What do you think?
Rate this book
Dave Robicheaux #9
Cadillac Jukebox
Cadillac Jukebox (Dave Robicheaux Mysteries)
446 pages, Hardcover
First published August 2, 1996
841 people are currently reading
1920 people want to read
About the author
James Lee Burke
119 books4,155 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 310 reviews
December 8, 2012
Ok, I confess that I missed these guys, Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell. In fact I noticed a smile came to my face when Clete was first mentioned.
But like others have said, and I agree, the characters are numerous and from time to time, when they're not mentioned again for 100 pages, I'm like who? Who was that again? Fortunately, Burke usually in the same sentence, will state something that reminds me who the character is so I'm not shuffling back looking for the first time he was introduced. It’s easy with Kindle, not so easy with real book. (Did not say that to start a dialogue on ebooks vs real books.)
Might as well throw in another related gripe; I wish Burke would add more background, would 'flesh out' the second level characters more than he usually does. That would certainly add to their being readily recognized.
Burke’s lovely choice of words to describe the area in and around New Iberia, Louisiana and his fish camp, the woods whether they’re dense or spare, the colors, and the smells, everything. Burke, is such a wonderful, masterful writer.
I noted some quotes that I enjoyed which clearly demonstrate Burke’s use of the English language:
“But in the muted pink softness of the morning, in the rain that continued to tumble like crystal needles out of the sunlight, I looked again and saw…”
“The bare walls and floor seemed enameled with cold.”
“…his breath as stale as withered flowers, of bugles echoing off frozen hills and wounds that looked like roses frozen in snow.”
I get so tickled with the “sir” used by many of Burke’s characters including Dave, of course. “I am going to shoot your foot off, sir.” Or “I’m slicing you into small chunks with my 11” blade, sir.” (Note: Not sentences that came from the book.)
A couple of things I noticed about Dave, he will chastise others for cursing but he’s really quite good at it himself. In one instance he says “I think you’re shit canning the investigation.” If someone said shit on his property, I can assure you he would say, “please no profanity here, sir.” A bit of a double standard, don’t you think?
He has a method of putting down others that is, in my mind, is a bit arrogant and even disdainful on his part. That’s one character flaw that I’m not happy with but then again, who’s perfect? Dave is not and he would certainly be the first to agree with that statement.
When writing reviews, I mostly give my general and/or specific feelings of the book, not the story itself. This is no exception but I must say the villian, the bad guy in this book, was one of the baddest bad guys I've read in many a year. Nasty dude! And I would recognize him, too, and cross the street, turn the other way, anything to move away from him! He was certainly real enough for me.
With this book I continue on my quest to finish this series but at the rate I'm going, Burke's writing them faster than I'm reading them.
OK, Cathy, can't you read faster? Well, I read every day but have about eight series here I'm going through and I may have missed a couple:
• Raymond Chandler (Philip Marlowe),
• Michael Connelly (Harry Bosch)
• Robert B. Parker (Spenser)
• Ross Macdonald (Lew Archer)
• John Lescroart (Dismas Hardy)
• John Sandford (Virgil Flowers/Lucas Davenport)
• Ed McBain (Matthew Hope)
• Lawrence Block (Matthew Scudder)
Moving through these books one by one is time consuming especially since try to add a classic, non-fiction or maybe a book that a friend has recommended. But I admit it openly, mysteries and detective mysteries especially are my favorite genre along with the hard-boiled, noir genre. But I should add, I enjoy a well written book, period.
But, but, but I love these detectives who are such great problem solvers and do their best to make things right. Harry Bosch may have summed up how they all feel when he said (and Connelly said on Morning Joe Thursday, 12/6/12) that his baseline code is “everybody counts or nobody counts.” These detectives have that common thread, a code of fairness for all. I just love that code, Dave Robincheaux, Philip Marlowe and all the above detectives have. Oh, my, I’m starting to gush. Real detectives don’t gush, I shouldn’t either. But, but I love them…all of them.Gush, gush, gush. Oh, sorry.
But like others have said, and I agree, the characters are numerous and from time to time, when they're not mentioned again for 100 pages, I'm like who? Who was that again? Fortunately, Burke usually in the same sentence, will state something that reminds me who the character is so I'm not shuffling back looking for the first time he was introduced. It’s easy with Kindle, not so easy with real book. (Did not say that to start a dialogue on ebooks vs real books.)
Might as well throw in another related gripe; I wish Burke would add more background, would 'flesh out' the second level characters more than he usually does. That would certainly add to their being readily recognized.
Burke’s lovely choice of words to describe the area in and around New Iberia, Louisiana and his fish camp, the woods whether they’re dense or spare, the colors, and the smells, everything. Burke, is such a wonderful, masterful writer.
I noted some quotes that I enjoyed which clearly demonstrate Burke’s use of the English language:
“But in the muted pink softness of the morning, in the rain that continued to tumble like crystal needles out of the sunlight, I looked again and saw…”
“The bare walls and floor seemed enameled with cold.”
“…his breath as stale as withered flowers, of bugles echoing off frozen hills and wounds that looked like roses frozen in snow.”
I get so tickled with the “sir” used by many of Burke’s characters including Dave, of course. “I am going to shoot your foot off, sir.” Or “I’m slicing you into small chunks with my 11” blade, sir.” (Note: Not sentences that came from the book.)
A couple of things I noticed about Dave, he will chastise others for cursing but he’s really quite good at it himself. In one instance he says “I think you’re shit canning the investigation.” If someone said shit on his property, I can assure you he would say, “please no profanity here, sir.” A bit of a double standard, don’t you think?
He has a method of putting down others that is, in my mind, is a bit arrogant and even disdainful on his part. That’s one character flaw that I’m not happy with but then again, who’s perfect? Dave is not and he would certainly be the first to agree with that statement.
When writing reviews, I mostly give my general and/or specific feelings of the book, not the story itself. This is no exception but I must say the villian, the bad guy in this book, was one of the baddest bad guys I've read in many a year. Nasty dude! And I would recognize him, too, and cross the street, turn the other way, anything to move away from him! He was certainly real enough for me.
With this book I continue on my quest to finish this series but at the rate I'm going, Burke's writing them faster than I'm reading them.
OK, Cathy, can't you read faster? Well, I read every day but have about eight series here I'm going through and I may have missed a couple:
• Raymond Chandler (Philip Marlowe),
• Michael Connelly (Harry Bosch)
• Robert B. Parker (Spenser)
• Ross Macdonald (Lew Archer)
• John Lescroart (Dismas Hardy)
• John Sandford (Virgil Flowers/Lucas Davenport)
• Ed McBain (Matthew Hope)
• Lawrence Block (Matthew Scudder)
Moving through these books one by one is time consuming especially since try to add a classic, non-fiction or maybe a book that a friend has recommended. But I admit it openly, mysteries and detective mysteries especially are my favorite genre along with the hard-boiled, noir genre. But I should add, I enjoy a well written book, period.
But, but, but I love these detectives who are such great problem solvers and do their best to make things right. Harry Bosch may have summed up how they all feel when he said (and Connelly said on Morning Joe Thursday, 12/6/12) that his baseline code is “everybody counts or nobody counts.” These detectives have that common thread, a code of fairness for all. I just love that code, Dave Robincheaux, Philip Marlowe and all the above detectives have. Oh, my, I’m starting to gush. Real detectives don’t gush, I shouldn’t either. But, but I love them…all of them.
December 26, 2023
While still excellent, this one didn't quite grab my attention like the last few have. Cadillac Jukebox had a smaller cast of important characters than some of the other Robicheaux books, by which I mean only 10 or so to keep track of this time.
There's Dave and Clete of course, and Batiste too, but there's also a former Klansman who may have been wrongfully convicted of a civil rights leader's murder; there are the LaRoses - Buford is up for the Louisiana governorship and his wife Karyn is dead set on getting Dave between her sheets. There's a ne'er-do-well named Jerry Joe Plumb (I absolutely ADORE the names in these books!) who's going through a personal reckoning with his life; and one of the most terrifying killers to appear in a Robicheaux novel, a giant slab of beef named Mookie Zerrang.
One of the minor plotlines has Dave travelling to Guadalajara to track down a Mexican man who makes a single appearance on the river near Dave's bait shop early in the book. Honestly, I thought this whole sequence seemed unnecessary and detracted from all the action set in Louisiana.
Even with that little gripe, Cadillac Jukebox still blows the doors off of 90% of the other southern-flavored detective novels on the market. Makes me wonder why you aren't reading this series yet. While you ponder your priorities, I'm gonna cue up Sunset Limited.
There's Dave and Clete of course, and Batiste too, but there's also a former Klansman who may have been wrongfully convicted of a civil rights leader's murder; there are the LaRoses - Buford is up for the Louisiana governorship and his wife Karyn is dead set on getting Dave between her sheets. There's a ne'er-do-well named Jerry Joe Plumb (I absolutely ADORE the names in these books!) who's going through a personal reckoning with his life; and one of the most terrifying killers to appear in a Robicheaux novel, a giant slab of beef named Mookie Zerrang.
I’m so strong I got muscles in my shit.
One of the minor plotlines has Dave travelling to Guadalajara to track down a Mexican man who makes a single appearance on the river near Dave's bait shop early in the book. Honestly, I thought this whole sequence seemed unnecessary and detracted from all the action set in Louisiana.
Even with that little gripe, Cadillac Jukebox still blows the doors off of 90% of the other southern-flavored detective novels on the market. Makes me wonder why you aren't reading this series yet. While you ponder your priorities, I'm gonna cue up Sunset Limited.
January 26, 2019
Cadillac Jukebox is completely devoid of the detours into magical realism that occasionally derails the series and as a result gets it back on track after the disappointing Burning Angel. The next potential Governor Buford LaRose slaps murder charges on a completely unlikable, borderline racist, career petty-criminal Aaron Crown who Robicheaux feels is nothing more than an easy and convenient target. After that as always in Robicheaux Books chaos ensues.
Most authors (specially ones writing crime series) tend to stick to similar material but it is much more pronounced in Burke's writing. His plots overlap to a point where certain parts feel like deja vu. That does not really bother me because I am here for the writing and few crime authors write as beautifully as Burke. He is the most atmospheric crime writer of all time, his mesmerizing description of Louisiana can be best described as a cascading cacophony of colors and a stunning symphony of sounds. No other author I read helps me visualize the setting as effortlessly as Burke.
The dialogue is sheer hard boiled brilliance and like every book in the series there are stand out characters in this installment too. Buford LaRose does everything that is wrong but nothing that is illegal and is probably better than most politicians but it does not save him from drawing Robicheax's ire. His wife Karyn LaRose, a femme fatale and yet another ex-girlfriend of Robicheaux seems to have stepped out of the pages of Hammett and Chandler. And Clete Purcell, the best sidekick in the history of crime fiction. Purcell has stopped growing as a character 3-4 books back in the series but his vitriolic sense of humor and his steadfast belief that there is no problem that can't be solved by bull in china shop approach is always the most entertaining part of Robicheaux's series.
And there is always Robicheaux, no other crime protagonists is as self aware or plagued by as many doubts as him. He wonders whether his disdain for the criminal element is nothing more than closeted elitism that he got out of poverty and alcoholism when they had claimed so many. Whether his one man harassment campaign against the LaRoses' is a product of lingering resentment about his lack of control when it came to Karyn LaRose. He himself calls it obsessive and yet sticks by his guns. That's what I like about him the most, his willingness to do what he feels is correct is often motivated by a brand of foolhardy arrogance that I find realistic and relatable.
An excellent crime read dealing with racism, politics and the criminal justice system of Louisiana is one of the best books in the series. Just one caveat, your first foray into Robicheaux verse might be tough going because there is always a liberal sprinkling of Southern slangs and idioms (like salting the shafts) that takes some getting used to. Rating - 5/5.
Most authors (specially ones writing crime series) tend to stick to similar material but it is much more pronounced in Burke's writing. His plots overlap to a point where certain parts feel like deja vu. That does not really bother me because I am here for the writing and few crime authors write as beautifully as Burke. He is the most atmospheric crime writer of all time, his mesmerizing description of Louisiana can be best described as a cascading cacophony of colors and a stunning symphony of sounds. No other author I read helps me visualize the setting as effortlessly as Burke.
The dialogue is sheer hard boiled brilliance and like every book in the series there are stand out characters in this installment too. Buford LaRose does everything that is wrong but nothing that is illegal and is probably better than most politicians but it does not save him from drawing Robicheax's ire. His wife Karyn LaRose, a femme fatale and yet another ex-girlfriend of Robicheaux seems to have stepped out of the pages of Hammett and Chandler. And Clete Purcell, the best sidekick in the history of crime fiction. Purcell has stopped growing as a character 3-4 books back in the series but his vitriolic sense of humor and his steadfast belief that there is no problem that can't be solved by bull in china shop approach is always the most entertaining part of Robicheaux's series.
And there is always Robicheaux, no other crime protagonists is as self aware or plagued by as many doubts as him. He wonders whether his disdain for the criminal element is nothing more than closeted elitism that he got out of poverty and alcoholism when they had claimed so many. Whether his one man harassment campaign against the LaRoses' is a product of lingering resentment about his lack of control when it came to Karyn LaRose. He himself calls it obsessive and yet sticks by his guns. That's what I like about him the most, his willingness to do what he feels is correct is often motivated by a brand of foolhardy arrogance that I find realistic and relatable.
An excellent crime read dealing with racism, politics and the criminal justice system of Louisiana is one of the best books in the series. Just one caveat, your first foray into Robicheaux verse might be tough going because there is always a liberal sprinkling of Southern slangs and idioms (like salting the shafts) that takes some getting used to. Rating - 5/5.
February 12, 2016
If I could I would probably rate this book at 3.5 stars. I had mixed emotions on reading this novel and how to rate it. This is the first novel by James Lee Burke that I have read. The setting is the bayous of Louisiana. Dave Robicheaux is a deputy in the New Iberia sheriff department. Nearly 30 years after Aaron Crown was convicted in the shooting death of a prominent black civil rights leader Robicheaux begins to question whether he is really guilty. There are a lot of characters in this novel ... politicians, mob guys, pimps and their working girls, hit men. There are drugs and a Mexican connection. There is a side story about one of the characters having spent time on a ranch in Texas in his youth. Trying to keep track of all this was difficult at times. There was also many references to Louisiana cuisine, Louisiana culture and words totally foreign to me. That is what kept me from giving this book 4 stars. I think as I read other works by this author my understanding, appreciation, and rating will only increase.
The author has a gift. I have never been to New Orleans or New Iberia, never been to Louisiana. I have never eaten some of the foods the characters eat. Sometimes I had to go back and reread a sentence in order to try and understand. But James Lee Burke does a phenomenal job of describing of describing the places and the people. He paints a picture with words and I felt like I was in the bayou with Robicheaux. He is a complex character. This is the ninth book in the series. While it may not be necessary to read the prior books first I think it would definitely help. There is history here and the best way to learn about him and what makes him tick is, I believe, to read the earlier books in the series. I think I will have to add The Neon Rain to my TBR shelf.
The author has a gift. I have never been to New Orleans or New Iberia, never been to Louisiana. I have never eaten some of the foods the characters eat. Sometimes I had to go back and reread a sentence in order to try and understand. But James Lee Burke does a phenomenal job of describing of describing the places and the people. He paints a picture with words and I felt like I was in the bayou with Robicheaux. He is a complex character. This is the ninth book in the series. While it may not be necessary to read the prior books first I think it would definitely help. There is history here and the best way to learn about him and what makes him tick is, I believe, to read the earlier books in the series. I think I will have to add The Neon Rain to my TBR shelf.
August 22, 2018
Wonderful, descriptive writing such as: 'where mallards rose in squadrons above the willows and trailed in long black lines across a sun that was as yellow as egg yoke.'
or: 'a live oak tree hung with moss and spiderwebs of blue moonlight.'
Dave Robicheaux and the other characters step right out of the pages in this 9th book in the crime series. There is violence. There is beauty. There is the heat and rawness of this southern Louisiana landscape and its people. There is even a 3-legged raccoon.
The dialogue is as sharp as the descriptions: ''It ain't my fault. She was born that way. I whipped her every day when she was little. It didn't do no good.'
Definitely a 5 star.
or: 'a live oak tree hung with moss and spiderwebs of blue moonlight.'
Dave Robicheaux and the other characters step right out of the pages in this 9th book in the crime series. There is violence. There is beauty. There is the heat and rawness of this southern Louisiana landscape and its people. There is even a 3-legged raccoon.
The dialogue is as sharp as the descriptions: ''It ain't my fault. She was born that way. I whipped her every day when she was little. It didn't do no good.'
Definitely a 5 star.
March 17, 2024
Still gorgeous
May 29, 2012
I love this man's writing, so I am grateful that he is as prolific as he is and that he is still alive and working so I have many more of his works to read. This one is one of the best I've read so far, with a roster of low-life and high-life scum bags who double-cross and off each other until the very end, though not everyone who deserves it gets an ugly fate in this one (not sure about the converse). Hard to put down, very satisfying, and all the regulars are here: Streak, Bootsie, Helen, Clete, Alafair, Batiste, along with the afore-mentioned rogues and regal gallery: Dock and Persephone Greeen, Aaron Crown, Mookie Zerrang, Buford and Karyn LaRose, Clay Mason. The plot line involves a murdered civil rights leader and a redneck swamp rat who takes the fall for it, the governor of Louisiana, drug-running in Mexico, and all manner of bayou and Gulf Coast mafia-type bottom feeders, all told in Burke's fantastic style. Highly recommended!
June 30, 2016
I like this series on audio because of the language, atmosphere, and characters but find that the plotting can be hit or miss and this book was a bit of a miss. Nevertheless, any time spent with Dave and Clete, especially when Mark Hammer does the narration, is enjoyable.
September 12, 2013
To use the language of the narrative, I think he scrambled some eggs here.
The descriptive language continues to fascinate, and Clete Purcel continues to be really, really funny. I especially liked the passage in which the narrator refers to himself and Clete as coming out of a bar "like a pair of dysfunctional Siamese twins".
But there are problems with the plotting and pacing. This is not the first time Burke has told a complex story using a variety of bad guys who operate in different economic strata and social milieus, and yet are linked in one horrible way or another. But this time he lets 100 pages go by before mentioning a baddie again, and even at my widest awake and paying close attention, I found myself jotting on a sticky note, "Lonnie WHO?" Then at least another 100 pp. go by and I say, "Oh. It's Lonnie again. But I still don't recall what he has to do with all this."
Worse, although Burke continues to use the first person as his mode of narrative, someone else tells him so much that it becomes a sub-narrative. It's a place where he says that the following is what this guy told him, and then with no quotation marks, an entire lengthy chapter unfolds. I read along and wonder how the writer is going to pull himself back out of this mess, but he does it. It's just not his best work.
In short, it's not a bad book, but once one is accustomed to Burke at his best, Burke at his worst disappoints.
The descriptive language continues to fascinate, and Clete Purcel continues to be really, really funny. I especially liked the passage in which the narrator refers to himself and Clete as coming out of a bar "like a pair of dysfunctional Siamese twins".
But there are problems with the plotting and pacing. This is not the first time Burke has told a complex story using a variety of bad guys who operate in different economic strata and social milieus, and yet are linked in one horrible way or another. But this time he lets 100 pages go by before mentioning a baddie again, and even at my widest awake and paying close attention, I found myself jotting on a sticky note, "Lonnie WHO?" Then at least another 100 pp. go by and I say, "Oh. It's Lonnie again. But I still don't recall what he has to do with all this."
Worse, although Burke continues to use the first person as his mode of narrative, someone else tells him so much that it becomes a sub-narrative. It's a place where he says that the following is what this guy told him, and then with no quotation marks, an entire lengthy chapter unfolds. I read along and wonder how the writer is going to pull himself back out of this mess, but he does it. It's just not his best work.
In short, it's not a bad book, but once one is accustomed to Burke at his best, Burke at his worst disappoints.
March 16, 2021
As a late-to-the-party but now committed fan of James Lee Burke, and a belated Robicheaux reader (whose allegiance and preferences tilt toward Burke's Hackberry Holland saga, particularly the three latter, post-Millennial books), I'm fully cognizant that, in a two-dozen book serial published over 30+ years, there will be some inconsistency, and some installments and themes will resonate more than others.
I enjoyed this one, and I had no trouble turning the pages. As always, the languid, descriptive (and bordering on the excessive/over-the-top) prose is the thing, and it pushes my buttons. The protagonist (Robicheaux) and the cast have grown on me (but my view is skewed in that one of my great frustrations was that I first met Dave much later in (his, duh, fictional) life - in volume 20 - violating my long-standing and strong belief that serials should be consumed in order)....
Was it one of my favorites? Nah. Is there any reason to first try James Lee Burke or the Robicheaux series with this book? Not that I can see. Am I glad I read it? Yup.
I'll keep working my way through, I look forward to what's coming, and I'm pleased that I've got plenty more Robicheaux books and a handful of other James Lee Burke books to eventually read.
I enjoyed this one, and I had no trouble turning the pages. As always, the languid, descriptive (and bordering on the excessive/over-the-top) prose is the thing, and it pushes my buttons. The protagonist (Robicheaux) and the cast have grown on me (but my view is skewed in that one of my great frustrations was that I first met Dave much later in (his, duh, fictional) life - in volume 20 - violating my long-standing and strong belief that serials should be consumed in order)....
Was it one of my favorites? Nah. Is there any reason to first try James Lee Burke or the Robicheaux series with this book? Not that I can see. Am I glad I read it? Yup.
I'll keep working my way through, I look forward to what's coming, and I'm pleased that I've got plenty more Robicheaux books and a handful of other James Lee Burke books to eventually read.
January 31, 2009
I don't know how I missed this one. I've read most of his other offerings. Written in 1996, it is one of his best.
It is, at its heart, a dark story populated with some unremittingly evil people, some people who practice evil without necessarily realizing it, and some people who do evil but somehow manage to rise above their own actions.
Detective Dave Robicheaux, as he so often does, gets involved in situations he has no business paying attention to. Truth is, he just can't help himself because of his unwillingness to allow injustice to be perpetrated on anyone even if they deserve some kind of punishment. Fortunately he has people around him like his ex-partner on the new Orleans P.D., Clete Purcel, his current partner, Helen Soileau, his helper at the bait shop, Batiste, and his boss, the Iberia County Sheriff, to watch his back.
With corrupt politics, local history and South Louisiana social mores as background, Robicheaux stumbles and grumbles his way through an ingeniously plotted story. The ending is surprising and only slightly unbelievable. It does do the job of tying up all the loose ends, though.
Fortunately for us, life goes on in Cajun Country and Dave Robicheaux has many more injustices to confront giving Burke many more opportunities to entertain us with his excellent stories.
It is, at its heart, a dark story populated with some unremittingly evil people, some people who practice evil without necessarily realizing it, and some people who do evil but somehow manage to rise above their own actions.
Detective Dave Robicheaux, as he so often does, gets involved in situations he has no business paying attention to. Truth is, he just can't help himself because of his unwillingness to allow injustice to be perpetrated on anyone even if they deserve some kind of punishment. Fortunately he has people around him like his ex-partner on the new Orleans P.D., Clete Purcel, his current partner, Helen Soileau, his helper at the bait shop, Batiste, and his boss, the Iberia County Sheriff, to watch his back.
With corrupt politics, local history and South Louisiana social mores as background, Robicheaux stumbles and grumbles his way through an ingeniously plotted story. The ending is surprising and only slightly unbelievable. It does do the job of tying up all the loose ends, though.
Fortunately for us, life goes on in Cajun Country and Dave Robicheaux has many more injustices to confront giving Burke many more opportunities to entertain us with his excellent stories.
August 3, 2017
I wanted to give this book four stars, because I really like Burke's wonderfully literate series starring Dave Robicheaux. The problem is that the many of these books, however well written, are starting to blur together. In this book, I found incredibly similar plot lines and characters that seem almost interchangeable from previous novels. Granted, I think that when a writer creates a world and a cast of characters, and then finds a basic plot formula that works, I suppose it's inevitable to slip into a rut. I've seen the same with Lee Child and his vastly successful Reacher series. But for Burke, it's starting to feel a little lazy, and it doesn't help that the cast of characters is confusing, with motivations that are sometimes hard to follow. And just how many of Dave's old flames can there be that manage to stir up raw emotions and big trouble in his current life? Well written as always, with great dialog, strong imagery, and a delicious clash of lurid violence and pastoral beauty, but like other series, I hope for an installment that breaks the mold.
May 18, 2019
Love Burke's stuff - Dave, Clete, Bootsy, the whole shebang.
Two (minor) caveats on this one: The depiction of the crooked politician's wife, Karyn LaRose, an old flame from Dave's drinking days who keeps throwing herself at him, is a bit much. And I lost track of the number of times he used the word "loins.''
He overwrites a bit, purply in the Southern tradition, but I don't mind; it's always a great ride. And I the subplot with Clay Mason, the Tim Leary character who's ingratiated herself with Karyn's husband, Buford, is a hoot.
All in all, still a lot more readable than a lot of literary fiction; extra points for the mention of the Cajun versions of "Jolie Blond'' - when I checked them out on You Tube, several people said "Dave Robicheaux brought me here.''
Two (minor) caveats on this one: The depiction of the crooked politician's wife, Karyn LaRose, an old flame from Dave's drinking days who keeps throwing herself at him, is a bit much. And I lost track of the number of times he used the word "loins.''
He overwrites a bit, purply in the Southern tradition, but I don't mind; it's always a great ride. And I the subplot with Clay Mason, the Tim Leary character who's ingratiated herself with Karyn's husband, Buford, is a hoot.
All in all, still a lot more readable than a lot of literary fiction; extra points for the mention of the Cajun versions of "Jolie Blond'' - when I checked them out on You Tube, several people said "Dave Robicheaux brought me here.''
September 29, 2019
A typical Burke gritty bayou mystery. I do enjoy his descriptions of the southern country, the food and it's inhabitants. But not many of the characters survive this book.
November 30, 2018
Lovely imagery, but over-populated, muddled plot !
We can see why the readers from the Deep South, especially Louisiana, love James Lee Burke. His prose borders on poetry as he creates mind images for the readers that are close to cinematic in their descriptive power. Thus he recreates the geography, the sights and smells of the bayous for his fan club.
Alas, his writing prowess does not necessarily translate to compelling story telling. While we found ourselves liking his leading man of some dozen of his 22 books, Louisiana cop Dave Robicheaux, a huge supporting cast of small time hoods, politicians, barflies, and so on, were difficult to follow without a scorecard. While Robicheaux and his wife Bootsie were well defined, most of the other players were not. Thus the plot became just as muddy as the bayous where much of the story is set. We found ourselves thinking Burke might be better at writing fiction that does not pose the pressures of a mystery, where clues and plot evolution have to lead to some relatively logical conclusion.
These findings seem to coincide with a majority of his reviews -- either one is overcome by his mastery of the language into more or less ignoring the story per se; or one is left admiring his imagery while finding that the story line disappoints as it unfolds. We would like to try a non-series Burke, perhaps his Pulitzer-nominated "Lost Get-Back Boogie", to see if he can get it all together. Stay tuned.
We can see why the readers from the Deep South, especially Louisiana, love James Lee Burke. His prose borders on poetry as he creates mind images for the readers that are close to cinematic in their descriptive power. Thus he recreates the geography, the sights and smells of the bayous for his fan club.
Alas, his writing prowess does not necessarily translate to compelling story telling. While we found ourselves liking his leading man of some dozen of his 22 books, Louisiana cop Dave Robicheaux, a huge supporting cast of small time hoods, politicians, barflies, and so on, were difficult to follow without a scorecard. While Robicheaux and his wife Bootsie were well defined, most of the other players were not. Thus the plot became just as muddy as the bayous where much of the story is set. We found ourselves thinking Burke might be better at writing fiction that does not pose the pressures of a mystery, where clues and plot evolution have to lead to some relatively logical conclusion.
These findings seem to coincide with a majority of his reviews -- either one is overcome by his mastery of the language into more or less ignoring the story per se; or one is left admiring his imagery while finding that the story line disappoints as it unfolds. We would like to try a non-series Burke, perhaps his Pulitzer-nominated "Lost Get-Back Boogie", to see if he can get it all together. Stay tuned.
February 4, 2016
Aaron Crown is sent to jail for a civil rights murder. Dave believes he was made a scapegoat. Buford LaRose, who was in part responible for Aaron going to prison because of a book he wrote about it. Buford gets elected governor. Why is he offering Dave a chance to be head of the state police? Buford's wife, a former flame of Dave's, is once again turning on the charm to him. Again, why?
As with most Dave Robichaux stories - there is conflict and his his family's life seems to be in peril more than one would think of the average police officer.
But they are enjoyable stories. They take you down to the bayou country of Louisiana where Dave has a bait shop
As with most Dave Robichaux stories - there is conflict and his his family's life seems to be in peril more than one would think of the average police officer.
But they are enjoyable stories. They take you down to the bayou country of Louisiana where Dave has a bait shop
December 30, 2008
Absolutely classic James Lee Burke and the prototypical Dave Robicheaux novel. If you don't like this one, odds are you'll never totally embrace the series.
October 28, 2016
Uno psicologo una volta mi disse che i sogni non sono un mistero. Rappresentano semplicemente le nostre paure e speranze. Sfortunatamente, non sono stato mai bravo a distinguere le une dalle altre.
Cadillac Jukebox, titolo originale, fa riferimento ad un jukebox che l'amico Clete, dopo averlo riempito con i 45 giri della loro adolescenza, regala a Dave Rubicheaux . Inizialmente messo da parte, diventa simbolo nostalgico su cui ritornare nel momento del bisogno.
IL bayou della Louisiana resta lo sfondo, spettacolarmente descritto, di questa come delle altre storie e libro dopo libro, anziché stancarsi, ci si ritrova addosso l'umidità calda che segue i temporali e la luce di quel sole particolare che si riflette sulle acque paludose al tramonto.
Ho comprato una bottiglia di Jim Beam e Non appena varcai la soglia del Mulate's, udii le note di Hey Petite Fille di Clifton Chenier diffuse dal jukebox e vidi Jerry Joe intento a danzare con una cameriera sulla pista da ballo di legno lucidato. Selezionai Just a Dream di Jimmy Clanton, la versione del 1946 di La Jolie Blon registrata da Harry Choates e Pine Grove Blues di Nathan Abshire. Quelle voci e quelle musiche provenivano da un'altra era, un'era che credevamo non dovesse mai finire. E invece era finita.
Sempre a mia memoria continuo con l'ultimo stralcio dell biografia di James Lee Burke
Burke, il “Faulkner della Crime Fiction”
Burke has been able to bridge what is often a chasm between “popular” and “literary” works (Burke è stato abile a creare un ponte su quello che è spesso un abisso tra opere “popolari” e “letterarie” – cfr. Shelton Frank W., “James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux Novels”, inThe World Is Our Home: Society and Culture in Contemporary Southern Writing, Jeffrey J. Folks and Nancy Summers Folks, Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2000, p. 233)
Burke è un autore che riesce a scrivere romanzi di genere, fondendoli con maestria ad una ambientazione, a dialoghi e a personaggi che ricordano la grande letteratura del sud, tanto da essere stato definito “il Faulkner della Crime Fiction”.
Molti critici hanno sottolineato l’influenza delle opere di Faulkner. Alcuni dei temi prediletti da Burke, infatti, sono il confronto con il proprio passato, gli scontri di razza e classe, i drammi familiari, e le atmosfere gotiche alimentate dalle leggende e dai sinistri personaggi che vagano per le paludi nebbiose.
Ma è soprattutto nella lotta tra il bene e il male, tra la luce e le tenebre, che si svolge nell'anima dell’uomo, che Burke ricorda Faulkner (Cfr. Samuel Coale, The Mystery of Mysteries: Cultural Differences and Designs, Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 2000, pp. 130-131).
“He is not just writing crime fiction,” says Patricia Mulcahy, who has edited 11 of Burke’s novels… “He is writing moral allegories. He is interested in good and evil in a larger sense and that’s what gives him another dimension beyond genre fiction.” (“Lui non è solo uno scrittore di romanzi polizieschi”, dice Patricia Mulcahy, che ha curato 11 dei romanzi di Burke… “Sta scrivendo delle allegorie morali. Si interessa del bene e del male in un senso più profondo e ciò lo eleva su una dimensione altra, che va oltre la narrativa di genere”
(Cfr. Intervista a James Lee Burke, a cura di John Connolly).
Burke stesso è conscio di quanto le sue opere siano debitrici nei confronti di Faulkner.
“Read Faulkner. It’s all in there. The Sound and the Fury… is technically better than Ulysses and in it Faulkner puts his hand deep into the fury and mire of human beings. The central theme that runs throughout all western literature is the search for redemption…”
“Leggi Faulkner. E tutto lì. L’urlo e il furore è tecnicamente migliore dell’Ulysses, e in esso Faulkner mette la mano in profondità nella furia e nel fango degli esseri umani. Il tema centrale che corre per tutta la letteratura occidentale è la ricerca di redenzione…”)
(Cfr. A life in writing: James Lee Burke, by Nicholas Wroe)
Altri autori cui Burke ha dichiarato più volte di essersi ispirato sono: John Steinbeck, James T. Farrell, Flannery O’Connor, John Dos Passos e Tennessee Williams.
Burke in Italia
Strana storia quella della pubblicazione in Italia dei romanzi di James Lee Burke che vede, dopo Mondadori, Baldini &Castoldi, Meridiano Zero e Fanucci, un nuovo marchio editoriale cercare di fare sfondare, anche nel mercato italiano, questo stupendo autore di “crime novel”. Gli ultimi due libri della serie (Creole Belle e Light of the world), infatti, vengono pubblicati dalla 1rosso, un marchio editoriale di Parallelo45 Edizioni, nato da poco meno di un anno, dedicato esclusivamente alla letteratura straniera.
Burke ha i suoi fan anche in Italia, ma non ha ottenuto il successo che Mondadori e gli altri si aspettavano. Difficile dare una spiegazione convincente.
Sicuramente non ha aiutato il fatto che Burke sia stato pubblicato con discontinuità. Mondadori ha iniziato nel 1993 la pubblicazione della saga di Dave Robicheaux, partendo dal terzo romanzo, Black Cherry Blues (1989), probabilmente a seguito della vittoria del premio Edgar Award nel 1990. Baldini & Castoldi, subentrata alla Mondadori, ha iniziato pubblicando nel 1994 Prigionieri del cielo (Heaven’s Prisoners, 1988), il secondo romanzo della serie, e solo quattro anni dopo il primo, Pioggia al neon (The Neon Rain, 1987). Ma questa non è certo una giustificazione sufficiente, sappiamo che in Italia è ormai una nefasta tradizione quella di pubblicare i romanzi di una saga in un ordine che pare del tutto casuale, e altri autori famosi sembrano non averne sofferto.
Un motivo più valido potrebbe essere il fatto che alcuni dei romanzi più belli di Burke sono stati pubblicati nei Gialli Mondadori, quindi disponibili solo per un breve periodo in edicola. Anche il continuo cambio di casa editrice sicuramente non ha aiutato Burke a farsi apprezzare quanto merita dai lettori italiani.
Premi letterari
Burke ha vinto numerosi premi che testimoniano le sue notevoli capacità letterarie.
Nel 1990 vince l’Edgar Award con il romanzo Black Cherry Blues (Black Cherry Blues – Mondadori, 1993).
Nel 1995 vince l’Hammett Prize con il romanzo Dixie City Jam (Rabbia a New Orleans – Baldini & Castoldi, 1997).
Nel 1998 vince l’Edgar Award con il romanzo Cimarron Rose (Terra violenta -Mondadori, 2000).
Nel 1998 vince il Gold Dagger Award con il romanzo Sunset Limited (Sunset Limited – Meridiano Zero, 2004).
Nel 2003 è finalista all’Edgar Award con il romanzo Jolie Blon’s Bounce (La ballata di Jolie Blon – Meridiano Zero, 2005).
Nel 2007 è finalista al Duncan Lawrie Dagger con il romanzo Pegasus Descending (Prima che l’uragano arrivi – Meridiano Zero, 2008).
Nel 2009 vince il Grand Master Award (premio alla carriera) assegnato dai Mystery Writers of America.
Nel 2010 è finalista al Gold Dagger Award con il romanzo Rain Gods (inedito in Italia).
Breve bibliografia di James Lee Burke
Cadillac Jukebox, titolo originale, fa riferimento ad un jukebox che l'amico Clete, dopo averlo riempito con i 45 giri della loro adolescenza, regala a Dave Rubicheaux . Inizialmente messo da parte, diventa simbolo nostalgico su cui ritornare nel momento del bisogno.
IL bayou della Louisiana resta lo sfondo, spettacolarmente descritto, di questa come delle altre storie e libro dopo libro, anziché stancarsi, ci si ritrova addosso l'umidità calda che segue i temporali e la luce di quel sole particolare che si riflette sulle acque paludose al tramonto.
Ho comprato una bottiglia di Jim Beam e Non appena varcai la soglia del Mulate's, udii le note di Hey Petite Fille di Clifton Chenier diffuse dal jukebox e vidi Jerry Joe intento a danzare con una cameriera sulla pista da ballo di legno lucidato. Selezionai Just a Dream di Jimmy Clanton, la versione del 1946 di La Jolie Blon registrata da Harry Choates e Pine Grove Blues di Nathan Abshire. Quelle voci e quelle musiche provenivano da un'altra era, un'era che credevamo non dovesse mai finire. E invece era finita.
Sempre a mia memoria continuo con l'ultimo stralcio dell biografia di James Lee Burke
Burke, il “Faulkner della Crime Fiction”
Burke has been able to bridge what is often a chasm between “popular” and “literary” works (Burke è stato abile a creare un ponte su quello che è spesso un abisso tra opere “popolari” e “letterarie” – cfr. Shelton Frank W., “James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux Novels”, inThe World Is Our Home: Society and Culture in Contemporary Southern Writing, Jeffrey J. Folks and Nancy Summers Folks, Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2000, p. 233)
Burke è un autore che riesce a scrivere romanzi di genere, fondendoli con maestria ad una ambientazione, a dialoghi e a personaggi che ricordano la grande letteratura del sud, tanto da essere stato definito “il Faulkner della Crime Fiction”.
Molti critici hanno sottolineato l’influenza delle opere di Faulkner. Alcuni dei temi prediletti da Burke, infatti, sono il confronto con il proprio passato, gli scontri di razza e classe, i drammi familiari, e le atmosfere gotiche alimentate dalle leggende e dai sinistri personaggi che vagano per le paludi nebbiose.
Ma è soprattutto nella lotta tra il bene e il male, tra la luce e le tenebre, che si svolge nell'anima dell’uomo, che Burke ricorda Faulkner (Cfr. Samuel Coale, The Mystery of Mysteries: Cultural Differences and Designs, Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 2000, pp. 130-131).
“He is not just writing crime fiction,” says Patricia Mulcahy, who has edited 11 of Burke’s novels… “He is writing moral allegories. He is interested in good and evil in a larger sense and that’s what gives him another dimension beyond genre fiction.” (“Lui non è solo uno scrittore di romanzi polizieschi”, dice Patricia Mulcahy, che ha curato 11 dei romanzi di Burke… “Sta scrivendo delle allegorie morali. Si interessa del bene e del male in un senso più profondo e ciò lo eleva su una dimensione altra, che va oltre la narrativa di genere”
(Cfr. Intervista a James Lee Burke, a cura di John Connolly).
Burke stesso è conscio di quanto le sue opere siano debitrici nei confronti di Faulkner.
“Read Faulkner. It’s all in there. The Sound and the Fury… is technically better than Ulysses and in it Faulkner puts his hand deep into the fury and mire of human beings. The central theme that runs throughout all western literature is the search for redemption…”
“Leggi Faulkner. E tutto lì. L’urlo e il furore è tecnicamente migliore dell’Ulysses, e in esso Faulkner mette la mano in profondità nella furia e nel fango degli esseri umani. Il tema centrale che corre per tutta la letteratura occidentale è la ricerca di redenzione…”)
(Cfr. A life in writing: James Lee Burke, by Nicholas Wroe)
Altri autori cui Burke ha dichiarato più volte di essersi ispirato sono: John Steinbeck, James T. Farrell, Flannery O’Connor, John Dos Passos e Tennessee Williams.
Burke in Italia
Strana storia quella della pubblicazione in Italia dei romanzi di James Lee Burke che vede, dopo Mondadori, Baldini &Castoldi, Meridiano Zero e Fanucci, un nuovo marchio editoriale cercare di fare sfondare, anche nel mercato italiano, questo stupendo autore di “crime novel”. Gli ultimi due libri della serie (Creole Belle e Light of the world), infatti, vengono pubblicati dalla 1rosso, un marchio editoriale di Parallelo45 Edizioni, nato da poco meno di un anno, dedicato esclusivamente alla letteratura straniera.
Burke ha i suoi fan anche in Italia, ma non ha ottenuto il successo che Mondadori e gli altri si aspettavano. Difficile dare una spiegazione convincente.
Sicuramente non ha aiutato il fatto che Burke sia stato pubblicato con discontinuità. Mondadori ha iniziato nel 1993 la pubblicazione della saga di Dave Robicheaux, partendo dal terzo romanzo, Black Cherry Blues (1989), probabilmente a seguito della vittoria del premio Edgar Award nel 1990. Baldini & Castoldi, subentrata alla Mondadori, ha iniziato pubblicando nel 1994 Prigionieri del cielo (Heaven’s Prisoners, 1988), il secondo romanzo della serie, e solo quattro anni dopo il primo, Pioggia al neon (The Neon Rain, 1987). Ma questa non è certo una giustificazione sufficiente, sappiamo che in Italia è ormai una nefasta tradizione quella di pubblicare i romanzi di una saga in un ordine che pare del tutto casuale, e altri autori famosi sembrano non averne sofferto.
Un motivo più valido potrebbe essere il fatto che alcuni dei romanzi più belli di Burke sono stati pubblicati nei Gialli Mondadori, quindi disponibili solo per un breve periodo in edicola. Anche il continuo cambio di casa editrice sicuramente non ha aiutato Burke a farsi apprezzare quanto merita dai lettori italiani.
Premi letterari
Burke ha vinto numerosi premi che testimoniano le sue notevoli capacità letterarie.
Nel 1990 vince l’Edgar Award con il romanzo Black Cherry Blues (Black Cherry Blues – Mondadori, 1993).
Nel 1995 vince l’Hammett Prize con il romanzo Dixie City Jam (Rabbia a New Orleans – Baldini & Castoldi, 1997).
Nel 1998 vince l’Edgar Award con il romanzo Cimarron Rose (Terra violenta -Mondadori, 2000).
Nel 1998 vince il Gold Dagger Award con il romanzo Sunset Limited (Sunset Limited – Meridiano Zero, 2004).
Nel 2003 è finalista all’Edgar Award con il romanzo Jolie Blon’s Bounce (La ballata di Jolie Blon – Meridiano Zero, 2005).
Nel 2007 è finalista al Duncan Lawrie Dagger con il romanzo Pegasus Descending (Prima che l’uragano arrivi – Meridiano Zero, 2008).
Nel 2009 vince il Grand Master Award (premio alla carriera) assegnato dai Mystery Writers of America.
Nel 2010 è finalista al Gold Dagger Award con il romanzo Rain Gods (inedito in Italia).
Breve bibliografia di James Lee Burke
September 14, 2020
Ohne Moral
Detective Dave Robicheaux wird beauftragt, sich einen alten Fall anzuschauen. Ein schwarzer Bürgerrechtlicher wurde vor langen Jahren umgebracht und der mutmaßliche Mörfer Aaron Crown verurteilt. Dieser behauptet nun, er sei es nicht gewesen. Obwohl es kaum Hoffnung für eine Wiederaufrollung des Falles gibt, geht Dave einigen Hinweisen nach. Seltsam kommt ihm allerdings vor, dass sich der künftige Gouverneur Burford LaRose für die Sache interessiert. Und nicht lange danach wird ein Filmreporter tot aufgefunden. Irgendetwas geht da nicht mit rechten Dingen zu und Robicheaux wird herausfinden, wie die Dinge zusammenhängen.
Man könnte meinen, in New Iberia, wo Dave Robicheaux bei der Polizei tätig ist, habe sich sämtlicher white Trash aus ganz Louisiana versammelt. Und Dave bekommt im Laufe seiner Ermittlungen vermeintlich mit jedem davon zu tun. Und diese Leute haben keine Hemmungen, ihren Mitmenschen ganz absonderliche Dinge anzutun. Oder ihr Verhalten ist meist hinterhältig und gemein. Man kann Daves Wunsch, als Privatdetektiv in einer Nachbarstadt zu arbeiten, gut verstehen. Die Frage ist nur, ob es dort besser ist. Möglicherweise kennt er dort die Menschen nicht so gut. Aber ist nicht gerade das auch hilfreich bei den Ermittlungen? Wenn man sich gut auskennt, kann man die Menschen auch besser einschätzen.
Dieser Band ist der neunte Band in einer Reihe von bisher 23 Büchern. Zum einen sind die Bücher des Autors immer irgendwie gut, zum anderen allerdings wirkt es doch etwas aus dem Zusammenhang gerissen, wenn man einfach einen Band herausgreift. Auch führt der Autor immer wieder Personen ein, deren Namen einen Südstaaten-Klang haben und die sich damit so ähneln, dass man überlegt, wer war das nochmal. Der Bodensatz der Menschlichen Art, der sich hier trifft, sucht schon seinesgleichen. Dennoch ist das Buch spannend und auch, wenn man meint, gewisse Leute fallen immer auf die Füße, so gibt es doch eine ausgleichende Gerechtigkeit. Und Dave Robicheaux und seine Familie freuen sich auf Weihnachten.
Detective Dave Robicheaux wird beauftragt, sich einen alten Fall anzuschauen. Ein schwarzer Bürgerrechtlicher wurde vor langen Jahren umgebracht und der mutmaßliche Mörfer Aaron Crown verurteilt. Dieser behauptet nun, er sei es nicht gewesen. Obwohl es kaum Hoffnung für eine Wiederaufrollung des Falles gibt, geht Dave einigen Hinweisen nach. Seltsam kommt ihm allerdings vor, dass sich der künftige Gouverneur Burford LaRose für die Sache interessiert. Und nicht lange danach wird ein Filmreporter tot aufgefunden. Irgendetwas geht da nicht mit rechten Dingen zu und Robicheaux wird herausfinden, wie die Dinge zusammenhängen.
Man könnte meinen, in New Iberia, wo Dave Robicheaux bei der Polizei tätig ist, habe sich sämtlicher white Trash aus ganz Louisiana versammelt. Und Dave bekommt im Laufe seiner Ermittlungen vermeintlich mit jedem davon zu tun. Und diese Leute haben keine Hemmungen, ihren Mitmenschen ganz absonderliche Dinge anzutun. Oder ihr Verhalten ist meist hinterhältig und gemein. Man kann Daves Wunsch, als Privatdetektiv in einer Nachbarstadt zu arbeiten, gut verstehen. Die Frage ist nur, ob es dort besser ist. Möglicherweise kennt er dort die Menschen nicht so gut. Aber ist nicht gerade das auch hilfreich bei den Ermittlungen? Wenn man sich gut auskennt, kann man die Menschen auch besser einschätzen.
Dieser Band ist der neunte Band in einer Reihe von bisher 23 Büchern. Zum einen sind die Bücher des Autors immer irgendwie gut, zum anderen allerdings wirkt es doch etwas aus dem Zusammenhang gerissen, wenn man einfach einen Band herausgreift. Auch führt der Autor immer wieder Personen ein, deren Namen einen Südstaaten-Klang haben und die sich damit so ähneln, dass man überlegt, wer war das nochmal. Der Bodensatz der Menschlichen Art, der sich hier trifft, sucht schon seinesgleichen. Dennoch ist das Buch spannend und auch, wenn man meint, gewisse Leute fallen immer auf die Füße, so gibt es doch eine ausgleichende Gerechtigkeit. Und Dave Robicheaux und seine Familie freuen sich auf Weihnachten.
April 21, 2025
A former Klansman named Aaron Crown has been serving time for the murder of a Civil Rights activist twenty years prior, and a New South golden boy named Buford LaRose is on the cusp of being elected Governor after, among other things, having written a book about the murder that is credited with getting Crown sentenced in the first place. Mid-90's political tenors set up a tense and dangerous situation for Detective Robicheaux and others in New Iberia because some filmmakers are out to prove Crown's innocence but it is in the new Governor's best interest for his accomplishment to remain intact and Dave is warned to stay out of it.
"Cadillac Junction" (1996) finds Dave holding generational grudges and assumptions for those involved, with corruption and passive influence being set aside by folks who should know better, social betters not acknowledging the destitution and wrongdoing that result from their lack of self-awareness or morality, and those around them either trying to benefit from the situation or turn a blind eye to minor sins in the name of self-preservation or convenience. Dave is not without his own rightful place in this situation as illustrated by his poisonous relationship with LaRose's wife.
Verdict: A tense and well-paced mystery. Burke is great at crafting soul-searching challenging reads that keep a reader thinking well past its last pages and "Cadillac Jukebox," while not among his best, does that.
Jeff's Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
"Cadillac Junction" (1996) finds Dave holding generational grudges and assumptions for those involved, with corruption and passive influence being set aside by folks who should know better, social betters not acknowledging the destitution and wrongdoing that result from their lack of self-awareness or morality, and those around them either trying to benefit from the situation or turn a blind eye to minor sins in the name of self-preservation or convenience. Dave is not without his own rightful place in this situation as illustrated by his poisonous relationship with LaRose's wife.
Verdict: A tense and well-paced mystery. Burke is great at crafting soul-searching challenging reads that keep a reader thinking well past its last pages and "Cadillac Jukebox," while not among his best, does that.
Jeff's Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
April 29, 2025
This is an atmospheric story set in the Louisiana bayous and the language Burke uses to describe the landscape is superb. Dave investigates the conviction of Aaron Crown a clan swamp man convicted of a decades old shooting of a civil rights activist. Coupled with Buford LaRose election candidate and his wife Karyn obsessed with Dave They want the case to disappear.
People also investigating the case start being murdered by a psychopathic and Dave is drawn into the mystery. Aaron escapes from Angola prison and sets out to punish those he feels responsible for his predicament.
Clete has a minor role in the story and there is also two trips to Mexico which don’t really add to the story. I think it would be better if Burke spent a bit more time developing the secondary characters.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Aaron we find is after revenge for his daughter being treated badly by Bufort as a lover when young and by those he believed made her a prostitute. Aaron kills Mookie the psychopath after he murdered his daughter. Dock Green blames Buford for his estrangement from his wife Persephone and burns down Bufort and Karyn’s house killing them and then escaping.
People also investigating the case start being murdered by a psychopathic and Dave is drawn into the mystery. Aaron escapes from Angola prison and sets out to punish those he feels responsible for his predicament.
Clete has a minor role in the story and there is also two trips to Mexico which don’t really add to the story. I think it would be better if Burke spent a bit more time developing the secondary characters.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Aaron we find is after revenge for his daughter being treated badly by Bufort as a lover when young and by those he believed made her a prostitute. Aaron kills Mookie the psychopath after he murdered his daughter. Dock Green blames Buford for his estrangement from his wife Persephone and burns down Bufort and Karyn’s house killing them and then escaping.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2022
Ατμοσφαιρική περιήγηση στη Νέα Ορλεάνη, τη Λουιζιάνα και τον Μισισιπή. Ενδιαφέροντα τα στοιχεία για τη συνύπαρξη λευκών και μαύρων στον αμερικανικό νότο, τις μακροχρόνιες συνέπειες του ρατσισμού στη ζωή τους, τη βία, την εγκληματικότητα...Περίμενα η μουσική να κατέχει κυρίαρχη θέση αλλά δεν συνέβη αυτό...Με βάρυνε παρά πολύ. Ίσως έφταιγε το θέμα, ίσως δεν ήταν καλή η συγκυρία.
April 11, 2019
In Cadillac Jukebox, Dave Robicheaux is drawn into a re-investigation of the case of Aaron Crown, a former Klan member and loner, who remains defiant and antisocial while serving time in Angola Prison for the murder 28 years earlier of a prominent civil rights worker. Now loudly proclaiming his innocence, he has contacted Dave for help, and when Dave asks why, Crown reminds him that when his then teenage daughter went missing, Dave was the only one who would help and then found her. The case has also attracted the attention of a documentary film crew which has come to New Iberia to investigate, and of Buford LaRose, a college professor whose book about the case is credited for the successful prosecution of Crown and who is now hoping that the ensuing publicity will catapult him into the Louisiana governor’s mansion. He warns Dave against getting involved with Aaron Crown and against cooperation with the film crew; also hounding Dave is Buford’s wife, Karen, who could most charitably be described as “crazy ex-girlfriend” and whose renewed obsession with Dave causes major problems with his wife, Bootsie. Against his own better judgment, Dave begins to look into the case, since his own obsession with justice and his deep-rooted resentment of the wealthy, powerful, and frequently corrupt cause him to start believing that Aaron Crown was railroaded into prison. Things get even more complicated when Aaron escapes and the bodies start to pile up.
This book, as with all the others in this series, has multiple subplots and a host of secondary characters, including the brother of the murdered civil rights leader, now a successful radio host and real estate magnate, the usual mobsters, pimps, and lowlifes, and “Short Boy” Jerry, a childhood friend of Dave’s, who now deals jukeboxes while working for the mob, and who provides Dave with the replica Wurlitzer of the title. Because of Jerry’s mob connection, Dave intends to return it, but can never bring himself to do it, since it was loaded with the music which evokes for both men the Louisiana of their childhood, which as the always wise Batiste laments, is now gone forever. “40s and 50s stuff, every one of them is a Cadillac,” Dave replies when Clete Purcell asks what’s in it, and then asks for a few quarters. Dave replies that he cut the cord of the jukebox, prompting Clete to sarcastically note that it’s a great way to deal with his problems. The past always seems to haunt New Iberia in general and Dave Robicheaux in particular, and this book is no different. And there is one scene which, with ominous foreboding, warns of the future when now 14 year old Alafair questions Dave’s instructions to go to the house when confronted with the possibility of danger and then pouts when he insists. It’s clear that he’s about to face the biggest challenge of his life - a teenage daughter who thinks she knows more than he does and is as willful and stubborn as he is. It’s clear that he’s about to face the biggest challenge of his life - a teenage daughter who thinks she knows more than he does and is as willful and stubborn as he is. Even worse, she’s getting interested in boys and starting to insist to Dave that she is no longer hs “Baby Squanto,” but her own person. On the whole, a satisfactory read..
This book, as with all the others in this series, has multiple subplots and a host of secondary characters, including the brother of the murdered civil rights leader, now a successful radio host and real estate magnate, the usual mobsters, pimps, and lowlifes, and “Short Boy” Jerry, a childhood friend of Dave’s, who now deals jukeboxes while working for the mob, and who provides Dave with the replica Wurlitzer of the title. Because of Jerry’s mob connection, Dave intends to return it, but can never bring himself to do it, since it was loaded with the music which evokes for both men the Louisiana of their childhood, which as the always wise Batiste laments, is now gone forever. “40s and 50s stuff, every one of them is a Cadillac,” Dave replies when Clete Purcell asks what’s in it, and then asks for a few quarters. Dave replies that he cut the cord of the jukebox, prompting Clete to sarcastically note that it’s a great way to deal with his problems. The past always seems to haunt New Iberia in general and Dave Robicheaux in particular, and this book is no different. And there is one scene which, with ominous foreboding, warns of the future when now 14 year old Alafair questions Dave’s instructions to go to the house when confronted with the possibility of danger and then pouts when he insists. It’s clear that he’s about to face the biggest challenge of his life - a teenage daughter who thinks she knows more than he does and is as willful and stubborn as he is. It’s clear that he’s about to face the biggest challenge of his life - a teenage daughter who thinks she knows more than he does and is as willful and stubborn as he is. Even worse, she’s getting interested in boys and starting to insist to Dave that she is no longer hs “Baby Squanto,” but her own person. On the whole, a satisfactory read..
September 27, 2017
This is, once again, a great read with the now expected descriptive prose that has me on the dock with Dave and Baptise. This is a tale of the haves and have not's, how their worlds are interwoven and how they each seek to exploit one another. In the end a great many have lost their lives and others disappear, no one gains much in the end. As usual I struggled with the local dialect and slang usage often having to resort to an ipad to look up meanings. About a 3.5 because of this.
June 1, 2016
It's been a while since i read Mr. Burke. Why did i wait so long?
Dave Robicheaux and his buddy Clete really stepped into this time! A cast of characters, and i mean characters, too long to mention and plot lines overlapping again and again.
Sounds complicated, but it isn't.
Mystery, thriller, fiction....whatever you call it....it's worth the read!
Dave Robicheaux and his buddy Clete really stepped into this time! A cast of characters, and i mean characters, too long to mention and plot lines overlapping again and again.
Sounds complicated, but it isn't.
Mystery, thriller, fiction....whatever you call it....it's worth the read!
April 1, 2011
He's my favorite author. Read a Burke book and your in a dark theater by yourself surrounded and engulfed by his images. I've read them all but can only do so once every 3-4 months because in the end they are their message about the human condition is not hopeful.
November 27, 2017
The 9th in the Dave Robicheaux series and he's still getting better although this is not his best. I'm starting to wonder about a family who only eats ham and onion sandwiches at home anyway!
November 5, 2022
Αν και ο ελληνικός τίτλος και το εξώφυλλο είναι τελείως παραπλανητικά , η πρώτη μου επαφή με τον James Lee Burke και τον κόσμο του στο νότο της Αμερικής με συνεπήρε. Το βιβλίο είναι ατμοσφαιρικό, με σασπένς και έξυπνους διαλογους. Αν και αστυνομική ιστορία - με αρκετή βία που γίνεται περισσότερη όσο ξετυλίγεται η πλοκή - θίγει πολλά και ανεπίλυτα προβλήματα όπως είναι ο ρατσισμός, η ταξική πάλη, τα ναρκωτικά και η πορνεία με απόρροιά τους την εγκληματικότητα την οποία καλείται να αντιμετωπίσει ο βασικός χαρακτήρας Ντέιβ Ρομπισο , ένας γήινος χαρακτήρας, όχι υπεράνθρωπος, με εσωτερικές συγκρούσεις, ο οποίος κουβαλάει τα δικά του φαντάσματα.
June 15, 2019
This was a pretty dark and violent Dave Robicheaux. A white man is arrested for an old murder of a black civil-rights leader; Dave is afraid it’s a set-up. The governor-elect’s wife, with whom Dave had a brief fling years ago, is too much of a sex addict for me. Anyway, it was a good story. Gave it an 8 out of 10. (I read this almost ten years ago, and don’t remember it at all; glad I wrote a brief note back then. Burke is such a good writer.)
May 6, 2021
Read in 1996. This book is pure Burke, equal parts hard-boiled action, lush descriptions of the natural world and dialogue that leaps off the page. One of my favorites that year.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 310 reviews