Sleeping with the Crawfish

I have been reading DJ Donaldson's Kit Franklin & Andy Broussard mysteries since "Cajun Nights". I thought that first book would be a goof, a good-natured, silly mystery written by a hack - the cover was cheesy, the premise unlikely and the publisher was the dubious St. Martin Press, using their now-defunct "Mean Streets" imprint. But I bought it because I love New Orleans and I collect books set there. I was pleasantly surprised then, finding that the book was clever, well-written and worthy of a much better publisher. It's been about ten years since then and I'm still reading. The writing has improved, the characters have matured and reading a new Donaldson book feels like going home to visit old friends. In this installment, Kit has left the Medical Examiner's office after having been kidnaped and nearly losing her mentor Andy to a deadly virus. Andy, in an attempt to bolster her spirits, cons her into doing one final task for the ME's office - go check out the fingerprints of a prison inmate. Oddly, the prints were discovered at a recent crime scene, which should be impossible. Next thing you know, Kit has been run off the road, chased, threatened and generally taken for a ride. The twists and turns are both interesting and exciting, and it's nice to watch Kit get her confidence back, even though it means she makes some truly stupid mistakes. As usual, Donaldson's writing is crisp and clean, with no nonsense or purple prose. His evocation of the Louisiana swamps is every bit as lovely and sinister as James Lee Burkes, without being as cloying and flowery. I recommend these and other Broussard/Franklin books.

Last weekend, I was astoundingly lucky enough to stumble across an ARC of D. J. Donaldson's latest Andy Broussard/Kit Franklyn installment "Sleeping with the Crawfish" (obviously a play on the old gangster slang "sleeping with the fishes"). I had been waiting for this one to be released for about a year, so I wrestled out of the hands of the hapless shopper who was studying the back cover and bought it. I am already a big fan of Dr. Donaldson's and I have enjoyed watching Kit and Andy develop over the past several years. This latest outing is undoubtedly the best of the series. Kit has left the Medical Examiner's office (those of you who read "Louisiana Fever" will know why) and gone to work for a New Orleans photography gallery. Andy, in an attempt to get her to return, asks her help on an unusual investigation. He has found that the fingerprints of a dead burglar are an exact match for a convict who is still incarcerated. What follows is a dark and suspenseful roller coaster ride exposing small-town corruption and big-time money. If you've read Dr. Donaldson's previous books, you'll love this one. If you haven't read any, this may not be a good place to start. It might be better to step back a few and catch up. At the very least, read "Louisiana Fever", soon to be released in softcover by St. Martin Press' "Dead Letters" imprint. "Sleeping with the Crawfish" is due October 1st.