New Orleans Mourning

Julie Smith

10/09/2001

Skip Langdon grew up in New Orleans high society. Her parents and brother are social climbers in the city. She rebelled and after years of traveling around "discovering herself" she has returned to New Orleans and become a police rookie cop. Her family practically disowns her. Her fellow officers believe she is a high society snob. She just knows she loves the work.

When one of the most prominent citizens of the city is murdered while on a Mardi Gras float, Langdon is pulled in to help investigate. The brass believe her background will give her an in with people who would not deign to work with normal police officers. She discovers they are correct - she is able to ferret out information because of her connections and friends.

Chauncey St. Amant is murdered while he is King of Carnival, society's greatest bestowment on a man in New Orleans. Bitty St. Amant, his wife, has been a sophisticated drunk for over 20 years. Henry, their son, is an actor and hated by his father for not following in the family banking business and other reasons. Marcelle, their daughter, is divorced and aimless. This upper crust family has deep seated ghosts that start surfacing after St. Amant's death. Can Skip unravel the murder before the family unravels instead? Or is it too late to save the rest of the family?

This is an excellent novel. The mystery is an edge-of-the-seat thriller. The clues give enough red herrings along with the truth that is was impossible for me to come close to putting it together. Along with a well devised mystery, Langdon's story is a wonderful coming-of-age and facing herself story. She is a rookie and returned to Louisiana after living in San Francisco. She is once again facing her family and the people who were here childhood associates. She has to bring it all together. Plus she has to stay alive...

You can find more about this book at .

Notice: Sexual situations (vaguely explicit)

New Orleans Mourning
The Axeman's Jazz
Jazz Funeral
New Orleans Beat
House of Blues
Kindness of Strangers
Crescent City Kill
82 Desire
Mean Woman Blues