Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie: A Novel

Holland Family Series, Book 5

De: James Lee Burke

Narrado por: Amanda Stribling

Bestselling author James Lee Burke tells his most thrilling and insightful story yet through the eyes of fourteen-year-old Bessie Holland.

At the beginning'' of the 20th century, as America grapples with forces of human and natural violence more powerful than humanity has ever seen, Bessie Holland yearns for the love that she has never known. She finds a soulmate and mentor in a brilliant but tormented suffragette English teacher, who inspires Bessie to fight the forces of evil that permeate her world.

Watching the vast Texas countryside being destroyed by an oil company and a menacing figure with a violent past, Bessie is prepared to defend her home and her family. But when she accidentally kills an unarmed man to defend her father Hackberry, she must flee to New York. There, her older brother introduces her to boys who will grow into gangsters, but as children admire and respect Bessie’s spirit and fortitude as she is cast into a gangland that yearns for justice and mercy.

A welcome return to the beloved Holland series and populated with characters both radiant and despicable, Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie is an epic story of a remarkable young girl who fights against potentially overwhelming forces.

©2025 James Lee Burke (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

Epic story of an incredible woman, one of the best Burkes yet

The first third of this book is an absolute masterpiece. It is full of the kind of JLB language that is so staggeringly poetic, you have to rewind it a few times just to marvel at the way this man uses words. It tells the story of young Bessie, who we later learn is his own mother.

Mild spoilers:

We follow Bessie through her wild adventures, along for the ride with a young woman who radiates pure love and integity despite a scorching childhood where she is often forced to be the parent to her own father. We suffer with this sweet girl while she fights her own proclivity for darkness and a genetic predisposition to violence, allowing it to show through every now and again in the name of Justice, and standing up for what is right. Bessie does all this while balancing her innocence and love for animals and her family, and trying to see the good in most everyone.

If I had to sum up Bessie's credo, it would be Do No Harm But Take No Shit. She's just a cool character who's a modern woman in an archaic time, even though we meet her when she's barely 13. Even in her most childlike musings, you never get the impression that she's anything less than a fully capable, completely realized, grown adult.

As the book progresses, she experiences some of the worst things that men do to women, including sexual assault, both as a witness and later as a victim. She is, however, never a willing victim, and always a fighter. Despite how hard it is to hear about these things inflicted upon her, she always emerges as the better person who refuses to be defined by the evil actions of bad men. Later, when those same men try to destroy her family's oil Investments, she has to fight to save both her father and their family farm and animals. The plot is nerve-wracking; the execution of the story, writing at its finest.

The story of her life is always interesting and colorful, and I didn't want this book to end. Having listened to nearly all the books in the Holland family series, this rounds out the picture of an intense and powerful legacy.

I came to JLB as a fan of the Dave Robicheaux series, but the Holland series is outstanding and I've listened to all of the books more than once. This one brings all the best qualities of his simply unparalleled writing. and the narrator is excellent. Set against the backdrop of history at the turn of the century, it is striking how many things in the story reflect our present day. Fans of historical fiction will love this. Fans of JLB will hopefully feel like they just had an satisfying meal with dear old friends from his endless pantheon of excellent characters.

masterful coming of age tale

Hack Hollands daughter wonderful narration set in early Texas oil days. great story arc and conclusion

Always Mystifying, Always Amazing!

JLB never fails to take you on the journey to some place that you didn't expect to go. it always never fails that when you travel with him on the journey he brings you back changed but better in many ways. this novel is another example of exactly that and you won't regret having taken this journey with him also.

The Best of the Holland Family

I loved the Audible version from the beginning to the very last sentence! I was enamored with Bessie and her wonderful, honesty. She’s courageous and open and loving without holding back anything. Her intelligence and insight will draw you in and make you love her. I have read over 40 Burke books and this is my favorite!

Well written words portraying feminine point of view.U.

I just love Burke’s writing. I can hardly get enough of it. l laughed at a lot of quips, turn of phrases heard for first time

A Recorded Book That Needs Subtitles

I've read and lisened to everything that James Lee Burke has written. He's a national treasure. A new Burke book fills me with joy. But I've been spoiled, over the years, by the amazing narrative skill of the great Will Patton. He brings every character to life. He makes me believe I'm iistening to Dave Robichaux speaking, and to the various members of the Holland Family. I understand that Little Bessie is a girl/woman, and needs a girl/woman's voice. But the normally skilled Amanda Stribling goes too far, giving her a Texas accent so strong, there are whole paragraphs I found incomprehensible. The accent may be technically correct. But it needed to be toned down for Northern Ears. A great story, diminished (for me) by a problematic reading.

Disappointing for a Burke book.

If I wasn’t such a fan of James Lee Burke, I would have quit this half way through. Thought it lacked the underlying psychology and philosophy that was so rich in his other novels. Also lacked the remarkable prose so characteristic of his other books. And even though the main character was female, I so missed Will Patton.