"In the electric mist (with Confederate dead)" and "Burning Angel"

[Olham]

Does anyone here like reading good detective stories, thrillers, mystic novels?

I have recently come a cross an American author, who is writing since the early 90s,

but is still an insider tip here. Don't understand, why - his books are really great stuff.

 

His name is James Lee Burke, and his stories about detective Dave Robichaux are

settled in Louisiana. Burke is able to paint an intensive picture of the area and the

people who live there, in a very original, fascinating way.

The Louisiana in his books is an area, where many cultures got cooked up to into a

colourful, spicy "gumbo"; where Spanish, French, British and Black African influences

merged into a special athmosphere; where pirates used to have their hiding places

in the bayous and the waterways hidden in the swamps.

If there are still places on earth, where you might expect something supernatural,

Louisiana must be one of them. And Burke adds the supernatural, unexplainable,

to his stories like a special spice, without making it unbelieveable. But he never

romaticises it too much and puts your nose right into the dirt again and again.

 

First I saw the film "In The Electric Mist" with Tommy Lee Jones, which was pretty

good (but I guess, the book must be more able to drag you into that athmosphere).

Now I have almost finished his 4. book "Burning Angel", and it's a great read.

 

If there was a rating from 1 - 5 stars possible, I'd give it full five.

Edited July 26, 2011 by Olham

[Capitaine Vengeur]

Have a watch at "Southern Comfort" before thinking about visiting the bayou unprepared !

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Comfort_(film)

[Olham]

Thank you for the film-tip, Capitaine - I haven't seen this one, but the plot sounds interesting.

[jwrich]

I have read several of his books and I enjoyed them all. Louisiana is a very different place, I live about 300 mile away from the state and in some areas it is like entering another country. The people we encountered on our five day road trip in the MG were very friendly and open. But some times it was hard to understand what they saying.

 

Burke, is a very good read, he keeps you interested. I would recommend his books

 

 

 

 

Rich