Hard-boiled Crime and Paranormal Make for an Uneasy Mix

The first thing I noticed about A Private Cathedral is the author’s writing style. It’s eloquent, evocative, and vividly descriptive. Author Burke doesn’t write about a sunset, but about strips of orange fire in the clouds. And while the final metaphors and similes may change—this review is based on a pre-release version of the novel—Burke’s writing style won’t, and that’s a definite plus. I appreciated the mental images and feelings his expressive prose engendered. I enjoy this style, however, as ‘seasoning’ to the text and for my taste, Burke over-seasoned this book. Amid action, he often paused to paint a word picture of the setting, or of a flashback from the protagonist’s past as a child or in Vietnam, or of a historical or mythological reference. I would have preferred that Burke depict the setting and once done, let the action flow. Additionally, he frequently rendered his flowery prose in quite lengthy sentences. One I noticed was 76 words long with seven conjunctions (and) to tie it all together. Probably as a result of these stylistic decisions, I found the story a bit slow, somewhat repetitive, and unfocused in places.

The protagonist of the story, Dave Robicheaux, and his partner and friend, Clete Purcel, are both deeply flawed characters. The former has been scarred by his childhood, the deaths of two wives, his experiences in Vietnam, his drug and alcohol dependency, his attraction to destructive relationships, and his dealings with the unsavory side of humanity on the job as a police detective. Purcel’s background has been no less difficult. And though the books are said to be standalone, that’s a lot of emotional baggage to try to understand when you start with book number 23 in the series. Easing into these characters would be preferable.

There is a hard realism to the story, one of sexual slavery, with Robicheaux and Purcel depicted in the same light. They are a mix of southern manners and violence. They’ll address you with your first name, proceeded by Mr. or Miss. Or they’ll hurl profanity and racial slurs at you before they beat you to a pulp. But when Robicheaux and Purcel start believing in the paranormal—ghosts ships piloted by time-traveling assassins—I found the plotlines nearly impossible to reconcile. Where had our hard-bitten, cynical heroes gone? Had our protagonists’ chemical dependency left them unable to distinguish reality from make-believe? And if that’s true, what else have they fantasized? Or is the paranormal real (whatever that means) and the book is a fantasy rather than a thriller? I suppose the author might have wanted the reader to ponder those questions, but for a book advertised as a blend of romance, mythology, horror, and science fiction, they made the first three themes vanish in confusion while the promise of science-fiction was left unfulfilled. Unfortunately, that confusion lasts through the finale, when I couldn’t guess who or what our heroes faced or who or what might come to their aid. And it’s tough to feel much tension when that’s the case.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (James Lee Burke), and the publisher (Simon and Shuster) for providing a copy of the book. I opted to write this candid review.

I have devoured almost every one of James Lee Burke's books. He has a way of describing a scene or a feeling that is unrivaled in fiction. His characters, Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell, each live in their own private hells while still trying to maintain a sense of basic human decency in a world gone mad. In "A Private Cathedral," Dave and Clete face their most challenging enemies to date, not to mention a supernatural being who seems to transcend time and place. Does this spell the end for the Bobbsey Twins of Homicide or will the pair prevail in the end?
James Lee Burke has become one of my favorite authors. I have yet to read one of his books that doesn't reach out and grab me by all five senses. He describes the environment in which his characters live and work with a skill that makes the reader feel as though he or she is right there. The colors, scents, and other attributes are vividly pictured. Add to that a storyline that keeps you turning pages late into the night and you have the makings of a five-star read. Anyone who likes crime drama and psychological thrillers will love this book. I cannot wait for Burke's next entry in this ongoing saga.

For those who enjoy this series, this is a continuation of the story of the protagonist in his favorite place..
I could not get into the book asnithers night because I have o kynread anxouple in this series. The author is, of course, a famous talented author who weaves a tale as few others can do. In fact, his books don’t need reviews-readers will buy them to see what happens next. That being said, his descriptions are such that one imagines he is in this place with these characters.

As always James Lee Burke has written something better than what he has previously written. This story involves two old Louisiana families whose rivalry pulls Dave Robicheaux and his partner Clete Purcel into a dangerous situation involving mafia families, mismatched love interests, a mysterious assassin and a young couple fighting for the love of a lifetime.

James Lee Burke is one of my favorite authors and never fails to draw me in to the story in such a way that I feel as if I have lived through the experience with the characters. This one was no different. I cheered the good guys and despised the bad. The journey of Dave Robicheaux in this episode of his adventure through life was different from previous ones in that he battled not only the crime families, but a mysterious and supernatural character that has Dave examining his former and current life and loves.

This will easily be one of the best books of the year and will be read and reread for many years to come. It can easily become an escape from the realities of our own lives... if only for a moment.

"But everyone has a private cathedral that he earns, a special place to which he returns when the world is too much late and soon, and loss and despair come with the rising of the sun. For me it was the little dry mudbank on which I now stood, the tide rippling past me, the ducks murmuring and ruffling their wings among the cattails and flooded bamboo."

3.5 stars

Detective Dave Robicheaux is one of James Lee Burke's most popular characters. In this book, Dave tries to help a teenage girl who's about to become a sex slave. The book can be read as a standalone.

****

Background info: Dave - an investigator for the Sheriff's Department in New Iberia, Louisiana - has had a rough life. Dave's mother deserted the family when he was a child and his father was killed in an oil rig explosion. As a young man Dave witnessed unspeakable horrors during the Vietnam War, after which he became a cop in New Orleans - a city rife with mobsters, gambling, prostitution, drugs, loan sharks, money laundering, extortion, murder, and so on.

In his job, Dave met criminals of all kinds, including: street thugs; mobsters; sociopaths; psychopaths.....and rich, entitled 'bluebloods' who would do anything for money and power. Dave rose through the police ranks to become a homicide detective and eventually left New Orleans for New Iberia - where he lives in a modest home adjacent to a bayou.

Dave's first wife Annie was murdered and his second wife Bootsie - with whom he adopted an El Salvadoran daughter named Alafair - died from lupus. These hardships exacerbated Dave's depression, nightmares, and alcoholism. Even when he's not drinking, Dave sees ghosts of Civil War soldiers who died near his home.

Dave's best friend is Clete Purcel, a fellow Vietnam vet who was Dave's partner in the New Orleans Police Department. The buddies, both of whom are smart and tough, call themselves the 'Bobsey Twins.' Clete's inability to follow rules got him kicked off the police force, and he became a private investigator/bail bondsman. Clete works for gangsters; eats to excess; drinks too much; falls for the wrong women; and uses violence (and worse) against his enemies. Clete is close to Dave's family and would give his life for them.

*****

In "A Private Cathedral" Dave Robicheaux gets involved with two wealthy and influential families who are evil incarnate. The Balangie and Shondell dynasties - both of whom have vast criminal empires - have lived in southern Louisiana for hundreds of years. The two clans have always been mortal enemies, and manage to co-exist in part by the medieval practice of exchanging young daughters for 'marriage'.....or sex.

Dave considers this archaic practice human trafficking and is incensed to learn that 17-year-old Isolde Balangie is being given to the patriarch of the Shondell family - the scuzzball Mark Shondell. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Mark Shondell's nephew Johnny Shondell - a talented young musician - has fallen in love with Isolde, who sings like an angel.

Dave can't abide Isolde being gifted to a dirtbag and the detective confronts all the major players in the deal: Isolde's stepfather and mother, Adonis and Penelope Balangie; Mark Shondell; And Isolde and Johnny themselves. EVERYONE tells Dave that he doesn't understand and to mind his own business.

Nevertheless Dave inserts himself into the middle of the fray, drawing his best friend Clete Purcell into the imbroglio - and the Bobsey Twins have physical altercations with Adonis Balangie and Mark Shondell. It's bad to get on the wrong side of the Balangies or the Shondells at any time, but even worse now because Mark Shondell has literally made a deal with the devil.

Mark has a nefarious right-wing plan to ensure the triumph of the 'Nordic' race. To advance this goal Mark is in league with a cruel and vicious 'man' called Gideon Richetti. Richetti looks like a snake, moves through time, tortures and kills people, and travels on a mystical slave ship that slips in and out of the dimension we inhabit.

To further his political scheme Mark Shondell has engineered the release of convict Marcel Laforchette from Angola prison, and hired him as a gardener. Dave knows there MUST be an agenda here because Laforchette helped murder Mark's relative years ago, presumably at the behest of the Balangies. So why would Mark help this criminal?

Dave tries to live a good life and do right, but he's a troubled guy. Dave is plagued by memories of war; has alcoholic longings; and is profoundly lonely. In addition, Dave is rankled by environmental destruction; hates racists and misogynists; and loathes sinister people who enrich themselves at the expense of others. To top it off, Dave has to deal with demonic Richetti and his slave ship, which Dave wishes weren't real.

To find some comfort, Dave gets involved with Adonis Balangie's beautiful wife Penelope and his beautiful mistress Leslie Rosenberg. Dave also tries to ease his soul by talking to Father Julian Hebert (pronounced a-bear).

Hebert is an eccentric priest who wears casual clothes; tells people to call him Julian; supports gay rights; and discourages people from enjoying dog-and-cockfights; drive-through daiquiri windows; cage fights; strip bars; porn theaters; and casinos. This righteousness irks the Balangies and Shondells and makes him unpopular with local bigots and peckerwoods.

Dave and Clete get into grave trouble with the Balangies and Shondells, as does Father Hebert, and all their lives are put into serious jeopardy. The book's climax, where all this comes to head, is hair-raising and compelling.

Author James Lee Burke is a master of descriptive writing and pens riveting word pictures of sun and sky; sunrises and sunsets; bayous and swamps; greaseballs and fashionistas; good deeds and bad deeds; crab burgers and fried catfish po'boys; whiskey drinks and sodas with crushed ice, cherries, and sliced oranges; and so on. Burke is also a philosopher, with many thoughts about both history and current times.

I'm a big fan of Burke's 'Dave Robicheaux' series but I wish he'd take his plots in a different direction. In every book Dave faces up to at least one evil family and there's always an ill-conceived relationship with a woman, either by Dave or Clete. I'd like to see the Bobsey Twins do something different for a change.

Still, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to fans of the series.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (James Lee Burke) and the publisher (Simon and Shuster) for a copy of the book.

I have been a Burke fan for many years. Having read most, if not all of his novels, I found Private Cathederal to be among the best. Burke's descriptions of southern Louisiana take the reader into the fascinating world of the food, people, history and criminal elements to be found there. High praise for this one. A great read.

This edition of the Dave Robichaux series has all the usual suspects, and then some. The author trotted out the usual pairing of Dave and his old homicide partner Clete Purcel, then added a new supernatural element to the mix. This new element went beyond the New Orleans voodoo and gris gris flavors often seen in these novels, and included supernatural beings and scenes. I have a feeling this will turn out to be a onetime excursion into the netherworld, as it had the effect of being a distraction, and not a compliment to the story. The characters and plot line were up to JLB's high standards, so I would give it a very good, but not great rating.

I'm always thrilled when I see a new James Lee Burke book--especially one featuring Detective Dave Robicheaux in New Iberia, Louisiana. Burke's descriptions--of the Louisiana sky before a thunderstorm (like crushed plums); of the sound of rain on a tin roof; of the slow, brown bayou--are pure magic. This lyrically written story involves--as always--the complex and never-ending fight between What's good and and the truly evil. Also...the supernatural (not entirely unnatural in Marie Laveau country) and many flashbacks (by both Dave and his best friend, Clete Purcel) to vivid and painful memories of the Vietnam War. Dave's battle with alcoholism and depression are intrinsic parts of the story. So is his Catholicism. "If you give in to depression in the fading of the day, it can seep into soul and bind your heart and shut the light from your eyes. In those moments, I seek the company of animals and try to find joy in the transfiguration of the earth." He sits at the picnic table in his backyard, feeding his cats and his raccoon and is, for a moment, at peace. Thank you, James Lee Burke, for another page turner.

In the absence of light, there is darkness. And in that darkness grows the seeds of Evil harvested by those who are lured with empty promises. Deadly promises.

A Private Cathedral has bite. A rippin', tearin' bite. The cover alone begs for your attention. Dia de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead. But where will Death visit this time?

James Lee Burke has poured this one to the brim with characters sauteed in the very, very bad things that people do. We'll venture into times past to view historical significance. We'll set out feet down in the dirt of family feuds, gangster wars, dishonorable honorable men, sex trafficking, and the all-out cruelty visited from one upon another. Buckle up. James Lee Burke is gonna take us on a ride to Never Never Land.

Detective Dave Robicheaux has his soul hovering between sobriety and its ugly step-brother booze. He's working with his best friend, Clete Purcell, as private investigators in New Iberia. Both were cops in New Orleans in the once upon a time. Dave is hoping to be re-instated in the NOPD, but his current ex-boss, Carroll Le Blanc, has no love for him. In the meantime, Dave is working out of his house along Bayou Teche. It's Indian Summer. Unusual weather with unusual happenings.

But Robicheaux has hit the road heading for Huntsville Prison in Texas. He's about to come eye-to-eye with the soon to be released Marcel La Forchette. La Forchette grew up along Bayou Teche and had worked for the Balangie family. Dave has info that the notoriously criminal Balangie and Shondell families have been dabbling in sex trafficking that hovers around the seventeen year old, Isolde Balangie. Ironically, she and young Johnny Shondell sing together in a popular duo. La Forchette claims to know nothing. Dave knows otherwise.

No one sets up a scene like Burke. The storyline is intense in itself, but with Burke behind the wheel we will experience the depth and breadth of human nature like no other writer. But we're dealing with something well beyond VooDoo and spiritual potions here. Burke brings in a touch of the unexplainable and settles upon a depth charger of the supernatural. Only in the hands of the superb James Lee Burke will we lean in completely to an almost impossible adversary for Dave and Clete. It's Boo-yah time in the Bayou. Bravo to the eerie touch of James Lee Burke.

I received a copy of A Private Cathedral through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to the talented James Lee BUrke for the opportunity.

James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux series has always included a certain level of mysticism, whether Louisiana Voodoo or medieval arcane, and though he constantly questions the source of his faith, Robicheaux's deeply religious beliefs. A flawed man, Robicheaux is a recovering alcoholic with a paradoxical anger problem, he is still a southern gentleman who will tip his hat, address all women by "miss", and beat the crap out of anyone showing disrespect to a female. He's an intuitive detective with a vast knowledge of history, religion, the arts, and his beloved south, specifically Louisiana. He's a renaissance man with a badge. Burke's lush and evocative writing makes the stories, though always dark and intense, that much more complex.

But...

I don't know long it took me to figure out this book takes place in the past, sometime after Bootsie's death but before his marriage to Molly, with Alafair still in college, and Tripod (bless his heart) is still alive. I was confused by the references to his two dead wives (weren't there 3?) and the use of cell phones. And it took me even longer to recognize that as the book was building in intensity so was the weather, which finally gave me a timeframe: right before Hurricane Katrina. That was a minor quibble on my part.

However...

I was never sure what this book was about. It had the usual ultra-rich, old money families, the usual out of control violence, the usual alcoholic longings and dry drunk episodes, the usual Clete trying to destroy himself and take the world with him, and the usual (almost overdone) colloquialisms-both southern and tough guy detective-type. In A Private Cathedral, it seems like Dave is trying to save a teenaged girl who has been sold from her wealthy family to a rich racist pedophile, and no one cares but Dave. There's a time-traveling reptilian assassin with superhuman powers (no joke). Dave is disappointingly dimwitted and absurdly foolish when it comes to the women he chooses to sleep with this time (I actually yelled, "You moron!"). Somehow, despite his all-encompassing alcoholic pastime, Clete can still afford two offices, one in the French Quarter. Dave revisits a lot of his childhood and past relationships and possible relatives and remains ageless (I think he's in his 60's in this one). But I'm still not sure what the book was about.

Yeah, I appreciate Burke's beautiful writing and deep philosophical ponderings, and I absolutely love Dave, I can never get enough of Clete, but I found myself drifting a few times. Yeah, I caught the time traveling assassin/travel back in Dave's life thing. And, yeah, I definitely know who that "rich-boy gutter rat with ties to the Russian mafia" is. But no amount of Dr. Pepper with shaved ice and cherries, or Po' Boy shrimp sandwiches, or Four O'clocks, Wisteria or Live Oaks dripping with Spanish moss could keep me focused. I felt let down by his last novel, New Iberia Blues, and was sure it was Burke's swan song, but this was just a head scratcher for me.

Will I read the next book? I have an affinity towards flawed recovering alcoholics who try to flush a guy's head down the toilet while wooing the man's wife, so yes, of course I will.

(A big thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of A Private Cathedral in exchange for a fair review.)

James Lee Burke has outdone himself with this vivid portrayal of evil and mayhem. We're used to visions and ghosts on the Teche Bayou, but there is something chilling and all too real in the mist.

A tour de force. Burke’s writing washes over you like a humid day when clothes stick to your sweat and you accumulate grime as you go about your life. This book is a departure from the usual, infused with magic and evil. A time traveling revelator mixes dual intentions of torture and redemption. Angels sneak in. People are killed in great numbers, yet bodies vanish and accountability fails. In the end, a form of normalcy returns with no explanations given. Everyone’s motivations are suspect. Everything unreal is real. And survival relies heavily on chance opportunities. Absorbing and intense.

A Private Cathedral is James Lee Burke’s fortieth book, and I am pretty sure my husband had read them all up til now. I had read one or two, and I can’t remember which ones, which tells you something. I had another chance thanks to Simon & Schuster providing me with a copy of A Private Cathedral in exchange for an honest review.

Full disclosure right up front: I can’t say I read all of this one. I TRIED. I really did. And I’m going to play the virus card, because everyone’s lives have been totally tossed around by the current pandemic…and don’t even get me started on the incompetent handling of this in the U.S. But that should really provide adequate time to read, even things we might not love, right?

Like I said, I tried. This book features Dave Robicheaux and his longtime partner Clete Purcell, and includes New Iberia, sex trafficking, rock and roll, and PTSD. Sounds like something for everyone…and, like I said, I TRIED. And felt like I failed at a test or something, until my husband also couldn’t get through it (and, as noted above, he LOVES James Lee Burke)!

The publisher’s blurb describes this book as “mixing crime, romance, mythology, horror, and science fiction.” That explains it, neither of us is a fan of either horror or sci-fi and a little mythology goes a long way. I can take or leave (good) romance and we both love crime stories…but one out of five isn’t enough! I considered using that formula for my rating, giving it one star…but I’m giving it two because it could be at least partly due to the state of the world that I couldn’t handle this one. (Looks like many fans of Burke loved it)

This novel is odd both as a tale and my reaction to it. If I were to start recalling details about A Private Cathedral, they’d all be negative comments. I’ll go into a few in a bit, but the overarching value of a novel to me is entertainment and in some cases, education. The latter is, by the nature of this book, a supernatural-horror thriller, out the window but after pushing through the first 20% or so, I did grow intrigued and involved up until the final act which turned out to be a tedious cliché.

I’ll start there and throughout, try not to give any spoilers. The final act takes place on private steel yacht we’re told is 500 feet long. The battleship Missouri is only 888 feet long so this is one honker of a yacht. The silliness of that took me right out of the story. I figured the final act may as well have taken place in a private flying saucer from Mars and it’d not take me that much out of things as that did.

A good deal of the book is a first-person narrative which in and of itself, gives a bit of a spoiler as to how some things come out. The driving force of the book is the narrator/protagonist, Dave, forcing himself into a situation where he’s not just uninvited, but told to keep out. Dave’s a fired policeman but soon rather mysteriously gets back on the public payroll where he does no police work but instead continues to pursue the situation he’s been told by the principals to stay away from. He still gets paid – taxpayers take note.

He’s joined by his great buddy Clete. Both of these guys marinate in the bitter memories of superannuated Vietnam vets who’ll never let you forget they were there. Clete’s specialty is the sucker punch. He’s a bruiser all right using a technique that engages someone in a mild conversation and then without warning, hits them hard enough to stun. Thus getting his clueless opponent helpless he stomps them inflicting grievous bodily harm while they’re lying on the ground. Dave’s clearly a stand-in for the author. You can tell these characters because they always have hot babes swarming over them demanding sex. Clete may be another stand-in making for a bit of a Jekyll-Hyde composite.

Then into the mix, we have more stand-ins and other cast members. Next up is a stand-in for the millions of Jews killed in German concentration camps, some Nazis, the world’s stupidest hitman, a self-pitying masochistic priest, two teens who are stand-ins for characters in a Wagnerian opera and who are a hit duo playing zydeco music in Mexico. Oh, did I mention the sorrowful lizard?

I’m not making any of this up nor have I exhausted the list of players great and small. I’ve left out a few major ones too. Of all the characters, the only sympathetic ones with speaking parts are a waitress and a stand-in who plays a major role but doesn’t really exist on this mortal plane. I have to give an honorable mention to a decent guy, a short-order cook, who has a bad experience not of his making or deserving.

If you think the cast is a bit cattywampus, don’t get me started on the disjointed often incoherent plot. So I’ll show some self-restraint to save the v-pages and demur. Yet, despite all this, as I opened with, I did grow utterly involved in the plot and eagerly read this to the end which wraps up with even less sense than the rest of the book.

In sum, if you wish to read a book that combines horror played out against a slightly historical background offered up with a light sprinkling of modern US leftist views, have at this one. I enjoyed the heck out of it and have no idea why I did.

A Private Cathedral by James Lee Burke – 5 Stars
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 9781982151683

As in all of the books in the Dave Robicheaux series, there is violent action, vivid descriptions of places and people, and narrative of the thoughts in Dave’s head. There is a love story and insight into the evils of mankind. It is the introduction of Gideon, a time-traveling mystical presence, which makes this story unique. Louisiana is special in its history and culture, so a being from the 16th century seems possible. After all, in the past, Dave has met ghosts of confederate soldiers.

Dave and Clete have lived through personal tragedy and witnessed the dark side of life. Once again, they struggle to right wrongs and defend those that the world has treated cruelly.

I have been reading the books in the Dave Robicheaux series for years and have enjoyed each of them. This is another interesting and intelligent story.

Reviewer: Nancy

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Hard to find fault with anything James Lee Burke write. I admit that it is probably easier for me to understand what is going on in Dave Robicheaux's universe having lived in New Iberia, Louisiana for a number of years. I miss it greatly. Dave, and his partner, Clete, are tormented souls living on the fine line between doing what is right and insanity. Both have problems dealing with reality, even if they knbow what that is. Burke spends a good deal of ink telling about what is going on in Dave's head but it can get wordy. An understanding of cajun history is skillfully woven into the story and it ties the whole thing together.

There have been many James Lee Burke books that stretch the imagination, and reality, to the outer limits. This one manages to exceed all previous entries. More evil, New Iberia super wealthy residents, more random violence from Clete and Dave, and a new mystical spirit tops it all off. Truly unusual stuff.

Mysteries are my favorite genre, and James Lee Burke just gets better and better. These Louisiana tales are as relevant and authentic as it gets. Add a Kaiser Sosze type character called a revelator to the mix and you have an unnerving force of vengeance against child tracking and lifetime criminals that exist on the margins of Louisiana society.

A Private Cathedral by James Lee Burk brings the reader to the edge of truth and imaginations down in south Louisana. Each time I read a new Dave Robicheaux Novel I think, "That is the best one yet!" I always look forward to reading these books. Is it because Dave is an honest but troubled soul, or because each novel has some new scene which could have come from the headlines of a Louisiana newspaper. I lived in Eunice and Thibodeaux/Thibodaux for years as a child and the unexplainable seemed to be normal.
In A Private Cathedral, Dave and Clete are concerned about Isolde Balangie, a young teenager who approached Dave to tell him she was being delivered to her family's rival, Mark Shondell as if she were chattel. They know from the four-hundred-year-old hatred between the Balangie's and Shondell's that Isolde is not going of her own choice. She is in love with Johnny Shondell and they had hoped to record their latest duets together.
As Dave and Clete investigate further into the disappearance of Isolde, they are each confronted by unexplainable paranormal events. An unworldly man appears to them at different times and they can not decide if Gideon is a man out of their time or a product of them being drugged with LSD.
I won't post spoilers, but there are so many interesting characters and scenes in this book! I always enjoy highlighting Dave's reasoning and philosophies of life he has learned from hard experiences. He has memories that haunt him, but he made the best choices he could for the situation. A Private Cathedral must be added to a Dave Robicheaux book collection. *Violence/Language
Publication Date: May 26, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
This one definitely has a different feel than most of the other books in the series. Even though the author has touched on the supernatural in several books before with Dave and his wives, this one is really out there.
Hard to follow at times. Definitely had to reread several parts a few different times.
Worth the read if you have already been following this series. If not I suggest you go back and start way at the beginning of you will be lost for the background that reigns supreme in each of these novels.
There needs to be a series based on the Gideon character alone.