The Glass Rainbow: A Dave Robicheaux Novel

What could draw the attention of Dave Robicheaux and the New Iberia police department more than the death of seven young women. Dave is asked to look into the death of one of the girls who doesn't fit the profile of the other murder victims. Bernadette Latiolais was a high school honor student who had received a college scholarship offer. When a body is dumped in the field of a cane farmer in New Iberia Parish, Dave and his boss, Helen Soileau find something that connects this body with Bernadettes and they begin their official investigation. Dave hooks up with his old and loyal friend, Clete Purcel. They turn their attention to a former pimp named Herman Stanga. When Stanga and Clete get into a confrontation, Clete beats Stanga so severly that Stanga is hospitalized and then begins the process of suing Clete. Later, when Stanga is murdered, Clete becomes the central suspect. Dave Robicheaux's daughter, Alafair, is attempting to get her first novel published and is associating with two men of bad reputation. Dave does his best to warn his daughter about these men but she doesn't want his interference. This leads to major complications later in the story. The setting, as always with James Lee Burke, is described as if the reader was watching a painting unfold before them. "...a town square that opened onto lovely vistas of oak trees and flowers...planted along the bayou's edge." Very visual and entertaining. The novel will keep the reader's attention as the story unfolds and once again, Dave Robicheaux shows that he is one of the finest characters in literature.

I loved this book until I got to the extremely unsatisfying ending. I don't mind cliffhangers, so the disposition of Cleve and Dave are bearable. But the details of plot has so many loose ends that I feel betrayed as if the reader is just supposed to trust that the endless plot strings do tie together--HOW???????????? Why was the Canadian girl tortured and murdered and are the murders of 5 other girls related? Why was ritzy Catherine in cahoots with sociopaths Robert and Kermit? Was the grandfather in on whatever criminal scheme they all had going? Just what did they all have going? WAY TOO MANY unanswered plots elements. I listened to this book on tape because the reader does such a great job with the accents and various voices (especially Clete's), so maybe if I'd had the print version to refer back to events I could figure some of this out. BUT I DOUBT IT. Beautiful writing but disappointing plot development.

excellent