Creole Belle

A Dave Robicheaux Novel

By: James Lee Burke

Narrated by: Will Patton

Dave Robicheaux investigates the disappearance of a young Creole woman, while an oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico threatens to destroy the cherished beauty of the Louisiana bayous in this gripping thriller.

Set against the events of the Gulf Coast oil spill, rife with “the menaces of greed and violence and man-made horror” (The Christian Science Monitor), Creole Belle finds Dave Robicheaux languishing in a New Orleans recovery unit since surviving a bayou shoot-out. The detective’s body is healing; it’s his morphine-addled mind that conjures spectral visions of Tee Jolie Melton, a young woman who in reality has gone missing. An iPod with an old blues song left by his bedside turns Robicheaux into a man obsessed… And as oil companies assign blame after an epic disaster threatens the Gulf’s very existence, Robicheaux unearths connections between tragedies both global and personal—and faces down forces that can corrupt and destroy the best of men.

“A work of dark and radiant brilliance” (Richmond Times-Dispatch), Creole Belle is “a novel that shows how the sins of the fathers poison the ground their children walk on” (The New York Times Book Review).

Very interesting and entertaining

Great, entertaining book, a little confusion the first few chapters trying to get the characters in order. The narration was very good made the book even better.

Excellent story. Just wish it wasn't abridged.

Too much of the book is missing and that left me disappointed.. Now I have to read the book too.

Louisiana tale

If you could sum up Creole Belle in three words, what would they be?

far out

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I thought the ending with all the army entrenched against Dave and Clete became a little far fetched. Probably could have achieved the same with fewer people involved

Which character – as performed by Will Patton – was your favorite?

Clete Percel

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The evolution of Clete's daughter

Any additional comments?

Love the narrator and the way he reads all the Dave Robicheau books . Also, love the character created by J L Burke

Best yet

this was my fifth book in the David robicheaux novel series. it was the best yet it really helped to already know the characters

Among Burke’s Very Best

By limiting the number of characters and subplots the author tells a tale with great clarity and power. The sensuous descriptions of sights and smells support intensify the narrative without overwhelming it. Just as a great chef blends a few flavors each discernible and adds exactly the right amount of seasoning, Mr Burke has produced a wonderfully balanced dish.