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Title: Black Cherry Blues: A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James L. Burke ISBN: 0-380-71204-0 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 December, 1990 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.38 (29 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Great writing, gripping story
Comment: Over and above anything else, the first thing that struck me about James Lee Burke's "Black Cherry Blues" was the quality of the writing. Burke has an incredibly ability to beautifully describe his settings, making small town Louisiana and rural Montana vividly real to the reader. His descriptions are so good that I would often have to suppress the urge to have a late night snack after having my appetite whet when reading about something so basic as what Dave and his daughter made for dinner. Take away the whole suspense/mystery/thriller aspects of this novel, and it would almost still be worth reading just for Burke's descriptive abilities.
The plot itself is the classic "innocent man falsely accused" story. Dave Robicheaux, who is trying to live a quiet, simple life running a boat dock/bait shop and raising his daughter in New Iberia, LA, begrudgingly helps out an old college friend who is involved with some unscrupulous individuals. This leads to a series of events involving ominous threats towards Dave's daughter, Alafair, and culminates in Robicheaux being accused of a murder he didn't commit. The majority of the book takes place after Robicheaux heads to Montana to attempt to clear his name before his trial begins.
Burke seems to take great care in formulating his plot to make sure all his bases are covered. One small thing he did in this book that I really appreciated was to actually attempt to logically explain some of those bizarre coincidences that happen so often in suspense novels that immediately take me out of the novel because they come off as so unrealistic. There is a scene in "Black Cherry Blues" that is reminiscent of many thrillers, where a character is a second of two from having a knife stabbed into his chest, but is saved when somebody "happens" to walk in just at the right time. Many authors just take if for granted the readers will actually buy this, when my usual reaction is "yeah, right". Burke, on the other hand, actually takes this thriller cliche and gives a logical, believable explanation as to why this person knew to be where he was at exactly the right moment. This kind of care is taken throughout the book.
If I were to nitpick I would say that I was sometimes confused by Robicheaux's behavior, in that at times he seemed like someone who genuinely wanted to lead a peaceful life, and then would knowingly behave in a way that would get him into trouble with the wrong people. To be fair, if I had read the previous two Dave Robicheaux novels in the series (and after the quality of "Black Cherry Blues" I fully intend to) perhaps I would have had a better understanding of his character and personality.
Rating: 5
Summary: "BLUES IS GOOD"
Comment: Burke comes through again with Black Cherry Blues. This is the third Robicheaux book I have read. They all have been good. Dave is running for his life, he is to go to trial for a murder he did not commit. This takes him from the bayou to Montana. He deals with Sal Dio. A crazy man if there ever was one. Burke reveles more of Daves inter-thoughts. He shows a strong belief in God in this book. Burke can make you feel like you are there. The bad guys are after Daves little girl which is bad news for them. Clete shows back up in this book, is a friend again to Robicheaux. Dixie Lee Pugh also shows, a good old country boy from long ago. Burke weaves the people through their paces and make a very good story.
Rating: 5
Summary: The Edgar Award was well-deserved.
Comment: The mystique of Dave Robicheaux continues in this book, the 3rd installment of the series. Throughout the book you can feel Dave's pain as he remembers Annie, who died in Heaven's Prisoners. He's still struggling with the alcoholism that once wrecked his life, and his main focus is caring for his daughter Alafair. Burke, as usual, does a tremendous job developing his characters, all the while staying in the first person...telling the story from Dave's eyes. Dave is a flawed hero, but you're pulling for him regardless. Another gem from James Lee Burke, and it just adds to the puzzle that the Robicheaux series has become.
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Title: A Morning for Flamingos by James L. Burke ISBN: 0380713608 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 August, 1991 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: A Stained White Radiance by James L. Burke ISBN: 0380720477 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 May, 1993 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: The Neon Rain : A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke ISBN: 0743449207 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 01 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Heaven's Prisoners by James Lee Burke ISBN: 0743449193 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 29 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead by James L. Burke ISBN: 038072121X Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 July, 1994 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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