Rough justice
The body count rises from Lagos to Louisiana.
Mortality hovers over Dave Robicheaux’s life like a scythe, invading his thoughts and his investigations as the thrice-widowed Cajun detective nears the end of his eighth decade. And although the language and settings may be lush and lyrical, death doesn’t come easy in the sumptuous stories of James Lee Burke. THE NEW IBERIA
BLUES (Orion, $34.99) is the 82-year-old Burke’s 22nd Robicheaux novel. It begins with a preacher’s daughter found dead in a bayou. Meanwhile, a death-row inmate looking for someone to tell his story has
There’s a zest to The New Iberia Blues, even with the familiarity of Burke’s ornate prose, his swirling plotlines and deep characterisation.
escaped and a former white supremacist, now an informant for Robicheaux’s long-time private-eye pal Clete Purcel, is dragged to his death.
Robicheaux must sift through the detritus to find some sort of justice, while dealing with his own flaws. There’s a zest to The New Iberia Blues, even with the familiarity of Burke’s ornate prose, his swirling plotlines and deep characterisation. It’s a rich gumbo of a crime novel from a true master of the genre.
Just how far would you go to protect your family? Nigerian nurse Korede has been addressing that conundrum for a while, wearily cleaning up messes her vain younger sister Ayoola makes. Messes that require rubber gloves, bleach and a working knowledge of blood removal and body disposal. Debut novelist Oyinkan Braithwaite delivers a deliciously deadpan tale that’s as bold as its bald-faced title: MY
SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER (Atlantic, $32.99). Korede and Ayoola live different lives after growing up together in a Lagos household with plenty of fissures beneath its wealthy veneer. Ayoola sashays her way through the world, calling on her older sister for help when she’s “forced” to kill yet another beau. In self-defence, of course. Korede believed Ayoola the first time – she’d witnessed the violence – but doubts are now festering, and reach crisis point when Ayoola begins to date a doctor Korede has long had a crush on. Can she keep turning a blind eye to her deadly sister? A superb tale that fizzes with a fierce energy, adroitly blending noir, black comedy and family drama.
Carol Potenza delivers a vivid sense of people and place in her awardwinning debut HEARTS OF THE
MISSING (Minotaur, $40). The New Mexico biochemistry professor takes readers into the desert landscapes of her home state in a suspenseful tale that introduces a determined heroine who deserves an ongoing series. Sergeant Monique “Nicky” Matthews works for the Fire-Sky Pueblo police on the Tsiba’ashi D’yini reservation. When a young local appears to have committed suicide, Matthews and some family members think something more sinister may be afoot. Could it be to do with other missing tribal members or past unexplained deaths? Is Matthews seeing what others don’t, or just seeing things that aren’t really there? Battling her boss and a casino magnate, Matthews puts much at risk to hunt for the truth. Potenza impresses in her first outing, ably threading science and supernatural touches into an intriguing mystery. There’s a lot going on at times, but with a strong lead, a nice ear for dialogue and a clear-eyed look at “life on the rez”, there’s plenty to like.