New Orleans Mourning (1990)

[b:New Orleans Mourning|170341|New Orleans Mourning (Skip Langdon Novels (Paperback))|Julie Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172376934s/170341.jpg|3193389] is one of the relatively rare Edgar Best Novel winners that I had already read, shortly after its publication. I've gone on to read all Smith's New Orleans books; for some reason, I didn't get into her earlier San Francisco-based series.

Rereading the first book in a long-running series is a bit like reconnecting with an old friend, but it's also a bit like time travel. In this first book, Skip Langdon, Smith's protagonist, is still feeling her way as a police officer and as an adult woman. She has a lot of unresolved issues and so do most of the other major characters in the book -- and some very similar issues, at that. Mention is made that Skip has been reading Tennessee Williams, and Williams's theme of dysfunctional Southern families is on nearly every page of [b:New Orleans Mourning|170341|New Orleans Mourning (Skip Langdon Novels (Paperback))|Julie Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172376934s/170341.jpg|3193389].

Skip, who has only recently realized that a cop is what she wants to be when she grows up, is still a uniformed beat cop, detailed to crowd control at the big Mardi Gras Parade on Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday) itself. As daughter to a social-climbing doctor and his wife, she knows most of upper-crust N.O., and as she watches the float of Chauncey St. Amant, an acquaintance who's this year's Rex (King of Carnival), she is stunned to see someone in a Dolly Parton costume shoot him dead from a balcony. When her superiors realize she has entree into this world, she's assigned to help with the investigation.

Smith uses changing points of view skillfully to portray the passions, personalities and problems of the St. Amant family and the family friend, Tolliver Albert, from whose balcony the shot was fired. Of course, the family were all at the exclusive Boston Club waiting for the parade -- or were they? Skip's investigation takes her from the mansions of the rich to the most squalid of New Orleans' slums. In the end, she is not sure whether or not justice has been served.

[b:New Orleans Mourning|170341|New Orleans Mourning (Skip Langdon Novels (Paperback))|Julie Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172376934s/170341.jpg|3193389] made me think of the novels of [a:Donna Leon|16290|Donna Leon|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1208207578p2/16290.jpg], set in Venice, Italy -- a similar city in some ways, strongly influenced by and often menaced by water, with its own language and customs, its Carnival, and its civic corruption. Like those in most of Leon's books, the ending of [b:New Orleans Mourning|170341|New Orleans Mourning (Skip Langdon Novels (Paperback))|Julie Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172376934s/170341.jpg|3193389] is somewhat unsatisfying, but sadly believable.

I recommend this highly to anyone who hasn't yet discovered Smith's series. It's only the daunting state of my TBR shelves that's keeping me from going back to reread the whole series.

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This early history of the Carnival origens was one of the most fascinating parts of the book. Most of the characters were otherwise unlikeable. ( )

This is the first in the Skip Langdon series. This book was published in 1990, so there is a bit of nostalgia when reading this one. It's a bit refreshing that there is no modern technology involved in the investigation, just good old fashioned leg work. Well, Ok, Skip went a bit off script a few times, but it was well within context.
Chaucney St. Amants , the king of the carnival, and from an upper-crust, well connected family, is murdered during the Mardi Gras parade.
Skip is assigned to homicide for a little while because she was raised in the same circles as the St. Amants family. She is supposed to pick up a little gossip. However, Skip is shut out and treated very badly by the two homicide detectives that are assigned that case. So, she stays out of their way as much as possible and hunts down leads they don't take seriously. However, Skip starts to uncover dark family secrets and scandals. Someone starts trying to scare Skip off.
The plot twist and turns back and forth. I thought I had it figured out a couple of times, but I was wrong.
Skip is not the typical female cop. The character doesn't fit into any stereotype. She is tall, carries a little weight, and has her own demons to conquer.
The ending of this one was a shocker. I felt everything Skip did. Very believable. This is not like previous Julie Smith series I have read. This one was much darker. So, beware- this is not a cozy type mystery. The language is pretty harsh at times. That was part of the gritty atmophere. I just mention it here because some might not see that coming.
I would like to see some of these characters again in the future. It would be interesting to see where they all ended up.
Overall this one gets an A ( )

This book contains a well-paced, page turning plot, characters that sizzle and a look into the deepest recesses of residual racism. The twist and turns will bowl you over. ( )

Skip Langdon, street cop, is assigned to investigate the murder of Chauncey St. Amant, an up and comer in New Orleans. She grew up as part of the 'in-crowd' in the city, her father being a prominent doctor. She was such a disappointment to him when she took such a 'pedestrian' job as policeman.

As she reacquaints herself with her childhood peers, Marcelle and Henry St. Amant and their mother Bitty, much of the memories come flooding back, as well as some new, unsettling information concerning her father.

New Orleans Mourning is an easy going mystery, no grizzly scenes, no shootouts, no courtroom drama. The story, concerning parents' relations with children, infidelity, race, etc. unfolds in a reasonable fashion. The ending is satisfying. Skip is an OK character, as are all the others.

New Orleans Mourning won an Edgar Award and I'm not sure why. There are more riveting books, but if you're into 'almost cozy' mysteries, give it a try. ( )