James Lee Burke-Dave Robichaeux series
346358
This is a blanket review of all 17 books in this series, the first being The Neon Rain. JLB is the definitive of Mystery/Crime writers when he developed the character Dave Robichaeux, a Cajun Homicide detective who started his career in New Orleans and eventually semi retired in New Iberia, LA. The stories are strong, sensitive, moral and above that hypnotic in a sense where you are in the story literally (if your hooked on it). Highly recommended along with his other series of books.
2702164
By my count, this was Vachss' 21st published book (19 novels & two short story collections).  Most of the novels feature his rock-hard, loyal as a bestest friend, anti-hero/hero, outlaw/honest man Burke.  Always, one name.  Burke.  A name to instill fear in his enemies.  A name to instill fear especially in child molesters, baby sellers, rapists & sadists of those ilks.  Burke has no time limit when it comes to hunting down his perceived enemies.
 I have always enjoyed reading Vachss` oeuvre.  Maybe, enjoyed is not the proper word.  Often, his writing forces me to cringe.  Nevertheless, he's one of my favorite authors.  I look forward to each new book.  Being a reader who loves character-driven mysteries more than straight-forward police procedurals, is one of the main reasons I look forward to each new Burke novel.  The cast of supporting characters is superb.  They are also unique.  At least to this reader.  They seem so outlandish as to seem plausibly true.
 The writing is old-fashioned, crime-dime-pulp novel, black noir.  It's crisp.  To the point.  Direct.  No extraneous adjectives.  Short, pithy sentences.  Punchy dialog.  Usually, punctuated with lots of action sequences.
 Sadly, Mask . . ., doesn't live up to the rest of Vachss` previous Burke novels.  This has a traditional fine beginning & a great ending.  Approximately, the first 45 pages & the last 45 pages are the best parts of this book.  The other 158 pages are mostly slow-moving dialog.  They include set pieces for regular readers of the Burke novels:  playing cards with Max at Mama's, sharing soup with numerous cohorts at Mama's, visiting his own lair & that of the Mole, revving up his souped up Plymouth which looks as if it's a rusted out work in progress, & more of the same.  All are fine set pieces.  However, usually they are short & used to move the story line between action sequences.  Here, they just move from one set piece to another set piece.  The only action takes place in the total of 90 pages which begin & end this book.  Never, have I felt like yawning in the middle of a Burke novel.  Never have I felt like yawning in the middle of anything written by Vachss.  This time, I did.
1479272
Love Dave and Clete.  James Lee Burke is a master. Hope he writes more. He spoils me.  Nothing compares. Period. Pure poetry.
342697
If you've never read a James Lee Burke book then this isn't a bad place to start, he's in pretty good form for this one.  If like myself you've read nearly all of his work, you'll find a lot of familiar JLB themes; wealthy villains, war veteran protagonists, alcoholic parents, the Holland family tales of the wild west, the Gulf of Mexico, Texas, binding loyalty to friends, environmental concerns, even Jole Blon on the jukebox.  As much as I love JLB's writing, this one is bit like a medley or mash-up of his Dave Robicheaux and later work.  We've heard all it before, but I still enjoyed the telling.
2557663
This is the 21st book in this series, revolving around Dave Robicheaux, a man haunted by his past, by his time in Vietnam, his battle with his demons leading him to alcohol in the past, and sometimes still he strays from his promise of sobriety. As a detective in Louisiana, he is also surrounded, involved in the seedier side of life, it wears on him, making it harder for him to win his battle against the demons of his past that haunt him.

I have only read one other book by James Lee Burke, The Jealous Kind, which is not part of this series, putting me at somewhat of a disadvantage in being as familiar with this character as those others who have read the 20 books that precede this one  but I still really enjoyed this. Burke falls into the category of natural born storytellers, with a gift of showing the many sides of life in Louisiana, from the social climate in an area still hurting economically and haunted by Katrina, from New Orleans to the lesser known towns and remote areas, Louisiana is culturally rich in a spiritual and historic sense even where poverty reigns, maybe even more so there.

Its here in this place where the land and people seem to accept the ghosts of the past as well as the present, with a handful of less-than-completely honest politicians and a few slightly corrupt members of law enforcement. Nobodys perfect, right? Add a touch of Hollywood to the scene, with a movie being made which may include some rather nefarious types, and one unforgettable character named Smiley.

This falls into the mystery / crime fiction category, which is really not high on my list of types of books Im drawn to, but I love the characters Burke creates, they are all so perfectly imperfect, and Dave Robicheaux, especially, is a character that is easy to be drawn to. Hes a wonderfully complex character, a recovering alcoholic who gives of himself to those he loves  family, friends, and others who are also broken inside, filled with guilt and a deep feeling of shame and disgrace over his failures. Between Robicheaux and the setting, all of the additional characters, I loved this literary ride through one of my favourite places.

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Simon & Schuster
2299149
If you love Dave Robicheaux, you will not be disappointed! Have loved Dave since my very first Burke novel, "A Stained White Radiance".  To me, Dave teaches lessons about life and society!! Many lessons there other than the obvious ones.  In this episode,his long time friend and sidekick steals the show!
If you are a fan already, you won't be disappointed!
2264583
Thank you for great customer service.  The book was a great read, and I will order many more James Lee Burke books.  5 star service!!!!!
4451507
James Lee Burke seamlessly and adeptly continues his Cajun based lawman Dave Robicheaux series in his latest crime thriller,"Pegasus Descending".  Robicheaux, a sheriff's deputy, continually battling the demons of alcoholism and Vietnam experiences is living a good life bolstered by two nurturing and caring women.  His wife ex-nun Molly Boyle provides him a stable homelife and his boss New Iberia sheriff Helen Soileau deeply respects his ability as a veteran law enforcement officer.

Robicheaux's bucolic existence is shattered by a series of crimes and events that remind him of a horrific episode from the past.  Twenty five years ago Robicheaux, a young New Orleans police officer witnessed the shotgun slaying of his good buddy and ex-Nam vet armored car guard, Dallas Klein.  Klein's gambling debts caused him to be complicit in an robbery of the car he was driving, orchestrated by Florida mobster Whitey Bruxal.  Unfortunately, although armed, Robicheaux was too drunk to come to Klein's aid, creating a mountain of guilt and remorse deep within.

Fast forwarding to the future Klein's daughter Trish arrives in New Iberia with a team of gambling casino grifters to even the score with Bruxal.  Bruxal and local Cajun mobster and Robicheaux nemesis Bello Lujan are joining forces in a new casino venture in Louisiana.  Robicheaux is currently investigating the apparent suicide of young coed Darbonne, a girlfriend of Bello's collegiate son Tony.  Tony Lujan and his friend the snotty and belligerent Slim Bruxal, Whitey's son are frat brothers, who seem to have knowledge of the coed's death.

Robicheaux is also assigned to investigate the circumstances surrounding the skeletal remains of a John Doe, an apparent hit and run victim know as the "Crustacean Man" whose injuries suggest foul play.  When Tony Lujan winds up the victim of a shotgun murder, Robicheaux begins to suspect a connection between all three deaths. The local politically motivated D.A. is trying to pin all the crimes on an innocent local black drug dealer Monarch Little, who had conflicts with the frat boys, but Robicheaux has his back.

Robicheaux recruits his ex-partner and best friend the lethal private investigator, Clete Purcell to help him sift his way through the quagmire of crime surrounding the normally idyllic New Iberia.

Burke has obviously found his niche as he nimbly navigates his way through another thoroughly engrossing tale of greed, passion and psychodrama in the Robicheaux series.  A native to the environment he depicts in his novels, Burke describes  the humid, lush sub-tropical Louisiana in vividly descriptive terms that make his love for this mystical land very apparent.
689054
Great James Lee Burke has again hit it on the mark with keeping you in the book at all times.
1018321
James Lee Burke is the man. His novels get better and better.  One will not be disappointed in his books.
3600203
James Lee Burke's newest Dave Robicheaux novel is slightly different from the other installments in the DR saga.  For one thing, at 528 pp. it's about 20% longer than usual.  It's considerably more political as Dave (and, occasionally, Clete) mount the soapbox and express their views clearly and with enough edge to annoy some reviewers.  There is a minor plot glitch that is of no particular significance, except for the fact that such things are rare in a Burke novel.

Creole Bell refers to a song sung by a young blues singer.  As she is associated with the song she becomes the individual named in the title.  Her name is Tee Jolie Melton.  She communicates with Dave at several points in the story and Dave is never clear on whether he is hearing her truly, or wants to believe that he hears her.  She has disappeared and the putative subject of the novel is Dave's search for her.  Her sister Blue has turned up dead, frozen in a block of ice but carrying a written message in her mouth, assuring Dave that Tee Jolie remains alive.

This turns out to be a fairly minor issue within the larger narrative, because those suspected of kidnapping her have their hands in so many other nefarious activities that Dave and Clete have more than enough to handle as they chase down the intertwined threads of a network of evil.  In addition to the abuse of the helpless, the despoiling of the ocean and the execution of individuals through the use of a heavily-spiked iron maiden, we may also be dealing with . . . yes . . . Nazis.

The descriptions are, as always, very, very special and the atmospherics unforgettable.  In some ways the story is predictably Burkean--a tale of past horrors and current evil that replays the fall of man in an eden which is never the same after the evil enters.  Burke is the master of such stories and this one ratchets up the violence, the tension and the intensity.  There is also a great deal of Clete Purcel here (one of my hopes always for a Dave Robicheaux novel); the Bobbsey Twins from Homicide are in it to win it and they're packing major heat.  Add to all those elements two fresh wrinkles: an enhanced role for Alafair Robicheaux (who, like Alafair Burke, is now writing novels in addition to graduating from Stanford law school); and, second, the introduction of a new character--Clete's lost daughter, who turns out to be as lethal as her papa.  I for one would like to see much more of her in the future.

Bottom line: a masterpiece, but one that's a tad preachy at times and a little long for some readers' tastes.  This was not a problem for me.  The story races along and the crescendo of violent payback at the end is delicious.
4069189
If you love Dave Robicheaux and Cletus, you will love this book.  I was so afraid after the way the last book ended that James Lee Burke would not write another one, but they are back from the dead on the docks and off to another wild adventure.  Loved it.  Can't wait for the next one.
2331235
James Lee Burke continues to turn out high-quality, cerebral literature disguised as mystery novels. He is undoubtedly not only the best of the genre, but arguably one of the finest writers of the past century.
2749016
More adventures of Dave Robicheaux and Clete  Purcell.  There's also some backstory about their daughters and family. I've read most of what James Lee Burke has written.  Is it great literature?  Nope.  But a Burke novel is a pleasant way to pass the time.
3843966
The Owen McKenna series by Todd Borg is very entertaining. I have downloaded all of the books in the series. So glad that my friend got me started on this series of mystery books.
1673463
Sadly, I have completed reading all of Burke's novels at this point. I thoroughly enjoy his work and might just start reading the whole series again. I hope he is still writing...has become my favorite author. As a writer myself, I am completely envious of his skill...
299524
Mike Matthews' books have a place on my bookshelf (or Kindle) right next to Jason Ferruggia, Brad Pilon, Martin Berkhan, John Berardi, Dan John, Mark Rippetoe and Stuart McRobert.

If you're a fan of any of the above authors, then this series is for you.