Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Whether he's writing about the Louisiana Bayou Country (in his Dave Robicheaux books) or the Texas hill towns around Austin (in his series about former Texas ranger Billy Bob Holland), James Lee Burke has deep roots in the American soil that link him to some of the great adventure writers of the past such as Jack London and Mark Twain. Like them, Burke writes novels illustrating how failure shapes a man much more than success does.
Central to Burke's second Billy Bob novel (Cimarron Rose was his first) is Wilbur Pickett. Wilbur had a brief moment of glory as a rodeo cowboy before sliding into a downward cycle of luckless enterprises. He ends up laboring for a wealthy family, the Dietrichs, in the Texas town of Deaf Smith. The Dietrichs accuse Wilbur of stealing some bearer bonds, and Billy Bob--now a defense attorney--reluctantly take his case. He is hesitant (because he idolizes Peggy Jean Dietrich), and for good reason: Billy Bob discovers that her husband Earl may be involved in shady, even violent, business practices.
Other ghosts from the past also haunt Billy Bob: he accidentally killed his former partner on a drug raid in Mexico and still hears his voice. And then there's Holland's illegitimate son Lucas, who is growing up with problems of his own. The weight of all this back-story might overwhelm a lesser writer, but Burke manages to make it seem as natural as the soft wind that stirs the tumbleweed in the town of Deaf Smith. --Dick Adler
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Amazon.com Audiobook Review
Actor Will Patton gives a quirky performance in James Lee Burke's intricately layered story. Following his earlier novel, Cimarron Rose, Burke returns to Deaf Smith, Texas, offering his reluctant hero, defense attorney Billy Bob Holland, another shot at redemption. Representing a local loser caught in a web of lies, Holland faces Earl Dietrich, an unwelcome newcomer whose money, influence, and condescending attitude rub the lawyer against the grain: "There was nothing directly aggressive about Earl, but his conversation always had to do with himself, or what he owned." Patton narrates wonderfully, using the slow scratch of his voice and expert pacing to unravel Burke's modern-day mystery. Accentuated with musical transitions and subtle sound effects, the excellent narration and evocative writing render Heartwood an intriguing and enjoyable listen. (Running time: 5 hours, 4 cassettes) --George Laney
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
Heartwood
Heartwood,James Lee Burke,Island Books,0440224012,Fiction,Fiction - Mystery/ Detective,Legal,Mystery & Detective - General,Fiction / General
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