The Neon Rain

A Dave Robicheaux Novel

De: James Lee Burke

Narrado por: Will Patton

New York Times best-selling author James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux novels began with this first hard-hitting entry in the series.

In The Neon Rain, Detective Robicheaux fishes a prostitute's corpse from a New Orleans bayou and finds that no one, not even the law, cares about a dead hooker.

More mayhem? Listen to more of James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux thrillers.©1987 James Lee Burke (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Reseñas de la Crítica

"With its fine local color and driving action, this novel is both chilling and first-rate entertainment." ( Publishers Weekly)
"One of Burke's best." ( New York Times Book Review)

THE NEON RAIN

This is my first experience with James Lee Burke's work. I loved flawed detectives with demons from their past and that's exactly what Robicheaux is, although I didn't realize he was such a lone wolf. He had almost no regard for rules of the department or even the law, but I understand that is part of this character's makeup. I also didn't realize there would be so much violence in this book, but I think it worked here because of the temperament of the main character. I liked his story over the course of the book, but I struggled at times trying to keep the large cast straight. I also had to suspend my disbelief that a detective could realistically put himself into so many terrible positions and not get caught or be punished for his actions. Still, I would continue with the series as I'm interested in where Robicheaux is headed at the conclusion of this story.

Will Patton's narration is just perfect; he's honestly the reason that I decided to listen to this book instead of just reading a print copy.

Pretty good book

I am not usually a fan of action/murder mysteries unless they are really well written. I have been disappointed by some that have been recommended to me as great, only to find that "great" to some people does not even translate as "good" to others. But this one was different. It was well written, and held my attention right from the very first. I am inclined to try more of Burke's books, but would love some recommendations as to which ones really are good. The characters in this book are memorable and the good guys are very likable. Dave, the protagonist, is just right--not too good to be unbelievable, but not so ridiculous that you can't even feel sorry for him. And I did feel sorry for him, and rooted for him to the end. There were some big clues as to who the bad guy was, which I would have liked better if I had not been able to figure out, but the plot was complicated enough that suspecting who it was didn't spoil it for me. Shall I give #2 a try?

The one thing that might push me toward another one in this series is the narrator, Will Patton. They just don't get much better than he is.

So well written!

Loved the story and the narrator! I will be reading more from James Lee Burke!

Prepare to be completely drawn in...

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across the movie "Into the Electric Mist." I really enjoyed the film and figured it must have been based on a book. Imagine my surprise and excitement to find out that, not only was it based on a book, but a book in a rather long series!

I was thrilled to find "The Neon Rain" on Audible, and finished in two days. I was a bit apprehensive about the narrator, as I was not a fan of his recent recording of Stephen King's "Doctor Sleep," so I was relieved to find that Will Patton's style was quite suited to the character of Dave Robicheaux.

I don't like to discuss plot points in a review, but I will say that this was a pretty action packed read. There are many levels to the story, and the author aptly weaves together the current events, local history, and Robicheaux's own past in Vietnam and his struggles with alcoholism.

The characters, while not all hugely developed, are written with a lot of personality and detail, so that you feel like you have met them in person. The dialogue is sharp and funny, with phrases like "It was like having bread mold for neighbors..." that stand out in my mind and make me laugh upon recalling them.

Burke incorporates descriptions of New Orleans and the bayous that bring the setting to life. The book is filled with colorful images and local twists that make it that much more intriguing than a crime novel set in Anytown, USA.

A few parts are a bit hokey or slightly less than convincing. There are a few characters who lean heavily toward stereotypes, although not without accuracy. The romance element seemed to develop implausibly quickly. It's not that the reader cannot see how Dave would fall for the beautiful, empathetic classical musician... it's just that so little time elapses between meeting and declarations of love that it doesn't quite jive, particularly with how much more depth his character has.

I immensely enjoyed this quick, wry-witted and quirky crime novel, and since the audio version of book two is abridged (boo!! hiss!!) I am eagerly awaiting the transfer of the paperback to my library. Even with the few flaws, I think this was a great book with captivating style and would highly recommend it.

James Lee Burke at his best!

Love anything written by James Lee Burke. Now listening to his story... even better!

Thrilling, haunted, tortured moral battleground

What an amazing book. James Lee Burke, you are one hell of a writer. I can't wait for the next book of yours I read -- and I definitely can't wait to return to the bleak, tortured, moral battlegrounds of Dave Robicheaux.

A great suspense Novel! Great Characters!

I was looking for a new series that I could look forward to listening too while already knowing the characters so I began with the first in this series. Although it started off a bit slow, it grew on my quickly and my evenings became a routine of dinner, the hot tub and listening to Dave Robicheaux. I left this novel in my device for almost a month before I decided it was time to listen and now I can't wait to start the next in the series. James Lee Burke has definitely climbed onto my list of favorites!

Violent but an Incredible Writer

I feel as if I'm in New Orleans. The narrator's voice takes me there, beautifully reading Burke's almost poetic descriptions of the Bayou, Louisiana, it's people and culture. He paints an artistic picture of Louisiana"s unique quarters and characters.
Yet this is a rough story of the famous detective, a Vietnam vet, who gets into deep trouble with government agencies and his own police department, until he's has enough. And there's a woman, sharpe contrast to the life Robicheaux has been used to for so many years. I don't enjoy the descriptions of violence, and had to fast forward some parts, but even with these scenes, I have to admit it's worth listening to the end because of the outstanding writing.

Great Listen and terrific performance

Will Patton made this book a great listen. We liked it so much that my wife and I carved out an hour of our day to drive the roads of our county to see the sights and enjoy this book! Will Patton really made this book

bleak and violent

What made the experience of listening to The Neon Rain the most enjoyable?

The old cliff-hanging part; I kept expecting human nature to redeem itself.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no

Any additional comments?

I'm not sure of the purpose of writing quite so much bleak and violent humanity into a story.