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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
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About the author
James Lee Burke
128 books4,213 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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November 9, 2025
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
November 9, 2025
The gift that keeps on giving. Another story with Dave and Clete. I'm always a little afraid for Clete!
March 2, 2026
I'll keep reading these Dave Robicheaux novels as long as Mr. Burke keeps writing them. I've been in for the long haul so I have aged along with the two main characters. Burke avoids the difficulty of his main character being now in his 80's by setting this story back at the turn of the century. (He did something similar with the last one by focusing on Dave's long time loyal friend, Clete Purcell.) There are moments in this book where it's either Dave speaking to the reader, as if this is a tale from his past, or it is Burke himself breaking the fourth wall. I'm not sure.
If you're new to these stories, you'll find they are tense and full of action, especially violent action. This story more so than others seemed to move from one violent confrontation to the next, almost chapter by chapter. It becomes almost unrelenting, but I keep reading. The bad guys on the receiving end are always really bad guys and bring Clete and Dave's wrath upon themselves, but long time readers know how these two characters can sometimes lose control and step up the level of violence that sometimes horrifies even themselves afterward. It can add a gloomy sadness to the story that is emphasized by Dave's longing for an idylic past and his philosophic musings about mankind's past horrors and the corrupt state of the world today.
But when these two (formerly known as the Bobbsey Twins of Homicide) decide things are bad enough that the gloves (and rules) are off and raise the black flag, I'm along for the ride. They both possess a deep moral center and compassionate hearts for the ones they love as well as the downtrodden and victims of injustice. Their violence is always sparked by these virtues. For most readers, including me, the depth of caring, the desire for justice, and the loving bond between these two redeems almost everything they do.
My problem with this book is that it's overly long and gets repetitive with scenes and dialogue and even descriptive passages (which are one of Burke's strengths as a writer). There is little investigating and mostly outbursts of retribution. It all starts and supposedly focuses on the torture and murder of a young women but I'm not sure at the end who did what or even why. I mean I think I know but the ending isn't about that.
The ending is over the top in scale and doesn't flow realistically for me. When a firefight involves machine guns and flame throwers and plenty of other guns and then you throw in a helicopter straight from Vietnam, it seems strange when it all become theatrical and is resolved with lots of talking. It reminded me of the Star Wars movies with a hundred Storm Troopers shooting blasters down every hallway while our heroes run unscathed wherever they want.
James Lee Burke loves these characters too, so he can end his books however he wants. I look forward to the next one.
If you're new to these stories, you'll find they are tense and full of action, especially violent action. This story more so than others seemed to move from one violent confrontation to the next, almost chapter by chapter. It becomes almost unrelenting, but I keep reading. The bad guys on the receiving end are always really bad guys and bring Clete and Dave's wrath upon themselves, but long time readers know how these two characters can sometimes lose control and step up the level of violence that sometimes horrifies even themselves afterward. It can add a gloomy sadness to the story that is emphasized by Dave's longing for an idylic past and his philosophic musings about mankind's past horrors and the corrupt state of the world today.
But when these two (formerly known as the Bobbsey Twins of Homicide) decide things are bad enough that the gloves (and rules) are off and raise the black flag, I'm along for the ride. They both possess a deep moral center and compassionate hearts for the ones they love as well as the downtrodden and victims of injustice. Their violence is always sparked by these virtues. For most readers, including me, the depth of caring, the desire for justice, and the loving bond between these two redeems almost everything they do.
My problem with this book is that it's overly long and gets repetitive with scenes and dialogue and even descriptive passages (which are one of Burke's strengths as a writer). There is little investigating and mostly outbursts of retribution. It all starts and supposedly focuses on the torture and murder of a young women but I'm not sure at the end who did what or even why. I mean I think I know but the ending isn't about that.
The ending is over the top in scale and doesn't flow realistically for me. When a firefight involves machine guns and flame throwers and plenty of other guns and then you throw in a helicopter straight from Vietnam, it seems strange when it all become theatrical and is resolved with lots of talking. It reminded me of the Star Wars movies with a hundred Storm Troopers shooting blasters down every hallway while our heroes run unscathed wherever they want.
James Lee Burke loves these characters too, so he can end his books however he wants. I look forward to the next one.
February 14, 2026
Author James Lee Burke is an American institution, having released over forty novels and short stories. However, he shines brightest when he writes with his recurring character Louisiana Detective Dave Robicheaux. The latest novel with ‘Robo’ is THE HADACOL BOOGIE, and it is a deep dive into not only the dark side of the territory but also Dave’s own personal history.
This is a lengthy novel with much to consume and process. To begin with, we are reminded at the top of the novel that the events are bound to the turn of the century, which explains why some of the dates might seem odd. We get a history of the area over the previous hundred years or so with a special focus on the issues surrounding race relations during this time.
That provides the impetus for the events that open the story in which a series of young children who Dave was admonishing for popping off fireworks near his house indicate that they saw a ‘monster’ carrying a garbage bag on his property. They described this man as having long, stringy black hair with things sticking out of it and some sort of facial deformity that produced pronounced bumps. The garbage bag, once opened by Dave, contained the deceased body of a young black girl. The defining features were her light-colored eyes and rose tattoos on each of her bare breasts.
Dave immediately calls in his squad to claim the body and fills in his superiours as well as his long-time partner, Clete, on the morbid find. Dave does not believe that this was any sort of coincidence and takes matters into his own hands by starting with a checklist of those individuals in the county that have an active beef with him, and it is an extensive list. Even though he is an abiding member of AA, he starts by entering the dive bar operated by one Jerry Carlucci, who has had a history of badmouthing Dave’s family history in addition to the numerous crimes he is involved with. The conversation does not go well and ends with Carlucci spewing various family insults Dave’s way as well as throwing pool balls at a neighborhood man attempting to enter the bar named Boone Hendrix. Needless to say, Dave lays down quite the beating upon Carlucci.
Boone Hendrix is an interesting little character who is a local handyman that is currently working on Dave’s roof. He also knows and sees a lot and cryptically shares some vital details with Dave in the form of different messages. Things take an interesting turn when Dave’s daughter Alafair arrives back in town. When he brings her up to speed with what is currently going on she shares that she went to school with a girl named Clemmy Benoit who was black and had rose tattoos upon each of her breasts. This ironic situation is further extenuated when Dave approaches his new colleague at work, Detective Valerie Benoit, who has also been dealing with some serious sexual and racial harassment at the precinct.
Valerie initially denies any knowledge of Remmy Benoit, even though she was from the same town she lived in. Of course, Dave will not let this go and the connections and revelation here will eventually follow as the story rolls forward. When Dave additionally follows up on the cryptic messages from Boone Hendrix, he begins to head down a deadly trail involving bayou ghosts, a murderous ‘button man’ from New Orleans, and gangsters from the north.
The story reads like one set in a fantasy land, not just because it is taking place at the turn of the twentieth century but that the violent, stark landscape of the Louisiana bayou is place unlike any other area on earth. Dave Robicheaux is well aware of this and does not need to be told that further pursuit in this case may place him and everyone he loves in great danger. THE HADACOL BOOGIE is another example of Louisiana noir told by an author who is firmly ensconced in the language of this land.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
This is a lengthy novel with much to consume and process. To begin with, we are reminded at the top of the novel that the events are bound to the turn of the century, which explains why some of the dates might seem odd. We get a history of the area over the previous hundred years or so with a special focus on the issues surrounding race relations during this time.
That provides the impetus for the events that open the story in which a series of young children who Dave was admonishing for popping off fireworks near his house indicate that they saw a ‘monster’ carrying a garbage bag on his property. They described this man as having long, stringy black hair with things sticking out of it and some sort of facial deformity that produced pronounced bumps. The garbage bag, once opened by Dave, contained the deceased body of a young black girl. The defining features were her light-colored eyes and rose tattoos on each of her bare breasts.
Dave immediately calls in his squad to claim the body and fills in his superiours as well as his long-time partner, Clete, on the morbid find. Dave does not believe that this was any sort of coincidence and takes matters into his own hands by starting with a checklist of those individuals in the county that have an active beef with him, and it is an extensive list. Even though he is an abiding member of AA, he starts by entering the dive bar operated by one Jerry Carlucci, who has had a history of badmouthing Dave’s family history in addition to the numerous crimes he is involved with. The conversation does not go well and ends with Carlucci spewing various family insults Dave’s way as well as throwing pool balls at a neighborhood man attempting to enter the bar named Boone Hendrix. Needless to say, Dave lays down quite the beating upon Carlucci.
Boone Hendrix is an interesting little character who is a local handyman that is currently working on Dave’s roof. He also knows and sees a lot and cryptically shares some vital details with Dave in the form of different messages. Things take an interesting turn when Dave’s daughter Alafair arrives back in town. When he brings her up to speed with what is currently going on she shares that she went to school with a girl named Clemmy Benoit who was black and had rose tattoos upon each of her breasts. This ironic situation is further extenuated when Dave approaches his new colleague at work, Detective Valerie Benoit, who has also been dealing with some serious sexual and racial harassment at the precinct.
Valerie initially denies any knowledge of Remmy Benoit, even though she was from the same town she lived in. Of course, Dave will not let this go and the connections and revelation here will eventually follow as the story rolls forward. When Dave additionally follows up on the cryptic messages from Boone Hendrix, he begins to head down a deadly trail involving bayou ghosts, a murderous ‘button man’ from New Orleans, and gangsters from the north.
The story reads like one set in a fantasy land, not just because it is taking place at the turn of the twentieth century but that the violent, stark landscape of the Louisiana bayou is place unlike any other area on earth. Dave Robicheaux is well aware of this and does not need to be told that further pursuit in this case may place him and everyone he loves in great danger. THE HADACOL BOOGIE is another example of Louisiana noir told by an author who is firmly ensconced in the language of this land.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
February 20, 2026
The Hadacol Boogie by James Lee Burke is an absolute masterpiece that had me hooked from the very first page. Burke’s signature gritty details, moody atmosphere, and razor-sharp dialogue are all on full display here, making this one of the strongest entries in the series yet.
The adventures of Dave and Clete are as gripping and unpredictable as ever, weaving together action, tension, and heart in a way that only Burke can pull off. What truly sets this novel apart, however, is the rich and evocative sense of place. Having grown up very close to this region myself, I can say with confidence that Burke captures the mood, landscape, and spirit of the area with stunning accuracy — it felt like coming home on every page.
If you’re a longtime fan of the series, this one will not disappoint. And if you’re new to Burke’s world, consider this your invitation to dive in. Highly recommended.
This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The adventures of Dave and Clete are as gripping and unpredictable as ever, weaving together action, tension, and heart in a way that only Burke can pull off. What truly sets this novel apart, however, is the rich and evocative sense of place. Having grown up very close to this region myself, I can say with confidence that Burke captures the mood, landscape, and spirit of the area with stunning accuracy — it felt like coming home on every page.
If you’re a longtime fan of the series, this one will not disappoint. And if you’re new to Burke’s world, consider this your invitation to dive in. Highly recommended.
This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 8, 2026
If You Like the 'Cheaux, You'll Like This Book
But, [spoiler alert]
Mr. Burke does it again; half the characters in the book are dead, another several are just about to become deceased with Dave and Cletus running the show. Burke does a fine job of recommending music that goes with the take. And since we all have YouTube now, very easy to give most of the even obscure ones a good listen to. It is crazy to write a book like I just described--and Burke (so: Robicheaux) always takes things too far into the shadowworld and the supernatural, thus all of our histories back to the beginning of human thought that could be written down. He stays in touch with his roots.
But, [spoiler alert]
Mr. Burke does it again; half the characters in the book are dead, another several are just about to become deceased with Dave and Cletus running the show. Burke does a fine job of recommending music that goes with the take. And since we all have YouTube now, very easy to give most of the even obscure ones a good listen to. It is crazy to write a book like I just described--and Burke (so: Robicheaux) always takes things too far into the shadowworld and the supernatural, thus all of our histories back to the beginning of human thought that could be written down. He stays in touch with his roots.
March 15, 2026
This is, in my opinion, the most introspective novel James Lee Burke has written to date. I have read many excellent novels by many exceptional authors. Most of them draw you into the world they created but you always understand that you as the reader are outside looking in. Burke makes you feel as though you are walking along with his characters and feeling what they feel. He describes the scenes better than anyone I've ever read.
In his afterword to this novel, Burke claims his two main characters, Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell, are Everyman. I felt this was too simplistic. They are flawed and scarred by life but have never lost their sense of justice and right while trying to survive in a world that can often be uniquely evil. Perhaps this is how Everyman really is. My hope is that there will always be a Dave and Clete in our world to show us the way. I can't wait until the next Robicheaux novel comes out.
In his afterword to this novel, Burke claims his two main characters, Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell, are Everyman. I felt this was too simplistic. They are flawed and scarred by life but have never lost their sense of justice and right while trying to survive in a world that can often be uniquely evil. Perhaps this is how Everyman really is. My hope is that there will always be a Dave and Clete in our world to show us the way. I can't wait until the next Robicheaux novel comes out.
February 27, 2026
James Lee Burke is an American treasure, and the characters he creates are as well. The deeply flawed, yet noble, Clete Purcell and the world weary Dave Robicheaux are two of my all time favorites. Helen Soileau and Valerie Benoit add a morality and clarity to the novel. Burke manages to weave reality and the supernatural together in intoxicating fashion.
I’ve read every single one of his Robicheaux books, and I’m grateful he continues to provide with these books. May James Lee Burke live forever!
I’ve read every single one of his Robicheaux books, and I’m grateful he continues to provide with these books. May James Lee Burke live forever!
February 26, 2026
The 26th in the Dave Robicheaux series. It didn’t resonate with me. Sorry I wasted the time reading it.
March 19, 2026
Welcome to Dave Robicheaux’s world. It is populated with ghosts, violent criminals, dirty cops, and two honest, albeit violent protectors of the innocent: Dave, and his life-long PI pal Clete Purcel, who went to the Vietnam war with him and is still fighting his own demons.
As a detective in New Iberia, Louisiana, Dave straddles a fine line between his violent urges to mete out the punishment he deems necessary and upholding the law.
“The people with knowledge are the ones who suffer the most and are always the least respected.”
Dave and Clete live “in a world of beauty and horror and courage and pity.” The book is a combination of Cajun superstition and real life wisdom. The cops are as dangerous as the criminals. Dave & Clete have to deal with murderers, deviants, kidnappers and the Mob. And they will go to extreme measures to protect those they love
As a detective in New Iberia, Louisiana, Dave straddles a fine line between his violent urges to mete out the punishment he deems necessary and upholding the law.
“The people with knowledge are the ones who suffer the most and are always the least respected.”
Dave and Clete live “in a world of beauty and horror and courage and pity.” The book is a combination of Cajun superstition and real life wisdom. The cops are as dangerous as the criminals. Dave & Clete have to deal with murderers, deviants, kidnappers and the Mob. And they will go to extreme measures to protect those they love
February 21, 2026
I've always enjoyed Mr. Burke's novels; especially the ones starring Dave Robichaux. After "The Hadacol Boogie," I doubt if I will read any more. The starring characters were not believable. The story was somewhat preposterous. But the worst part of it was that I lost respect for Dave Robichaux. He was an extremely violent person who wreaked physical havoc on at least two people. For a guy who gets offended when someone uses profanity, he lost any moral high ground as a result of his out of control antics. His love of his adopted daughter, Alafair, and his long time sidekick, Clete is admirable. Alafair is a sympathetic character, but Clete is a violent man who seems to have little control over his misconduct. I gave this three stars because the story line kept me engaged. All in all, I was disappointed with this novel.
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