I've been a James Lee Burke fan (and especially a fan of his character Dave Robicheaux) for many years, so I was delighted to discover Swan Peak, a novel that features Robicheaux and his friend Clete Purcel out of their usual Louisiana element. In this novel, Robicheaux, a detective on the New Iberia police force, his wife Molly, and Clete have traveled to Montana for some rest and relaxation. Clete, a New Orleans native, is struggling with his sense of loss after Hurricane Katrina, and Dave thinks a change of scene might help him recover from the trauma.
But trouble always seems to crop up wherever these two friends go, and Dave and Clete soon find themselves embroiled in the investigation of the vicious murder of two college students. Mayhem ensues.
One thing that really stood out to me about this book was the character of Troyce Nix, a violent prison guard with a sadistic streak. Burke's skills as a novelist really shine as he manages, over the course of the novel, to evoke the reader's sympathies for this initially completely unsympathetic (indeed repulsive) character.
Recommended.