MADreads

The Anguish of Katrina

August 15th, 2007 Liz - Central Library

James Lee Burke’s new novel The Tin Roof Blowdown is a Dave Robicheaux novel that takes place during and after Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans and Hurricane Rita hits New Iberia and the surrounding area.

Clearly Mr. Burke was not at his home in Montana when the hurricanes hit for real.  The first third of the book is an impassioned, angry, injured description of what happened to his beloved region.  The usual mystery doesn’t really get going until about page 100.  It is a powerful novel that encompasses the real pain and tragedy of Katrina and Rita’s fallout.  Recovering alcoholic Dave and his buddy Clete are really struggling hard internally and externally this time (and one constant feature of Burke’s series is that they struggle internally nearly all the time.)

Sometimes I wonder why I’m so in love with a series and a character that is about so much pain.  But I am.  This one is truly grim, but so well written (as usual) and so detailed in its 1st person account of life post-Katrina that those interested generally in that tragedy will find alot to like, and those who like a dark mystery (no serial killers!) will be satisfied as well.

Entry Filed under: Mystery