Chasing the Devil's Tail

New Orleans in 1907 is as much the main character of this book as is Valentin St. Cyr, a Creole private detective in the employ of Tom Anderson, the white politico who runs the Storyville district, the neighorhood known for legalized prostitution. Nothing escapes the attention or interest of Anderson, who, like many other characters in the book, is based on a real life figure. A number of the madames who ran houses of prostitution back then make appearances, as do Jelly Roll Morton, photographer E.J. Bellocq (known for his photos of prostitutes), and Charles "Buddy" Bolden, also known as King Bolden. Bolden, often credited with being the father of jazz. In this work of fiction, Buddy, a childhood friend of Valentin's, is the prime show more suspect in a series of killings of prostitutes. While no evidence directly links Buddy to the crimes, there is plenty of circumstantial evidence, and asked by Anderson to look into the matter, Valentin is determined to prove Buddy innocent and to catch the real killer.

Race, drugs, booze, sex, and music intermingle to provide a portrait of the city in the early twentieth century, elevating this mystery beyond the typical whodunit. Valentin is a wonderfully complex character, with a troubled past and a stubborn streak that keeps him gnawing at the mystery even when things look bleakest. I was pleased to learn that there are more books starring him. They're in my Amazon cart, ready to be ordered. show less

From Amazon:

Storyville, 1907: In this raucous, bloody, red-light district, where two thousand scarlet women ply their trade in grand mansions and filthy dime-a-trick cribs, where cocaine and opium are sold over the counter, and where rye whiskey flows like an amber river, there's a killer loose. Someone is murdering Storyville prostitutes and marking each killing with a black rose. As Creole detective Valentin St. Cyr begins to unravel the murder against this extraordinary backdrop, he encounters a cast of characters drawn from history: Tom Anderson, the political boss who runs Storyville like a private kingdom; Lulu White, the district's most notorious madam; a young piano player who would come to be known as Jelly Roll Morton; and show more finally, Buddy Bolden, the man who all but invented jazz and is now losing his mind. No ordinary mystery, Chasing the Devil's Tail is a chilling portrait of musical genius and self-destruction, set at the very moment when jazz was born.

My Thoughts:

This was my "blind date" book and and I have to say I was amply rewarded -- not only does David Fulmer bring historical characters (such as Buddy Bolden, Lulu White, and - very briefly - a young Louis Armstrong) alive, he places them perfectly in their city in their time. The flooding, the banquettes, even the use of terms like "lucifer" for what we now call a match, all help to add to the atmosphere. It is well written novel with believable people and good musical description. The author has created a masterpiece filled with New Orleans history. show less

Creole detective Valentin St. Cyr is investigating a series of murders of prostitutes in the red-light district of Storyville, New Orleans, in 1907. The author introduces many real-life historical figures into the novel including Buddy Bolden, one of the early jazz innovators. There is a great deal of historical detail about New Orleans at the time of the birth of jazz. I learned a great deal about the racial relations at the time; white, blacks, and levels of mixed-race people. Life was very difficult for non-whites and their lives were very restricted. St. Cyr is a likable man whose personal feelings interfere with his ability to solve a crime that seems to involve a good friend of his. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book and show more even the history lesson, but there was a great deal of violence in the everyday life of people and grimy depiction of life in early New Orleans was depressing. show less

New Orleans prostitutes are being killed and the killer leaves a black rose at the scene of each crime. It appears that upstart cornet man, Buddy Bolden may be the perpetrator, but it's too neat, too easy.

Valentin St. Cyr, go-fer for city boss Tom Anderson, has the boss' green light to investigate alongside/instead of the bumbling coppers. But the solution eludes him...until the end, of course.

Chasing the Devi'ls Tail, a Shamus Award Winning debut novel by David Fulmer, gives readers the good feeling for New Orleans in the early 1900s. It's got interesting characters and a good story. It could have been a little tighter, from a writing standpoint, but it's a good read.

If reading about prostitution will bother you then it is not recommended. I however enjoyed the vivid description of New Orleans in the early 1900's and did not want the book to end. I felt transported to the time and setting of the book and wanted to keep reading more about it, the solving of the crimes didn't feel as important to me as learning about the characters and the lives they were leading.

This is one of my favorite books. It's so beautifully written and it weaves an atmosphere of New Orleans at a special time in the past. The characters are rich and interesting. I will be reading more of Fulmer's work.

A story of prostitution, murder, voodoo, jazz, bootleg whiskey, and opium in 1907 New Orleans.