A Morning for Flamingos

October 1, 1990
In a muddy, weed-filled coulee, Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux begs an escaped convict for his life and is left more troubled by his lack of courage than by his gunshot wounds. Burke ( Half of Paradise ) proceeds to balance the resulting self-doubts of his tough, sympathetic hero with a complex, credible plot in his latest Cajun mystery. Robicheaux, a widower, leaves his small town for New Orleans, where he used to be a cop, to run a sting operation for the DEA. He engineers drug buys aimed at incriminating the local drug lord, an ex-Marine with nightmares and a habit from Vietnam, while trying to ferret out Jimmie Lee Boggs, the killer responsible for the coulee incident. Vivid supporting characters include Robicheaux's former NOPD partner Clete Purcel; an old true love now the widow of a Mafia figure; Gros Mama Goula, a juju woman; and Tony Cardo, the jumpy dealer whose inner struggles reflect Robicheaux's. Attentive to language and atmosphere, Burke delivers action on churning Gulf waters, in city streets, in deserted fields and within the souls of his memorable characters--and a fully satisfying resolution.

Mark Hammer's reading of the first-person narrative is on target. The distinctive Louisiana accent is convincing, with each character voiced differently. N.B.H. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


James Lee Burke's entertaining 1990 novel is made even better by Mark Hammer's measured Southern drawl, which allows the listener to savor every moment. At the heart of the action is detective Dave Robicheaux, who is shot by Jimmie Lee Boggs during a prison transfer gone bad. From there, Robicheaux leaves his small town and travels to New Orleans, beginning a journey that involves the DEA and a host of memorable characters. Burke's dialogue is superb, and Hammer provides each character with a distinct persona while pacing the story appropriately. Hammer's narration allows listeners to enjoy every moment of the novel, especially its thoroughly satisfying conclusion. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine