• The Neon Rain

  • A Dave Robicheaux Novel
  • By: James Lee Burke
  • Narrated by: Will Patton
  • Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (6,591 ratings)

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The Neon Rain  By  cover art

The Neon Rain

By: James Lee Burke
Narrated by: Will Patton
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Publisher's summary

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

Critic reviews

"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)

Editorial Review

James Lee Burke just gets better with age—or so I’ve heard. Don’t @ me, but I somehow haven’t yet listened to his Robicheaux books! With accolades pouring in for The New Iberia Blues, 2019 is the year for me to make amends. Where else to start but at the beginning? The premise of The Neon Rain—in which Detective Robicheaux finds the body of a sex worker in a New Orleans bayou and struggles to get anyone to care—feels especially relevant now, when we’re giving needed attention to cases involving high-risk victims and marginalized communities. The fact that it’s narrated by Will Patton just sweetens the deal, because he’s often considered the definitive voice of the series. That's more hearsay—for now! —Kat J., Audible Editor

What listeners say about The Neon Rain

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    2,712
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    2,157
  • 3 Stars
    1,138
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Story
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
    157

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Narrator gets the dialect wrong

Anyone who has lived in Louisiana or knows the dialect, prononciation and inflection of people from New Orleans and Acadiana, may find the narration grating. It was like nails on a chalkboard hearing Dave Robicheaux talk like a tourist at times. Great story but I may read the next installment instead of listen.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Detailed descriptions

Starts out well but flounders a bit in the middle and on through the end. I enjoyed the detailed description and narration but I need something more. I might avoid other books from this series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great Listen.

Loved It Read The Book Years ago Two Thumbs up.Will Patton Did awesome Reading it

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A work of art.

James Lee Burke is my new favorite author and a gift to the English language.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Robichaux!

I really liked the true mystery of this novel and the smoothness. I've only recently begun to listen to Burke, and I am hooked.

No one else could do justice as narrator the way Will Patton does. His delivery is perfect, whether beautiful prose or everyday conversation.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Early Robicheaux as good as the older one

Where does The Neon Rain rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

As good as any I have read and better then many.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Hard to turn off. Good mix of characters and sub-plots.

Have you listened to any of Will Patton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have listened to many of Patton's reading. He is perfect for the Burke characters.

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

Yes, but I couldn't. It is easy to shut off and pick up again.

Any additional comments?

Burke and Patton always a great combination.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Exceptional

The author has tremendous abilities to craft together his numerous talents with the written word.This is crime novel set in the Deep South. Woven throughout the story are descriptions of people,places and actions.Yet it is all these elements that allow the reader to feel as if he or she is living the actual life of the main character.The atmosphere created by the author allows us to become denizens of the Deep South.There should be a note on
the book cover that says when enjoying the book you need to bring along mosqiuto spray and an umbrella.


O





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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

James Lee Burke

I have listened to these books at least 5 times each. Love Dave and Clete.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Winning combination

From the first sentence I felt like I was smack in the middle of New Orleans. Will Patton's natural inflection aided in the already near perfect ambience of Burke's writing. Strong characters and snappy dialogue add to the experience making this one of my favorite author/narrator combinations to date. Very worth a credit.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A winning combination

Will Patton is Dave. I've only listenend to one of Burke's books read by someone else and he did not do it justice.

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