This is the 16th novel in the Dave Robicheaux series and although familiarity with the characters may make this a slightly more enjoyable read it is still an excellent stand alone story. Burke loves Louisiana and in this novel we see his devastation at the effects of Hurricane Katrina, the breakdown of law and order that ensued his disdain with how the government handled the whole situation. A great crime novel with a strong political undertow.
Hurricane Katrina has transformed New Orleans into a violent wasteland. Criminals capitalise on the devastation as survivors wait for help that never comes.
David Robicheaux - his city in ruins -- is tasked with investigating the murder of a pair of looters: is it a simple case of 'stand-your-ground', or something altogether darker? The dead men's accomplice holds the key but he has disappeared to escape the people hunting him.
As Robicheaux uncovers a brutal catalogue of greed, torture and murder, his own family is threatened, and the ravaged city provides the perfect stage for a final confrontation between good and evil.
