I was looking for a good mystery series to recommend to my brother-in-law and went down a rabbit hole with author James Lee Burker, reading 3 of his 4 first novels while on a trip to Nevada for a wedding. This is the first in the "Dave Robicheaux" series. In this debut, Robicheaux is still a detective with the New Orleans Police Dept and partnered with Clete Purcell, a continuing character in the series. Dave is constantly battling old memories from his VietNam days, his cravings for alcohol, as well as police bureaucracy that prioritizes expedience over justice, so it's not surprise that he wants to find the killer of a young prostitute whose body was dumped in the bayou even though his superiors want to write it off. Now Dave is facing off against organized crime and his hot-headed partner is not consistently supporting him in trying to solve the case. What saves Dave from a total relapse to his alcoholism days is the constant care of Annie Ballard, who he eventually marries. As usual the writing is atmospheric and gritty. Richly developed characters are not always likable but they are compelling.
Kirkus calls it a "bloody, ripsnorting suspenser" and offers in their review that the book is weak on storyline, overdrawn in the violence but still offers "some fine scenes that fairly crackle with menace."
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