Crusader's Cross (Dave Robicheaux Series #14)

The Unexplained

As a fan of James Lee Burke's writing, I find that I can be dazzled by it sufficiently to ignore some spots that might otherwise annoy me. For instance , I never quite understood how Dave Robichaux's fingerprints were all over a murder scene- one that we are sure he didn't commit. Yes, I know he was in a drunken fog at the time, but it doesn't make me think it answers the question. There are several of these moments where I felt things were a little foggy. But I liked the story. The Baton Rouge serial killer might not have, since he seems to have been merely a plot device.

This is a really good book.

Love his descriptive narrative

"When Saladin was fighting the Crusaders, he would warn them, he would offer them a truce, he would go the extra mile before attacking." Michael Scheuer

In 1958, Jimmy and Dave Robicheaux are swimming in Galveston Bay when sharks appear nearby. A woman sitting on the shore notices and rows out to reach them. Ida Durbin rescued the boys and forever left an imprint on their lives.

Jimmy, particularly, was infaturated and found that Ida was working in a house of prostitution to pay off a family debt. He wants to rescue her and just as Jimmy and Ida were set to run away to Mexico, she disappears.

Years later, Dave learsn from a dieing friend that two policemen who were on the pad, kidnapped Ida to get her away from Jimmy. The policemen were paid by the owner of the house of prostitution.

Shortly after learning this, Dave is assaulted. He believes that someone is trying to keep him from learning about Ida. He gets his old job back at the Iberia Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff wants him to look into the deaths of a number of young women who were killed in Baton Rouge. The last victim was a young woman from New Iberia. She might have been an opportunity victim. All of the women were also raped before they were killed. As Dave is investigating this, he spends time looking for Ida.

There is a continuing conflict between Dave and Val Chalons. Val is a TV personality and when his sister, Honoria, is murdered, Dave's prints are found in her home. Val puts this information on the news as well as Dave's recent marriage to a Catholic Nun. This causes to conflict between the two men to result in a fight and Val ends up in the hospital. Dave almost loses his job but after a period on the desk he's back on the trail of the killer. From this, Dave becomes the Crusader, looking for the killer and determined to let nothing stop him.

James Lee Burke is one of the best mystery writers we have. He is one of only three people to win the Edgar Award for Best Mystery Novel of the Year, two times. "Crusader's Cross" continues his tradition of fine writing. Dave Robicheaux is one of the best protagonists in literature, sincere, relentless, brave and thoughtful. His friend Clete is simply one in a million.

It's been said but it's true, one of Burke's best.

This series is one of my favorites. This installment may have been the best in the series. Burke is not only a great story teller, he's a great writer as well.

A great read

By far the best book I've read by Burke. The fight segment at Clementine's was as though I was there, the way he describes the inside of the place. (I've actually been there many times).

One of Burke's best, much better than Elysian Fields

This is one of Jame Lee Burke's best books. Although ther are many threads in this story, Burke manages to weave them together reasonably well. His always poetic prose is at its most lush here you never want Robicheaux to quit sharing his inner thoughts. Don't read this until you've read his other books in the Robicheaux series.

powerful suspense thriller

In 1958, half brothers Jimmy and Dave Robicheaux work as doodlebugs putting down cable along the Texas-Louisiana shoreline. During an off day on Galveston Island, the siblings became stranded on a sandbar with a shark swimming nearby. Ida Durbin paddles out and rescues the guys, but refuses to provide any personnel information although Jimmy is attracted to her. When he learns she is a prostitute, he tries to take her away with him. When her pimp, Lou Kale intercedes, Jimmy overcomes him; however, Ida fails to meet him at the rendezvous point and the brothers never learn what happened to her. --- The mystery is solved decades later when Troy Bordelon, lying in a hospital on life support after being stabbed several times during a brawl, tells Dave that he saw his uncle take Ida away with him. Dave was planning to ignore the clue until two redneck deputy sheriffs display interest in his meeting with Troy so he investigates not realizing that the New Orleans mob, a local sheriff¿s department, and the Chalons family want him stopped. --- The latest Robicheaux thriller is the usual intense gritty tale starring an individual who at times seems he took one punch too many from George Foreman, but finds the inner strength to try to do what he feels is right. The story line starts with an intriguing look back to Dave¿s pre Nam days while providing the foundation for the latter day mystery; a clever technique that showcases James Lee Burke¿s abilities to tell a coherent story. In both eras, readers obtain a close look at Dave and to a lesser degree Jimmy as Mr. Burke is in top form with this powerful suspense thriller.--- Harriet Klausner

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