Synopses & Reviews
"James Lee Burke tells a story in a style all his own, in language that's alive, electric. He's a master at setting mood, laying in atmosphere, all with quirky dialogue that's a delight." -- Elmore Leonard In James Lee Burke's last novel featuring Billy Bob Holland, Bitterroot, the former Texas Ranger left his home state to help a friend threatened by the most dangerous sociopath Billy Bob had ever faced. After vanquishing a truly iniquitous collection of violent individuals, Billy moved his family to west Montana and hung out a shingle for his law practice. But in In the Moon of Red Ponies, he discovers that jail cells have revolving doors and that the government he had sworn to serve may have become his enemy.
His first client in Missoula is Johnny American Horse, a young activist for land preservation and the rights of Native Americans. Johnny is charged with the murder of two mysterious men -- who seem to have recently tried to kill Johnny themselves, or at least scare him off his political causes. As Billy Bob investigates, he discovers a web of intrigue surrounding the case and its players: Johnny's girlfriend, Amber Finley, as reckless as she is defiant -- and the daughter of one of Montana's U.S. senators; Darrel McComb, a Missoula police detective who is obsessed with Amber; and Seth Masterson, an enigmatic government agent whose presence in town makes Billy Bob wonder why Washington has become so concerned with an obscure murder case on the fringes of the Bitterroot Mountains.
As complications mount and the dead bodies multiply, Billy Bob is drawn closer to the truth behind Johnny American Horse's arrest -- and discovers a greater danger to himself and to his whole family. How Billy Bob strikes back at evil and protects his kin is the masterful triumph of In the Moon of Red Ponies.
Beautifully written, with an intriguing plot and characters whose conflicts seem as real as life itself, this novel shows James Lee Burke again in the top form that has made him a critical favorite and a national bestseller.
Review
"It's all familiar to fans of Burke's thoughtful, volcanic studies of violence and redemption....Required reading for anybody who wonders whether mystery plotting has a future in mainstream fiction." Kirkus Reviews
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"[L]uminous, lyrical and lethal....[Burke's] language is so rich and poignant, so riddled with stunningly visceral images, that it dazzles the reader. This is one of the best novels he has ever written." Providence Journal
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"Rich, lyrical narrative....What he's really writing about, I suspect, is redemption and he does so with passion, skill and a generous heart." Literary Review
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"As in the Robicheaux books, the writing in the Holland series is just terrific....With a few incisive strokes, Burke can show all-too-recognizable ruinous arrogance in character and in history." The Washington Post
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"The plot unfurls few major surprises, but readers will savor Burke's lyrical prose and finely shaded psychological tension as Billy Bob and his cohorts teeter between idealism and brutality. (Grade: B+)" Entertainment Weekly
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"While the shotgun spray of Burke's political complaints makes mincemeat of the plot, his passion is so real and raw that it redeems the ragged writing, giving voice to the new anxieties surfacing in genre fiction." Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review
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"James Lee Burke tells a story in a style all his own, in language that's alive, electric. He's a master at setting mood, laying in atmosphere, all with quirky dialogue that's a delight." Elmore Leonard
Review
"Burke carefully weaves Dixon in and out of the story, never letting the reader know when or how or if this dangerous man will...destroy Holland and his family. That makes In the Moon of the Red Ponies a midnight oil-burning page-turner." Denver Post
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"Burke, as usual, delivers a fast-paced story line, snappy dialogue, lush landscapes and complex characters, not the least of whom is Billy Bob, tormented like Burke's other series hero, Dave Robicheaux, with a dark side." The Oregonian (Portland, OR)
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"Mr. Burke is an able prose stylist, and his descriptions of western Montana are lyrical and loving....If several loose ends are left dangling, they simply leave the door open for future installments in the Billy Bob Holland saga." Dallas Morning News
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"The familiar themes are all here, but Burke puts some new spins on them....Yes, Billy Bob is cut from familiar cloth, but admit it, he wears it well." Booklist
Review
"[O]ne of Burke's more complex plots, yet he lays it out coherently and so subtly as to leave the reader without a hint about what will happen next....Well into his third decade of masterful writing, James Lee Burke has written another masterpiece." BookReporter.com
Synopsis
Touted as "America's best novelist" (The Denver Post), the New York Times bestselling author returns with another tale of evil and redemption, featuring his beloved Texas lawyer, Billy Bob Holland.
Synopsis
In James Lee Burke's last novel featuring Billy Bob Holland, Bitterroot, the former Texas Ranger left his home state to help a friend threatened by the most dangerous sociopath Billy Bob had ever faced. After vanquishing a truly iniquitous collection of violent individuals, Billy moved his family to west Montana and hung out a shingle for his law practice. But in
In the Moon of Red Ponies, he discovers that jail cells have revolving doors and that the government he had sworn to serve may have become his enemy.
His first client in Missoula is Johnny American Horse, a young activist for land preservation and the rights of Native Americans. Johnny is charged with the murder of two mysterious men who seem to have recently tried to kill Johnny themselves, or at least scare him off his political causes. As Billy Bob investigates, he discovers a web of intrigue surrounding the case and its players: Johnny's girlfriend, Amber Finley, as reckless as she is defiant and the daughter of one of Montana's U.S. senators; Darrel McComb, a Missoula police detective who is obsessed with Amber; and Seth Masterson, an enigmatic government agent whose presence in town makes Billy Bob wonder why Washington has become so concerned with an obscure murder case on the fringes of the Bitterroot Mountains.
As complications mount and the dead bodies multiply, Billy Bob is drawn closer to the truth behind Johnny American Horse's arrest and discovers a greater danger to himself and to his whole family. How Billy Bob strikes back at evil and protects his kin is the masterful triumph of In the Moon of Red Ponies.
Beautifully written, with an intriguing plot and characters whose conflicts seem as real as life itself, this novel shows James Lee Burke again in the top form that has made him a critical favorite and a national bestseller.
About the Author
James Lee Burke, a rare winner of two Edgar Awards, is the author of twenty-three previous novels, including such New York Times bestsellers as Bitterroot, Purple Cane Road, Cimarron Rose, Jolie Blon's Bounce, and Dixie City Jam. He lives in Missoula, Montana, and New Iberia, Louisiana.