I make no secret that Burke is
one of my favourite writers. However, he is not one of my favourite novelists.
His descriptive prose creates a setting so authentic you can almost smell it
but varied characters and credible scenarios are simply not his forte. He draws
from his collection of standard villains to the extent that most are
interchangeable from book to book.
The latest outing sees
Sherriff's Deputy Dave Robicheaux, his buddy, Bail Agent Clete Purcell, their
two adult daughters and Dave's wife Molly staying with a friend at his remote Montana
ranch. Needless to say, a serial killer and various violent cronies soon appear
on the scene. As usual Dave's family comes under personal threat, and he and
Clete override local law enforcement pursuing the villains themselves. The
chase culminates in a bloody shootout to rescue hostages.
Burke has particular
difficulty with female characters. His women are invariably hard, angry and
with chips on their shoulders. Perhaps this gives a clue about the women in his
real life; look no further than Alafair, the irritable daughter of his main
protagonist Dave Robicheaux. Even her very unusual name happens to be the same
as Burke's own daughter. Dave's wife Molly is absent from ranch settings for
much of their stay. Burke just seems to forget she's there!
Put simply, Burke cannot do
dialogue. No one answers a question. Instead they pose another. Conversation is
always minimal; at best testy, at worst venomous. Ultimatums are issued to
friend and foe alike: "Don't ever... "Don't you dare... "You say
that again...." Characters repeat themselves from page to page and from
book to book: Alafair continually rejects her father's various terms of
endearment for her. Clete's daughter, the abrasive Gretchen, argues with everyone
within earshot.
I know this is meant as
escapist entertainment, and that some repetition is necessary to help
newcomers, but each instalment is a barely disguised variation on the last.
Burke is seventy-seven and his protagonists are getting close to that too. I
wonder how much longer they can scrap like youngsters and whether Burke should
retire them and divert his undeniable writing skills in a more cerebral direction.
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