Winston C. (Crabby-doctor) reviewed Heaven's Prisoners (Dave Robicheaux, Bk 2) on + 296 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I have read several of this series of mysteries---they are all good.
" A Fine , Compelling Novel...."...Newsday
"Burke Writes With Honesty and Tough Compassion..."----San Francisco Chronicle
"Burke Writes With Honesty and Tough Compassion..."----San Francisco Chronicle
James L. Burke tells a story in a style reminiscent of Elmore Leonard with some Dashiell Hammett thrown in. Just superb reading.
The 2nd Dave Robicheaux novel of this great series. I have never been to New Orleans, but I feel like I know it well, thanks to Mr. Burke.
I really enjoyed this one. Dave Robicheaux is in fine form. He seems larger than life. Just how I like my detectives. :)
Cheryl (Toni) J. (toni) reviewed Heaven's Prisoners (Dave Robicheaux, Bk 2) on + 351 more book reviews
#2 in Dave Robicheaux Series
Publishers Weekly
First met in Burke's excellent mystery, The Neon Rain, Dave Robicheaux is a driven man, driven by his constant battle with alcoholism; by memories of his past as a detective on the New Orleans police force; by his need for order; by his obsession with the seedy, aberrant side of New Orleans life. Trying to put his own life together again, Dave has married Annie and now runs a small fishing rental business in the Louisiana bayou. When he and Annie witness the crash of a small plane, in which four people obviously illegal aliens die, and only a little girl survives, Robicheaux is drawn to the trail of a network of crimes that suggests a Central American dope-running ring operated with the connivance of federal agents. Violence ensues, and Robicheaux, no stranger to tragedy, must confront it again when Annie becomes a victim. Haunted by guilt, deeply depressed, in constant danger, Robicheaux trusts no one, including the cops, for he knows that they too, are capable of skirting the law. Burke beautifully evokes New Orleans and the mysterious bayous, and he skillfully depicts the different lifestyles that distinguish the Gulf region. Robicheaux is a complex character whose integrity and high principles are always in conflict with the darker side of human nature. This is book mystery fans will savor for its ruminating intelligence and graceful prose as well as for its heart-stopping suspense.
Publishers Weekly
First met in Burke's excellent mystery, The Neon Rain, Dave Robicheaux is a driven man, driven by his constant battle with alcoholism; by memories of his past as a detective on the New Orleans police force; by his need for order; by his obsession with the seedy, aberrant side of New Orleans life. Trying to put his own life together again, Dave has married Annie and now runs a small fishing rental business in the Louisiana bayou. When he and Annie witness the crash of a small plane, in which four people obviously illegal aliens die, and only a little girl survives, Robicheaux is drawn to the trail of a network of crimes that suggests a Central American dope-running ring operated with the connivance of federal agents. Violence ensues, and Robicheaux, no stranger to tragedy, must confront it again when Annie becomes a victim. Haunted by guilt, deeply depressed, in constant danger, Robicheaux trusts no one, including the cops, for he knows that they too, are capable of skirting the law. Burke beautifully evokes New Orleans and the mysterious bayous, and he skillfully depicts the different lifestyles that distinguish the Gulf region. Robicheaux is a complex character whose integrity and high principles are always in conflict with the darker side of human nature. This is book mystery fans will savor for its ruminating intelligence and graceful prose as well as for its heart-stopping suspense.
Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed Heaven's Prisoners (Dave Robicheaux, Bk 2) on + 1223 more book reviews
This is the second in the Dave Robicheaux series by Burke. I've read a few others in this series and recently went back and read the first one, Neon Rain, to get a perspective on how the stories progress from the start. Well this second novel is again a glimpse into the telling of Robichaux's story. In the first novel, he was a homicide detective working for the New Orleans PD. At the end of that novel, he quit the department and decided to open a bait and fishing shop where he grew up in New Iberia. At the beginning of the novel we find Dave married to Annie, a social worker from Nebraska, who we met in Neon Rain. Dave and Annie are out in their boat fishing when a drug smuggler's plane crashes nearly in front of them. Dave uses his scuba gear to dive down to the wreck and finds four dead people and a young Salvadoran girl who is still alive in an air pocket. He rescues the girl (who becomes his adopted daughter, Alafair) and reports the downed aircraft. But for some reason, the authorities only report that there were three dead bodies on board instead of the four Dave saw. So what's going on? Of course Dave decides to investigate and this leads him into a hornet's nest he probably should have kept away from. Dave finds that a childhood acquaintance and brutal hood, Bubba Roque, is somehow involved. There is a very tragic event that occurs that puts Dave back to his drinking ways and he must wend his way through a mire of killing and deceit.
This was a very hard-hitting crime novel that puts the reader into the time and place very well. Burke has a knack of describing the area including the bayous of Louisiana and the seedy dives of New Orleans. His characters are well-portrayed and really add to the story. This one also had a twist at the end that I wasn't expecting. Overall a really good read and hopefully, I'll read more of this series soon.
This was a very hard-hitting crime novel that puts the reader into the time and place very well. Burke has a knack of describing the area including the bayous of Louisiana and the seedy dives of New Orleans. His characters are well-portrayed and really add to the story. This one also had a twist at the end that I wasn't expecting. Overall a really good read and hopefully, I'll read more of this series soon.
I've read everything James Lee Burke has ever written, and now I'm reading books written by his real-life daughter, Alafair (who is a character in so many of his books - you can almost watch her grow up if you read his books in chronological order). He sets most of his stories in South Louisiana, and no one gets it right like JLB. The descriptions of the Louisiana landscape, with its dreamy, slow-moving bayous and dreamy, slow-moving way of life, the New Orleans he loves, the dialogue that is right on, even the history and culture of the Acadian, or 'Cajun' people (and in New Orleans, the Creoles)...he gets it all right, and you can tell he loves the place he lives and writes about. (Can you tell I'm a Louisiana lady?) :-)
Since the story is well-described, I won't attempt another description. But I will say that I believe anyone who enjoys a good mystery with in-depth characterizations and plenty of twists and turns, should truly enjoy the incomparable James Lee Burke.
Since the story is well-described, I won't attempt another description. But I will say that I believe anyone who enjoys a good mystery with in-depth characterizations and plenty of twists and turns, should truly enjoy the incomparable James Lee Burke.
As a transplanted Yankee living in south Louisiana, i enjoyed the book and found its description of life in this area to be accurate for the 1980's.
Quite a few surprises in Book 2, but a good continuation of characters from Book 1. As always, good writing from Burke.
