Jolie Blon's Bounce

By: James Lee Burke

Narrated by: Mark Hammer

Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

When a beautiful teenage girl is killed, the victim of a particularly savage rape, New Iberia, Louisiana police detective Dave Robicheaux senses from the very start of the investigation that the most likely suspect - Tee Bobby Hulin - is not the actual killer. Though a drug addict and general ne'er-do-well, Hulin doesn't fit the profile for this brutal crime. But when another body turns up - a drugged-out prostitute who is the daughter of a local mafia bigwig - all clues point to Tee Bobby Hulin. The dead girl's father sets out to find - and punish - the killer.

Before Robicheaux can bring the killer or killers to justice, he battles a painkiller addiction, a habit brought on by a humiliating beating he suffers at the hands of a diabolical character known only as Legion. Once the overseer on a local sugarcane plantation, Legion scrapes by through doing odd jobs. In temperament, he's still the malevolent bully, seemingly possessed with supernatural skills of survival.

When Robicheaux's longtime buddy Clete Purcel drops by New Iberia for a visit, he is quickly drawn into the struggle between evil forces - including Jimmy Dean Styles, a black man intent on maintaining his empire of corruption; Joe Zeroski, a trailer park mafioso with palatial aspirations; and Legion Guidry, in whom Robicheaux faces an enemy unlike any he has ever known. And soon, what began as a duel of wits turns into a dance of death.

Gothic, dense, brutal, touching, and always compelling, Jolie Blon's Bounce is classic storytelling from a writer who has been dubbed "the Faulkner of crime fiction."

©2002 James Lee Burke, All Rights Reserved (P)2002 Recorded Books Inc., All Rights Reserved, AUDIOWORKS Is an Imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster Inc.

Critic reviews

Audie Award Winner, Mystery, Fiction, 2003

"To read a Burke novel is to enter a timeless, parallel universe of violent emotions and lush, brooding landscapes." (Publishers Weekly)

"Listening to Mark Hammer reading Burke's twelfth novel about Cajun cop Dave Robicheaux, it's easy to imagine you're on the shore of Bayou Teche, hearing a weathered cop tell of past adventures.... With a deliberate pace, Hammer pulls us in, capturing Robicheaux's spiritual exhaustion yet compelling us to hang on his every word." (AudioFile)

"Dave Robicheaux...[is] easily one of the most complex and compelling protagonists in mystery fiction. This is classic James Lee Burke, the master stylist, writing at the top of his game." (Amazon.com)

Just ok

I liked the book but it is not the same without Will Patton reading. It was very hard to get into the book, narration is so important, and Will Patton is the voice of Dave. Stick to the ones Will reads for audible and read the others.

Another Terrific Story from Burke

This is a terrific story.

The bad guys in this book give evil a unique face and a different level wickedness with each one, as do most of Burke's story.

I found this book to be one of the more enjoyable JLB books. As always the dialogue is witty and near-genius level.

I would have loved to give this a 5-star or even 4 and 1/2 stars, but I just didn't like the reader that much. He was not bad, he just in no way lived up to the abilities of Will Patton, who I wish had read the story.

Another good escape

If you like the Robicheaux series, this one will offer the familiar escape into Burke's painting of the bayou and criminals.

Well Done Mr. Burke

This is my 5th reading of this excellent work, and not my last. Mr. Burke has a very great gift of placing the reader "in" the story. You can almost see, hear and taste everything he describes - and without the Stephen Kingish long winded details. And what a great narrator, Mark Hammer. I think he nails the box shut with his charactors. All around, you will love this book and I am sure it will quickly become one of your favorites.

Overloaded

I enjoyed listening to the story. Due to lenthy descriptions of circumstances and not story related issues, the plot lost sometimes the thrilling momentum. The author is undoubtedly a master in painting situational moods, but to my taste, entering every new paragraph with a weather report diluted the story too much.

great book

loved this book. another great one from James Lee Burke. lots of action and intrigue

Jolie Blon’s Bounce

Once again James Lee Burke does not disappoint! What a great writer! I love the Dave Robichaux Series.

Great book, poor reader

If you have heard Will Patton read this author you will have a hard time with Hammer. Still a great book.

Narrator was great

To each their own. Do not shy away from this great story because or the narrator, I totally enjoyed his presentation of the charactors. Five star for sure

Narration problems? Me, too.

I still haven't gotten through this and, it's not because I don't like the story - I just have a really hard time understanding the narrator. Unlike others, I don't care if his emotion isn't great or his age is wrong - I just want to be able to understand him. I wanted to enter my comments too because I'm hoping the audiobook company will take that more into account. Even though someone said JLB really liked this reading, I don't think that's a fair call because he knows the story!