The New Iberia Blues:
Dave Robicheaux Series, Book 22
By: James Lee Burke
Narrated by: Will Patton
Series: Dave Robicheaux, Book 22
Length: 15 hrs and 3 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 01-08-19
Language: English
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
James Lee Burke never fails me.
Every book he writes is rich, sensual, and powerful. The writing, the feel of the place and mood of the times. Of course, Dave Robicheaux and Clete are my favorites, but I have loved every book I’ve read by James Lee Burke, in and outside of the “Robicheaux” series.
I didn’t think they could get better, but this was better.
Why? Because the characters aren’t the same “kids” they were. They have aged, grown, and changed. They aren’t the same “guns blazing” Dave and Clete.
Life has been hard for both of them. Dave has lost three wives, one to Lupus and two to violence, but he’s not full of hate or looking for retribution. He’s an adult, a genuine grownup.
Both men have moved on with the understanding that life isn’t and won’t ever be exactly what they want. They aren’t expecting perfection, yet they are still involved, caring, concerned for each other and the world in which they live. They are entirely alive and deeply involved.
If you like James Lee Burke’s writing, there’s nothing not to love in this book.
Will Patton is a superb narrator (and a pretty good actor too, by the way). He may even be better than the original narrator who was himself, brilliant. What Patton has going for him is clarity of speech which enables him to use a reasonable southern accent, but clearly enough for we northerners to easily understand.
My only regret is that I read the book too fast.
I should have slowed down and made the story last longer. Maybe I’ll read it again.
Maybe I’ll read the last TWO again.
Note: This review is for the Audible.com version, but reading James Lee Burke as a regular book is just fine and in fact until quite late in the series, I read all his books in hardcover. I have all of the first books in hardcover, first edition. I know it’s sentimental, but I can’t help myself. I still love the smell and feel of a new hardcover book!
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Categories: Audiobook, Author, Book Review, Books, Crime and Cops, Mystery and Thrillers
SERENDIPITY - SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
Did you see Tommy Lee Jones as Dave in the movie? He was great. I could not relate to the Clete character, though.
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I didn’t like any of the movies. There have been three of them, but I really didn’t like the last one. It was the director. I think he didn’t understand the story. Tommy Lee WANTED to do the movie. Actually, I was in touch with the author while they were trying to set up the movie.
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Darn, Marilyn! You know James Lee Burke?!
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Only by email. I know a few authors by email. I review books and sometimes when they like my review, they get in touch. I don’t do a LOT of book reviews, but when a book is special, I will write about it. Book reviews don’t generally do all that well on my site, probably because that’s not what I mostly do. So when I review a book, it’s because I really like it a LOT.
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I think this is fantastic. And very, very cool, Marilyn.
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I treasure my writer contacts. They are the prize for me in my blogging!
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Can they be read out of order, or best to start at 1?
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You don’t have to read them exactly in order, but you might want to read the early books first because the characters change with the passing years, so the older main characters are quite different than the later ones. I read the early books not exactly in order, but I started reader around number 5 or 6, read all the early ones, then moved forward.
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Thanks. I’ve added this to my goodreads want to read
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These are really good books. Burke is a great author.
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I put them on my my list, Marilyn.
Leslie
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If William Faulkner wrote mysteries, these would be it!
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🙂
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There’s nothing like reading a real honest to god book, written on paper. I couldn’t agree more. I know times are changing and we’re saving trees, blah blah blah, and I’m all for that tbh, but when it comes to books, and reading and really enjoying, it’s a world of its own!
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I like reading, but mostly, I like the back-lighting on the Kindle. Still, every now and then for a particular favorite author, I want the book and the signature and the whole thing. There’s a lot of nostalgia in the smell and feel of a book and the paper and the ink!
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I so agree, Marilyn!
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