James Lee Burke

James Lee Burke is an acclaimed writer of crime novels in which protagonists battle low-life thugs who commit violent crimes and corporate executives who exploit the powerless. He is best known for his Dave Robicheaux series, set in New Orleans and the surrounding bayou country. With characters inspired by his own family, Burke uses the mystery genre to explore the nature of evil and an individual’s responsibility to friends, family and society at large. This companion to his works provides a commentary on all of the characters, settings, events and themes in his novels and short stories, along with a critical discussion of his writing style, technique and literary devices. Glossaries describe the people and places and define unfamiliar terms. Selected interviews provide background information on both the writer and his stories.

Laurence W. Mazzeno, president emeritus of Alvernia University, Reading, Pennsylvania, is the author or editor of 20+ books and more than 300 articles and reviews on literature and history. He lives in Arvada, Colorado.

Laurence W. Mazzeno

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 291
Bibliographic Info: appendices, glossary, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2018
pISBN:
Imprint: McFarland
Series: McFarland Literary Companions

Acknowledgments  vi
Preface  1
Abbreviations  3
Introduction: More Than a Mystery Writer  4
James Lee Burke: A Brief Biography  8
Chronology of Burke’s Works  12
James Lee Burke: A Literary Companion  15
Appendix A: Glossary  219
Appendix B: Bibliography of Interviews and Profiles  258
Works Cited  260
Index  271