Readable but not exceptional. Genre-cliche heavy, especially toward the beginning. It's probably not so bad for what it is, but the quality here does not hold up well in contrast to Woodrell's more recent work.

I once heard an expression about crime fiction--something to the effect that the most boring part about any mystery is the detective. That was, for me, certainly true here. The detective (Rene Shade) is so passive relative to the action of the plot that one could easily write him out of the story altogether. All of the interesting stuff happens when he's not around, and the personal 'revelation' at the end seemed tacked on and unearned.

In an imaginary revision, I would have made the bumbling hitman (Jewel Cobb) the focal character. Why not give him the detective's interesting family backstory/personal conflict stuff? Maybe without the key relationships that are introduced and then NEVER MENTIONED AGAIN (e.g. D.A. brother, girlfriend, mayor...). Or have one of the criminal factions have someone investigate the murder? The detective only seems like he's there only because someone told Woodrell 'you need a detective' or because he thought the audience/market expected it.

OK, not great, but not bad either. Despite the structural problems, there are certain flourishes that stood out. In a few good scenes, you can see the glimmer that flourishes later on. Ug, that last sentence was terrible and I'm going to bed.

SHORT CAVEMAN REVIEW: Recommend read book for Woodrell fans only. Recommend non-Woodrell fans read later work, become Woodrell fans, then come back to this one. ( )

His first novel - the wonderful writing style he perfected in Winter's Bone and Tomato Red is here but in a first draft form. A diamond in the rough, but still a diamond. ( )

My book collection is largely composed of authors from the past century, or very close to the beginning of it. The current author, Daniel Woodrell, has displayed a very gifted style in his first book, "Under The Bright Lights" published in 1986. Easily readable, and thoroughly enjoyable, this was a very good read. I am anxious to read more of his books, having also read his "Winter's Bone" and "Death Of Sweet Mister". More than equal style with the best of them, along with current settings = better than the vast majority of most of them. ( )

Daniel Woodrell’s first novel, Under The Bright Lights, was published in 1986. Rene Shade, a former boxer, is a detective in the fictional southern river city of San Bruno. Crime – both petty and not – abounds. Rene’s brother, Tip, owns a bar and is no stranger to the underworld. His other brother, Francois, works in the District Attorney’s office. Their mother owns a pool hall.

When two murders, including one of a city councilman, threaten to ignite racial tensions between the two areas of San Bruno called Pan Fry and Frogtown, Shade works to solve them quickly. Francois has been tasked to ride herd on Shade to ensure that local power brokers remain untainted by the investigation. Shade senses that Tip knows more than he’s letting on.

Under The Bright Lights is an atmospheric mystery that displays the promise that fully blooms in Woodrell’s later novels. ( )

Woodrell sometimes seemed confused whether he wanted to emulate James Lee Burke or Raymond Chandler, alternating from florid prose to hard-bitten, snappy dialog. But that isn't entirely bad. In this debut with detective Rene Shade, he's done a lot right. His plotting is solid, his characters act human, and despite the overwriting at times, his story is a satisfying blend of crime, hot summer nights, bar room intrigue and race in the deep south. ( )