An enjoyable addition to this series. A little too much us v. them stuff, but a lot of good writing. ( )

My second book in the Dave Robicheaux series. This was more of a whodunit that Burning Angel. Early in the book a police officer on the New Iberia force is murdered in a particularly grisly fashion. The suspects include members of the Ayran Brotherhood, a New Orleans mafiosi and a racist politician. Also at the center of the book is the Sonnier family. Robicheaux had grown up with the Sonnier's and been briefly romantically involved with the sister Drew. Lyle has served in Vietnam with Robicheaux who had ordered him into a VC tunnel where an explosion wounded him severely and left him scarred for life. He had become a TV evangelist with the power to heal others through their faith. The other brother, Weldon, had also served in Vietnam and then flew for Air America. When desperate for money for his business Weldon had done some work for Joey Gouza, the New Orleans mafiosi, that ended with Weldon ripping them off and dumping their guns and cocaine into the ocean. Weldons wife was the sister of Bobby Earl the racist politician whom Robicheaux despised. Verise Sonnier the father of Lyle, Weldon and Drew who had been thought dead appears in the book. He had always carried an evil soul and the accident that supposedly killed him had left him disfigured with burn scars that showed the evil on the outside.
There is ample action in the book to keep it interesting but the real action is the interplay of Dave Robicheaux with the characters including his wife Bootsie, his daughter Alfaria. It is Robicheaux's interior life that separates these books from the standard mysteries. He shows great sensitivity to everything going on around him and his own flaws. The plot lines are tied up by the end but there is always a feeling that this is not the end for Dave Robicheaux. As always the author highlights the physical world from the texture of St. Augustine grass to the gnarly backs of gar fish in the river to complete the picture of the world going on in the book. I enjoyed this book more than Burning Angel and I now have seven more to look forward to. ( )

Another good Dave Robichaux novel by Burke. At times the flawed battered heroic nature of Robichaux is too much but he is a sympathetic character. Along with the descriptive paragraphs depicting the south Louisiana settings it makes for a good read. ( )

All of the Dave Robicheaux books are outstanding ( )

The story featured a crooked politician, a mobster "made man", an ex-cop, bruiser of a PI, and several other characters. The ending was not completely unexpected, I figured out some of what and who was involved, but not all. There are some pretty disturbing moments.

When I was able to pay attention, I liked Burke's writing style. One of my favorite lines in the book was when he described the trees ...being loud with birds... I knew exactly what he meant.