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Dave Robicheaux #25
The Hadacol Boogie: A Dave Robicheaux Novel
Dave Robicheaux, James Lee Burke’s iconic detective, returns to investigate the death of an unidentified woman, pulling him into a vortex of corruption and violence in the Louisiana bayou
When a cloaked, disfigured man leaves a dead woman in a garbage bag on Dave Robicheaux’s property, he knows his world and family are about to change.
With Valerie Benoit, a detective new to the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Department who is grappling with sexist and racist harassment from their colleagues, and the volatile but fiercely loyal Clete Purcel, Dave embarks on an investigation that brings him into the most dangerous moments of his career and threatens the lives of Valerie and his daughter Alafair.
He encounters a local handyman who leaves cryptic notes and warns of the ghosts who roam the shores of the bayou and is targeted by a vicious New Orleans button man and gangsters from the north.
Through brilliant prose and a quintessential cast of characters, James Lee Burke weaves a portrait of a gritty, violent Louisiana at the turn of the 20th century. Visceral, atmospheric, and wholly original, The Hadacol Boogie brings to life Dave Robicheaux’s fierce determination to confront evil both past and present.
When a cloaked, disfigured man leaves a dead woman in a garbage bag on Dave Robicheaux’s property, he knows his world and family are about to change.
With Valerie Benoit, a detective new to the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Department who is grappling with sexist and racist harassment from their colleagues, and the volatile but fiercely loyal Clete Purcel, Dave embarks on an investigation that brings him into the most dangerous moments of his career and threatens the lives of Valerie and his daughter Alafair.
He encounters a local handyman who leaves cryptic notes and warns of the ghosts who roam the shores of the bayou and is targeted by a vicious New Orleans button man and gangsters from the north.
Through brilliant prose and a quintessential cast of characters, James Lee Burke weaves a portrait of a gritty, violent Louisiana at the turn of the 20th century. Visceral, atmospheric, and wholly original, The Hadacol Boogie brings to life Dave Robicheaux’s fierce determination to confront evil both past and present.
Hardcover
First published February 10, 2026
About the author
James Lee Burke
130 books4,228 followersJames Lee Burke is an American author best known for his mysteries, particularly the Dave Robicheaux series. He has twice received the Edgar Award for Best Novel, for
Black Cherry Blues
in 1990 and
Cimarron Rose
in 1998.
Burke was born in Houston, Texas, but grew up on the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Missouri, receiving a BA and MA from the latter. He has worked at a wide variety of jobs over the years, including working in the oil industry, as a reporter, and as a social worker. He was Writer in Residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, succeeding his good friend and posthumous Pulitzer Prize winner John Kennedy Toole, and preceding Ernest Gaines in the position. Shortly before his move to Montana, he taught for several years in the Creative Writing program at Wichita State University in the 1980s.
Burke and his wife, Pearl, split their time between Lolo, Montana, and New Iberia, Louisiana. Their daughter, Alafair Burke, is also a mystery novelist.
The book that has influenced his life the most is the 1929 family tragedy "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner.
Burke was born in Houston, Texas, but grew up on the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Missouri, receiving a BA and MA from the latter. He has worked at a wide variety of jobs over the years, including working in the oil industry, as a reporter, and as a social worker. He was Writer in Residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, succeeding his good friend and posthumous Pulitzer Prize winner John Kennedy Toole, and preceding Ernest Gaines in the position. Shortly before his move to Montana, he taught for several years in the Creative Writing program at Wichita State University in the 1980s.
Burke and his wife, Pearl, split their time between Lolo, Montana, and New Iberia, Louisiana. Their daughter, Alafair Burke, is also a mystery novelist.
The book that has influenced his life the most is the 1929 family tragedy "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner.
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April 13, 2026
Dave Robicheaux and his close buddy Clete Purcell are my favourite literary characters. Bar none. This is JLB’s twenty-fifth book featuring the pair and whatever you think of their adventures, I believe everyone who has read these stories will concur that there’s never a dull moment. This latest episode takes us back in time to the dying embers of the 20th Century. Dave is a cop in New Iberia, Louisiana, and Clete runs a private investigation business, his office close to Dave’s ‘shotgun’ house on the banks of Bayou Teche. The pair are honoured Vietnam veterans and had at one point been partners in the New Orleans Police Department (The Bobbsey Twins from Homicide).
Late one night, a strange man is spotted dragging a bag onto Dave’s property. Everything about this act is sinister, from the appearance of the man (odd marks on his face, sticks in his hair) to the contents of the package itself: the nude body of a woman with piano wire wrapped around her neck. The unidentified man has sloped away in the darkness of the night and is nowhere to be found. Dave and his new partner, an attractive female rookie, are charged with investigating the case.
As always with this writer, the descriptions of people and places are vivid. Much of the action is to unfold in and around the Atchafalaya Basin, the biggest swamp in the USA. The impression is given that the whole of this area, in Southwest Louisiana, is populated by a collection of lawless, crank ridden renegades who live free from rules and authority. One such man is Jerry Carlucci, who runs a bar and hot pillow joint south of Morgan City. Dave has known Jerry since they were young boxers, training partners, and rivals, both hoping to win a prestigious amateur championship.
At first, the investigation progresses slowly with few clues as to the identity of the deceased girl or any real leads on why she was killed or at whose hands. Gradually, more characters are introduced: a strange wondering handyman (who might actually be a spirit), a grim killer for hire who has recently had a run-in with Clete, and an organised crime boss from New Jersey, complete with his crew. The interactions Dave and Clete have with these people are described as only JLB can. Some lines hit you like a slap, whilst at other times they induce a wry smile or sometimes even a belly laugh. These encounters are usually tense affairs, the words raw, the air filled with a menacing undercurrent.
In the background, there are constant references to the State’s history, be that the Civil War, executions of dubious probity, or misdeeds carried out by violent men, racists and bigots of every stripe. But, in tandem, there’s also Dave’s clear longing for what he believes to have been the good times when he was growing up in his beloved Louisiana. It was a place he believed offered refuge for the likes of him. Now, he continues to visit establishments that have been active in New Iberia for generations and listens to old recordings by the likes of the yodelling blues singer Jimmie Rogers and Cajun music fiddler Harry Choates. How he wishes he could turn back time.
The denouement, when it comes, is a protracted and violent affair – almost apocalyptic in its scale and intensity. Amid the cacophony it’s possible that some events are partially imagined. But you know that good will finally overcome evil. Such is the way with these stories. I was left with a feeling that I’d spent the last hour in a washing machine tumbler, my mind struggling to make sense of what I’d just read. But I was also in awe of what I’d describe as another truly outstanding episode in this series. Is it the best book yet? That’s a tough call, but I believe it really does demonstrate that octogenarian Burke continues to write at the absolute peak of his powers.
My thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing a cop of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Late one night, a strange man is spotted dragging a bag onto Dave’s property. Everything about this act is sinister, from the appearance of the man (odd marks on his face, sticks in his hair) to the contents of the package itself: the nude body of a woman with piano wire wrapped around her neck. The unidentified man has sloped away in the darkness of the night and is nowhere to be found. Dave and his new partner, an attractive female rookie, are charged with investigating the case.
As always with this writer, the descriptions of people and places are vivid. Much of the action is to unfold in and around the Atchafalaya Basin, the biggest swamp in the USA. The impression is given that the whole of this area, in Southwest Louisiana, is populated by a collection of lawless, crank ridden renegades who live free from rules and authority. One such man is Jerry Carlucci, who runs a bar and hot pillow joint south of Morgan City. Dave has known Jerry since they were young boxers, training partners, and rivals, both hoping to win a prestigious amateur championship.
At first, the investigation progresses slowly with few clues as to the identity of the deceased girl or any real leads on why she was killed or at whose hands. Gradually, more characters are introduced: a strange wondering handyman (who might actually be a spirit), a grim killer for hire who has recently had a run-in with Clete, and an organised crime boss from New Jersey, complete with his crew. The interactions Dave and Clete have with these people are described as only JLB can. Some lines hit you like a slap, whilst at other times they induce a wry smile or sometimes even a belly laugh. These encounters are usually tense affairs, the words raw, the air filled with a menacing undercurrent.
In the background, there are constant references to the State’s history, be that the Civil War, executions of dubious probity, or misdeeds carried out by violent men, racists and bigots of every stripe. But, in tandem, there’s also Dave’s clear longing for what he believes to have been the good times when he was growing up in his beloved Louisiana. It was a place he believed offered refuge for the likes of him. Now, he continues to visit establishments that have been active in New Iberia for generations and listens to old recordings by the likes of the yodelling blues singer Jimmie Rogers and Cajun music fiddler Harry Choates. How he wishes he could turn back time.
The denouement, when it comes, is a protracted and violent affair – almost apocalyptic in its scale and intensity. Amid the cacophony it’s possible that some events are partially imagined. But you know that good will finally overcome evil. Such is the way with these stories. I was left with a feeling that I’d spent the last hour in a washing machine tumbler, my mind struggling to make sense of what I’d just read. But I was also in awe of what I’d describe as another truly outstanding episode in this series. Is it the best book yet? That’s a tough call, but I believe it really does demonstrate that octogenarian Burke continues to write at the absolute peak of his powers.
My thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing a cop of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
February 22, 2026
The body of a dead woman is dumped on Detective Dave Robicheaux’s property. Naturally, he is assigned to the investigation along with his new partner Valerie Benoit, a young African American woman. And of course he also enlists the aid of former cop Clete Purcel. There are mobsters, hit men and ghosts.
As usual, the writing was beautiful and vibrant. The author never insults the intelligence of the reader. His references to literature and history assume that the reader is informed, or wants to be. I like some of the author’s other books more than I like the Robicheaux series, but these are still good books. My favorite character in this book was Boon Hendrix, a mysterious handyman who seemed out of time and place. He knew more and saw more than others. I had a problem with Valerie. Nothing really made sense about her character. Why join a bastion of racism and misogyny and then spend most of the book weeping about your treatment. At other points in the book she goes full out authoritarian and attacks people. (Actually, Valerie, Dave and Clete take turns losing control and beating people up.) Dave keeps telling her she’s a good cop, based on absolutely zero evidence of that. I listened to the audiobook which was expertly narrated by Will Patton. 4.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
As usual, the writing was beautiful and vibrant. The author never insults the intelligence of the reader. His references to literature and history assume that the reader is informed, or wants to be. I like some of the author’s other books more than I like the Robicheaux series, but these are still good books. My favorite character in this book was Boon Hendrix, a mysterious handyman who seemed out of time and place. He knew more and saw more than others. I had a problem with Valerie. Nothing really made sense about her character. Why join a bastion of racism and misogyny and then spend most of the book weeping about your treatment. At other points in the book she goes full out authoritarian and attacks people. (Actually, Valerie, Dave and Clete take turns losing control and beating people up.) Dave keeps telling her she’s a good cop, based on absolutely zero evidence of that. I listened to the audiobook which was expertly narrated by Will Patton. 4.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
April 17, 2026
In this 25th book in the Detective Dave Robicheaux series, Dave's investigation of a murder leads to violent confrontations with murderous criminals. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the characters is a bonus.
Background: Dave - a recovering alcoholic and investigator for the Sheriff's Department in New Iberia, Louisiana - has had a rough life.
Dave's mother fell in with a pimp and became an addict and prostitute, and his father was killed in an oil rig explosion. As a young man Dave witnessed unspeakable horrors during the Vietnam War, after which he became a cop in New Orleans - a city rife with mobsters, gambling, prostitution, drugs, loan sharks, money laundering, extortion, murder, and so on.
In his job, Dave met criminals of all kinds, including: street thugs; mobsters; sociopaths; psychopaths...and rich, entitled 'bluebloods' who would do anything for money and power. Dave rose through the police ranks to become a homicide detective and eventually left New Orleans for New Iberia - where he lives in a modest home adjacent to a bayou.
Dave was married four times: his first wife Martinique cheated on him regularly, which 'could be expected from a wife who had a drunk like him for a husband'; his second wife Annie was murdered in their bedroom while he tried to swim across the bayou to get to her; his third wife Bootsie - with whom he adopted an El Salvadoran daughter named Alafair - died from lupus; and his last wife Molly was killed by a drunk driver in New Iberia, a loss Dave is still mourning.
These hardships exacerbated Dave's depression, nightmares, and alcoholism. Even when he's not drinking, Dave sees ghosts of Civil War soldiers who died near his home.
Dave's best friend is Clete Purcel, a fellow Vietnam vet who received the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, and three Purple Hearts. Clete was Dave's partner in the New Orleans Police Department, and the buddies, both of whom are smart and tough, still call themselves 'The Bobbsey Twins from Homicide'.
Clete's inability to follow rules got him kicked off the police force, and he became a private investigator/bail bondsman. Clete eats to excess; drinks too much; falls for the wrong women; and uses violence (and worse) against his enemies. Clete speaks to Joan of Arc, and claims she calls him Sir Clete and has saved his life on numerous occasions. Clete is close to Dave's family and would give his life for them.
*****
The story, set at the turn of the 20th century, revolves around Carlucci's Landing, a Cajun enclave built by a man named Jerry Carlucci. Jerry dresses like a television cowboy and is a sociopath.
Carlucci's Landing, located on the edge of Bayou Teche.....
.....contains a ramshackle saloon/café, a brothel, and run-down shacks. In Dave's dark days, he used to go to Carlucci's Landing to get drunk.
Dave and Jerry Carlucci were friendly as youths, when they played American Legion baseball and boxed in the Louisiana Golden Gloves.
After the Vietnam War, Dave and Jerry went their separate ways. Dave became a cop and Jerry became a criminal. Jerry built Carlucci's Landing, and is now a wealthy entrepreneur, pimp, and drug pusher.
[Note: Author James Lee Burke's books are known for vivid descriptions, metaphors, and allusions, as exemplified by Dave's observations about Carlucci's Landing. For instance:
🌈🌈 Describing the people on Carlucci's turf, Dave says, "These were not simply Cajuns; most of them pulled the plug on civilization during the War Between the States. I doubted the people who lived in Carlucci's Landing gave much cognitive time to the environment in which they lived, or cared about the long formation and destruction of ancient volcanos that had once existed there, or the beasts that thrashed in the sand bogs, or the lightning storms that electrified the heavens without making a sound. For them I suspected the issues were immediate and personal, such as staying off the computer, avoiding the IRS and vaccinations and marriage licenses and car tags, instead staying stoned and shooting whatever birds and four-leg creatures they felt like. [When] crank hit Louisiana in the 1980s, Jerry jumped on it. The Landing became a fresh-air sanitarium for people who glowed in the dark or who had to tape their mouths shut to stop talking because they were blitzed on speed.
🌈🌈 Despite the ignominious residents, Dave appreciates the beauty of the region. He observes, "It wasn't all bad down at the Landing, I told myself. It was like Van Gogh's paintings. Or the paintings of his friend, Paul Gauguin. In Carlucci's Landing, the sky turned yellow at evening and stretched out over endless miles of marshland and swamps that dipped into the Gulf of Mexico. The thunderheads in the south were purple and swollen with rain and lightning, then the day began to cool and renew your spirits, the links of bays wrinkling like old skin in the wind, the mullet flying through the air, and the funnel of a waterspout twisting like spun glass, the sun bloodred on the horizon."]
Early in the story, Dave notices bullet holes in Clete Purcel's car, which Clete refuses to explain. Dave suspects there was an altercation at Carlucci's Landing, and learns Clete got into a beef with Elton Foot - a sadistic torturer and hitman the Mob uses.
Foot was harassing his own ex-wife, and Clete - who's a crusader for abused women - went after the brute. Foot shot Clete's car, and Clete beat up Foot with a condom machine. Clete can't control his temper, often gets into savage fights, and has a particular hatred for Elton Foot.
In the meantime, someone dumps a large plastic trash bag in the cattails near Dave Robicheaux's house. Dave finds the bag and cuts it open to find the body of a young black woman with blue eyes and roses tattooed on her breasts.
Sheriff Helen Soileau, head of the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Department.....
.....assigns the case to Dave and his new partner, Detective Valerie Benoit.
Valerie is a capable investigator, but - being a young black woman - is constantly harassed by a racist misogynist cop named Lloyd D'Anjou. When Dave defends Valerie with his fists, she develops a crush on her 60-year-old savior, which leads to some awkward moments.
Outside the job, Valerie is an activist and crusader, determined to avenge historic wrongs done to Blacks. Thus Valerie goads racists, and scours southern Louisiana for buried Confederate gold and artifacts. Discoveries like this would halt commercial development, which is anathema to a syndicate planning to make New Iberia the next Atlantic City.
The woman in the plastic bag left on Dave's property is identified as Clemmy Benoit, a musician who sang with pick-up bands in Jerry Carlucci's bar. Dave believes Clemmy was tortured before she was killed, and is tormented by her murder. Determined to bring Clemmy's killer to justice, Dave calls on Clete to help investigate, and they use the old violent methods of 'The Bobbsey Twins from Homicide'.
Meanwhile, there's a lot going on in New Iberia:
Dave's daughter Alafair, who graduated from college in Oregon, has come home and is working on her second novel. It turns out Alafair knew Clemmy Benoit years ago, and Dave fears for Alastair's safety.
A handyman named Boone Hendrix takes it upon himself to repair the roof on Dave's house and to build a backyard hutch for Dave's giant tabby cat Cannon Ball, and his three-legged raccoon Lady Godiva. Boone is a troubled man who seems to be prescient, sees ghosts on the bayou, and has scores to settle.
A northern mobster called Sidney Ludlow comes to New Iberia with his bodyguards and thugs. Ludlow and Jerry Carlucci are in business together, and plan to build a casino on Carlucci's Landing. Dave suspects this enterprise is connected with Clemmy Benoit's death.
All these things comprise the basic elements of the plot, which - in essence - has the 'good guys' (Detective Dave Robicheaux; Detective Valerie Benoit, Sheriff Helen Soileau; and Private Investigator Clete Purcel) going up against 'the bad guys' (Lawless businessman Jerry Carlucci; Crime Kingpin Sidney Ludlow; and Hitman Elton Foot).
The storyline is trademark James Lee Burke, whose tales are often about good versus evil. In this novel, the dark elements include colonizers; gangsters; lowlifes; racists; xenophobes; corruption; and the destruction of the planet. Some of the novel's passages highlight these ideas. For instance:
❃ "Our politicians send young people to wars they don't fight themselves, and let the same people carry the guilt when they come back home. The guys who do this are what Dwight Eisenhower called 'the Military-Industrial Complex'."
❃ "I knew one day we would get rid of [racists and bigots], but it was down the track. I think the problem is in the gene pool. They all have the same grin. They immediately recognize one another and always feel safe among their own kind, without exchanging one word. Check out a Klan gathering. Don't expect them to be rational, either. They laud ignorance."
❃ "How many slaves are buried in the cane fields? Or how many Indians buried across the nation? How about the Baker Massacre in Montana? If you want to get sick, I mean really sick, study what was done to the Blackfeet on the Marias River."
❃ "Louisiana has had a long history with the Mafia, or the Black Hand, as it was originally called....Huey Long, the former governor and then United States Senator, gave Louisiana to [crime boss] Frank Costello. Slots were everywhere. So was prostitution. And all the other attendant vices....The assassination of John Kennedy may have had strong ties to New Orleans. We'll never know. The Warren Investigation was not meant to clarify; it was meant to distract."
❃ "We were entering the twenty-first century...and we shared the feeling that the new century did not bode well for us. The indifference to the melting of the Arctic, the rising of the oceans, the sands of war blowing in the Middle East, the possible return of an evil man in the Kremlin."
I found the book compelling, but the plot is overly complex and disjointed, and it feels like Burke tried to stuff too much into one story. Still, I'd recommend the book to Dave Robicheaux fans.
Thanks to Netgalley, James Lee Burke, and Grove Atlantic for an ARC of the book.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
February 4, 2026
THE HADACOL BOOGIE is #25 in author James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux series and the first instalment that I have disliked. I tried to get into the story. I read the long novel until the end, but I could not relate to its central plot nor the multiple deviations from this storyline. Possibly this is because, at heart, it is a war genre novel, masquerading as a mystery/thriller—definitely not my cup of tea. If you like war genre novels, you probably will like this one much better than I did.
Although I have only reviewed two of the Dave Robicheaux novels here on Goodreads, I have read several more. For example, when the gangster Ludlow mentions that Clete Purcel put sand in the engines of Sally Duck's plane, I remembered the novel where this occurred; it was one of the first Robicheaux books I read. Consequently, when I chose this one from NetGalley, I thought that I knew what I was getting into—a meandering plot centred around a morality tale, with beautiful descriptive phrases scattered throughout the narrative.
The beautiful descriptive phrases still abound throughout the story, although they are more philosophical now, and not so visually alluring. In fact, I would almost classify this as a philosophical diatribe on war crimes, and on man's inhumanity to mankind.
The story does begin with a mystery: a strange man is seen dragging a bag onto Dave's property. In the bag is the nude body of a black woman with blue eyes and roses tattooed on her breasts—a prostitute. Dave and his new partner, Valerie Benoit, also a black woman, are assigned the case. In addition, Clete Purcel, Dave's long-time partner, stops by to help Dave solve this murder.
But then the story weaves into the horrors of the Vietnam War, horrors that both Dave and Clete experienced. Immediately I felt something was off, as Dave is described as being "in his 60s", and if he had served in Vietnam, he would have been in his 70s, or even possibly his 80s. In addition to his musings about Vietnam, Dave ponders many historical evils, including slavery. The narrative stops being a mystery/thriller and becomes a philosophical tome. At this point, about 25% through the book, I took a rest and read another novel. But I did return, only to become more confused. The cast of characters grows, and several of them suffer horrible deaths. Both Dave and Clete get into fistfights that are reminiscent more of teenage boys fantasy brawls than of the way mature men settle disputes.
Dave's daughter, Alafair returns to Dave's house and plays a major part in the narrative. She was in a drama class with both the murdered woman and with Dave's new partner, Valerie. (James Lee Burke has an actual daughter named Alafair, a writer like the fictional Alafair in the Robicheaux series, a fact that has always interfered with my ability to completely immerse myself in the fictional stories whenever she appears.)
The story meanders even more until it ends up with a scene taken straight from a Vietnam War story—a Huey helicopter with an Oriental gunner. And after all the fighting was over, I was still not sure who killed the black woman with blue eyes, or why.
There are times that author Burke speaks directly to the reader. I never remember him doing this in his earlier novels. And among his many musings, he says: "I never saw the future. There was no such thing. The present was the past, and the past was the present." This may be how Burke's mind works—neurodivergently. He also writes: "the stories I am now telling you are the only ones I can relate to you because they are the only ones I have ever had." I think Burke is now living in the past, and consequently is only capable of writing about things he once experienced.
James Lee Burke was once a great writer. Do yourself a favour and read some of his outstanding earlier novels. To me, THE HADOCOL BOOGIE is a book written by a great writer who is not only past his prime, but one who no longer can create even a mediocre narrative.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for earlier books in the series:
Clete (Dave Roboicheaux, #24)
The Tin Roof Blowdown (Dave Roboicheaux, #16)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
Although I have only reviewed two of the Dave Robicheaux novels here on Goodreads, I have read several more. For example, when the gangster Ludlow mentions that Clete Purcel put sand in the engines of Sally Duck's plane, I remembered the novel where this occurred; it was one of the first Robicheaux books I read. Consequently, when I chose this one from NetGalley, I thought that I knew what I was getting into—a meandering plot centred around a morality tale, with beautiful descriptive phrases scattered throughout the narrative.
The beautiful descriptive phrases still abound throughout the story, although they are more philosophical now, and not so visually alluring. In fact, I would almost classify this as a philosophical diatribe on war crimes, and on man's inhumanity to mankind.
The story does begin with a mystery: a strange man is seen dragging a bag onto Dave's property. In the bag is the nude body of a black woman with blue eyes and roses tattooed on her breasts—a prostitute. Dave and his new partner, Valerie Benoit, also a black woman, are assigned the case. In addition, Clete Purcel, Dave's long-time partner, stops by to help Dave solve this murder.
But then the story weaves into the horrors of the Vietnam War, horrors that both Dave and Clete experienced. Immediately I felt something was off, as Dave is described as being "in his 60s", and if he had served in Vietnam, he would have been in his 70s, or even possibly his 80s. In addition to his musings about Vietnam, Dave ponders many historical evils, including slavery. The narrative stops being a mystery/thriller and becomes a philosophical tome. At this point, about 25% through the book, I took a rest and read another novel. But I did return, only to become more confused. The cast of characters grows, and several of them suffer horrible deaths. Both Dave and Clete get into fistfights that are reminiscent more of teenage boys fantasy brawls than of the way mature men settle disputes.
Dave's daughter, Alafair returns to Dave's house and plays a major part in the narrative. She was in a drama class with both the murdered woman and with Dave's new partner, Valerie. (James Lee Burke has an actual daughter named Alafair, a writer like the fictional Alafair in the Robicheaux series, a fact that has always interfered with my ability to completely immerse myself in the fictional stories whenever she appears.)
The story meanders even more until it ends up with a scene taken straight from a Vietnam War story—a Huey helicopter with an Oriental gunner. And after all the fighting was over, I was still not sure who killed the black woman with blue eyes, or why.
There are times that author Burke speaks directly to the reader. I never remember him doing this in his earlier novels. And among his many musings, he says: "I never saw the future. There was no such thing. The present was the past, and the past was the present." This may be how Burke's mind works—neurodivergently. He also writes: "the stories I am now telling you are the only ones I can relate to you because they are the only ones I have ever had." I think Burke is now living in the past, and consequently is only capable of writing about things he once experienced.
James Lee Burke was once a great writer. Do yourself a favour and read some of his outstanding earlier novels. To me, THE HADOCOL BOOGIE is a book written by a great writer who is not only past his prime, but one who no longer can create even a mediocre narrative.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for earlier books in the series:
Clete (Dave Roboicheaux, #24)
The Tin Roof Blowdown (Dave Roboicheaux, #16)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
February 12, 2026
If Cormac McCarthy wrote a murder mystery set on Louisiana landscapes painted by Salvador Dali, it might approach The Hadacol Boogie.
A man in a black coat with ‘sticks in his hair’ drags a large bag through a field in the rain. The bag contains the body of a woman with a guitar string wrapped around her neck and flower tattoos on her breasts. So begins an intensely violent, symbolic, and introspective investigation that tests the sanity of Dave Robicheaux and threatens the safety of his friends and family.
Burke tells a story through his famous protagonist's perspective, and it's a damn good one, but he also speaks to the reader. When Robicheaux says, “I’ve had many loses in my life, as I’m sure you have. And I’m also sure you faced them with courage and the ability to bear a terrible burden without transferring your pain to others," the fourth wall faintly cracks with respect for the person turning the page. This author writes with purpose and his characters carry a soulful longing with them through the story. Violence is intense and fighting is an expression of being. Burke reflects upon our place in the universe, and then with a few well placed words, remind us why a character is important to a scene.
This is intelligent detective fiction, bordering on literary-adventure. The Hadacol Boogie is set in the early 2000’s, and looks to the new century with all the concern hindsight allows. An evil man returning to The Kremlin, indifference to a melting Arctic, rising oceans, war in the Middle East, our story is on set on a small stage in Louisiana, but considers the larger arena of a rapidly changing world. And two cowboy cops that can’t keep up with it. Unique storytelling from an author in his 80's still tilling soil for new ground. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, and Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Crime for a review copy.
A man in a black coat with ‘sticks in his hair’ drags a large bag through a field in the rain. The bag contains the body of a woman with a guitar string wrapped around her neck and flower tattoos on her breasts. So begins an intensely violent, symbolic, and introspective investigation that tests the sanity of Dave Robicheaux and threatens the safety of his friends and family.
Burke tells a story through his famous protagonist's perspective, and it's a damn good one, but he also speaks to the reader. When Robicheaux says, “I’ve had many loses in my life, as I’m sure you have. And I’m also sure you faced them with courage and the ability to bear a terrible burden without transferring your pain to others," the fourth wall faintly cracks with respect for the person turning the page. This author writes with purpose and his characters carry a soulful longing with them through the story. Violence is intense and fighting is an expression of being. Burke reflects upon our place in the universe, and then with a few well placed words, remind us why a character is important to a scene.
This is intelligent detective fiction, bordering on literary-adventure. The Hadacol Boogie is set in the early 2000’s, and looks to the new century with all the concern hindsight allows. An evil man returning to The Kremlin, indifference to a melting Arctic, rising oceans, war in the Middle East, our story is on set on a small stage in Louisiana, but considers the larger arena of a rapidly changing world. And two cowboy cops that can’t keep up with it. Unique storytelling from an author in his 80's still tilling soil for new ground. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, and Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Crime for a review copy.
February 11, 2026
Present the past, past the present
James Lee Burke's latest addition to his enduring Dave Robicheaux series, "The Hadacol Boogie," is a gripping and atmospheric return to the Louisiana bayou, a setting as intricately menacing as the criminals it hides. The novel masterfully blends gritty crime fiction with literary depth, showcasing Burke's signature lyrical prose and profound exploration of moral and societal corruption.
The story opens with a chilling discovery: a cloaked, disfigured man leaves the body of a young woman in a garbage bag on Detective Robicheaux’s property. This crisis draws Robicheaux into a systemic evil that quickly connects to his past. His investigation links the murder to old acquaintance Jerry Carlucci, a childhood friend turned criminal who is now working with New Jersey mobsters. Their operation centers on building a casino on land rumored to hold Confederate gold. Aided by his new partner, Valerie Benoit, and his volatile long-time friend, Clete Purcel, Robicheaux relentlessly pursues the truth. However, the escalating danger becomes deeply personal when the investigation directly links the murdered woman to his adopted daughter, Alafair, putting her safety in immediate peril and escalating the violence to a crisis point.
“The Hadacol Boogie” features the return of the familiar, complex partnership between Dave Robicheaux and the fiercely loyal, yet often explosive, Clete Purcel. The novel's exploration of systemic racism and injustice is deepened by the introduction of Valerie Benoit, a young, Black detective who faces harassment from her colleagues. Also notable is the mysterious Boone Hendrix, a handyman who appears to have one foot in the spiritual world, adding a touch of the surreal and haunting atmosphere that defines the bayou setting.
Dave Robicheaux, the enduring protagonist of a twenty-five-book series, is fundamentally defined by his internal conflicts. Although he is a law enforcement officer dedicated to justice and a strong personal code, he is also deeply flawed. Robicheaux grapples constantly with alcoholism and the lasting trauma of his Vietnam service, which manifests in persistent nightmares and spectral visions of victims of slavery, racism, and war connected to the land. Despite his commitment to the law, he possesses a dangerous capacity for sudden, uncontrollable violence when confronting profound evil, leading to blackouts of which he retains no memory. Ultimately, both Robicheaux and his partner, Clete, share an unwavering willingness to do whatever is necessary to defeat evil.
A favorite writer of mine, Elmore Leonard, had his famous 10 Rules for Good Writing, which included: ”#9 Don't go into great detail describing places and things.” In contrast to this, Burke's rich descriptions are integral to establishing the mood and setting of his crime novels. These passages are frequently blended into the fast-paced narrative, creating a sudden, almost breathtaking shift that is likened to a post-impressionist Van Gogh painting.
A prime example of his evocative prose is: "The thunderheads in the south were purple and swollen with rain and lightning, then the day began to cool and renew your spirits, the links of bays wrinkling like old skin in the wind, the mullet flying through the air, and the funnel of a waterspout twisting like spun glass, the sun bloodred on the horizon."
Burke's use of language transforms the Louisiana environment—specifically the bayou and the Atchafalaya Basin—into a significant, brooding character haunted by history and specters. The narratives explore complex themes, including the legacy of historical violence, the burden of the past, and the struggle for true justice against entrenched corruption.
"The Hadacol Boogie" transcends the crime-novel genre, offering a haunting and morally urgent meditation on how the specters of history and personal trauma shape the American pursuit of justice. Maintaining the high standard that has defined the series for decades, it is a compelling choice for both long-time devotees and new readers.
Thank you to Grove Atlantic, NetGalley, and Edelweiss Plus for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
“I felt that my life was catching up with me, as though I had ignored the past and needed somehow to change it. But I didn’t feel this just about myself. I believed it of everything around me.” - Dave
*Hadacol was a “vitamin supplement” very popular in many southern dry counties, owing to its 12 percent alcohol content and recommended dosage of 4 tablespoons a day. Allegedly, some pharmacies administered this medicine in shot glasses– as a convenience to patients.
James Lee Burke's latest addition to his enduring Dave Robicheaux series, "The Hadacol Boogie," is a gripping and atmospheric return to the Louisiana bayou, a setting as intricately menacing as the criminals it hides. The novel masterfully blends gritty crime fiction with literary depth, showcasing Burke's signature lyrical prose and profound exploration of moral and societal corruption.
The story opens with a chilling discovery: a cloaked, disfigured man leaves the body of a young woman in a garbage bag on Detective Robicheaux’s property. This crisis draws Robicheaux into a systemic evil that quickly connects to his past. His investigation links the murder to old acquaintance Jerry Carlucci, a childhood friend turned criminal who is now working with New Jersey mobsters. Their operation centers on building a casino on land rumored to hold Confederate gold. Aided by his new partner, Valerie Benoit, and his volatile long-time friend, Clete Purcel, Robicheaux relentlessly pursues the truth. However, the escalating danger becomes deeply personal when the investigation directly links the murdered woman to his adopted daughter, Alafair, putting her safety in immediate peril and escalating the violence to a crisis point.
“The Hadacol Boogie” features the return of the familiar, complex partnership between Dave Robicheaux and the fiercely loyal, yet often explosive, Clete Purcel. The novel's exploration of systemic racism and injustice is deepened by the introduction of Valerie Benoit, a young, Black detective who faces harassment from her colleagues. Also notable is the mysterious Boone Hendrix, a handyman who appears to have one foot in the spiritual world, adding a touch of the surreal and haunting atmosphere that defines the bayou setting.
Dave Robicheaux, the enduring protagonist of a twenty-five-book series, is fundamentally defined by his internal conflicts. Although he is a law enforcement officer dedicated to justice and a strong personal code, he is also deeply flawed. Robicheaux grapples constantly with alcoholism and the lasting trauma of his Vietnam service, which manifests in persistent nightmares and spectral visions of victims of slavery, racism, and war connected to the land. Despite his commitment to the law, he possesses a dangerous capacity for sudden, uncontrollable violence when confronting profound evil, leading to blackouts of which he retains no memory. Ultimately, both Robicheaux and his partner, Clete, share an unwavering willingness to do whatever is necessary to defeat evil.
A favorite writer of mine, Elmore Leonard, had his famous 10 Rules for Good Writing, which included: ”#9 Don't go into great detail describing places and things.” In contrast to this, Burke's rich descriptions are integral to establishing the mood and setting of his crime novels. These passages are frequently blended into the fast-paced narrative, creating a sudden, almost breathtaking shift that is likened to a post-impressionist Van Gogh painting.
A prime example of his evocative prose is: "The thunderheads in the south were purple and swollen with rain and lightning, then the day began to cool and renew your spirits, the links of bays wrinkling like old skin in the wind, the mullet flying through the air, and the funnel of a waterspout twisting like spun glass, the sun bloodred on the horizon."
Burke's use of language transforms the Louisiana environment—specifically the bayou and the Atchafalaya Basin—into a significant, brooding character haunted by history and specters. The narratives explore complex themes, including the legacy of historical violence, the burden of the past, and the struggle for true justice against entrenched corruption.
"The Hadacol Boogie" transcends the crime-novel genre, offering a haunting and morally urgent meditation on how the specters of history and personal trauma shape the American pursuit of justice. Maintaining the high standard that has defined the series for decades, it is a compelling choice for both long-time devotees and new readers.
Thank you to Grove Atlantic, NetGalley, and Edelweiss Plus for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
“I felt that my life was catching up with me, as though I had ignored the past and needed somehow to change it. But I didn’t feel this just about myself. I believed it of everything around me.” - Dave
*Hadacol was a “vitamin supplement” very popular in many southern dry counties, owing to its 12 percent alcohol content and recommended dosage of 4 tablespoons a day. Allegedly, some pharmacies administered this medicine in shot glasses– as a convenience to patients.
February 13, 2026
In this latest episode in the story of Dave Robicheaux, we return to 1999, the end of the millennium, as Dave is working at the Sheriffs Office in New Iberia while his best bud Clete Purcel has a private investigator’s office in town. The Hadacol Boogie is written in classic Burke prose and encompasses themes his readers have experienced frequently in various forms over the years. Dave thinks constantly about the natural world, his place in it. In his wonderfully descriptive prose, Burke writes of Dave’s beliefs, emotions, thoughts on scriptures and the natural world as well as their corruption; the corruption of so much of our modern world by the then fading mafiosi , the drug and prostitution purveyors and Eisenhower’s long warned-about military-industrial complex. Then throw in the climate issues.
This complex story begins with the dropping of the body of a young woman on Dave’s back lawn. Much of the action seeks to answer the who and why of this sad death.
to be continued….
Thanks to Atlantic Crime and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. The review is mine.
This complex story begins with the dropping of the body of a young woman on Dave’s back lawn. Much of the action seeks to answer the who and why of this sad death.
to be continued….
Thanks to Atlantic Crime and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. The review is mine.
February 20, 2026
don’t waste your money
A long time fan of the Robicheaux series this overblown incomprehensible addition suggests the author needs to write no more
Overwrought , with nothing knew to add to Dave and Clete’s story it regurgitates the repetitive dialogue that was once fresh and is now tired and frankly ridiculous. Why Mr Burke wasted his time and talent on this hogwash only he knows - he can hardly need the money - but enough enough - more than enough.
A long time fan of the Robicheaux series this overblown incomprehensible addition suggests the author needs to write no more
Overwrought , with nothing knew to add to Dave and Clete’s story it regurgitates the repetitive dialogue that was once fresh and is now tired and frankly ridiculous. Why Mr Burke wasted his time and talent on this hogwash only he knows - he can hardly need the money - but enough enough - more than enough.
March 11, 2026
JLB never disappoints. This one was even better on audio, Will Patton, nails the reading. The character, Boone Hendrix, is an amazing character that really shows the creativity of JLB.
March 7, 2026
Detective fiction meets literary fiction — or as a sceptical mate of mine once said when I browbeat him into reading some James Lee Burke:
“I thought all crime thrillers were pulp filth, but this guy is as good as Steinbeck.”
Hadacol was an alcoholic beverage marketed as medicine in Louisiana during the 1940s. It purported to increase appetite and promote growth, with handy sidelines in curing diabetes, paralysis, and rheumatism. In truth, it was mostly 12% alcohol — a legal option for those ‘jonesing’ for a drink in dry counties.
Burke uses Hadacol as a symbol of the danger inherent in reimagining flawed personal and societal pasts through nostalgia bereft of critical insight. This kind of escapism seeps through many of the less morally tethered characters in the novel, collectively expressed as a creeping societal decay that threatens to overwhelm all in its path.
As a vehicle for these authorial musings, Hadacol Boogie is every bit as intoxicating as its namesake. It is superbly written and intricately plotted. The characters are complete, complex, and nuanced; the prose is stunning; the story, profoundly relatable.
It is awesome.
“I thought all crime thrillers were pulp filth, but this guy is as good as Steinbeck.”
Hadacol was an alcoholic beverage marketed as medicine in Louisiana during the 1940s. It purported to increase appetite and promote growth, with handy sidelines in curing diabetes, paralysis, and rheumatism. In truth, it was mostly 12% alcohol — a legal option for those ‘jonesing’ for a drink in dry counties.
Burke uses Hadacol as a symbol of the danger inherent in reimagining flawed personal and societal pasts through nostalgia bereft of critical insight. This kind of escapism seeps through many of the less morally tethered characters in the novel, collectively expressed as a creeping societal decay that threatens to overwhelm all in its path.
As a vehicle for these authorial musings, Hadacol Boogie is every bit as intoxicating as its namesake. It is superbly written and intricately plotted. The characters are complete, complex, and nuanced; the prose is stunning; the story, profoundly relatable.
It is awesome.
November 8, 2025
From the start of this novel, you can hear the slow paced, languid speech of the bayou. Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the pace of the language, I struggled with the pace of everything else. This was an interesting story, with many threads, and while it felt like it read quickly, when you looked down you were only 1/4 way through. It also kept me off balance, not with the mystery, but as if I walked into the middle of a conversation and missed the key word or subject. Almost every conversation between characters left me wondering what was just said.
This is a very talented writer, but this book was too esoteric for me. That said, I wanted to know who did it and where the characters landed, so I couldn’t put it down; I continued to plug along, my head spinning and off kilter until the end.
This is a very talented writer, but this book was too esoteric for me. That said, I wanted to know who did it and where the characters landed, so I couldn’t put it down; I continued to plug along, my head spinning and off kilter until the end.
February 19, 2026
Burke has gone over the edge
He has progressed steadily with each book…pushing his own ghosts and nightmares in the image and thoughts of Dave. He now needs to walk off with these dark clouds of negativity and faux philosophy and give up the pen. Perhaps in a new rendition he can write children’s stories.
He has progressed steadily with each book…pushing his own ghosts and nightmares in the image and thoughts of Dave. He now needs to walk off with these dark clouds of negativity and faux philosophy and give up the pen. Perhaps in a new rendition he can write children’s stories.
April 13, 2026
This, the 26th novel in the Dave Robicheaux series, actually takes place twenty five years in the past, at the end of the 20th century. It is almost as if the author didn't wish to contaminate the tale with the madness of current America. Although, as with several of the preceding novels, the frequent references to past events give the story something of a timeless feel.
It begins with Dave Robicheaux discovering the body of an unidentified naked black woman in the back garden of his home; left by a mysterious cloaked stranger. He is also being bothered by an eccentric handyman called Boone Hendrix, who seemingly appeared from nowhere.
On top of that, the latest member of Iberia Sheriff's Department, Detective Valerie Benoit seems intent of discovering Confederate gold in the parish marshlands to thwart attempts to turn the area into "The New Las Vegas". She also seems to have a romantic attraction to Dave, despite a massive age difference.
The investigation into the woman's death brings Dave and his partner Clete Purcel into confrontation with a whole host of undesirables, including a New Orleans hitman and mobsters from Atlantic City, endangering, not just their lives, but that of Dave's daughter Alafair.
Another intense and brooding epic from Mr Burke. An author who dares to go places many tend to shy away from. For the record (excuse the pun), the title refers to a song performed by both Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Guy. Sadly, not one I'm familiar with.
It begins with Dave Robicheaux discovering the body of an unidentified naked black woman in the back garden of his home; left by a mysterious cloaked stranger. He is also being bothered by an eccentric handyman called Boone Hendrix, who seemingly appeared from nowhere.
On top of that, the latest member of Iberia Sheriff's Department, Detective Valerie Benoit seems intent of discovering Confederate gold in the parish marshlands to thwart attempts to turn the area into "The New Las Vegas". She also seems to have a romantic attraction to Dave, despite a massive age difference.
The investigation into the woman's death brings Dave and his partner Clete Purcel into confrontation with a whole host of undesirables, including a New Orleans hitman and mobsters from Atlantic City, endangering, not just their lives, but that of Dave's daughter Alafair.
Another intense and brooding epic from Mr Burke. An author who dares to go places many tend to shy away from. For the record (excuse the pun), the title refers to a song performed by both Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Guy. Sadly, not one I'm familiar with.
February 18, 2026
Dave and Clete are back, bigtime! Another action-packed entry in the series, a la a 1980s Richard Donner flick but with a touch of the supernatural (which I absolutely love).
This one starts when the remains of a young black female are left in Detective Dave Robicheaux's back yard. Since Dave's new partner is a young female officer with a short fuse, Dave pulls in his BFF Clete Purcell to work the "offline" angles of the case. Predictably, mobbed-up heavies enter the conversation, including Dave's childhood friend Jerry Carducci and Jersey boss Sidney Ludlow, both of whom are teaming up to build a new gambling mecca in Iberia Parish.
The grand finale stretches almost the last 25% of the novel, blurring the lines between a present-day abduction and Dave and Clete's memories of Vietnam - including a UH-1 gunship, flamethrowers and hand grenades. Crazy!
As ever, JLB's novel contains beauty and ugliness in extremes. Burke's best gift is for contrast, displaying things and amplifying both because of the proximity. He never hesitates to wax philosophical, either. Amazingly good! I desperately wish all readers would check out James Lee Burke. He is truly a treasure. The Hadacol Boogie gets all the stars.
This one starts when the remains of a young black female are left in Detective Dave Robicheaux's back yard. Since Dave's new partner is a young female officer with a short fuse, Dave pulls in his BFF Clete Purcell to work the "offline" angles of the case. Predictably, mobbed-up heavies enter the conversation, including Dave's childhood friend Jerry Carducci and Jersey boss Sidney Ludlow, both of whom are teaming up to build a new gambling mecca in Iberia Parish.
The grand finale stretches almost the last 25% of the novel, blurring the lines between a present-day abduction and Dave and Clete's memories of Vietnam - including a UH-1 gunship, flamethrowers and hand grenades. Crazy!
As ever, JLB's novel contains beauty and ugliness in extremes. Burke's best gift is for contrast, displaying things and amplifying both because of the proximity. He never hesitates to wax philosophical, either. Amazingly good! I desperately wish all readers would check out James Lee Burke. He is truly a treasure. The Hadacol Boogie gets all the stars.
February 17, 2026
This book was way too long... I was really looking forward to a new Dave Robicheaux book.. I finally stopped at Chapter 49.. I just could not finish.. tired of all the tangents and philosophizing... and losing the storyline.. I had enjoyed some of the earliest Dacve Robicheaux novels... but sadly not this one
February 19, 2026
butter in the pan , but no pancakes
Great lyrical description of Louisiana, its bayous, levees, swamps, dead slaves, live white fascists, ghosts, history, flowers, birds, etc,etc,etc, but what about a plot at least a little believable and coherent ? My head is buzzing with psycho mumbo jumbo and metaphysic presences.
Great lyrical description of Louisiana, its bayous, levees, swamps, dead slaves, live white fascists, ghosts, history, flowers, birds, etc,etc,etc, but what about a plot at least a little believable and coherent ? My head is buzzing with psycho mumbo jumbo and metaphysic presences.
March 13, 2026
Classic Burke, which is to say, atmospheric, Louisiana specific Confederate ghosts and all, not to mention the mouthwatering po' boys and gumbo served throughout.
February 21, 2026
It pains me to say it, but I didn't enjoy the latest James Lee Burke book, The Hadacol Boogie. My good friend Dave Johnson put me on to him many years back and I've enjoyed his writing immensely. His evocative descriptions of southern Louisiana are captivating, and remain so in this book.
His main characters are Louisiana police detective Dave Robichaux and his sidekick Clear Purcel. Both of these men have had a ton of tragedy in their life. It's not generally the focus, but it's a factor in why they do what they do.
There are some side characters in this story that took up a lot of space but I struggled to see how they moved the story along. I wasn't nuts about the side story involving Confederate gold. That's a trope that's been done to death in my opinion.
The story, for me, was disjointed and the ending did not really wrap up loose ends. The further I got into the book the more elliptical the writing became and less lyrical.
I still look forward to his next book, but this one just didn't satisfy.
His main characters are Louisiana police detective Dave Robichaux and his sidekick Clear Purcel. Both of these men have had a ton of tragedy in their life. It's not generally the focus, but it's a factor in why they do what they do.
There are some side characters in this story that took up a lot of space but I struggled to see how they moved the story along. I wasn't nuts about the side story involving Confederate gold. That's a trope that's been done to death in my opinion.
The story, for me, was disjointed and the ending did not really wrap up loose ends. The further I got into the book the more elliptical the writing became and less lyrical.
I still look forward to his next book, but this one just didn't satisfy.
March 15, 2026
It is very sad to see one of the great authors of modern crime fiction, and one of the greatest series in that genre, reduced to this mess. Mr. Burke's staff, including family members, should have stopped him from publishing this book, at least without significant editing. Even that probably could not have saved this incomprehensible novel. I only give it two stars because JLB, even at less than 50%, writes better prose than most modern writers of popular fiction. However, on balance, I wish I had not read this, since it forever diminishes the esteem in which I hold JLB and the Robicheaux series.
August 5, 2025
Dave Robicheaux is one of the literary world’s iconic heroes. In this new addition to his Louisiana series, James Lee Burke digs deeply into the corrupted underbelly of the Big Easy’s illegal layers, and with stunning writing does the same with his characters.
Dave is not going to let the body of a young woman dumped in his own back yard go until he learns who she is and why she was killed. This may be the premise of the story but how the author explores the demons that run through Dave Robicheaux soul is the real message here. I have never read words so descriptive or revealing as these written by Mr. Burke. Even his expressive and illuminating passages about Louisiana herself left me wanting to visit.
The ending…..well, you will have to read the book. Please add this one to your to read list for next year!
Dave is not going to let the body of a young woman dumped in his own back yard go until he learns who she is and why she was killed. This may be the premise of the story but how the author explores the demons that run through Dave Robicheaux soul is the real message here. I have never read words so descriptive or revealing as these written by Mr. Burke. Even his expressive and illuminating passages about Louisiana herself left me wanting to visit.
The ending…..well, you will have to read the book. Please add this one to your to read list for next year!
March 18, 2026
Overwrought replay of past Robicheaux themes and exploits filtered through the failing eyes of a tired, old writer.
April 5, 2026
Dave Roubecheaux is back in this perhaps most James Lee Burke-ian novel of the entire series. Burke is still at the top of his game, his writing as powerful, rich, poetic, and atmospheric as ever. The plot accommodates his ongoing preoccupation with the mutability of time and Dave and his sidekick Cleve Purcell are once again the moral center of the story, in the way that the knights and crusaders of yore were moral centers of their stories. New Iberia Parish is also not just the setting but a major character, lovingly detailed as always. I loved this book even as the long battle scene at its center sometimes meandered. Even Burke’s meandering is so masterful it commands reading slowly, or out loud.
February 24, 2026
I’ve been reading this author since the early 90’s and am never disappointed. This book is a mystery/crime novel written like literary fiction. One of the few books lately that holds up to its length with fully flushed out characters and a plot woven through with the thoughts and insights of the main one, Dave Robicheaux. Past, present and future, action plot, family, friendship, humanity with all its warts, the consequences to the human spirit of war, a heartfelt story, and the Louisiana bayou with all its humid dripping atmosphere as part of the cast. Look up Hadacol , and read the author’s acknowledgment for some additional history.
March 22, 2026
waste of time.
This book was nonsense. Dave is a borderline lunatic who should never be a trusted law officer. I have been a fan of this series for years but no more. I can’t take another description of the bayou or trees or swamps. I’m done.
This book was nonsense. Dave is a borderline lunatic who should never be a trusted law officer. I have been a fan of this series for years but no more. I can’t take another description of the bayou or trees or swamps. I’m done.
February 26, 2026
The 26th in the Dave Robicheaux series. It didn’t resonate with me. Sorry I wasted the time reading it.
May 4, 2026
THE HADACOL BOOGIE
James Lee Burke
2026
HADACOL OOGIED:
"Hadacol Boogie" refers to a 1949–1950s hillbilly boogie song and cultural craze, stemming from a popular, high-alcohol patent medicine called "Hadacol". The song, popularized by artists like Bill Nettles and later covered by others, served as a musical jingle or the "miracle tonic" that was actually a mixture of vitamins and up to 12-14% alcohol, marketed as a cure-all during the post-Wa II era.” Wikipedia
This most recent David Robicheaux novel seems to serve as a possible conclusion to the near 40 year run of successful novels. Burke begins this episode by introducing and updating his lifelong characters - Robichieaux, Clete Purcel, Helen Souile and daughter Alafair before immersing them info to their latest adventure in and around the swamps, backwaters, bridges, and ecosystems of the Southern Louisiana river basin amongst some of the most evil humans conceivable.
Sometimes it is hard to know who is evil and who is not.
The setting is as important as the characters in Burke’s stories as its history of hardship, mysticism, wealth, poverty, racism, and the American Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam war all create a volatile mix.
This story had a slow start as Burke carefully introduced the. Characters and the plot line and became a ‘could not put it down” race to the finish.
James Lee Burke
2026
HADACOL OOGIED:
"Hadacol Boogie" refers to a 1949–1950s hillbilly boogie song and cultural craze, stemming from a popular, high-alcohol patent medicine called "Hadacol". The song, popularized by artists like Bill Nettles and later covered by others, served as a musical jingle or the "miracle tonic" that was actually a mixture of vitamins and up to 12-14% alcohol, marketed as a cure-all during the post-Wa II era.” Wikipedia
This most recent David Robicheaux novel seems to serve as a possible conclusion to the near 40 year run of successful novels. Burke begins this episode by introducing and updating his lifelong characters - Robichieaux, Clete Purcel, Helen Souile and daughter Alafair before immersing them info to their latest adventure in and around the swamps, backwaters, bridges, and ecosystems of the Southern Louisiana river basin amongst some of the most evil humans conceivable.
Sometimes it is hard to know who is evil and who is not.
The setting is as important as the characters in Burke’s stories as its history of hardship, mysticism, wealth, poverty, racism, and the American Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam war all create a volatile mix.
This story had a slow start as Burke carefully introduced the. Characters and the plot line and became a ‘could not put it down” race to the finish.
April 13, 2026
James Lee Burke is one of my favourite writers, and he's back with a bang with The Hadacol Boogie. This is the latest in the Dave Robichaux series. I've read most of them, some more successful than others, but this one was top notch in my opinion.
Dave tells the story of The Hadacol Boogie, harkening back to the turn of the last century. It begins with the discovery of the body of a young woman on Dave's property. While Dave and Clete endeavor to find the murderer of the young woman, they become involved with the mob, and the usual kinds of criminals that frequent the bayou Teche. I truly enjoyed this.
If you haven't already, give a listen to The Hadocol Boogie on YouTube, and of course, La Jolie Blon, which features in every one of JLB's Robichaux books.
Dave tells the story of The Hadacol Boogie, harkening back to the turn of the last century. It begins with the discovery of the body of a young woman on Dave's property. While Dave and Clete endeavor to find the murderer of the young woman, they become involved with the mob, and the usual kinds of criminals that frequent the bayou Teche. I truly enjoyed this.
If you haven't already, give a listen to The Hadocol Boogie on YouTube, and of course, La Jolie Blon, which features in every one of JLB's Robichaux books.
February 13, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.
I have read James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux books for over 20 years, since I happened upon In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead in the late 1990s shortly after its publication. Dave is an interesting character, long on morals (at least HIS definition), and compassion for those who he believes deserve it, but he is hard on himself. He did unspeakable things in Vietnam and is haunted still with images and regrets, as is his best friend Clete Purcel. They have been friends for a long time, since serving in the New Orleans Police Department after each returned from the Vietnam war, and they have together experienced a lot of what the underbelly of the world has to offer. But they have both become better men, sometimes in spite of what they have seen and done. Clete is now a private detective with offices in New Orleans and New Iberia and is usually involved in any case Dave encounters.
Dave has now come back to Iberia Parish and is serving as a detective with the parish Sheriff's department alongside his boss and good friend Sheriff Helen Soileau. There is also a new detective, Valerie Benoit, that Dave has hardly met and is just getting to know, who ends up working as his partner when a naked girl is dumped in Dave's back yard one rainy 4th of July in the early 2000s.
It turns out that many people had connections with this girl, including this new detective and Dave's daughter Alafair. They had worked together as teenagers in a workshop for artists. Clemmy Benoit had been an actress wannabe in the class and she and Alafair had been friendly. Valerie Benoit had also been in that class and was from the same area and probably kin to the dead girl, but she has chosen not to disclose that connection and Dave wonders why. There is also a handyman, Boone Hendrix, a strange character who always seems to be around and is some sort of trouble with a known gangster as well as some other gangsters from up North, and who seems to know something about the girl's death.
Dave was born and raised in Iberia and knows most everyone around. He has been married four times and has buried three wives there. So he is very connected. When one of his childhood friends, Jerry Carlucci, seems to be involved with the girl's murder, Dave goes to visit him, remembering the boy with whom he played baseball and wrestled, back in the day. But Jerry went to Vietnam, too, and came back a completely different man. A man who, now, is the primary source of drugs and other substances for the entire area. And whose bar is the center of much of the crime Dave has to deal with.
All these characters, as well as a Mob boss who may or may not be in business with Jerry Carlucci, make a mess of a case. As a matter of fact, this is the most violent and bloody book of this series. The climactic scene involves automatic rifles, hand grenades and even a Vietnam-era Huey helicopter!! NO ONE comes out unscathed, but the "good" guys do prevail.
I have read James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux books for over 20 years, since I happened upon In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead in the late 1990s shortly after its publication. Dave is an interesting character, long on morals (at least HIS definition), and compassion for those who he believes deserve it, but he is hard on himself. He did unspeakable things in Vietnam and is haunted still with images and regrets, as is his best friend Clete Purcel. They have been friends for a long time, since serving in the New Orleans Police Department after each returned from the Vietnam war, and they have together experienced a lot of what the underbelly of the world has to offer. But they have both become better men, sometimes in spite of what they have seen and done. Clete is now a private detective with offices in New Orleans and New Iberia and is usually involved in any case Dave encounters.
Dave has now come back to Iberia Parish and is serving as a detective with the parish Sheriff's department alongside his boss and good friend Sheriff Helen Soileau. There is also a new detective, Valerie Benoit, that Dave has hardly met and is just getting to know, who ends up working as his partner when a naked girl is dumped in Dave's back yard one rainy 4th of July in the early 2000s.
It turns out that many people had connections with this girl, including this new detective and Dave's daughter Alafair. They had worked together as teenagers in a workshop for artists. Clemmy Benoit had been an actress wannabe in the class and she and Alafair had been friendly. Valerie Benoit had also been in that class and was from the same area and probably kin to the dead girl, but she has chosen not to disclose that connection and Dave wonders why. There is also a handyman, Boone Hendrix, a strange character who always seems to be around and is some sort of trouble with a known gangster as well as some other gangsters from up North, and who seems to know something about the girl's death.
Dave was born and raised in Iberia and knows most everyone around. He has been married four times and has buried three wives there. So he is very connected. When one of his childhood friends, Jerry Carlucci, seems to be involved with the girl's murder, Dave goes to visit him, remembering the boy with whom he played baseball and wrestled, back in the day. But Jerry went to Vietnam, too, and came back a completely different man. A man who, now, is the primary source of drugs and other substances for the entire area. And whose bar is the center of much of the crime Dave has to deal with.
All these characters, as well as a Mob boss who may or may not be in business with Jerry Carlucci, make a mess of a case. As a matter of fact, this is the most violent and bloody book of this series. The climactic scene involves automatic rifles, hand grenades and even a Vietnam-era Huey helicopter!! NO ONE comes out unscathed, but the "good" guys do prevail.
April 29, 2026
What’s the haps?
A lot is going down in New Iberia, Louisiana, where corruption and violence have Bayou Tech under siege. Good thing Dave and Clete are on hand to set things straight and keep Altair safe.
I sure love these guys!
A lot is going down in New Iberia, Louisiana, where corruption and violence have Bayou Tech under siege. Good thing Dave and Clete are on hand to set things straight and keep Altair safe.
I sure love these guys!
April 11, 2026
Was a recommended reading from my crime book club and the first time I had read this author. A disappointing experience based on James Lee Burke’s reputation and my expectations of his work. He has a gift for descriptive language, however the story itself was messy, didn’t really make sense and was very disjointed. Reading other reviews and feedback from my book club is that reading his previous work may have helped, however some have also suggested that now in his early 90’s, his best days are clearly behind him. I imagine it’s likely the latter. Definitely won’t be reading any others.
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