Cimarron Rose - James Lee Burke
In "Cimarron Rose" James Lee Burke takes time out with his Dave Robicheaux series, while introducing a new series that features Billy Bob Holland, a former Texas Ranger, assistant US Prosecutor turned defense attorney in the small town of Deaf Smith in Texas.
Most fans of the Robicheaux series would see quite a score of similarities between the two characters, both are Men of goodwill at the same time displaying that gung ho routine of breaking chops with the bad guys. Holland is a hero in the same league as Robicheaux, both carries excess baggage of the past, Billy Bob Holland is a man haunted by the ghost of L.Q. Navarro, his partner in the Rangers whom he accidentally killed while pursuing drug dealers in Mexico.
L.Q. Navarro doesn't mind being dead as he literally haunts Billy Bob thus becoming a friend to talk to and even give advice during moments of confusion.
But this is ain't a ghost story, it's just one of the threads that James Lee Burke weaved around the novel, it's a crime mystery that pits good and evil and the ghost of the past ( as Billy Bob reads passages of his grandfather's journal about his affair with a female outlaw of the wild wild west ).
Rounding up the plot is Lucas Smothers, a young kid who was found passed out in a truck while a body of a raped and murdered girl lies 20 feet from him. Charged with the crime, Billy Bob sets out to defend Lucas sincerely believing in his innocence.
As Billy Bob digs out the truth he encountered different obstacles like a rogue DEA Agent, corrupt sheriffs, Garland T. Moon, a psychotic killer turned loose on technicalities, Darl Vanzandt, the sick son of a wealthy and the town's most powerful person. All that plus a love interest with a female sheriff / Federal agent whom Billy Bob got cozzy up with. ( Which shows the human and soft side of Billy Bob )
This is classic James Lee Burke where plot abounds you don't just get immersed in one story but other interesting events in the past of the main characters.
Surely this is a book filled with violence, either Billy Bob is dragging a boy beater by the saddle of his horse, he's breaking the jaws of a rogue DEA agent, or his house is getting ransacked, Lucas being drugged and dumped at a country club, and Garland Moon wrecking havoc.
Over-all it's a finely written tale about a man's fondness for the good and going all out to battle the evil that resides even in a small compact town like Deaf Smith, Texas...at all costs and making those responsible pay big time.
Most fans of the Robicheaux series would see quite a score of similarities between the two characters, both are Men of goodwill at the same time displaying that gung ho routine of breaking chops with the bad guys. Holland is a hero in the same league as Robicheaux, both carries excess baggage of the past, Billy Bob Holland is a man haunted by the ghost of L.Q. Navarro, his partner in the Rangers whom he accidentally killed while pursuing drug dealers in Mexico.
L.Q. Navarro doesn't mind being dead as he literally haunts Billy Bob thus becoming a friend to talk to and even give advice during moments of confusion.
But this is ain't a ghost story, it's just one of the threads that James Lee Burke weaved around the novel, it's a crime mystery that pits good and evil and the ghost of the past ( as Billy Bob reads passages of his grandfather's journal about his affair with a female outlaw of the wild wild west ).
Rounding up the plot is Lucas Smothers, a young kid who was found passed out in a truck while a body of a raped and murdered girl lies 20 feet from him. Charged with the crime, Billy Bob sets out to defend Lucas sincerely believing in his innocence.
As Billy Bob digs out the truth he encountered different obstacles like a rogue DEA Agent, corrupt sheriffs, Garland T. Moon, a psychotic killer turned loose on technicalities, Darl Vanzandt, the sick son of a wealthy and the town's most powerful person. All that plus a love interest with a female sheriff / Federal agent whom Billy Bob got cozzy up with. ( Which shows the human and soft side of Billy Bob )
This is classic James Lee Burke where plot abounds you don't just get immersed in one story but other interesting events in the past of the main characters.
Surely this is a book filled with violence, either Billy Bob is dragging a boy beater by the saddle of his horse, he's breaking the jaws of a rogue DEA agent, or his house is getting ransacked, Lucas being drugged and dumped at a country club, and Garland Moon wrecking havoc.
Over-all it's a finely written tale about a man's fondness for the good and going all out to battle the evil that resides even in a small compact town like Deaf Smith, Texas...at all costs and making those responsible pay big time.
0 comments: