From Publishers WeeklyFirst met in Burke's excellent mystery, The Neon Rain, Dave Robicheaux is a driven mandriven by his constant battle with alcoholism; by memories of his past as a detective on the New Orleans police force; by his need for order; by his obsession with the seedy, aberrant side of New Orleans life. Trying to put his own life together again, Dave has married Annie and now runs a small fishing rental business in the Louisiana bayou. When he and Annie witness the crash of a small plane, in which four peopleobviously illegal aliensdie, and only a little girl survives, Robicheaux is drawn to the trail of a network of crimes that suggests a Central American dope-running ring operated with the connivance of federal agents. Violence ensues, and Robicheaux, no stranger to tragedy, must confront it again when Annie becomes a victim. Haunted by guilt, deeply depressed, in constant danger, Robicheaux trusts no one, including the cops, for he knows that they too, are capable of skirting the law. Burke beautifully evokes New Orleans and the mysterious bayous, and he skillfully depicts the different lifestyles that distinguish the Gulf region. Robicheaux is a complex character whose integrity and high principles are always in conflict with the darker side of human nature. This is a mystery fans will savor for its ruminating intelligence and graceful prose as well as for its heart-stopping suspense.Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.From Library JournalThe Cajun hero of The Neon Rain returns in a very intense and atmospheric, if not obsessive, story of personal revenge. Former homicide cop Dave Robicheaux, now proprietor of a bait and boat rental business on the Louisiana bayou, rescues a terrified illegal immigrant girl from a small plane that crashes into the Gulf. The other four passengers die, but when newspapers report only three, Dave decides to investigate. His first-person narrative provides character insight, immediacy, and authentic glimpses into a disappearing way of life. For most collections. REKCopyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. HEAVEN'S PRISONERS-book Elmore Leonard Author of Pronto Burke tells a story in a style all his own: language that's alive, electric; he's a master at setting mood, laying in atmosphere, all with quirky, raunchy dialogue that's a delight. -- what do you talk about in a book club Heaven's Prisoners: A Novel (Dave Robicheaux Mysteries)
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The author seems to love to put his character through the wringerBy An avid readerThe book is a 5-star in relation to most other books out there, but is definitely a notch below the first book in the series, NEON RAIN. This book is definitely not worth the high price of $11.99.Other reviewers have complained about the over-abundance of description, but you must remember that Burke creates the Bayou to be another character in and of itself. However, even with that said, I would have to agree that Burke goes a tad bit overboard with his descriptions of the surroundings, and starts to repeat himself (everything seems to make a "clicking" sound).The author seems to love to put his character through the wringer. In thrillers, I'm used to seeing the hero face a lot of physical pain and challenges, but Burke really tears apart his hero emotionally. It's like he's determined not to let his hero be happy. It can be a dark ride.Otherwise, this is a well-thought-out story, and the author is an excellent writer with a strong voice.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. One of the very bestBy Mal WarwickMany of the very best detective novels are to be found in character-centered series tied to a particular time and place. Think Harry Bosch in Michael Connellys contemporary L.A. Sonchai Jitpleecheep in John Burdetts Bangkok. Quirke in Benjamin Blacks 1950s Dublin. Inspector Thomas Lynley in Elizabeth Georges England today. I could name dozens more. These novels excel in large part because the authors have become so deeply immersed in the cultures surrounding them that they can conjure up the sights and smells and feel of their settings, wedding their protagonists to the environment in an utterly natural fashion.In James Lee Burkes venerable Dave Robicheaux series, the sultry and languid setting of southern Louisiana costars with the detective. Follow Robicheaux through the French Quarter and deep into the bayous, and youll smell the swamps, hear the birds calling, and taste the shockingly spicy food.Not that plot and substance are secondary in Burkes writing. On the contrary, his complex plotting and Big Picture subject matter are provocative. No English drawing-room whodunits, these books! In Neon Rain, the first in the Robicheaux series, Burke took on the Iran-Contra affair and CIA complicity in the illegal drug trade to finance the Nicaraguan rebels. In Heavens Prisoners, the renegade detective tangles with the DEA and its infiltration of the 1980s Sanctuary Movement that enabled Salvadorans fleeing violent civil war at home to take refuge in US churches.James Lee Burke is a serious writer whose subject matter and literary skills transcend the genre. Hes not alone in this way the other writers Ive cited above must have their say as well, as must others but hes one of the best.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great fun to go back and watch!!By ReeceWhat Great fun to go back and re-read HEAVEN'S PRISONERS and NEON RAIN to observe Burke's masterful character development ofRobicheaux. It seems almost as if one can see Burke experimenting--should the character be "that hard" or should I make him more"likable" and a perhaps shade more vulnerable? The end result is a remarkable character with lots of longevity .