James Lee Burke

7 summariesThriller, Mystery, Historical Fiction

James Lee Burke is an American author known for his crime fiction, particularly set in the American South. His notable works include The Neon Rain, Black Cherry Blues, and Last Car to Elysian Fields, which feature complex characters and richly detailed settings. Burke's writing often explores themes of morality and justice, earning him recognition in the literary community.

AI-generated overview, grounded in this author's works. It may be incomplete — corrections welcome.

Books by James Lee Burke

7 books available

The Neon Rain
James Lee Burke
3.9 (21k) average on GoodreadsThriller
Haunted by Vietnam and alcohol, New Orleans detective Dave Robicheaux navigates drug lords and arms smugglers to solve a prostitute's murder, confronting the city's dark side and his own fractured self.
The Tin Roof Blowdown
James Lee Burke
4.2 (13k) average on GoodreadsThriller
After Hurricane Katrina, Detective Dave Robicheaux navigates a lawless New Orleans, where stolen diamonds, desperate people, and a fight between good and evil unfold in a raw, memorable story.
Black Cherry Blues
James Lee Burke
4.2 (13k) average on GoodreadsThriller
Haunted by a past he can't escape, ex-cop Dave Robicheaux is dragged from the Louisiana bayou into a deadly web of Mafia hitmen, federal agents, and personal demons, all while battling a homicide rap and his own alcoholism across the American West.
Purple Cane Road
James Lee Burke
4.2 (7k) average on GoodreadsThriller
Haunted by a mother he never knew, Detective Dave Robicheaux unearths a decades-old murder, only to discover her violent past is linked to the corruption he faces in New Orleans.
A Morning for Flamingos
James Lee Burke
4.2 (6k) average on GoodreadsThriller
Haunted by a botched prisoner transport that killed his partner, Detective Dave Robicheaux plunges into the humid, voodoo-laced underbelly of New Orleans, where Mafia drug rings and his own thirst for vengeance threaten to consume him.
Last Car to Elysian Fields
James Lee Burke
4.1 (5k) average on GoodreadsThriller
In the sweltering bayou, detective Dave Robicheaux confronts a malevolent blast from his past, interwoven with a present-day murder, forcing him to navigate family secrets, betrayal, and the brutal poetry of New Orleans' criminal underworld.
Heartwood
James Lee Burke
4.0 (3k) average on GoodreadsThriller
In the murky bayous of Louisiana, a young lawyer's dangerous defense of a local thief ensnares him in a deadly web of passion and vengeance with a ruthless crime boss and his alluring wife.