Books by James Lee Burke
A Private Cathedral
by James Lee Burke
A Private Cathedral is book 23 in James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux series, a police detective in New Iberia, Louisiana (a small town west of New Orleans)
“quite late on in the series, we get to a book called A Private Cathedral, where James Lee Burke has clearly just said, ‘I’m going all in.’ Dave Robicheaux is hunted by an immortal assassin from hell, and the showdown is on a steamboat in the River Styx. It shouldn’t work. It should be ridiculous, because these are detective books. But you never question it. It’s just so well done: he creates this area of the Deep South where it does seem like the impossible isn’t really shocking, and that the magical is always there, even though you might not ever mention it. When he goes full in on it, you just think, ‘Yes, I’m here for that.'” Read more...
The Neon Rain
by James Lee Burke
Neon Rain is the first book in James Lee Burke’s detective series featuring Dave Robicheaux, a police officer in Louisiana.
Flags on the Bayou
by James Lee Burke
🏆 Winner of the 2024 Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Flags on the Bayou by James Lee Burke is a historical novel set in Louisiana during the American Civil War. A lot of crimes take place and the narrative is fast-moving, though there is no mystery as such. It's more about an eclectic crew of characters and how they cope on the run from justice. In the acknowledgments at the back of the book James Lee Burke—author of the Dave Robicheaux series, about a Louisana deputy sheriff—writes, "I consider Flags on the Bayou my best work." The judges of the Edgar Awards clearly liked it too, awarding it best novel.
Interviews where books by James Lee Burke were recommended
Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024, recommended by Sophie Roell
Crime novels are one of the most popular fiction genres, catering to a wide range of tastes and interests. Our editor, Sophie Roell, takes us through the books that won prestigious US and UK awards this year, from a historical novel set during the American Civil War to a spy thriller that raises interesting questions about Western policy in the Middle East.
The Best Mystery Books of 2024
2024 was a solid year for mystery books, with books out from some of the best contemporary writers in the genre, including Tana French, S.A. Cosby, and Ruth Ware. The range of mood was also broad, with some wistful and nostalgic tales, and other books that are laugh-out-loud funny. Our best mystery books of 2025 list is now up and running.
The Best Fantasy Worlds Books, recommended by R.J. Barker
For many readers, the feel of a fantasy world lingers long after the plot has faded. The key ingredient, says author R.J. Barker, is that the characters really do inhabit their world in their thoughts and actions, so that we can believe in it too. He introduces us to his five favourite worlds, each with the power to convince, compel and surprise you.
