Part of Dave Robicheaux, book 6
First published 1997
Detective Dave Robicheaux pursues a brutal killer who murders young prostitutes in Louisiana. His investigation gets complicated when he must deal with Julie "Baby Feet" Balboni, a mobster from his school days who needs to leave town. Balboni finances a Civil War film that brings money to the area. The movie crew discovers human remains in the bayou. Robicheaux uncovers connections between the bones, a lynching from thirty years ago, a Confederate general, Balboni, and the current murders. The detective finds himself in dangerous territory as these cases merge. He relies on a small group of unlikely allies to survive the investigation and protect his family. The past and present collide as Robicheaux navigates between organized crime and a sadistic murderer in the electric mist of Louisiana.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-allies, investigation, past-haunts-present
Setting: Louisiana
Period: 1970s
344 pages · Paperback
Content warnings: murder, violence