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A little James Lee Burke goes a long way. It's like candy. The first box tastes great, the second box tastes good and after you've gone through several boxes of it, you start to burn out on it and start to look for a different flavor of candy. James Lee Burke's writing is that way. The first book you read is great (and it doesn't matter which book you read first), the second is good but too much, too quick and you'll burn out on it. I think I may be at that burn out point. Jame's Lee Burke's books are all character driven and those characters seem very real with all the faults, weakness and suffering that comes with human existance. Even though we may not want to admit it, the characters are people we can possibly recognize in our own lives or even in ourself. Sometimes the line between good and the bad becomes hard to recognize and the characters created by James Lee Burke portray that well. The Tin Roof Blowdown takes us into the lives of these characters during and following Hurricane Katrina. It uses an interesting background for a character based story and does it reasonably well. The storm doesn't become the story nor even a prop but just a back drop for the story. If you're looking for a novel about Hurricane Katrina (an Erwin Allen kind of thing), The Tin Roof Blow Down is not the book for you. The story itself is no better or no worse than any story by James Lee Burke. That in itself means it has a good story and great characters. It just happens to fall during the time of Katrina which tends to make it stand out just a bit due to the interest and stories of that time. Much in the same fashion as a love story based during the civil war stands out more than a love story based during a time when nothing of any real note was happening. The Tin Roof Blowdown is an easy read, has great characters, a good story and is based during an interesting time so I would recomend it but only if you haven't read too many other James Lee Burke novels recently.Read full review
I love the mysteries and thrillers written by James Lee Burke. He introduced me to main character, "Dave Robicheaux," a former member of the NOPD, in a novel called "Cadillac Jukebox" many years ago. I anxiously await the next installment in the "Dave Robicheaux" series. I DID NOT and COULD NOT wait until "The Tin Roof Blowdown" was published in paperback so I found a GREAT hardback first edition on ebay for less than the paperback will be in a year! Dave Robicheaux is caught up in a compelling, page-turner of a thriller once again, with a crime that takes place during the horrific impact of Hurricane Katrina in the New Orleans, La. area. New Orleans has been reduced to the level of a medieval society; there is no law or order in the aftermath of the terrible storm, and Dave Robicheaux and his faithful counterpart, Clete PUrcel, are soon involved in solving the disappearance of a drug-addicted Catholic priest, and a theft involving millions of dollars in jewels stolen by looters on the streets. One particular vigilante may turn out to be more dangerous than the criminals that have escaped the flooded prisons! If you have never read James Lee Burke, pick up a copy of "The Tin Roof Blowdown" on ebay and get to know its main character, fomer-alcoholic detective Dave Robicheaux!I promise you that you will want MORE! These novels do not have to be read in any particular order to be enjoyed or understood but check the publication dates if you do want to experience the "Dave Robicheaux" novels in sequence. I highy recommend the author and the series. Thanks, and enjoy!Read full review
If you don't like this book, perhaps you should read it again. It is another superb example of the writers art (read gift). For those of us who were privileged to live in the Magical City in the decades PN (pre Nagin) it is like a visit home, long anticipated, and enjoyed once again in Mr. Burke's books. In my humble opinion (I am not a professional book critic, thank the almighty) But in almost 70 years of reading and loving books, I have learned to appreciate a mighty effort and an excellent offering. Well done Mr. Burke. yr obt svt J. Piper
Disappointing effort from a great,unique author. Dave Robicheaux pursues so many plot lines that he's at risk of being lost in one. Burke's evocative prose, when focused upon the southern Louisiana landscape post-Katrina, is fine. Alas, his plot is way too thick. Story lines are not concluded and questions are left hanging like moss from a tree. A huge fan of the author's, I'll buy anything he writes, but this effort is not among his best.
One of his best. A fascinating read about New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina. As in all of his books set in South Louisiana, he tells a wonderful tale of flawed individuals coping a with a world that is very different than the one in which they grew up. As the South changed and evolved from an agrarian society characterized by tremendous civility and hospitality as well as deeply rooted racism and violence, Burke weaves uses his almost magical storytelling skill to remind us all of our own choices which will define who and what we were, we are, and what we may become. I loved it.
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