D. J. Donaldson

A time capsule novel set in the 90s, concentrating on the upsurge in the alternative music scene. The era of grunge, college rock, shoegaze, and, most fittingly for this story, the all encompassing juggernaut that was indie rock. Anyone who has known musicians, been in a band, or in the orbit of the underground reaches of the music industry, knows these characters or approximations of them.

The story is a pretty simple one, and follows the reluctant Danny of the novel’s title as he show more encounters the world of music and gets swept away by it. The novel very effectively portrays the chaos of adolescence, where impulses can barely keep up with events and confusion takes central stage in an at once anxiety-inducing and exhilarating fashion. The author tells a familiar tale—one of a band of misfits aiming to elevate their daily existence through music. On the way they face the inevitable band tensions, as egos clash and loyalties are questioned. The novel does a great job at incorporating elements of backstory for Danny, demonstrating his conflicted motivations.

At times the novel reminded me of the film Sing Street, which too is a charming account of the turbulence and youthful ambition of trying to do something creative with likeminded people.

This is very evocative of its time, but I think it translates universally, as it’s a record that plays on repeat—the pursuit of transcendence from the everyday grind is relevant to and sought by any generation, and is felt most intensely in the rush hormones unleashed when growing up.

A nostalgic trip for some, certainly. Care has been taken with the story to ensure that the plot functions in a neat manner, and this novel does read very efficiently. I can see this appealing to the young adult market, if we are considering such things, as there’s an undeniable coming-of-age structure that wraps up with pleasing simplicity. Overall, enjoyable transportation to the more blokeish perspective on the liberations of that era. show less

New Orleans Requiem is the fourth book in Don J. Donaldon's mystery series featuring chief medical examiner Andy Broussard and Kit Franklyn, a consultant psychologist for both the ME's office and the NOPD.

The story opens with Andy and Kit being called to a crime scene in the New Orleans French Quarter. The body of a man has been discovered in a locker in Jackson Square, stabbed through the heart, with an eyelid removed and a newspaper propped on his chest with four scrabble letters taped to show more it. When a second body is found two days later with identical wounds, a newspaper and three scrabble letters, Andy and Kit fear a serial killer is stalking the town. Broussard and Kit are taken aback when what little evidence they have points to the killer being a colleague with a grudge, but with hundreds of forensic specialists in town attending the Annual American Academy of Forensic Science conference, narrowing the field of suspects isn't going to be easy.

An interesting blend of police procedural and medical thriller, New Orleans Requiem is an enjoyable novel. The case at the heart of this mystery is well plotted and believable and the identity of the murderer came as a surprise. The pacing is good, with the duration of the conference providing a natural time frame in which to solve the mystery.

Broussard and Franklyn are well developed characters. An affable man with a large appetite, Broussard is an experienced and well regarded ME. Kit considers Andy both a colleague and a mentor. She has good instincts and is both resourceful and intelligent. Their professional skills complement each other and they make a good team.

First published in the early 1990's the absence of 'Google' and cell phones are evident in some aspects of the novel but the story doesn't feel dated. I'd recommend New Orleans Requiem to readers who enjoy procedural mysteries, especially those with a forensic focus (think Quincy, ME or CSI). show less

This is an intricately plotted murder mystery, with some interesting and nicely-drawn characters. However, the resolution to New Orleans Requiem, by D.J. Donaldson, just made me say "Huh?" rather than being satisfied with the end.

These are harsh words, I know. But -- and I will try to avoid spoilers -- once All Becomes Clear ... well, it just didn't seem to make any sense to me. Yes, it covered all the clues, so that's fair -- but HUH? The motive did not, in my opinion, explain pretty much show more any of the intricacies of plot, which once the motive and murderer were revealed, made NO sense and were basically a waste of time.

I was disappointed in the setting, too. Although billed as a New Orleans novel, there was nothing in the setting that made it vital that it happen in NOLA, rather than, say, Minneapolis. Any local atmosphere was cursory at best.

But the worst part was the plot. There was just no reason at all for the murderer to go to all that trouble, when he could have made his point much more efficiently. I'm willing to suspend disbelief -- but not infinitely.

Not recommended. No particular sense of place (if you want a Big Easy, I recommend Poppy Brite's NOLA novels, such as Liquor) and a really implausible plot.

I got this book from Rambles.net in exchange for an honest review. show less

The setting: New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina, where Medical Examiner Andy Broussard is working to help identify victims. Three of the victims, young women, appear to have been murdered rather than die in the hurricane. Kit Franklyn works with Andy and the police to figure out what really happened.

Some of it I figured out early, but this was a wild ride, and kept me engaged during the entire story. I'll be getting more by this author - looks like this one is part of a series, but show more not the first.

Warning: very graphic content as the main characters ARE working with cadavers show less