Rating: 
Summary: Great for Fans of the Series
Review: James Lee Burkes David Robicheaux novels are some of the best suspense/mystery novels out there. Great dialogue, characters you care about, great descriptions of New Orleans, and intelligent story lines are just some of what sets these novels apart.I feel as a fan of the series, Sunset Limited continues that trend. What I found a little different about this particular novel was the lack of background information on some of the series secondary characters. I have found that any of the other novels in the series give enough information that someone new could start with any of them. However, this is not the case with Sunset Limited. Therefore, I do not recommend this particular David Robicheaux novel for newcomers. I was surprized at just how little his wife, Batist, his daughter had to do with this story. But again, other than that this was a great book.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not great Burke/Robicheaux.
Review: Like other reviewers here I think Burke and Robicheaux are getting tired. They both need a rest...Burke is now writing about Texas and Streak is kinda lost in the bayou. I loved the book, however, but it's not Burke's best. I did, however, enjoy the strengthening as a character of Robicheaux' partner Helen Soileau. Maybe she'll take on a life of her own in a future book. Anyhow, I'm a sucker for Robicheaux and think I'll just go back and start re-reading the series.
Rating: 
Summary: "Sunset Limited" a one-track book
Review: Photojournalist Megan Flynn and her brother Cisco return to New Iberia after many years as part of a film crew. Their father, union activist Jack Flynn, had been crucified when they were children. Some folks in New Iberia know who did it, others had a part in it. Now a new series of violent murders are occurring and the key to solving them is the old crucifixion. Parrish Detective Dave Robicheaux becomes involved to right old wrongs, catch the bad guys and put a hurtin' on the mob, wrapping it up just in time to make it to his AA meeting and eat a bowl of cush-cush with Bootsie and Alafair. Sound familiar? Yeah. Me, too. Burke has been accused in the past of lifting descriptive passages whole and transplanting them to later books. Just lately he seems to be swiping his own plots and transplanting them to current books, but it isn't working anymore. Ideas that seemed bold and fresh earlier in the series are here worn and anemic. Why are all the criminals tied to the mob? Why are all the old Creole gentility tied to the mob? Why are all the film crews tied to the mob? I just don't buy it anymore. I think Burke must still have some anger with Hollywood over "Heaven's Prisoners". Burke's poetic writing is strong as always and his nostalgic evocation of the past makes for beautiful, melancholic reading. But he seems to have forgotten who Dave Robicheaux is and what Dave's doing in the middle of ! all this craziness. I have been frustrated over the last few books by Dave's brooding silence and refusal to discuss things with his wife, Bootsie. Instead, he alienates her and makes her feel bad with his inability to express himself. This is the woman who saved his life, for Heaven's sake! You'd think something like that would bring them closer. Dave's daughter Alafair has also been pushed to the wayside. The interaction between these two characters used to be sparkling moments; Dave's love and pride in her was his weakness. in "Sunset Limited", Dave speaks to Alafair twice, both times to tell her to leave so he can carry on a conversation with someone else. I like Burke. I like "Sunset Limited", but I miss Dave Robicheaux; I think much of my disappointment in this book is having spent eleven years with the character and watching him become a shell of his former self.
Rating: 
Summary: James Lee Burke gives us great plots and great characters.
Review: Reading the latest Dave Robicheaux novel is pure pleasure. Burke is a great writer and the plot of this book will keep your little grey cells alive. It's been a great week, because I just finished a book by an equally compelling writer (in a much lighter vein). I recommend Carl Hiaasen in general, but I just finished one of his earlier books, "Double Whammy" and thought it was great.
Rating:
Summary: Sun Up To Sun Down
Review: Set in New Iberia, La. This novel takes you from the estates of the rich to back room cockfights to brothels. From rape to murder to other various acts of violence, this book has it all. Can Detective Robicheaux solve a forty year old murder? What would cause someone to drag up something so long ago and forgotten by most? You have to read or listen to this novel to find out. With many twists and turns this novel weaves a tale of action and suspense. This was my first experience with the works of Mr. Burke and I was extremely pleased with it. The characters were absolutely wonderful and the narrator Will Patton did a marvelous job at creating different distinguishing voices for each of them. Many times when listening to a book on tape, you have to listen very close to distinguish between the characters. This wasn't the case here. Mr. Burke did a great job in bringing the settings and characters to life, and with the help of Mr. Patton creating mental pictures of the people and places in the book was extremely easy. The twists and turns I wrote of earlier will also keep you changing your mind about who did what, when and where that you will finally give up and just wait for the end. Again, this was my first experience with any of the works of Mr. Burke and it isn't going to be my last. If you like detective novels or a good book on tape, don't skip this because you'll be sorry you did.
Rating:
Summary: Great Atmosphere In This Burke Novel
Review: The atmosphere in this one is up to par with everything Burke has written, although the plot may be a little murky. Particularly compelling is Dave's relationship with his daughter and how it influences his actions and his thoughts. The novel moves from one of Burke's favorite locations - deep south - to another - Montana wilds. If you like Burke's writing, this one will please you. If you haven't discovered him, you're in for a real treat.
Rating:
Summary: Burke can't miss
Review: The charachters and plot are a murky Louisiana swamp of motivation and allegiances but Robicheaux works through it in his steadfast way. Dave is back with the sherrif's department, he is OK with Bootsy and Alafair, Clete helps and needs help, the visions stay away. Dave is the moral center in a complex world of ego and greed. Burke is one of the best. This book may not be the best introduction to his work but fans should enjoy it. I did.
Rating:
Summary: No cigar here....
Review: The problem with repeated excellence is that your audience comes to expect the home run every time you step up to the plate. This is a GOOD book, but compared to Burke's other Robicheaux novels, it's definitely overshadowed, and a lousy Burke is always worth at least four stars. I feel I should apologize to Mr. Burke for saying this, because I'm not out there writing novels - but from my perspective as a reader, what was missing in SUNSET LIMITED was the ominous personal threat of evil that, combined with his superb writing talent, made his other works such grabbers. I hope that anyone who reads this book won't judge the series by its standards and, in fact, if you aren't already a Burke fan, I strongly recommend that you pass this one up for the time being and start off with NEON RAIN. If you're going to follow Robicheaux, you have to start at the beginning.
Rating: 
Summary: Too many psychopaths for one book.
Review: The standard characters of the series are first-rate and have come into their own. Here, the meanies were leftovers from a horror flick, although Mr. Burke's Montana experience with 'movie geeks' (where they abound) may have influenced him. Mr. Burke is a talented writer, but has squandered his talent in this book.
Rating:
Summary: Kind of flat...it didn't really catch my eye
Review: The story never really caught fire. Perhaps because I'm new to the characters and the series, I didn't really care that much about what happened. In that way, this book is like Leonard's Cuba Libra where, once again, nothing really seems to happen. And by way of comparison, if one wants excellent stories and great writing, this pales in comparison to Ian Rankin's series and his character D.I. Rebus.
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