Literary references, some obscure, coupled with ignorant, street-wise violence feel like a literary illusion, not a live story to me. But the street-by-street knowledge of New Orleans and southern back roads scenes fight to make the book real. Characters on crack and dead babies and drunks trying to be human also help, but make the mood dark enough to wonder why they want to stay alive. And Sallis drops his medical knowledge here and there just to make sure it stays depressing.

This is noir, after all. But spiffed up with an advanced Lit class.

Forget about being uplifted--being dropped in a deep hole is more like it. But a tightly written hole. I guess that is OK. ( )

I like this character, and enjoyed this book. There's not much plot though, Lew Griffin, big tough teddybear ex detective turned college English lit prof, takes the reader along on the ride as he looks for the daughter of his ex-wife, and several other missing persons. All unofficial of course.

The man has a tendency to land in mud, followed by hospitals,and is nursed back to health by a series of motherly nurses and ex girlfriends.

The best thing about this one was the audio. I enjoyed the excellent reading which took me back to time spent in New Orleans. The accents are authentic and rich.

A great rainy afternoon listen. Not great literature, but good characters and soothing story telling. ( )

There's something weirdly magical about the Lew Griffin series. In this, the second of the series, Lew is looking for the drug-addicted daughter of his lost love, finding his first clue in a neonatal ICU. Lots of children are missing in Lew's world, and so are mothers and fathers. As always, Sallis tells the story with poetry and fondness for those whose lives are never quite whole and for storytelling itself. He's a writer whose unusual voice trumps all the conventions and cliches of my favorite genre. ( )