The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke

New Orleans is trying to prepare for Katrina and doing a piss poor job of it. When it hits, the city becomes an American version of Baghdad, lawless with no clue about its future. Looters, bad cops, and general lowlifes rule the streets. 4 losers from the 9th ward are boating through some nice neighborhoods and choose the wrong house. What they find hidden behind the sheetrock walls includes a ton of (counterfeit) money, some cocaine, and way more than they bargained for . . . blood diamonds.

Across the street, Otis Baylor and family are still trying to recover from their daughter's rape and some neighbors are talking vigilante-big. During the looting, the 4 loser's boat runs out of gas and sneak into Otis' garage to steal some fuel. A shot rings out. One dies, the spine of a second is shattered, and causes a sort of reawakening in Bertrand, one of the 4. BTW, these idiots not only stole from the Mob, they've also stumbled into the home of one of their rape victims.

The owner of the stolen booty is a "big sleazy" crime boss. The FBI thinks the diamonds are to help fund al Qaeda. A really weird sociopath (isn't all that redundant?) emerges and threatens our hero Detective Dave Robicheaux and his family, but the police and FBI have nothing on him. Murders pile up, attempts are made on dozens of people, and yet no one can pin anything on our friendly neighborhood psycho, Ronald Bledsoe.

A seemingly minor detail turns over a rock that Ronald used to live under. Turns out he has a connection here, but not to the underworld boss which everyone thinks. Also turns out he isn't interested in the diamonds to help fund terrorism, rather he just wants them for himself. No honor with this thief I guess.

As the various plots finally come together, Ronald and his partner in crime meet a particularly gruesome and satisfying end when trying to kidnap Robicheaux's wife and daughter.

Burke has been chronicled here on a couple occasions: Rain Gods and In The Electric Mist. Robicheaux was played in the (just average) movie version of Electric Mist by Tommy Lee Jones so that was the image I had while reading. Other reviews said this was the definitive crime story about Katrina. Now had Burke dispensed with the Faulkner-esque descriptions of New Orleans after Katrina, this nearly 500 page paperback might have been maybe 300-350 pages long. But Burke is well know for his ability to paint an image, not only visual, but also a treat for the olfactory sense. The environment of the Bayou is a critical character here (and In Electric Mist) so the reader certainly is transported to a specific time and place. The figurative heat and humidity almost make you want to shower after reading all about it. Read it for the twisted crime tale of demented psychopathic personalities or read it for what some said was the most honest portrayal of post-Katrina New Orleans. Whatever your poison, you won't be disappointed.

East Coast Don