Black Cherry Blues

Notes

Black Cherry Blues by James Lee Burke is the third case for ex-alcoholic ex-detective Dave Robicheaux and won Burke his first Edgar Award.

In a classic tale of justice and revenge, Robicheaux is an honourable man trying to extricate himself from a brutal situation. The novel’s ending is improbable, but the setting is beautiful, and the only issue I had with the book was the shortness of a psychopathic hitman’s reign.

Publisher’s Synopsis

The third highly acclaimed novel in the Dave Robicheaux series, and winner of the Edgar award.

Personal tragedy has left Dave Robicheaux close to the edge. Battling against his old addiction to alcohol and haunted nightly by vivid dreams and visitations, Dave finds his only tranquillity at home with his young ward Alafair. But even this fragile peace is shattered by the arrival of Dixie Lee Pugh who brings with him a brutal trail of murder and violence.

Robicheaux reluctantly agrees to help out his old friend but becomes more involved than he bargained for when he finds himself suspect Number One in the series of bloody killings. Forced to leave his home, Robicheaux’s precarious existence reaches breaking point when Alafair’s life is threatened.

Praise for one of the great American crime writers, James Lee Burke:

‘James Lee Burke is the heavyweight champ, a great American novelist whose work, taken individually or as a whole, is unsurpassed.’ Michael Connelly

‘A gorgeous prose stylist.’ Stephen King

‘Richly deserves to be described now as one of the finest crime writers America has ever produced.’ Daily Mail

Read a full review of Black Cherry Blues by James Lee Burke at Criminal Element.