Clete

 Clete is the 18^th James Lee Burke novel that we’ve reviewed in the blog, and it’s the 24^th book in this series. This is a story about Dave Robicheaux’s best buddy, Clete Purcell. Clete was introduced in Burke’s third novel in this series, Black Cherry Blues, which I reviewed in 2015. Burke won an Edgar Award for that book and I raved about it. Over the course of these novels, while Dave was able to get sober and stay sober, Clete has remained a severe and active alcoholic who occasionally attains brief periods of sobriety. Despite Clete’s frequent relapses, they have remained the best of friends although they are constantly questioning one another’s decisions about their private investigator cases.

In this novel, Clete is fascinated by repeated apparitions of Joan of Arc who he thinks has essentially become his guardian angel while he pursues a nasty fentanyl drug cartel. Those apparitions seem to be obvious aspects of Clete’s hopes and fears. However, it’s not always clear which figures are apparitions and which are alcoholic hallucinations. Clete finds himself infatuated with the very beautiful Clara Bow, the former wife of the main evil guy in the cartel. (In real life, Bow was a movie star from the 1920’s, and she is a person about whom Taylor Swift has been writing lyrics.) There are lots of brutal scenes and much brutal talk throughout the book.

 

As usual, Burke’s descriptive writing is better than nearly any other author that I’ve reviewed in this genre. However, as Burke has grown older and this series has matured, he has begun writing about the spirit world and the supernatural, a theme that does not really interest me.

The Tin Roof Blowdown

The Tin Roof Blowdown is a 2007 novel by James Lee Burke. I learned of this particular Burke novel after reading a more recent book by Ken Bruen, one of my favorite mystery/thriller writers. The book takes place in New Orleans during and just after the hurricane Katrina in 2005. I had forgotten that less than a month later, a second powerful hurricane, Rita, struck some of the same land that had already been devastated by Katrina. 

Burke is always dependable for a good plot and great characters that will evoke strong feelings in the reader, but it is his prose that attracts me to his novels, and he is better a better writer in that regard than most authors in this genre. Once again, Dave Robicheaux was his protagonist. Much of the plot centered around Dave’s relationship with his best friend, Clete Purcel, a PI with a very checkered history who continued to consume alcohol in epic amounts. Otis Baylor and his wife were only a couple of the people that we complicating Dave’s investigation into the murders. 

Burke wrote about the power of the storms, as well as the lack of preparedness for a storm of that enormity despite the fact that everyone knew their protections were inadequate. For decades, funds that were intended to update the levy system were syphoned off to other things. The author wrote poetically about the loss of life, especially in the lowest land in the Ninth Ward. That’s where two murders took place in the immediate aftermath of Katrina when the Ninth Ward, almost entirely composed of Black poverty-stricken citizens, was left without any evidence of police. Looters were allowed to run riot. Drowned bodies were floating everywhere. 

This is one of Burke’s best efforts, and it gets my 5-star rating. There’s a new book coming out this month (6/24) entitled “Clete” and I’m putting that one on my list of must reads – I’ve already placed an order through Libby.

1554. Jolie Blon's Bounce by James Lee Burke

Jolie Blon’s Bounce is James Lee Burke’s 12^th novel, this one being part of the Dave Robicheaux series. The title is a reference to a song which Burke explains is sometimes thought of as the Creole national anthem. Robicheaux is a police detective in rural southern Louisiana, and he’ a sober alcoholic who has yet to successfully deal with his own inner demeans. This book is coarse, highly sexual, misogynistic, depictive of ugly racism, brutal, and widely abusive, sexually, verbally, and physically.  It’s Burke’s beautiful use of language that so well captures the dark side of life that he writes about. His descriptions of the countryside of southern Louisiana is wonderful, and he uses those same skills in his character development of such highly troubled humans. I listened to this in audiobook format and the book was enriched by the variety of Louisiana accents that were read by Will Patton. Also, an original version of the title song was used to close Burke’s own opening comments. Despite the dark material, this book gets my very favorable recommendation.

Every Cloak Rolled in Blood by James Lee Burke

I first became aware of James Lee Burke when I was looking for a new novel in a bookstore at Heathrow Airport. I was looking in the mystery and crime section when a women asked me if I had read James Lee Burke. She recommended one of his books which might have been The Electric Mist, and I was hooked. Such beautiful prose considering it’s in the mystery/thriller genre. His protagonist, Dave Robicheaux was a most compelling character. I read several more of his books, but it’s been a while since I’ve picked up another. 

 

Burke is now 85 years old and still writing. Apparently, Every Cloak Rolled in Blood which he just published in 2022 is his most autobiographical novel. He was apparently a solider in Vietnam and left that arena with some guilt about what occurred there. Also, he lost one of his daughters recently and this book would seem to be in part about his mourning process, about which he writes with great style and painful emotion. However, he then ventured off into the supernatural which I don’t enjoy. It was hard to follow his thoughts through that process, and having read about the 55% of the novel, I abandoned it. I just wasn’t interested in the characters or the plot. I’m disappointed in the book, and it doesn’t get my recommendation. On the other hand, if you’re fan of the supernatural genre, then this one is for you.

Another Kind of Eden

James Lee Burke is a prolific author, having written 41 books since 1965. We’ve reviewed 12 of them, mostly in the Robicheaux series. He also has written 12 more in The Holland Novels, as well as some other fiction novels. The quality of his writing has always been wonderful, and he clearly is more literate and thoughtful that most authors in this genre. This being the 13^th novel that I’ve read by Burke, you know I love him. It was many years ago when I was looking for a new author and was browsing through the mystery/thriller section at Heathrow Airport, that a woman suggested I give Burke a try – a wonderful recommendation.

 

Another Kind of Eden is the first one I’ve read in The Holland Novels, and it is his most recent novel. The protagonist is Aaron Holland Broussard, and the next important character is Joanne McDuffy. Broussard has been diagnosed with a dissociative disorder, specifically, multiple personality disorder. He’s in his mid 20’s, knows he had dissociative episodes and worries that he could do great harm to others and know nothing about it. He’s a vagabond, but obviously bright and talented. McDuffy is a beautiful woman, probably in the range of 17-19, and by the time she meets Broussard in a small western town, she has already had lots of relationships, sometimes with some highly questionable characters. Broussard falls in love with her. She’s trying to make her way as an artist, but she’s encountered an art teacher, Henri Devos, who is a sociopath. Broussard does not understand what she sees in him, but they are clearly competing with each other to win her over.

 

Burke introduces a number of characters to fill out the story. Broussard has found work on a ranch, and his ranch hands become part of the story, as does the ranch owner, Jude Lowry and his wife. It’s Lowry’s ranch competitors who are key antagonists, like Mr. Vickers and his son, Darrel, both of whom are evil and violent people. I enjoyed this novel until near the end when Burke seemed to introduce elements of mysticism. It was hard to tell because of the issue of Broussard’s multiple personality, his confusion of dreams and reality, and what may have been periods of flagrant psychosis. There was ample mayhem among the characters. This was not an uplifting story in any sense and did not end with any sort of clarity. It’s the first time I recall reading one of Burke’s novel and not having felt I could recommend it to my friends.

Robicheaux by James Lee Burke

The author takes a deep dive into the soul of his favorite character, Dave Robicheaux in his latest novel simply titled Robicheaux.  A detective in small town Louisiana, Robicheaux is grieving the loss of his recently murdered wife while fighting the alcoholism that threatens to destroy him.  During one night of regression, a man is murdered and the next day Dave is assigned to investigate the death.  Evidence points to his own involvement in the crime but he had blacked out and can’t remember why he was even present at the scene.  Fortunately, his boss believes in him and reassigns the case.  But Dave can’t let go and his unofficial investigation leads him to an unusual and eclectic collection of characters and motivations.

I’ve read several James Lee Burke novels but found this one particularly hard to follow… too many characters and subplots to fully develop.  It took me many sittings to finish... just didn't hold my interest.    

Black Cherry Blues

Having read most of Burke’s stories, I found this early one, his 3^rd of 20 novels in the Dave Robicheaux series, Black Cherry Blues. Dave is trying to raise his adopted daughter, 6-year-old Alafair, and recover from the nightmares about the brutal murder of his wife. But he runs into some trouble when he runs into an old friend, his college roommate, Dixie Lee Pugh. Dixie was a rock and roller, who had been talented, but fell on rough times, most of that having been driven by his own alcoholism and drug abuse. Dave, a former cop, was also an alcoholic, but one who had found AA and long-term sobriety. Dixie has aligned himself with some bad people, notably Sally Dio, who is connected to the mob and is doing some land deals in Montana that don’t’ make sense to Dave.

I won’t review the plot except to say that Dave is always the stubborn yet honorable guy even though his life and Alafair’s are both threatened by the bad guys. I don’t think this is Burke’s best work, but it is still better than most crime novels. Burke’s prose is always the real treat. His descriptions are unusual, fluid, and beautiful, whether he is writing about his cast of characters, or the landscape in Louisiana and Montana. He is firmly placed in my power rotation of authors.

Wayfaring Stranger by James Lee Burke

Wayfaring Stranger is James Lee Burke’s 33^rd novel, all of which have been written between 1965 and 2014, and we at MRB have reviewed most of them. This one is not from the Dave Robicheaux series, nor one of his other series. It’s a freestanding novel, and at 77 years old, Burke says it is the most autobiographical novel that he has written. He also writes that it is his best book ever, which is one hell of a claim considering the quality of his work. I’ve loved so many of his other works, but maybe he’s right about that.

The books begins in 1934 when Weldon Holland, as a child, has an encounter with Bonnie and Clyde. The story follows Weldon through grisly battles in World War II and into the death camps as the Germans were fleeing, and it was there that he discovered the woman who would become his wife. Burke follows these two heroic characters through their lives back in Texas where Weldon and his Army buddy get into the pipeline business. This is a crime novel, but not the sort that Burke has usually written. He writes of anti-Semitic Texas oil barons and the characters that surround them. It’s a love story and a family story. It is historical fiction. Burke’s writing style, character development, subplots, and dialogue is as good as anyone. This is the masterwork of a master storyteller. My advice, buy this one.


Click here to buy Wayfaring Stranger on Amazon

Light of the World by James Lee Burke

Light of the World is the 20^th Dave Robicheaux by James Lee Burke, and in this one, Burke brings in his usual cast including Dave’s old PI partner from New Orleans, Clete Purcel, Clete’s daughter Gretchen Horowitz (the recently retired Mafia hit woman), Dave’s adopted daughter Alafair, and Dave’s wife, Molly. The arch enemy is the remarkably vile Asa Surrette who commits the worst possible offenses against his victims. As always, Burke’s character development is incredible, moving at the right pace, providing the right amount of information. His plot is as suspenseful as any that we at MRB ever read. In this case, the ending scene is epic and so satisfying that it caused me to sit up and laugh aloud. But, make no mistake, the content of this story is very dark.

In addition to his good characters and good plot, the real reason to read Burke is for the quality of his prose and the bits of wisdom that he sprinkles throughout the book, usually spoken by Dave. Such as:

I believe that the account of the apple taken from the forbidden tree is a metaphorical warning about looking too deeply into the darker potential of the human soul.

Hitler, Nero, Ted Bundy, The bitch of Buchenwald? Their deeds are not ours. But if these individuals are not like us, if they do not descend from the same gene pool and have the same DNA, then who were they and what turned them into monsters?

The motivations of a psychopath are almost irrelevant to an investigation. Psychoanalytical speculation about a moral imbecile makes for great entertainment, but it doesn’t put a net over anyone, and you do yourself no favor by trying to place yourself inside his head. The methodology of the psychopath is a different issue, one that frequently proves to be his undoing. In all probability, the perpetrator’s pattern will repeat itself, primarily because he’s a narcissist and thinks his method, if it has worked once, is fail-safe; second, the psychopath is not interested in the hunt but, rather, in assaulting and murdering his pretty, unlike a professional thief, who is usually a pragmatist and considers theft an occupation and not a personal attack upon his victim.

I agree with George Bernard Shaw’s statement that we learn little or nothing from rational people, because rational people adapt themselves to the world and, consequently, are seldom visionary.

I read pretty quickly, but I slow down for Burke in order to savor the quality of his writing. I’ve already acquired his next book.

A Morning for Flamingos by James Lee Burke

Can't remember where I first came across word of this title. How ever I came across it, I was under the impression it was a new or recent release. Not having read Burke in a while, I ordered it from the library. Early in the book I see that Dave Robicheaux's adopted daughter Alafair is in the 2nd grade.  That was my first clue. Looked at the copyright page to find 2012. Strange. But that was for a re-release of a mass-market paperback. The original copyright is 1990. Now time timing fits.

This is Dave in his cop days in New Iberia, Louisiana. He and his partner are escorting two prisoners to Angola state pen, both slated for death row. Jimmy Lee Boggs is a good for nothing career scum convicted of murder. Tee Beau Latiolais is small potatoes by comparison, but was convicted also for murder. Jimmy Lee is complaining of GI cramps until Dave pulls over at an out of the way gas station. Jimmy Lee comes out of the can with a gun severely wounding Dave, kills his partner, and runs off with Tee Beau in the stolen car.

Dave isn't recovering well and being on medical leave isn't helping. He is pretty sure that Tee Beau is being railroaded, but if closure is what he needs, Dave needs to plant Jimmy Lee in the ground. A old New Orleans cop friend now works for the DEA and offers Dave a little off the books undercover work to nail Tony Cardo, head of the local mob in New Orleans.

Dave manages to get a meeting with Tony. Turns out both are still carrying demons from their time in Vietnam. This bond gets Dave closer into Tony's world. Even ends up accepting Tony's offer of a room at his home he shares with his wheelchair-bound son and nearly out the door wife (and various security guys).

Dave works a couple of drug buys, crosses paths with his high school girlfriend, hooks up again with Cletus, his former partner, becomes close with Tony's boy, gets caught in a double cross on a huge drug buy, and learns that Jimmy Lee has the contract to kill Tony and Dave.

While Tony has dozens of his own demons and is crying out for help, Dave develops probably the most undesired trait of an undercover cop - he starts to care about the guy he is charged with bringing down. His conflicted feelings about Tony, his old flame, and Tony's son are in direct opposition to the squeeze he is getting from the DEA.

Burke presents compelling crime fiction, but this is about Dave trying to resolve dozens of conflicting emotions about Vietnam, Jimmy Lee, Tee Beau, his old girlfriend, and mostly Tony and son. The actual crimes are secondary. And perhaps that is one of the reasons why Burke has such a high regard amongst current crime writers.  Much like the best sports movies are not about the sport, Burke presents stories more about the people and less about the crime. I can't believe it's been Dec. 2011 since I last read a book by Burke. I will not let that much time pass before returning.

East Coast Don

Creole Belle

At age 75, James Lee Burke has only gotten better. As a two-time winner of the Edgar Award and a Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America, he has produced the 19^th novel in the Dave Robicheaux series which may be the best yet. There are times when his prose is poetic, and he frequently uses his characters and the conflicts he puts them in to sprinkle in bits of his own wisdom about life. On the one hand, I find myself going slowly, savoring the writing, not just rushing through to follow the story line to its conclusion. But on the other hand, after letting his particular people and their dilemmas come into rich form, I could not put the book down for the last 150 pages. Burke captures not only the great beauty in life and relationships, but he also writes about dark ugly crevices of human existence, and it is the tension that he creates between those two extremes which holds me spellbound.

As much as this series of books is about Dave, this story was also about Dave’s longtime partner and running mate, Clete Purcel. The story was about family and friendships and how far they can be pushed and tested. Dave is an alcoholic who has been sober for many years, but Clete is still abusing himself with multiple substances in significant quantities. But Clete is the man who Dave has trusted and will trust with his life, the man he trusts more than any other. The story begins with Dave in the hospital where he is recovering from the gunshot wounds from his last battles with the bad guys. Clete was also wounded, but not nearly as badly as Dave. It’s dangerous for an addict to be treated with morphine for pain, but Dave’s injuries left him little choice. Was it a morphine-induced hallucination when Tee Jolie Melton, the Creole Belle, appeared at Dave’s hospital bedside and told him about her encounters with some bad men in the oil business which happened to be the primary source of income for the State of Louisiana? How could it have been a hallucination when she left him an iPod to listen to in his hospital bed? It was not a hallucination when Tee Jolie’s little sister Blue was found in a block of ice. Still in recovery from his injuries and still using morphine, Dave was hardly in any condition to figure out the difference between reality and his imagination.

Through Dave’s recovery, we learn that his adopted daughter Alafair graduated from Stanford Law School, but rather than follow a promising career with the Justice Department, she had returned to Louisiana to write novels. Clete has spawned a daughter with a woman who was a hopeless heroin and cocaine addict, a prostitute. Rather than the love and support that Alafair grew up with, Gretchen Horowitz was sexually abused from an early age, sold by her mother to bad men for her next fix. Could Gretchen be the woman known to the underworld as Caruso, an assassin who had several well-known hits in her resume? For the really evil side of the story, we get to the Dupree and Leboeuf families. The patriarch of the Dupree is Alexis, a nearly 90-year man who survived the Nazi death camp at Ravensbruck. But, why did he survive in a camp that was only for women? The granddaughter of Alexis is Varina Leboeuf Dupree, a brilliant and beautiful manipulator of men who has a history with both Dave and Clete.

Alafair and Gretchen become intrigued with each other, and that pulls them both into further danger which tests the extent of their fathers’ relationship with each other. That’s enough of the plot. There were lots of other characters and supporting subplots, all written to support the main storyline. This book gets my highest and strongest recommendation.

An example of the quality of Burke’s writing and his insight to one of the dark sides of life: “Every alcoholic knows what every other alcoholic is thinking. There is only one alcoholic personality. There are many manifestations of the disease, but the essential elements remain the same in every practicing drunk, CEO, hallelujah-mission wino, Catholic nun, ten-dollar street whore, academic scholar, world boxing champion, or three-hundred-pound blob, the mind-set never varies. It is for this reason that practicing alcoholics wish to avoid the company of drunks who have sobered up, and sometimes even get them fired from their jobs lest there be anyone in proximity who can hear their most secret thoughts.”