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Black Cherry Blues

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Black Cherry Blues

By: James Lee Burke
Narrated by: Mark Hammer
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About this listen

The third novel in the highly acclaimed Dave Robicheaux series, and winner of the Edgar award.

Personal tragedy has left Dave Robicheaux close to the edge. Battling against his old addiction to alcohol and haunted nightly by vivid dreams and visitations, Dave finds his only tranquillity at home with his young ward Alafair. But even this fragile peace is shattered by the arrival of Dixie Lee Pugh who brings with him a brutal trail of murder and violence.

Robicheaux reluctantly agrees to help out his old friend but becomes more involved than he bargained for when he finds himself suspect Number One in the series of bloody killings. Forced to leave his home, Robicheaux's precarious existence reaches breaking point when Alafair's life is threatened.

©1989 James Lee Burke (P)1993 Recorded Books, LLC. Contemporary Contemporary Romance Crime Fiction Modern Detectives Mystery Romance Suspense Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Fiction Detective Crime
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It’s been many years since I last read a James Lee Burke novel and had forgotten how wonderfully well he writes. Both his storytelling and prose are beautifully crafted which already make it better than most. But then you add the sublime skill of the narrator (Mark Hammer) and you have something very special. Burke’s dialogues are always pitched just right but they really come to life with Hammer’s mastery of dialect and accent. Both the writer’s and narrator’s subtlety make this one of the very best books I’ve listened to.

Probably the best book on Audible I’ve listened to.

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I cried when I finished listening to this book, not because the plot demanded it, but because I was so sad that it had come to an end. There are only a few books that stay in your memory throughout your life, but this will definitely be one of those for me. I found this author whilst searching for ‘authors similar to Anne Tyler’, whose books I love. I wasn’t sure if the genre would be my thing, but I threw caution to the wind and I am so glad I did. Initially I struggled with the narrator’s accent, but once I got my ears tuned, I was totally immersed in the wonderful characters and descriptive text and the journey was enhanced by Mark Hammer’s ability to capture a specific tone and lilt for each character and situation. I am going to buy a paper version of this book now, not just because there are so many passages that I would love to re-read and savour, but because it is a book that I want to have with me always.

An absolute gem

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I enjoy the characters that continue on from one story to the next. The whole thing though seems to drag on a little. Lost the impact and some of the fun from the earlier books in the series.

Struggles a bit to keep some momentum

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I have read every JLB novel and I am a huge Dave Robicheaux fan. This is one of his best for plot and character development.
Because it is set in Montana we also dont get too much repetition of the New Iberia tropes that become alittle repetitive with time.
Most importantly we get the first taste of Clete as Dave’s best friend after hints in Neon Rain. As everybody knows Clete Purcel is the greatest thing to happen to New Orleans since the fatman.
He must be protected at all costs.
The narrator adds a nice laconic tone to Dave and Alf that I don’t give them when I’m reading.
A great audiobook of a great book by a truly great writer

Robicheaux fanboy

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Great story and Mark Hammer brings the characters and places to life, matches Burkes prose - spot on!

Burke at his best - beautifully narrated in Louisiana drawl

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