved not only with the Chalons family but with the murderous energies of the New Orleans underworld. Also, he meets and finds himself drawn into a scandalous relationship with a remarkable Catholic nun.
Brilliant, brooding, and filled with the author's signature lyricism, Jim Burke's latest novel is a darkly suspenseful work of literature.
For Dave Robicheaux, life in Louisiana is filled with haunting memories of the past -- images from Vietnam, the violent streets of New Orleans, and his own troubled youth. In Crusader's Cross, a deathbed confession from an old schoolmate resurrects a story of injustice, the murder of a young woman, and a time in Robicheaux's life he has tried to forget.
Her name may or may not have been Ida Durbin. It was back in the innocent days of the 1950s when Robicheaux and his brother, Jimmie, met her on a Galveston beach. She was pretty and Jimmie fell for her hard -- not knowing she was a prostitute on infamous Post Office Street, with ties to the mob. Then Ida was abducted and never seen again.
Now, decades later, Robicheaux is asking questions about Ida Durbin, and a couple of redneck deputy sheriffs make it clear that asking questions is a dangerous game. With a series of horrifying murders and the sudden appearance of Valentine Chalons and his sister, Honoria, a disturbed and deeply alluring woman, Robicheaux is soon involved not only with the Chalons family but with the murderous energies of the New Orleans underworld. Also, he meets and finds himself drawn into a scandalous relationship with a remarkable Catholic nun.
Brilliant, brooding, and filled with the author's signature lyricism, Jim Burke's latest novel is a darkly suspenseful work of literature.
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2005
598 people are currently reading
2,307 people want to read
About the author
James Lee Burke
163Ìýbooks4,032ÌýfollowersJames Lee Burke is an American author best known for his mysteries, particularly the series. He has twice received the Edgar Award for Best Novel, for
Black Cherry Blues
in 1990 and
Cimarron Rose
in 1998.
Burke was born in Houston, Texas, but grew up on the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Missouri, receiving a BA and MA from the latter. He has worked at a wide variety of jobs over the years, including working in the oil industry, as a reporter, and as a social worker. He was Writer in Residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, succeeding his good friend and posthumous Pulitzer Prize winner John Kennedy Toole, and preceding Ernest Gaines in the position. Shortly before his move to Montana, he taught for several years in the Creative Writing program at Wichita State University in the 1980s.
Burke and his wife, Pearl, split their time between Lolo, Montana, and New Iberia, Louisiana. Their daughter, Alafair Burke, is also a mystery novelist.
The book that has influenced his life the most is the 1929 family tragedy "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner.
Burke was born in Houston, Texas, but grew up on the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Missouri, receiving a BA and MA from the latter. He has worked at a wide variety of jobs over the years, including working in the oil industry, as a reporter, and as a social worker. He was Writer in Residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, succeeding his good friend and posthumous Pulitzer Prize winner John Kennedy Toole, and preceding Ernest Gaines in the position. Shortly before his move to Montana, he taught for several years in the Creative Writing program at Wichita State University in the 1980s.
Burke and his wife, Pearl, split their time between Lolo, Montana, and New Iberia, Louisiana. Their daughter, Alafair Burke, is also a mystery novelist.
The book that has influenced his life the most is the 1929 family tragedy "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 381 reviews
June 28, 2017
Pairing Will Patton and James Lee Burke's Cajun protagonist, Dave Robicheaux, was genius. Patton grew up on South Carolina and went to a school for the arts in North Carolina, so he comes by his accents both through upbringing and avocation. The Dave Robicheaux series calls New Iberia, Louisiana, home base, with excursions to other parishes as well as New Orleans. Burke has a touch of Hemingway about him, and his books frequently detour to provide intimate descriptions of the local people and landscape.
I'm still learning to appreciate audio books. Kobna Holdbrook Smith and the Peter Grant series are one of the few that can reliably keep my attention. However, as I'm commuting a little farther these days, I'm giving audio another go. One of the challenges I've discovered is that for me, audio versions give equal weight to the entire story. Every chapter evolves at the same speed, as does the entire book. My physical reads pace very differently; the beginning is slow and thorough, but if it's a great story, I read faster and faster as the tension rises. Dull books get similar treatment--I also get faster, but mostly because I've switched to skimming. So one of the aspects of audio for me is that I end up paying far closer attention than I might when reading physical books.
Experiencing the story by audio read made weaknesses in Burke's storytelling apparent. Primarily, though billed as a 'mystery'/'detective fiction,' this barely qualifies. Ostensibly, there are two mysteries, that of a young woman who disappeared soon after meeting Dave and his half-brother, Jimmy, a couple decades ago, and that of a serial killer who seems to be targeting suburban housewives. Dave gets involved in the hunt for the killer by going back to the Iberia sheriff's department and asking his boss, Helen, for his detective job back. They certainly do things different in the south, because this seems perfectly acceptable to all involved and he's soon assigned to the multi-jurisdiction investigation.
Meanwhile, some incident that happened early on gets Dave rethinking about Ida Rubin. Mostly, it's a lovely opportunity for Burke to indulge in some memories of when Dave and his brother were working oil rigs pre-college, spending time and money hanging on the coast between jobs. It becomes apparent to both of them that Ida is working as a prostitute, although it turns out, an unwilling one. However, just as she and Jimmy are about to head to Mexico, she disappears.
Yet despite the terrors and horrors happening to these women, long swathes of the book are devoted to Dave's personal problems. A reporter and, more importantly, brother of a woman who seems to be interested in Dave, come to blows. An incident where Dave gets blackout-level drunk becomes the basis for a weak plot point. Given it is book 14 in the series, I had been hoping we'd be past the alcoholic demons of the first few books. Dave makes another impetuous decision that changes his life. There are about three moments where Dave 'works' on the case of the serial killer, and honestly, everything he accomplished could have been done as a P.I. In fact, should have been done as a P.I., as he uses virtually no legal or ethical methods.
In other words, what I discovered as I listened to Patton's melodic descriptions, is that I don't like Dave very much. He's a dry drunk, about as illogical a detective as I've ever seen, and prone to making accusations and getting in fights because of his 'gut' feeling. He makes decisions that result in physical violence, and put him in a corner where it's him against the world, and conveniently, a perfect excuse for either drinking or condescending judgement of others. In this book, he's particularly hard on women, and the visits to the murder scenes seemed a more about violence-porn than moments of compassion or empathy.
I also have to note--because this is flat-out weird--that there are about four instances of Dave using the word 'phallus,' describing a guy in a swimsuit and another guy at the urinal. I'll be perfectly content to never run into the word again in a mystery novel. I'm honestly not sure what was going on there.
In regards to plotting, I'd have to say this was weak, and couldn't recommend it to people who are more focused on the mystery-detective plotting. The narrative left Dave a few times for viewpoints of three other characters, which was a little confusing. I couldn't tell if this was Dave speaking 'as told to me by __,' or if it was an actual narrative switch. The reveal of the serial killer was a huge disappointment and provided no narrative resolution.
All of that said, I enjoyed Burke's descriptions of Louisiana and its people, and Patton's ability to capture the richness and cadences was lovely. Patton's voicing of the characters was varied and entertaining; I was surprised by his voice for the impetuous Clete Purcell, but I found I rather enjoyed it. Result? I'll listen to another of Burke's books as read by Patton. But I sincerely hope there's not as much phallus in it.
Verdict?
Patton's reading: four solid stars
Audio editing: three stars (seriously, fix those chapter transitions)
Plotting: one star
Writing: three stars
I'm still learning to appreciate audio books. Kobna Holdbrook Smith and the Peter Grant series are one of the few that can reliably keep my attention. However, as I'm commuting a little farther these days, I'm giving audio another go. One of the challenges I've discovered is that for me, audio versions give equal weight to the entire story. Every chapter evolves at the same speed, as does the entire book. My physical reads pace very differently; the beginning is slow and thorough, but if it's a great story, I read faster and faster as the tension rises. Dull books get similar treatment--I also get faster, but mostly because I've switched to skimming. So one of the aspects of audio for me is that I end up paying far closer attention than I might when reading physical books.
Experiencing the story by audio read made weaknesses in Burke's storytelling apparent. Primarily, though billed as a 'mystery'/'detective fiction,' this barely qualifies. Ostensibly, there are two mysteries, that of a young woman who disappeared soon after meeting Dave and his half-brother, Jimmy, a couple decades ago, and that of a serial killer who seems to be targeting suburban housewives. Dave gets involved in the hunt for the killer by going back to the Iberia sheriff's department and asking his boss, Helen, for his detective job back. They certainly do things different in the south, because this seems perfectly acceptable to all involved and he's soon assigned to the multi-jurisdiction investigation.
Meanwhile, some incident that happened early on gets Dave rethinking about Ida Rubin. Mostly, it's a lovely opportunity for Burke to indulge in some memories of when Dave and his brother were working oil rigs pre-college, spending time and money hanging on the coast between jobs. It becomes apparent to both of them that Ida is working as a prostitute, although it turns out, an unwilling one. However, just as she and Jimmy are about to head to Mexico, she disappears.
Yet despite the terrors and horrors happening to these women, long swathes of the book are devoted to Dave's personal problems. A reporter and, more importantly, brother of a woman who seems to be interested in Dave, come to blows. An incident where Dave gets blackout-level drunk becomes the basis for a weak plot point. Given it is book 14 in the series, I had been hoping we'd be past the alcoholic demons of the first few books. Dave makes another impetuous decision that changes his life. There are about three moments where Dave 'works' on the case of the serial killer, and honestly, everything he accomplished could have been done as a P.I. In fact, should have been done as a P.I., as he uses virtually no legal or ethical methods.
In other words, what I discovered as I listened to Patton's melodic descriptions, is that I don't like Dave very much. He's a dry drunk, about as illogical a detective as I've ever seen, and prone to making accusations and getting in fights because of his 'gut' feeling. He makes decisions that result in physical violence, and put him in a corner where it's him against the world, and conveniently, a perfect excuse for either drinking or condescending judgement of others. In this book, he's particularly hard on women, and the visits to the murder scenes seemed a more about violence-porn than moments of compassion or empathy.
I also have to note--because this is flat-out weird--that there are about four instances of Dave using the word 'phallus,' describing a guy in a swimsuit and another guy at the urinal. I'll be perfectly content to never run into the word again in a mystery novel. I'm honestly not sure what was going on there.
In regards to plotting, I'd have to say this was weak, and couldn't recommend it to people who are more focused on the mystery-detective plotting. The narrative left Dave a few times for viewpoints of three other characters, which was a little confusing. I couldn't tell if this was Dave speaking 'as told to me by __,' or if it was an actual narrative switch. The reveal of the serial killer was a huge disappointment and provided no narrative resolution.
All of that said, I enjoyed Burke's descriptions of Louisiana and its people, and Patton's ability to capture the richness and cadences was lovely. Patton's voicing of the characters was varied and entertaining; I was surprised by his voice for the impetuous Clete Purcell, but I found I rather enjoyed it. Result? I'll listen to another of Burke's books as read by Patton. But I sincerely hope there's not as much phallus in it.
Verdict?
Patton's reading: four solid stars
Audio editing: three stars (seriously, fix those chapter transitions)
Plotting: one star
Writing: three stars
August 13, 2011
My first book by James Lee Burke and I am delightfully surprised. I did not expect that I would like this book. I used to shun formulaic suspense-thrillers that flood the bookstores next to romance novels. Just the sight of them made me cringe before. But early this year, I said to myself: why not try some of these? and put 4 or 5 of the books by different authors in my shopping cart. Yes, they are both formulaic, but if they entertain and somewhat also educate, then why should I care?
According to Wiki, Crusader's Cross is the 14th Dave Robicheaux novel and this character has been portrayed on the screen twice, first by Alec Baldwin (Heaven's Prisoner) and Tommy Lee Jones (In the Electric Mist). Dave Robincheaux is an ex-New Orleans police officer who is fond of breaching police protocols just to solve his assigned case. He is an alcoholic so this oftentimes gets in the way of his performance. His alcoholism is due to his being an ex-Vietnam soldier and is impoverished childhood in Louisiana, his mother who abandoned him (and who was later murdered) and his father who died in an oil rig explosion. Aside from his mother, his wife was also murdered. Very unfortunate fellow.
Crusader's Cross is not about those characters however. It is mainly about his brother who falls in love with a prostitute and after a brief romance, parts ways with her. However, after many years, Dave learns that the prostitute is still alive and in order to solve the mystery of her disappearance, Dave has to untangled the people behind it. That's where the actions really are and since this is a mystery-suspense-thriller book, I will not give any spoilers.
So far, I have read a number of books in this genre. I think what differentiates James Lee Burke from the rest is his attention to the locale of his novels. With Deep South as the setting of this book (and I assume all this other books as well), Lee Burke takes time to vividly describe the beauty of the Deep South that reminds me of the Western books, classic books as well as the Pat Conroy novels. If John Connolly incorporates paranormal in his suspense-thriller books, James Lee Burke stays pure with this genre but he differentiates himself by his beautifully engaging prose.
According to Wiki, Crusader's Cross is the 14th Dave Robicheaux novel and this character has been portrayed on the screen twice, first by Alec Baldwin (Heaven's Prisoner) and Tommy Lee Jones (In the Electric Mist). Dave Robincheaux is an ex-New Orleans police officer who is fond of breaching police protocols just to solve his assigned case. He is an alcoholic so this oftentimes gets in the way of his performance. His alcoholism is due to his being an ex-Vietnam soldier and is impoverished childhood in Louisiana, his mother who abandoned him (and who was later murdered) and his father who died in an oil rig explosion. Aside from his mother, his wife was also murdered. Very unfortunate fellow.
Crusader's Cross is not about those characters however. It is mainly about his brother who falls in love with a prostitute and after a brief romance, parts ways with her. However, after many years, Dave learns that the prostitute is still alive and in order to solve the mystery of her disappearance, Dave has to untangled the people behind it. That's where the actions really are and since this is a mystery-suspense-thriller book, I will not give any spoilers.
So far, I have read a number of books in this genre. I think what differentiates James Lee Burke from the rest is his attention to the locale of his novels. With Deep South as the setting of this book (and I assume all this other books as well), Lee Burke takes time to vividly describe the beauty of the Deep South that reminds me of the Western books, classic books as well as the Pat Conroy novels. If John Connolly incorporates paranormal in his suspense-thriller books, James Lee Burke stays pure with this genre but he differentiates himself by his beautifully engaging prose.
September 23, 2016
I am constantly amazed at 's story telling ability. I have found that there appears to be a formula in all these stories. At least in the Dave Robicheaux series. An event in the past, usually some crime, resurfaces and it impacts current events. And Robicheaux finds himself caught up in these events. It is like the tides. For those who are not familiar with him a few brief words of introduction. Dave Robicheaux is a recovering alcoholic, a Vietnam veteran, he has been married three times, he has issues with the rich and powerful; those who rule over the poor and less fortunate.
In this story Dave hears the deathbed confession of an old classmate. The confession reminds him of a time in his youth when he and his brother, Jimmie, were in Galveston and were saved by a prostitute. It was 1958 and her name was Ida Durbin. She was pretty and Jimmie fell for her hard not knowing her profession. When he did learn he wanted only to save her. And then she disappeared.
Meanwhile in the present day Dave Robicheaux is unemployed having resigned from the New Iberia Sheriff's Department at the end of . There is an apparent serial killer on the loose and Dave's former partner, Helen Soileau who is now sheriff, reluctantly allows Dave back on the force. She needs his help to stop the killer and he needs the badge in order to investigate the disappearance of Ida.
We meet the wealthy Chalons family. Valentine Chalons and his sister Honoria, a deeply disturbed woman, and Raphael the patriarch of the family. Once again the author seems to imply that wealth and it's trappings come with a price. We meet Molly Boyle, a nun, with whom Dave is drawn into scandalous relationship. And of course there are the ever present mob figures who represent the underbelly of New Orleans.
The author masterfully combines the landscape of southern Louisiana, with it's bayous and New Orleans, and wonderful characters who come alive. It is the story of the innocence of youth and how those memories cannot be removed or die. Dave Robicheaux may be aging but he has had a very full life. He is a decent and honorable man. He has his character defects but is aware of them and has many people in his life who love and support him. Dealing with some of the things he has had to deal with in his life these people, and his sobriety, are a gift. He is certainly one of the most fascinating characters in this genre.
In this story Dave hears the deathbed confession of an old classmate. The confession reminds him of a time in his youth when he and his brother, Jimmie, were in Galveston and were saved by a prostitute. It was 1958 and her name was Ida Durbin. She was pretty and Jimmie fell for her hard not knowing her profession. When he did learn he wanted only to save her. And then she disappeared.
Meanwhile in the present day Dave Robicheaux is unemployed having resigned from the New Iberia Sheriff's Department at the end of . There is an apparent serial killer on the loose and Dave's former partner, Helen Soileau who is now sheriff, reluctantly allows Dave back on the force. She needs his help to stop the killer and he needs the badge in order to investigate the disappearance of Ida.
We meet the wealthy Chalons family. Valentine Chalons and his sister Honoria, a deeply disturbed woman, and Raphael the patriarch of the family. Once again the author seems to imply that wealth and it's trappings come with a price. We meet Molly Boyle, a nun, with whom Dave is drawn into scandalous relationship. And of course there are the ever present mob figures who represent the underbelly of New Orleans.
The author masterfully combines the landscape of southern Louisiana, with it's bayous and New Orleans, and wonderful characters who come alive. It is the story of the innocence of youth and how those memories cannot be removed or die. Dave Robicheaux may be aging but he has had a very full life. He is a decent and honorable man. He has his character defects but is aware of them and has many people in his life who love and support him. Dealing with some of the things he has had to deal with in his life these people, and his sobriety, are a gift. He is certainly one of the most fascinating characters in this genre.
June 7, 2020
Gumbo di salsicce e pettirosso
Mi sono persuaso che l’altalenante gradimento verso i romanzi di James Lee Burke, almeno quelli scritti nella maturità (anni �90- anni 2000), non dipenda tanto dal loro intrinseco valore narrativo, perché nel loro ambito si tratta di opere omogenee e pregevoli senza eccezioni, quanto dalla disposizione d’animo e dalle aspettative del lettore.
E� un criterio (banale) che è facile adattare a tanti altri autori, specie “di genere�, ma a mio avviso vale soprattutto per Burke, uno dei migliori esponenti del poliziesco contemporaneo, capace di imbastire un’opera come questa, con molte qualità al suo attivo: solidi personaggi ben caratterizzati nel fisico, nel carattere, nel fardello del passato che ognuno di essi porta sulle proprie spalle; un’ambientazione ineguagliabile nel multicolore bayou della Louisiana fra mangrovie, paludi, fauna e flora rigogliose; un profondo senso dell’architettura, della musica, degli usi e costumi e della storia di luoghi che sembrano appena usciti dalla guerra civile e non ancora dalla segregazione razziale; una trama narrativa complessa e articolata priva di pause che non siano funzionali all’equilibrio del racconto; uno stile molto più accurato della media dei thriller e ricco di sfumature.
Sull’altro piatto della bilancia, l’elemento che può tradire le aspettative e generare distacco, pur in una lettura per molti versi appassionante, risiede nella costruzione dell’impianto principale dei romanzi, in cui l’autore è solito utilizzare un medesimo canone e adottare un ricorrente metodo standard, caratteristica (lecito recepirla come difetto) che risalta soprattutto quando capita di leggere due Burke a breve distanza di tempo.
Tutto ruota sulle azioni di un tipico detective protagonista, alcoolista ma sagace, impulsivo e violento ma generoso, insofferente alle regole ma ligio al proprio senso morale, intriso nel codice genetico della sua terra cajun ma refrattario e oppositore degli aspetti più retrogradi, tradizionalisti e reazionari di quella cultura, insomma il mitico Dave Robicheaux, portato sullo schermo da Alec Baldwin e Tommy Lee Jones.
Attorno a lui e al suo partner Clete, unici personaggi ricorrenti, si muovono figure che corrispondono a un cliché predefinito, in ogni episodio cambiano ovviamente nome (anche perché la maggior parte lascia la pelle nel corso del plot�) ma ripropongono uno specifico carattere come in una “commedia dell’arte� e quindi ecco la femme fatale, il ricco possidente dal passato ambiguo, il killer spietato, il vecchio conoscitore del territorio e dei suoi segreti, il testimone inaffidabile e opportunista, che interagiscono su schemi in parte prevedibili a comporre una tavolozza che tuttavia presenta ogni volta qualche variante di rilievo�
Ne consegue che Burke può essere definito uno scrittore molto originale rispetto ai suoi colleghi autori di polizieschi, ma molto poco da un romanzo all’altro e questo può infastidire: il trucco è leggerli a congrua distanza di tempo, in cui il dejà vu della trama sfuma nella nebulosità del ricordo, conservando il divertimento e il fascino dei luoghi. Ci rivediamo fra qualche anno, Dave�!
Mi sono persuaso che l’altalenante gradimento verso i romanzi di James Lee Burke, almeno quelli scritti nella maturità (anni �90- anni 2000), non dipenda tanto dal loro intrinseco valore narrativo, perché nel loro ambito si tratta di opere omogenee e pregevoli senza eccezioni, quanto dalla disposizione d’animo e dalle aspettative del lettore.
E� un criterio (banale) che è facile adattare a tanti altri autori, specie “di genere�, ma a mio avviso vale soprattutto per Burke, uno dei migliori esponenti del poliziesco contemporaneo, capace di imbastire un’opera come questa, con molte qualità al suo attivo: solidi personaggi ben caratterizzati nel fisico, nel carattere, nel fardello del passato che ognuno di essi porta sulle proprie spalle; un’ambientazione ineguagliabile nel multicolore bayou della Louisiana fra mangrovie, paludi, fauna e flora rigogliose; un profondo senso dell’architettura, della musica, degli usi e costumi e della storia di luoghi che sembrano appena usciti dalla guerra civile e non ancora dalla segregazione razziale; una trama narrativa complessa e articolata priva di pause che non siano funzionali all’equilibrio del racconto; uno stile molto più accurato della media dei thriller e ricco di sfumature.
Sull’altro piatto della bilancia, l’elemento che può tradire le aspettative e generare distacco, pur in una lettura per molti versi appassionante, risiede nella costruzione dell’impianto principale dei romanzi, in cui l’autore è solito utilizzare un medesimo canone e adottare un ricorrente metodo standard, caratteristica (lecito recepirla come difetto) che risalta soprattutto quando capita di leggere due Burke a breve distanza di tempo.
Tutto ruota sulle azioni di un tipico detective protagonista, alcoolista ma sagace, impulsivo e violento ma generoso, insofferente alle regole ma ligio al proprio senso morale, intriso nel codice genetico della sua terra cajun ma refrattario e oppositore degli aspetti più retrogradi, tradizionalisti e reazionari di quella cultura, insomma il mitico Dave Robicheaux, portato sullo schermo da Alec Baldwin e Tommy Lee Jones.
Attorno a lui e al suo partner Clete, unici personaggi ricorrenti, si muovono figure che corrispondono a un cliché predefinito, in ogni episodio cambiano ovviamente nome (anche perché la maggior parte lascia la pelle nel corso del plot�) ma ripropongono uno specifico carattere come in una “commedia dell’arte� e quindi ecco la femme fatale, il ricco possidente dal passato ambiguo, il killer spietato, il vecchio conoscitore del territorio e dei suoi segreti, il testimone inaffidabile e opportunista, che interagiscono su schemi in parte prevedibili a comporre una tavolozza che tuttavia presenta ogni volta qualche variante di rilievo�
Ne consegue che Burke può essere definito uno scrittore molto originale rispetto ai suoi colleghi autori di polizieschi, ma molto poco da un romanzo all’altro e questo può infastidire: il trucco è leggerli a congrua distanza di tempo, in cui il dejà vu della trama sfuma nella nebulosità del ricordo, conservando il divertimento e il fascino dei luoghi. Ci rivediamo fra qualche anno, Dave�!
December 26, 2023
This was good; a return to a more classic mystery without too many damn characters. And so many quotable gems in this one!
In the first plot, a serial killer is attacking women in Baton Rouge, possibly with victims in New Orleans and Iberia Parish as well. As Dave and Clete pursue the investigation Dave meets Molly Boyle, a woman having second thoughts about becoming a bride of Christ. In classic Dave fashion (he's one of those guys that must have a woman to feel normal), he meets her and marries her in this book. Mostly to shut up all the scarlet woman shit talkers in town.
The second plot contains an irksome decision by the author: a half-brother out of nodamnwhere, Jimmie Robicheaux. One would assume that in the 13 novels before now, perhaps while reading about Dave's parents for the millionth time, we might have heard of this brother. No. Jimmie-from-the-clear-blue-sky blows into town and starts reminiscing about Ida Durbin, a woman "in the life" that the brothers met when they were young. Jimmie fell in love but on the day they were to elope, she disappeared. The Robicheaux boys assumed she had been killed; otherwise, wouldn't she have left a note? Meanwhile, local rich guy Val Chalon is determined to derail Dave and Clete from learning the truth about Ida. As relations get worse and worse between Dave and Val, Dave becomes involved in a grudge match that Clete would be proud to lay claim to.
I liked everything about this except the sudden brother and sudden wife. Nothing before Crusader's Cross, then BOOM: two new family members. On the other hand, I do like Molly (this is wife #4 for those of you keeping count). She's a breath of self-assured fresh air after the neediness of Bootsie. And, well... "Bootsie." Here's a few more gems:
On to Pegasus Descending.
The wind smelled of humus, lichen, the musky odor of pecan husks broken under the shoe, a sunshower on the fields across the bayou. But any poetry that might have been contained in that moment was lost when I stared into Honoria's face, convinced that human insanity was as close to our fingertips as the act of rubbing fog off a window pane.
In the first plot, a serial killer is attacking women in Baton Rouge, possibly with victims in New Orleans and Iberia Parish as well. As Dave and Clete pursue the investigation Dave meets Molly Boyle, a woman having second thoughts about becoming a bride of Christ. In classic Dave fashion (he's one of those guys that must have a woman to feel normal), he meets her and marries her in this book. Mostly to shut up all the scarlet woman shit talkers in town.
In the state of Louisiana, systemic venality is a given. The state’s culture, mind-set, religious attitudes, and economics are no different from those of a Caribbean nation. The person who believes he can rise to a position of wealth and power in the state of Louisiana and not do business with the devil probably knows nothing about the devil and even less about Louisiana.
The second plot contains an irksome decision by the author: a half-brother out of nodamnwhere, Jimmie Robicheaux. One would assume that in the 13 novels before now, perhaps while reading about Dave's parents for the millionth time, we might have heard of this brother. No. Jimmie-from-the-clear-blue-sky blows into town and starts reminiscing about Ida Durbin, a woman "in the life" that the brothers met when they were young. Jimmie fell in love but on the day they were to elope, she disappeared. The Robicheaux boys assumed she had been killed; otherwise, wouldn't she have left a note? Meanwhile, local rich guy Val Chalon is determined to derail Dave and Clete from learning the truth about Ida. As relations get worse and worse between Dave and Val, Dave becomes involved in a grudge match that Clete would be proud to lay claim to.
The sky was purple, streaked with fire, the palm trees like scorched tin cutouts against the sun. I woke at four in the morning and could not sleep again, my heart congealed with a sense of mortality that I could not explain.
I liked everything about this except the sudden brother and sudden wife. Nothing before Crusader's Cross, then BOOM: two new family members. On the other hand, I do like Molly (this is wife #4 for those of you keeping count). She's a breath of self-assured fresh air after the neediness of Bootsie. And, well... "Bootsie." Here's a few more gems:
Alcoholism is not a disease here, but a venerated family heirloom.
Age instills a degree of patience in some, leaves the virtuous spiritually unchanged, feeds the character defects in others, and brings little wisdom to any of us.
A man is what he does. Titles are a distraction created to deceive obtuse people.
On to Pegasus Descending.
July 5, 2017
Another day and another Robicheaux novel. These are always fairly easy to write even if the content is rather Dark. The Robicheaux tales are not easy to digest stories, they are not mysteries or thrillers. They make you follow the main character Dave Robicheaux (brilliant name for a leading character)on his journey through life and see life in New Iberia / Louisiana / New Orleans through his eyes. He is not a knight in shining armor but he tries to be good.
In this novel Dave returns to the police force while they are chasing down a serial killer who kills women in a most horrific ways. The other story-line is about Dave and his half-brother Jimmie who long ago got involved with a prostitute by the name of Ida. Jimmie was hellbent on saving the girl and she ends up missing. This has always been the great mystery of Jimmie's life and in this book Dave and Jimmie find out what did happen.
The story is about loss and a return of happiness, entitlement and the ways of the elite and how they still and always have been a leading force of evil and power in Louisiana. Robicheaux goes head to head with some influential family and almost ends up in a place where he responsible for but is totally unjust.
In the beginning Dave thinks about the serial killer and how they always tend to far less interesting when you meet and talk to them. You are always left with more questions than answers. And that is also how the story ends with the capture of a serial killer which was predicted earlier in the book. At the end of the book you know it is not about the killing but all about Dave Robicheaux and another day on the Bayou.
Well worth your time reading as are more titles in this series, which I have not yet read.
In this novel Dave returns to the police force while they are chasing down a serial killer who kills women in a most horrific ways. The other story-line is about Dave and his half-brother Jimmie who long ago got involved with a prostitute by the name of Ida. Jimmie was hellbent on saving the girl and she ends up missing. This has always been the great mystery of Jimmie's life and in this book Dave and Jimmie find out what did happen.
The story is about loss and a return of happiness, entitlement and the ways of the elite and how they still and always have been a leading force of evil and power in Louisiana. Robicheaux goes head to head with some influential family and almost ends up in a place where he responsible for but is totally unjust.
In the beginning Dave thinks about the serial killer and how they always tend to far less interesting when you meet and talk to them. You are always left with more questions than answers. And that is also how the story ends with the capture of a serial killer which was predicted earlier in the book. At the end of the book you know it is not about the killing but all about Dave Robicheaux and another day on the Bayou.
Well worth your time reading as are more titles in this series, which I have not yet read.
November 14, 2017
Crusader's Cross
With every book that I read in the Dave Robicheaux series it just keep getting better and better! This is the best series that I have ever read and I do not say this lightly especially because John Sandford and John Grisham are among some of my very favorite authors. James Lee Burke started at the top of his game and so far is still way ahead of the game. He writes poetically and magically. No one writes about Louisiana and the bayou the way he does. I have lived along the bayou most of my life and now that I'm living in the city I can see it all so clearly when I read his writing. A++++++
With every book that I read in the Dave Robicheaux series it just keep getting better and better! This is the best series that I have ever read and I do not say this lightly especially because John Sandford and John Grisham are among some of my very favorite authors. James Lee Burke started at the top of his game and so far is still way ahead of the game. He writes poetically and magically. No one writes about Louisiana and the bayou the way he does. I have lived along the bayou most of my life and now that I'm living in the city I can see it all so clearly when I read his writing. A++++++
April 8, 2022
More of the same? Yes and no. Largely true to form, mayhem sprinkled with lyricism and languid observation, and, ultimately, another solid installment in the Robicheaux story arc....
Not necessarily one of my favorites, but, still, a compelling yarn in which the pages turned easily, a sufficient number of twists and turns complicated things, and the end arrived in a gratifying rush....
At this point, I think I've read nearly 20 JLB novels, and I don't expect to stop anytime soon. Indeed, I already have more in my to-read pile (but I almost never read them consecutively... I think I like knowing I've got one in the pile for when I'm looking for a safe/reliable choice). If I continue to ration, I expect I'm still a few (or at least a couple) of years away from catching up to the author on Robicheaux...
Not necessarily one of my favorites, but, still, a compelling yarn in which the pages turned easily, a sufficient number of twists and turns complicated things, and the end arrived in a gratifying rush....
At this point, I think I've read nearly 20 JLB novels, and I don't expect to stop anytime soon. Indeed, I already have more in my to-read pile (but I almost never read them consecutively... I think I like knowing I've got one in the pile for when I'm looking for a safe/reliable choice). If I continue to ration, I expect I'm still a few (or at least a couple) of years away from catching up to the author on Robicheaux...
March 14, 2010
I picked up this book to take on a trip because I liked Burke's "Tin Roof Blowdown" so much. This novel has the same main character, a retired detective living in New Iberia, La.(a real place). The descriptions of the land, the bayous, the bays, and the small towns are so vivid and sensual they could be used as a travel ad for Louisiana.
I like the protagonist, Dave Robicheaux, but I am growing increasingly irritated by characters who act out their creator's male midlife fantasies of virility and youth. From the dates given in the novel, one can deduce that Dave is in his late 60s during this episode. Not only does he give much younger men a good whuppin', but he shows amazing sexual prowess (without Viagra!) and performs physical feats that would send most 50-year-olds to the hospital. This silliness detracts from the action and ultimately ruined the book for me. Maybe it's time to let Dave retire to his shotgun house with his young wife and let the book's lesbian police chief solve the cases.
I like the protagonist, Dave Robicheaux, but I am growing increasingly irritated by characters who act out their creator's male midlife fantasies of virility and youth. From the dates given in the novel, one can deduce that Dave is in his late 60s during this episode. Not only does he give much younger men a good whuppin', but he shows amazing sexual prowess (without Viagra!) and performs physical feats that would send most 50-year-olds to the hospital. This silliness detracts from the action and ultimately ruined the book for me. Maybe it's time to let Dave retire to his shotgun house with his young wife and let the book's lesbian police chief solve the cases.
April 21, 2013
I am always sad when I finish a James Lee Burke."Dave Robicheaux" novel, because it usually means I will have to wait a while for the next one. This is number 14 in the series, and addresses a benchmark moment in Dave's life. For some reason, I have fallen behind in the series, so I have a very pleasurable experience ahead of me-catching up on the books I have missed.
This book has all of the beautifully rendered language we look forward to in J.L.B.'s prose. I found that I frequently stopped to reread a page or a paragraph, in order to savour the richness of the vocabulary and the images conjured up. I envy the individual who has yet to discover Mr. Burke's work, and can plunge into the delightful task of reading the Dave Robicheaux books from the beginning. The world of the bayou-its wildlife, its food and drink, and its inhabitants, all come to life thanks to Burke's talents. You feel the humidity, you know what the landscapes looks like after a downpour, and you can hear the dialogue of all of his characters, in your head-as if you were there in the pickup truck, in a fishing boat, or waiting for a cold beer in a bayou bar.
I have no intention of mentioning the plot. There are too many twists and turns which lead you through the story as if you were a set of dominoes, falling from one situation into another. Dave and his good buddy, Clete, are looking for a woman from Dave's past, and a serial killer targeting young women.
Once again, Mr. Burke has finished the book, leaving me wishing for more. What more could an author want to hear from his or her reader?
This book has all of the beautifully rendered language we look forward to in J.L.B.'s prose. I found that I frequently stopped to reread a page or a paragraph, in order to savour the richness of the vocabulary and the images conjured up. I envy the individual who has yet to discover Mr. Burke's work, and can plunge into the delightful task of reading the Dave Robicheaux books from the beginning. The world of the bayou-its wildlife, its food and drink, and its inhabitants, all come to life thanks to Burke's talents. You feel the humidity, you know what the landscapes looks like after a downpour, and you can hear the dialogue of all of his characters, in your head-as if you were there in the pickup truck, in a fishing boat, or waiting for a cold beer in a bayou bar.
I have no intention of mentioning the plot. There are too many twists and turns which lead you through the story as if you were a set of dominoes, falling from one situation into another. Dave and his good buddy, Clete, are looking for a woman from Dave's past, and a serial killer targeting young women.
Once again, Mr. Burke has finished the book, leaving me wishing for more. What more could an author want to hear from his or her reader?
December 16, 2015
I'd classify this as a "gritty" detective mystery, not sure if there is such a category. Gritty suggests a "noir" type of mystery. My classification is based on the messy life of the Louisiana (recovering) alcoholic police detective, Dave Robicheaux. Although this is the first I've ever read of the Robicheaux mystery series, it's #14 in the series.
The story line is complicated by the fact that Dave is usually involved in violent conflict with several of the suspects.
For me, an interesting part of the character was his Roman Catholic faith and his relationship with it. While not a dominant part of the storyline, it reminded me of the relationship a lot of people have with their church.
Narrator Will Patten (also narrated Thirteen Moons) added a lot to the story in the audiobook, with clever accents and voices.
The story line is complicated by the fact that Dave is usually involved in violent conflict with several of the suspects.
For me, an interesting part of the character was his Roman Catholic faith and his relationship with it. While not a dominant part of the storyline, it reminded me of the relationship a lot of people have with their church.
Narrator Will Patten (also narrated Thirteen Moons) added a lot to the story in the audiobook, with clever accents and voices.
June 6, 2010
To be perfectly honest, or I'll just say "to be honest" - because I don't know how perfect I am at anything, let alone honesty - but anyway - to be fair the truth is I was in bed sick as hell when I read James Lee Burke's Crusader's Cross. And unable to sleep, eat, or breath I read almost the entire book in one night. So it's safe to say my disposition wasn't the greatest. I was a little grumpy to be sure, but I wasn't delusional. Burke can write. He can put some fine words onto the page, although he tends to over explain ideas, under examine key characters, and toss in too much to fatten the plot. I get that he's in the South, I don't need to be reminded by dredging up some Confederate officer's ghost every couple of chapters - especially when it has nothing to do with the story. And there are certain aspects of the plot that just appear to happen, then others he has to agonize over for too long. There's a forced feel to some of it like Burke is trying too hard. And at the same time it's like he didn't really work it out all the way. Like I said I read the book while I was sick. I had other books to read. But I waded through Burke's Louisiana swamps to get to the end.
July 14, 2008
James Lee Burke's character Dave Robicheaux is one of the darker creations of the mystery/detective canon, and that's saying something. This time out, all manner of misfortune, both circumstantial and self-created, befalls Robicheaux. As in any book in this genre, you have some willing-suspension-of-disbelief-challenging plot twists, but this book proves to be as much a meditation on the evil humans are capable of as a police procedural. Burke's almost too-poetic language, particularly on the topic of the south Louisiana environs, as well as his philosophical and ethical digressions, would make it worth it even if the plot didn't go anywhere.
Full-disclosure: I listened to this as an unabridged Audible audiobook whilst driving around New England, so my view of it may be influenced by the excellent reading it was given by Will Patton.
Full-disclosure: I listened to this as an unabridged Audible audiobook whilst driving around New England, so my view of it may be influenced by the excellent reading it was given by Will Patton.
March 15, 2020
JLB is a gift to us all.
March 15, 2019
The plots by now have settled into a fixed formula - Robicheaux gets wind of an ancient crime against a defenseless, forgotten member of the society. It is connected to a wealthy white family heir/ patriarch whose sister/ daughter/ wife is an addict/ nymphomaniac/ abuse victim and obsessed with romancing Robicheaux. There is always a couple of subplots thrown in the mix to keep it interesting. The repetitions has reached a point where if Burke was copying from someone else it would be called plagiarism rather than inspiration. It doesn't bother me but might be a sore point for some readers.
This time the resurrected crime is an underage prostitute Ida Durbin, Robicheaux's brother's ex, going missing just when the brothers had succeeded in getting her out of the life. There is also a serial killer who by the end gets tied into the main story. The only new aspect of the narrative being the antagonist using his social standing and media rather than outright muscle to slander Robicheaux. It is a nice idea used well. Ida Durbin gets better closure than the serial killer plot line which has an adequate resolution that could have been better.
But this far into the series I think most readers will know these books are not really conventional mysteries or thrillers. They are about the life and times of Dave Robicheaux who undertakes a daily struggle to make sense of a world where violence and vileness are the only currency.
Robicheaux has been one of my favorite characters in all of crime fiction because of how flawed he is. His sense of justice results from his propensity to be judgmental. His valor is undoubted but it is always measured in units of violence. His temerity is rivalled by his temper. He remarks how he uses cynicism and humor to diffuse his constant rage but his self awareness doesn't bring any solutions. Though the series has a heavy body count, Burke has been very careful about Robicheaux not having too much blood on his hands. He has not killed anyone for 5-6 books. Here however he has no option but to resort to murder in self defense. It is no coincidence that the book in which he kills another human being after a long time is the one his sobriety takes a hit though it is not necessarily the straw that broke the camel's back. Subtle characterization that is not spelled out. It is stuff like that I love about the character and the writing.
Burke's writing remains the gold standard against which all his contemporaries must be measured. His dialogue was probably a bit better earlier because it feels recycled to a long time reader like me. It still combines archaic salutations like Sir and modern crudity that would make wannabe rappers proud to create its own rhythm. His Louisiana seems like a shadowy reflection of the actual place moored in time in a way that would never make Robicheaux anachronistic.
My only complaints will be that Robicheaux's latest romance is as rushed as his last few with Molly Boyle remaining completely one dimensional. And I personally expected Helen Soileau as the Sheriff to be more accepting of Robicheaux's iconoclastic ways as she was basically mentored by him. Subplots aside the main narrative and protagonist remain as strong as ever in this wonderfully atmosphetic series that deserves to be read by every reader who has anything resembling a passing affection for crime fiction. Rating - 4/5.
This time the resurrected crime is an underage prostitute Ida Durbin, Robicheaux's brother's ex, going missing just when the brothers had succeeded in getting her out of the life. There is also a serial killer who by the end gets tied into the main story. The only new aspect of the narrative being the antagonist using his social standing and media rather than outright muscle to slander Robicheaux. It is a nice idea used well. Ida Durbin gets better closure than the serial killer plot line which has an adequate resolution that could have been better.
But this far into the series I think most readers will know these books are not really conventional mysteries or thrillers. They are about the life and times of Dave Robicheaux who undertakes a daily struggle to make sense of a world where violence and vileness are the only currency.
Robicheaux has been one of my favorite characters in all of crime fiction because of how flawed he is. His sense of justice results from his propensity to be judgmental. His valor is undoubted but it is always measured in units of violence. His temerity is rivalled by his temper. He remarks how he uses cynicism and humor to diffuse his constant rage but his self awareness doesn't bring any solutions. Though the series has a heavy body count, Burke has been very careful about Robicheaux not having too much blood on his hands. He has not killed anyone for 5-6 books. Here however he has no option but to resort to murder in self defense. It is no coincidence that the book in which he kills another human being after a long time is the one his sobriety takes a hit though it is not necessarily the straw that broke the camel's back. Subtle characterization that is not spelled out. It is stuff like that I love about the character and the writing.
Burke's writing remains the gold standard against which all his contemporaries must be measured. His dialogue was probably a bit better earlier because it feels recycled to a long time reader like me. It still combines archaic salutations like Sir and modern crudity that would make wannabe rappers proud to create its own rhythm. His Louisiana seems like a shadowy reflection of the actual place moored in time in a way that would never make Robicheaux anachronistic.
My only complaints will be that Robicheaux's latest romance is as rushed as his last few with Molly Boyle remaining completely one dimensional. And I personally expected Helen Soileau as the Sheriff to be more accepting of Robicheaux's iconoclastic ways as she was basically mentored by him. Subplots aside the main narrative and protagonist remain as strong as ever in this wonderfully atmosphetic series that deserves to be read by every reader who has anything resembling a passing affection for crime fiction. Rating - 4/5.
September 8, 2008
I've been reading James Lee Burke and the Dave Robicheaux series for years and I have to have my Dave "fix" every so often.
I read the earlier books in the series out of order; about two years ago, I went back and started re-reading them in sequence. Whenever I'd go through a period of reading other works that had been disappointing, I'd pull out the next Dave Robicheaux book and know I would enjoy it as much as the first time I'd read it. I caught up earlier this year and started fresh reading with Last Car to Elysian Fields, which I look at as a transitional book. Many of the old familiar and either much loved or much hated characters didn't appear and I missed them. Dave seemed to be rattling around and a little bit lost.
But, James Lee Burke has brought the old Dave back in Crusader's Cross, despite the change his life's circumstances. I savored all 483 pages of this book. Despite the length and what some might consider I lengthy list of characters the plot was a little leaner than the other books in the series. There were enough twists and turns to keep my interest though not so many that I had a difficult time keeping up with what was going on.
In Crusader's Cross a deathbed confession of sorts sends Dave out to find out the fate a woman, Ida Durbin, who briefly was a part of his and his half-brother's life many years earlier. He fears she was murdered and that he and Jimmie may be partially responsible. Helen Soileau, Dave's former partner and now the new sheriff of Iberia Parish, hires him back in his old job as detective - ostensibly to hunt for a serial killer, though he uses the opportunities that arise in his job to track down what happened to Ida.
Burke is a wonderfully descriptive writer and does a superb job of developing his characters. I really like what he is doing with Helen's character, now that she is sheriff. There are some dimensions to her we haven't seen before. Dave's half-brother Jimmie has only played a minor role in earlier books, but has a strong presence in this one. And, it looks as if he may be around a bit more in the future.
If you haven't read James Lee Burke before, I highly recommend you do. The plotting is great, the writing is magic, the characters quickly become your friends or your foes and he always leaves you with something to think about.
I read the earlier books in the series out of order; about two years ago, I went back and started re-reading them in sequence. Whenever I'd go through a period of reading other works that had been disappointing, I'd pull out the next Dave Robicheaux book and know I would enjoy it as much as the first time I'd read it. I caught up earlier this year and started fresh reading with Last Car to Elysian Fields, which I look at as a transitional book. Many of the old familiar and either much loved or much hated characters didn't appear and I missed them. Dave seemed to be rattling around and a little bit lost.
But, James Lee Burke has brought the old Dave back in Crusader's Cross, despite the change his life's circumstances. I savored all 483 pages of this book. Despite the length and what some might consider I lengthy list of characters the plot was a little leaner than the other books in the series. There were enough twists and turns to keep my interest though not so many that I had a difficult time keeping up with what was going on.
In Crusader's Cross a deathbed confession of sorts sends Dave out to find out the fate a woman, Ida Durbin, who briefly was a part of his and his half-brother's life many years earlier. He fears she was murdered and that he and Jimmie may be partially responsible. Helen Soileau, Dave's former partner and now the new sheriff of Iberia Parish, hires him back in his old job as detective - ostensibly to hunt for a serial killer, though he uses the opportunities that arise in his job to track down what happened to Ida.
Burke is a wonderfully descriptive writer and does a superb job of developing his characters. I really like what he is doing with Helen's character, now that she is sheriff. There are some dimensions to her we haven't seen before. Dave's half-brother Jimmie has only played a minor role in earlier books, but has a strong presence in this one. And, it looks as if he may be around a bit more in the future.
If you haven't read James Lee Burke before, I highly recommend you do. The plotting is great, the writing is magic, the characters quickly become your friends or your foes and he always leaves you with something to think about.
October 29, 2023
I love anything written by Mr. Burke, especially his Dave Robicheaux novels! Reminds me of Dirty Harry movies played by Clint Eastwood!
August 29, 2007
I enjoy this series and the characters that inhabit it. Such powerful evocations of the deep and dirty south of the United States are also pretty exciting to read about, I am looking forward to reading his post-Katrina novel, I'm sure it will make me sob.
In this particular story ...........................
Our hero/anti-hero protagonist again chooses to delve into a dark aspect of his past, this time his brother's prostitute girlfriend who went missing many many years ago. It was presumed that she was dead, however a death bed confession catalyses a series of events that suggests otherwise. Dave also hooks up with a nun. Many elements in this series are repetitive - Dave is always relentlessly seeking the truth regardless of the risk or cost to himself or others, there is always corruption, and there is always someone seeking to kill his loved ones. Dave's ongoing and continuous struggle with alcoholism is also omnipresent, however that is a good thing, as that is the nature of alcoholism. This part of the character is never glazed over or glamorised, which I appreciate.
Overall, these are entertaining stories that I will continue to read when I see them on the library shelves.
In this particular story ...........................
Our hero/anti-hero protagonist again chooses to delve into a dark aspect of his past, this time his brother's prostitute girlfriend who went missing many many years ago. It was presumed that she was dead, however a death bed confession catalyses a series of events that suggests otherwise. Dave also hooks up with a nun. Many elements in this series are repetitive - Dave is always relentlessly seeking the truth regardless of the risk or cost to himself or others, there is always corruption, and there is always someone seeking to kill his loved ones. Dave's ongoing and continuous struggle with alcoholism is also omnipresent, however that is a good thing, as that is the nature of alcoholism. This part of the character is never glazed over or glamorised, which I appreciate.
Overall, these are entertaining stories that I will continue to read when I see them on the library shelves.
April 20, 2018
I am constantly amazed that Dave and his sidekick, Clete Purcel are still alive after tangling with mobsters, crooked politicians, and corrupt cops in one novel after another. You would think that their luck would run out, but I’m grateful that James Lee Burke manages to pull them out of danger to write another novel for them. Crusader’s Cross has even more than the usual excitement with a serial killer, a rescue from sharks, Dave’s wife #4 (his wives and girlfriends don’t last long � evidently they don’t share the same luck that Dave & Clete have), a missing woman and of course, the New Orleans underworld.
January 9, 2015
Another knock it out of the park for Dave Robicheaux (aka James Lee Burke).
(When I think of Burke I don't think of Tommy Lee Jones, I think of James Lee Burke.)
Dave never goes looking for trouble, nah, trouble seems to find him and finds him in triplicates plus.
This tale is #14 in the series which I'm reading in order and yes, it's a great one, of course. Been about a year since my last in the series, so I was way overdue for me Dave fix!
(When I think of Burke I don't think of Tommy Lee Jones, I think of James Lee Burke.)
Dave never goes looking for trouble, nah, trouble seems to find him and finds him in triplicates plus.
This tale is #14 in the series which I'm reading in order and yes, it's a great one, of course. Been about a year since my last in the series, so I was way overdue for me Dave fix!
September 10, 2024
Reading James Lee Burke is like walking through a portal into a beautiful world with a dark underbelly. The best descriptive author out there.
August 24, 2009
Crusader’s Cross is another Dave Robichaux novel, the one before Tin Roof Blowdown, I believe. It’s only the second of the series I’ve read, but delightful still. The novel focuses on two cases: the 30-year-old disappearance of Dave’s brother’s hooker girlfriend and a series of murders occurring in and around New Orleans. The book has lots of good twists and turns, with Robichaux’s alcoholism and his Vietnam-haunted past coloring events. Will Patton does a fine job with the narration, rendering excellent mix of voices for the different characters. I particularly like the voice for Clete.
Some other thoughts:
* Burke’s rendering of Louisiana crime has a realistic feel to it, like Carl Hiaasen’s depiction of Florida corruption. It’s a skanky world in Burke’s books.
* As in the other book I read, Burke uses lots of great analogies as he describes the world, mixing personal observations with taut physical descriptions and evocative characters.
* This book does a lot to help show how war defines a person’s experience for the rest of their lives. There’s a moment when Dave thinks he sees something but turns out to be mistaken. He describes the worry as being like when you see a guy in the elephant grass, but then he isn’t there.
* One of the subtexts of this book is the Nancy Grace-style expose reporting and the harm it does to people. The reporter is one of the key suspects in the book and thus we sure want him to get his comeuppance. I can’t help but reflect on the fact that the little people steamrolled by big media in day-to-day affairs rarely get the vengeance this book offers Dave. (Nor the vengeance wrought in a recent episode of Leverage against a similar character.)
Unlike Tin Roof Blowdown, which has a fairly self-explanatory name in its depiction of a crime that occurred during Katrina, Crusader’s Cross comes to the plot a bit more obliquely. [spoiler perhaps:] I see a couple readings. First, Dave refuses to give up investigating Ida’s death. This causes many of the troubles from the book, and is suggests a kind of foolish quest. Second, at one point Dave ponders how people doing things they thought were good often brought terrible problems down on their heads. Crusaders brought robes and gold home, but also plague-infested rats. You could also point to a third interpretation, that the patriarch of the villainous family was an honorable criminal, and thus he was like a crusader (killing people and yet “noble�). And because he bore the consequences of his actions, it was his cross to bear? Oh hell, I don’t know.
Some other thoughts:
* Burke’s rendering of Louisiana crime has a realistic feel to it, like Carl Hiaasen’s depiction of Florida corruption. It’s a skanky world in Burke’s books.
* As in the other book I read, Burke uses lots of great analogies as he describes the world, mixing personal observations with taut physical descriptions and evocative characters.
* This book does a lot to help show how war defines a person’s experience for the rest of their lives. There’s a moment when Dave thinks he sees something but turns out to be mistaken. He describes the worry as being like when you see a guy in the elephant grass, but then he isn’t there.
* One of the subtexts of this book is the Nancy Grace-style expose reporting and the harm it does to people. The reporter is one of the key suspects in the book and thus we sure want him to get his comeuppance. I can’t help but reflect on the fact that the little people steamrolled by big media in day-to-day affairs rarely get the vengeance this book offers Dave. (Nor the vengeance wrought in a recent episode of Leverage against a similar character.)
Unlike Tin Roof Blowdown, which has a fairly self-explanatory name in its depiction of a crime that occurred during Katrina, Crusader’s Cross comes to the plot a bit more obliquely. [spoiler perhaps:] I see a couple readings. First, Dave refuses to give up investigating Ida’s death. This causes many of the troubles from the book, and is suggests a kind of foolish quest. Second, at one point Dave ponders how people doing things they thought were good often brought terrible problems down on their heads. Crusaders brought robes and gold home, but also plague-infested rats. You could also point to a third interpretation, that the patriarch of the villainous family was an honorable criminal, and thus he was like a crusader (killing people and yet “noble�). And because he bore the consequences of his actions, it was his cross to bear? Oh hell, I don’t know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2020
This author writes setting so wonderfully it heightens all my senses. And while I usually dislike time leaps, this one was seamless. Welcome to Louisiana. .. in a big way. And Dave Robicheaux is a guy you can't help but like just because of who he is . . . his morals. . . his flaws. . . and who can hate a guy who loves a nun? Wonderful plotting, delivered in primo pieces to keep me wondering. Didn't want to read this too fast. . . never want to read his stories too fast. I love staying lost in these worlds of James Lee Burke.
February 16, 2014
This is my first time reading this series and I think I should have picked an earlier one in the series. I did enjoy the writing and the descriptions of the area but I felt a bit lost with some of the characters and the plot did seem to meander a lot and then all tidied up a bit too quickly at the end. I will go back and find the start of the series and give it another go because i think I would enjoy it a lot more.
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November 17, 2017I'm not rating this book, because I got it by mistake. I'm sure I intended to get a medieval historical fiction, but pressed the wrong button. This book is a modern crime noire and, for its genre, seems well-written. I do read the occasional mystery (usually historical) and frequently guess the murderer quickly, but this one surprised me.
July 26, 2019
finished this one yesterday the 25th of july 2019 three stars i liked it kindle interesting reading robicheaux after reacher robicheaux has a bunch of warts and reacher sits at the right hand of walla walla bing bang regrets little so forth so on robicheaux carries the sins of the fathers and makes them his own and fights to keep them.
May 26, 2017
Best Dave R. To date. Almost a five,but ending left me wanting more to the reasons of the serial killer. Usual excellent writing one expects from Burke.
December 17, 2024
What a great story teller! What a great detective mystery!
March 21, 2009
In the fourteenth Dave Robicheaux novel, a face from the past that has haunted Dave since he was 20 re-emerges. Dave and his brother Jimmie had long since thought Ida Durbin was dead. But when some odd events start occurring, Ida's death becomes more and more suspect, and all signs lead back to the wealthy Chalons family.
Meanwhile, someone is on the loose killing women in Baton Rouge. The Baton Rouge serial killer hits close to home when he kills a young woman Dave interviewed and then dumps one of his victims in New Iberia Perish.
Dave, Clete, Helen, and Molly, Dave's new love interest, all find themselves wrapped up in murder and mayhem as Dave tries to unravel all the mysteries.
Once again, James Lee Burke has created a poetic masterpiece. While Crusader's Cross probably doesn't rank among my favorite Robicheaux novels, it's still among the elite in the world of crime fiction. Burke is known for his exquisite setting development and how accurately it reflects the Louisiana Bayou. His development also mimics the slow, easy pace of the Deep South. Crusader's Cross stays true to this form.
Valentine Chalons is a repulsive antagonist coming from an extremely dysfunctional, wealthy, southern family. Lou Cale/Coin is equally repulsive. Yet, I still feel sorry for them when Dave "loses it" and sinks to their levels. Dave Robicheaux is one of the most unique characters in crime fiction in the sense that you don't always cheer him on. He has such realistic human qualities, and those qualities include a side that isn't always lovable or endearing. Robicheaux is constantly battling evil and sometimes that evil just drags him right down with it. Helen does her best to keep Dave out of the slime, but sometimes even that isn't enough. In Crusader's Cross, Helen gives Dave his shield back only to have to park him on desk duty almost immediately afterward.
Clete is Clete. There is no comparison to Clete, a walking contradiction. He's as devoted a friend as any fictional character will find, but as usual the lengths he'll go to prove that devotion are often frightening.
Dave is on wife number four with Molly. I worry for her safety. His previous wives haven't had such a good go of things! But, Molly fits Dave's type. She's a rebel; she's down-to-earth; and she's a scrapper.
The dynamics of the characters as well as the relationships between them is pure gold and pure Burke.
I listened to this book on audio, and I'm afraid it's going to be my last Dave Robicheaux audio book. Will Patton was the reader, and while I truly enjoy Patton's work in films, I did not enjoy his reading of Dave Robicheaux. I know the major factor is because I've mentally established Mark Hammer's voice as Dave Robicheaux's voice. However, I do have some particular details in addition to my preference for Hammer. Patton was very dramatic, and this novel is told from the perspective of Robicheaux who would never, in my interpretation, be dramatic. And he certainly wouldn't have a breathlessly dramatic sound. Even though Burke's descriptions are often breath-taking for the reader, it's common place for Dave; he lives in it every day. In addition, the man who corrects his adopted daughter on her speech would not say "da" in place of "the" or use a hard "t" sound on a th consonant blend.
As with all Dave Robicheaux novels, there were many French-derived names present. Patton didn't seem to pronounce them as fluidly as Hammer always did. The accents, the stresses, the pronunciations just flowed in Hammer's readings and Patton has a more jerky style when he stresses certain syllables in those French pronunciations. It sounds almost like he's having difficulty pronouncing them.
Then there's the role of Clete Purcell. Never in a million years would I have imagined Clete to sound the way Patton read his role. There simply are not words. However, I do believe he missed a significant amount of the sarcasm that is essential to Clete's character. I didn't laugh anywhere near as much with Clete as when I've read a book myself or listened to Hammer's reading.
I know that it isn't fair to compare the two readers; each is his own person with his own style. And I've heard many people who loved Patton's reading. But I've created an image of Robicheaux in my mind, my imagination, and Hammer nailed that image (pun intended - ha!). This reading simply didn't measure up to the perfection of Hammer as Robicheaux.
Meanwhile, someone is on the loose killing women in Baton Rouge. The Baton Rouge serial killer hits close to home when he kills a young woman Dave interviewed and then dumps one of his victims in New Iberia Perish.
Dave, Clete, Helen, and Molly, Dave's new love interest, all find themselves wrapped up in murder and mayhem as Dave tries to unravel all the mysteries.
Once again, James Lee Burke has created a poetic masterpiece. While Crusader's Cross probably doesn't rank among my favorite Robicheaux novels, it's still among the elite in the world of crime fiction. Burke is known for his exquisite setting development and how accurately it reflects the Louisiana Bayou. His development also mimics the slow, easy pace of the Deep South. Crusader's Cross stays true to this form.
Valentine Chalons is a repulsive antagonist coming from an extremely dysfunctional, wealthy, southern family. Lou Cale/Coin is equally repulsive. Yet, I still feel sorry for them when Dave "loses it" and sinks to their levels. Dave Robicheaux is one of the most unique characters in crime fiction in the sense that you don't always cheer him on. He has such realistic human qualities, and those qualities include a side that isn't always lovable or endearing. Robicheaux is constantly battling evil and sometimes that evil just drags him right down with it. Helen does her best to keep Dave out of the slime, but sometimes even that isn't enough. In Crusader's Cross, Helen gives Dave his shield back only to have to park him on desk duty almost immediately afterward.
Clete is Clete. There is no comparison to Clete, a walking contradiction. He's as devoted a friend as any fictional character will find, but as usual the lengths he'll go to prove that devotion are often frightening.
Dave is on wife number four with Molly. I worry for her safety. His previous wives haven't had such a good go of things! But, Molly fits Dave's type. She's a rebel; she's down-to-earth; and she's a scrapper.
The dynamics of the characters as well as the relationships between them is pure gold and pure Burke.
I listened to this book on audio, and I'm afraid it's going to be my last Dave Robicheaux audio book. Will Patton was the reader, and while I truly enjoy Patton's work in films, I did not enjoy his reading of Dave Robicheaux. I know the major factor is because I've mentally established Mark Hammer's voice as Dave Robicheaux's voice. However, I do have some particular details in addition to my preference for Hammer. Patton was very dramatic, and this novel is told from the perspective of Robicheaux who would never, in my interpretation, be dramatic. And he certainly wouldn't have a breathlessly dramatic sound. Even though Burke's descriptions are often breath-taking for the reader, it's common place for Dave; he lives in it every day. In addition, the man who corrects his adopted daughter on her speech would not say "da" in place of "the" or use a hard "t" sound on a th consonant blend.
As with all Dave Robicheaux novels, there were many French-derived names present. Patton didn't seem to pronounce them as fluidly as Hammer always did. The accents, the stresses, the pronunciations just flowed in Hammer's readings and Patton has a more jerky style when he stresses certain syllables in those French pronunciations. It sounds almost like he's having difficulty pronouncing them.
Then there's the role of Clete Purcell. Never in a million years would I have imagined Clete to sound the way Patton read his role. There simply are not words. However, I do believe he missed a significant amount of the sarcasm that is essential to Clete's character. I didn't laugh anywhere near as much with Clete as when I've read a book myself or listened to Hammer's reading.
I know that it isn't fair to compare the two readers; each is his own person with his own style. And I've heard many people who loved Patton's reading. But I've created an image of Robicheaux in my mind, my imagination, and Hammer nailed that image (pun intended - ha!). This reading simply didn't measure up to the perfection of Hammer as Robicheaux.
June 30, 2013
Reading Burke's Dave Robicheaux novels is like eating a plate of beignets with a healthy dusting of powdered sugar and a side of chicory coffee ... that is, they taste great going down but don't exactly stay with you very long and, moreover, have dubious nutritional value. This installment is classic Burke/Robicheaux - thick, sometimes beautiful description that evokes a world foreign to all but those who are intimately familiar with SW LA. He is a master at evoking smells, atmosphere, and the heavy weight of the past that lies across his characters and their lives. And the action does not disappoint. Dave does a slow burn through the novel, as atrocities mount and his twin motivations of confusion and suspicion twirl together. The climax, set during a hurricane (but not Katrina), is almost cathartic, as Dave employs the old ultraviolence to rescue his beloved. All well and good, then. Anyone who enjoys crime thrillers in which the bad guys are 'really' bad, the crimes are horrific, and the hero is a tortured, quasi-vigilante who does what is 'right' (if not what is legal), will be well advised to pick up this book (or, better yet, start at the beginning and read 'em all). Lest that sound like faint praise, I freely confess that at times that reader is certainly me.
But not at all times. Dave's world is truly sick, populated as it is by mobsters, pimps, prostitutes, rapists, serial killers, and smug-and-perverted plutocrats. I really can't dwell in that world too often, regardless of how adept Burke is at describing the beauty and culture that surrounds the violence and perversions.
My other complaint is that after a few Robicheaux novels it grows hard to tell them apart. A few are definitely iconic, especially the early ones in which Alafair and Bootsy come into the picture (I imagine the entry set after Katrina - which I have not yet read - would also be instantly memorable). But the middle range of the series grows pretty interchangeable, at least in my view. A sign of this? I can never remember which I've read and which I haven't. I know I read most of the series through volume 8, but after that I have trouble telling from the jacket descriptions and from online summaries whether I've read it or not. Undoubtedly that says something about me. But it also says something about the formulaic nature of the series. I really can't remember which psycho/rapist/murderer is connected to which arrogant, monied, perverted plutocrat - each story has its share of each.
So I'm left with beignets. When I want 'em, I really, really want 'em. When I want Robicheaux, and his violent response to a violent world, nothing else will suffice. But, like Beignets, I can do without most of the time, and there's not much to differentiate one plate of 'em from another.
But not at all times. Dave's world is truly sick, populated as it is by mobsters, pimps, prostitutes, rapists, serial killers, and smug-and-perverted plutocrats. I really can't dwell in that world too often, regardless of how adept Burke is at describing the beauty and culture that surrounds the violence and perversions.
My other complaint is that after a few Robicheaux novels it grows hard to tell them apart. A few are definitely iconic, especially the early ones in which Alafair and Bootsy come into the picture (I imagine the entry set after Katrina - which I have not yet read - would also be instantly memorable). But the middle range of the series grows pretty interchangeable, at least in my view. A sign of this? I can never remember which I've read and which I haven't. I know I read most of the series through volume 8, but after that I have trouble telling from the jacket descriptions and from online summaries whether I've read it or not. Undoubtedly that says something about me. But it also says something about the formulaic nature of the series. I really can't remember which psycho/rapist/murderer is connected to which arrogant, monied, perverted plutocrat - each story has its share of each.
So I'm left with beignets. When I want 'em, I really, really want 'em. When I want Robicheaux, and his violent response to a violent world, nothing else will suffice. But, like Beignets, I can do without most of the time, and there's not much to differentiate one plate of 'em from another.
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