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Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead
Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead
Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead
Audiobook8 hours

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead

Written by Sara Gran

Narrated by Carol Monda

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this audiobook

Claire DeWitt is not your average private investigator. She has brilliant skills of deduction and is an ace at discovering evidence. But Claire also uses her dreams, omens, and mind-expanding herbs to help her solve mysteries, and relies on Detection-the only book published by the great and mysterious French detective Jacques Silette before his death.The tattooed, pot-smoking Claire has just arrived in post-Katrina New Orleans, the city she's avoided since her mentor, Silette's student Constance Darling, was murdered there. Claire is investigating the disappearance of Vic Willing, a prosecutor known for winning convictions in a homicide-plagued city. Has an angry criminal enacted revenge on Vic? Or did he use the storm as means to disappear? Claire follows the clues, finding old friends and making new enemies-foremost among them Andray Fairview, a young gang member who just might hold the key to the mystery.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 2, 2011
ISBN9781611742572
Author

Sara Gran

Sara Gran is the author of five critically acclaimed novels, including Come Closer, Dope, and the Claire DeWitt series. She also writes for film and TV and has published in the New York Times, the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and USA Today.

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Reviews for Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead

Rating: 3.625 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was recommended to me by a coworker and I think I understand why. My ego persona (however delusional) definitely shares some common ground with Claire DeWitt. So I enjoyed this book, but really the genre conventions and obvious plot set-ups for future titles in the series limited this book’s potential and appeal. And the below:

    Spoiler: I don’t understand why at very end Claire wants the killer (of his childhood molester) to turn himself in to federal authorities on her belief he will get a fair trial considering the circumstances. For the rest of the novel Claire is taking drugs, stealing things, shooting at people and practicing magick so it doesn’t really make sense to me that she would want this kid to turn himself in. Wouldn’t the murder of the a child raper be justice done and leave it at that? That part just didn’t jive.

    Carol Monda does an awesome job bringing Claire DeWitt to life. Her voice is perfect and I hope she is enlisted for other titles in the series which are sure to follow.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Private investigator Claire DeWitt returns to New Orleans to investigate the disappearance of District Attorney Vic Willing during Hurricane Katrina. Claire left New Orleans after her mentor Constance Darling, a disciple of the little-known French detective Jacques Silette, was murdered. Silette was the author of Detection, a book Claire discovered as a child in her family’s crumbling mansion in Brooklyn, which explained his techniques for solving mysteries. Back in New Orleans, Claire finds clues to the life of Vic Willing that bring her into contact with a young African-American named Andray Fairview and other damaged survivors of the storm. Claire DeWitt is a fresh detective for the 21st century, an off-kilter Nancy Drew updated with tattoos, mystical leanings and an over-familiarity with mind-altering substances. The dark and dreamy tone of the novel reflects the mind of the detective and the unique history of the setting.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The audio version of Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead made my commute to work very enjoyable. You know you have a good audio book when you want to sit in the parking lot and listen all day! Carol Monda gave the perfect voice to Sara Gran's Claire, an unorthodox detective, to say the least. The tale itself was gripping; I couldn't wait to hear more about and from the characters in the story's present and from Claire's past. I enjoyed this version so much that I plan to read the book as well. I received the Audio CD version of this novel through Early Reviewers.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very noir, very zen, esoteric as heck, also very strange, and yet...I liked it. I thought the writing was good, the dialogue added to the verity of the place and time. Yes, I had to concentrate so as not to lose the thread, because it did jump around a lot ~ present, back to childhood, present, back to young adulthood, recent past, present, and so on. It wasn't a cliffhanger, but Grun very skillfully set it up for a continuing series. Lots of mysteries to solve ~ who really killed Constance and why? What really happened to Tracy? Finally, the descriptions of N.O. during and after Katrina were vivid and heart-wrenching. I had no idea and realize I need to read more about that terrible event. I've got "Zetoun" on my iPod and have been meaning to read it; better get to it soon.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Claire Dewitt has been lured back to New Orleans, a place that holds many ghosts for her. She is a tough, tattooed private eye. She likes her weed and other narcotic pleasures but is also a serious student of “detection“. It’s eighteen months after Katrina and she is hired to locate a popular DA, who has gone missing since the storm.She finds herself navigating through a crippled, damaged city and her investigation leads to a group of young “gang-bangers”, that may have had ties with her DA, who may not be as honorable or as squeaky clean as everyone has imagined.This story is dark and gritty but it’s also sharply observant and introduces us to a memorable lead character, one I hope the author will return to again and again.Recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    An atmospheric mystery, an intriguing heroine, and a look at post-hurricane New Orleans that was more affecting that any news show I've seen. Well worth the time.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Claire Dewitt is an "intuitive" private detective who supplements normal investigative techniques with drinking, dreaming, the I Ching, and smoking formaldehyde-laced reefers with street gangs. She is hired by the nephew of a prominent, wealthy DA who disappeared during Hurricane Katrina to discover his fate. While the descriptions of post-Katrina New Orleans and its psychologically damaged residents feel very authentic, many of Claire's investigative techniques are so bizarre that I had a hard time finishing the book. It had far too many dreams, flashbacks, I Ching tosses, and rambling philosophical passages to sustain my interest. Two stars for story and content, and one more for style.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Claire DeWitt is a brilliant private detective, trained by Constance Darling who instilled in her the tenets of Jacques Silette's book Détection. Claire's techniques are unusual: she relies a great deal on intuition, dreams and drug-fueled visions for answers to her questions. Though her methods may be unorthodox, she is very successful, and as a result, very expensive.Having been unable to locate his uncle, D.A. Vic Willing in post-Katrina New Orleans, Leon Salvatore hires Claire some 18 months later. Although Leon says he chose Claire because he'd heard she was "the best", it's obvious he doesn't really expect her to succeed. In response to his question about how she'll proceed, she responds "I'm going to wait and see what happens".While "waiting" she wanders the city, encountering and questioning seemingly random people. But her instincts never seem to lead her astray; she finds two young men who say they knew Willing. Sure that they're hiding something important, she befriends them.She comes across people she'd known when she lived in New Orleans, another detective trained by Constance; a social worker. She asks some questions, drinks a great deal, smokes some questionable cigarettes. Throughout it all, she shares her labyrinthine thought processes, dreams and memories, which help the reader to understand her, as well as aiding in her quest.Written in the first person from Claire's point of view, the story is compelling and totally consuming. The reader is Claire as she roams the storm-struck, desolate streets of New Orleans. Read it slowly, the better to savor Gran's exquisite prose.*FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher, who sent me an Advance Review Copy.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I wanted to love this book, given its smart smattering of voodoo, its gritty hard boiled feel, and its sympathetic portrayal of the criminal and impoverished in New Orleans. But I couldn't get through it. It seems like an artful book, but something in it or in me isn't working at the moment.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    If you like a smart detective who is gritty, tough, and a woman pick up Claire Dewitt. When I found out it was going to be a series my first thought (and not my last) was "Oh no I don't think I can stand another series," but after finishing the book my last thought was "I'm in!" Can't wait to read the next. Why not join me?
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A friend of mine described Claire deWitt to me as “180 degrees from Nancy Drew”; I have to agree many times over. This debut of the series is set in New Orleans one-and-one-half years after Katrina and concerns a man who went missing during that hurricane.Claire uses the I Ching, vivid dreams and a book written by her dead French mentor to be “the best detective in the world”. The only way you’ll come close to finding this solvable is to follow Claire’s mantra to believe nobody and trust nothing.There is a dark side to both Claire and to post-Katrina New Orleans (the titular city of the dead) but I can’t help but think that Claire’s tongue is firmly in her cheek a lot of the time.Read this if: you’re interested in Katrina’s devastation in the poverty-stricken Lower Ninth Ward; or you want a fresh new voice in a mystery series and don’t mind the spiritistic elements. 3½ stars
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    A bit mixed, the writing was OK (I managed to finish it :-) but it was confused and at times seemed to be part of a series relying on too much past story which only became revealed later.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    An interesting beginning to a new mystery series. Claire DeWitt has had her share of problems in the past, including once being declared legally insane by the state of Utah. She also has a tendency to inhale any drug that is passed her way on the off chance that the experience may reveal a clue. In Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead the title character boasts of being the world's greatest detective. She is also okay with the fact that she is not very well liked. No one likes their mysteries revealed no matter how much they may think they do.

    In this debut mystery Claire is trying to solve the disappearance of an Assistant District Attorney, who disappeared shortly after Katrina struck New Orleans. It has been a year since his disappearance, and his nephew, who is about to inherit the missing uncle's estate, wants the case solved before he reaps the benefits of the suspected death. Claire is does not actively investigate her cases as much as she opens herself up to any clues that may present themselves to her, whether they arrive through dreams, or revealed by the tattoo of a busboy in a local restaurant.

    This mystery moved along at a quick pace, and Claire DeWitt has enough quirks to fill a few more novels. I think the sales would be better if this had been released as a paperback original. It's tough enough to sell hardcover mysteries, but trying to get a reader to shell out $24 on an author they have never tried before is tough.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a fresh working of an old recipe. Claire is vulnerable, mentally unstable, and hard-bitten at the same time, and brings to mind Raymond Chandler's detectives for me. She is hard to like, and makes me uncomfortable. She is arrogant and presumptive and suicidal; yet I did care about her by the end of the book, endeared in spite of myself by her stubborn distinctive personhood.

    Coming to New Orleans to solve a disappearance, she begins with the belief that her client doesn't really want her to succeed. After being subjected to her unique, often dangerous and always distressing way of sleuthing, he really doesn't. Perhaps she was right all along; one can read it either way. One thing is certain; by the end of the book she and I both wanted to know the truth, and we were probably the only ones.

    Claire's point of view doesn't cater to my beliefs about the world, and not all of Claire's insights are valid. Her philosophy is sentimental and cynical, and often seems narcissistic and ignorant. But it is fresh, and more importantly to me as a reader, it remains interesting throughout the book. Some of her reflections are clever. I often scoffed, but I usually did not want to put the book down.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    So for this book, I listened to the audio version which is not something I normally do. I have a few upsets with this book. When I saw a few, I mean probably ten. First of all the main character Claire Dewitt isn’t a badass at all, but the story attempts to write her as such. One scene in particular she speaks of walking upon several gangbanger guys who are armed to the teeth, and in the author’s words “with enough to take on Fallujah”. The main character says, “they were tough, but I was tougher,” and then says she was thankful for the .38 in her purse. Okay, what the heck was she going to do with a .38 when each of these gang members had loads of firepower. Secondly, this chick was addicted to every sort of drug and alcohol product. Yeah, that makes for an excellent private investigator. Can you imagine, “Oh, yeah I’m trustworthy, I’ll get right on your case just as soon as I smoke this bowl and shoot up real quick, oh and can you help me tie off?” I can only assume that this character’s next novel will be called, Claire Dewitt and the Missing Needles: The Rehab Casefiles. Thirdly, she states several times in the book that she is the “greatest detective” in the world and she is constantly referencing a guy named Jacques Sillette who wrote a book called Detecion (French guy/French book). A book that she says is “extremely” rare and yet it keeps turning up……like everywhere. Next, I’d like to talk about the “she-just-so-happens-to-always-run-into-the-same-characters” in New Orleans. It’s one thing to talk to someone and they say, “oh that guy you are looking for works at such and such place and then you head there and he’s there. But, oh no! Not Claire Dewitt, when she is looking for some guy, usually Andre, she rolled a pair of dice, and got a 7. That is miraculous, because everyone knows in craps 7 comes up a lot, but for Miss Dewitt, that means she has take 7th street! Wow, and by the by, who do you think would be on the front porch of some random house on 7th street? The exact person she is looking for. This happens over and over and over, in the book. “I looked up and it was Andre…” “Andre was there…”, “I looked over and it was Andre so we shared a joint…” I’ve never been to New Orleans, but it’s not that small of a town that you would see the same guy, EVERYWHERE! Clues! This detective woman is supposed to be looking for clues for a murder/missing person. And according to Detecion, clues are everywhere including the first random clue found. She is having lunch with her client Leon at the beginning, and the waiter comes by and drops the check for the meal and when he picks it up for her, stuck to the bottom of the bill is a business card and the character clearly says, “The first clue”, but being the greatest detective in the world she doesn’t even follow up on this lead. Albeit as silly as it came into her possession. That’s like saying I was working on a case and decided to take a crap at a McDonalds and as I was washing my hands I saw the clue of all clues near the trash can next to the wall-stall urinal. SO STUPID, I should have stopped listening to this book at that point, but I kept listening hoping for it to get better. ( definition of insanity closely resembles that last statement) Word usage is extremely irritating in this book. Not just the boring conversations that go nowhere for five minutes and people keep repeating themselves over and over and over and over and over and over, like I’m doing right now. Here is a taste of what I endured: “No!” she said. “Yes, I need to speak with him!” I said. “No!” she said. “But it’s important!” I said. “No!” she said. “Just tell him it’s Claire.” I said. “No!” she said. “It’s a matter of life and death.” I said. “No!” she said. “I really need to speak with him now.” I said. “No!” she said. (Anyone else placing a gun to their temple yet?) I changed the scene a bit, but it happens like this all the time and you get the point” Listening to the audio made it more frustrating for me, “I said” “she said” “he said” “I said”. Almost, every single line was followed up by those pronouns-then verb. To say repetitive and irritating would be understatements. Greatest detective my BUTT!! So there is this one scene, she goes up to a group of guys/kids and says she is a P.I., oh and that she is amazing at it. She demonstrates her, ah..., skills by asking one of the kids to say something personal about himself. He responds, “My sister used to call me Nay-nay.” Then Claire uses her “insight”, “You were raised by your uncle, you moved from Alabama, you had three siblings, your parents left you when you were a kid, you had a gout flare when you were nine, and you had chicken cordon bleu for supper three nights ago.” I’m paraphrasing that last part, but you get the point! So this is a sampling of her talent. Yet, here lies the mystery to me. She can tell this whole kid’s life story after hearing a nickname, but when she spends hours and hours in the home of the missing/murdered individual she has no clue where this guy is. I’ll let you in on a little info or as you like to call it a “clue”, Miss Dewitt, there is a reason you aren’t a Mentalist like Simon Baker, it’s the drug use. You have smoked yourself stupid, and perhaps so brain dead you are the only one who believes you are an awesome…or should I say the greatest detective in the world. (YAWN) Much like the rotation of weed at a frat party, I’ll be passing on this grass for subsequent novels. So to sum up, like the “7” Claire Dewitt rolled, this book craps out just the same! That should have been your first and last clue that you needed Miss Claire!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I don't know what to think about this book. I was liking it a lot until about half way and then I wasn't liking it much at all. Maybe, it was just too dark, too depressing. I think Gran tried to lighten it with the bit about the parrots but the grimness of New Orleans was so unrelenting. I did admire the writing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Claire Dewitt is a youngish, bad ass, pot smoking, pill popping, drinks to much, PI and I like her a great deal. I liked the story but the narrator did not make me feel it. It took me a couple of CD's to actually get into Claire's character. It took me back to the horrible tragedy that happened to New Orleans and made me really think "How did that even happen in the United States?" It sounded like something that happened to another country, not this one. I think it is saying a lot for a book if it makes you think and feel outside of it's own story line.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead is five stars, I think. I like the title, it has an old fashioned ring to it and screams "SERIES !" And it is.....#1 in a new series and #2 has just been released June/July 2013. Claire is the protagonist, she is a PI, and her life's history and present are the focus of the book. There are three storylines - Claire today, Claire 20 years ago as a kid in Brooklyn, and Claire solving a mystery. And the present is a few years after Katrina in NOLA. Leon hires Claire to find out what happened to his missing and presumed dead uncle Vic, an assistant DA. Claire is aided by the wise words of Silette, a long deceased French PI, author of Claire's bible, "Detection". The book is a mix of how to, philosophy, and spiritualism. Claire was trained at the feet of Constance, a disciple of Silette's. No surprise that the tone in author Sara Gran's book is noir, very noir. If New Orleans were a stock, you would want to sell it immediately after reading this book, regardless of the loss you might take. Claire is a very tough broad and makes other female PI's look like debutantes. She shares bottles (plural) of 40 oz malt liquor with homeless guys, carries an illegal handgun she bought from a suspect, and bashes her rental truck to make it blend in with the neighborhood. She doesn't have any sex nor does she kill anyone in this book but who knows what's coming in #2. In the end, she finds the killer and finds out a few interesting things about the vic, but "there are no happy endings in New Orleans". I loved this book, I just don't understand why. Will I read book 2? Hell, yes.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Claire deWitt, the "greatest detective in the world" has been hired to solve a disappearance in post-Katrina New Orleans. DeWitt wasn't what I expected, but found myself at varying times liking her and being disgusted by her behaviors while on the job. She tries to be a hard-boiled detective, but doesn't quite pull it off. The fact that I LOVE New Orleans made the book more enjoyable. I could picture the streets as the character was driving around the city. The loose ends are neatly tied up at the end. New Orleans is still in recovery from Katrina. Many of the streets are dirty, with broken down and boarded up houses. The crime rate in the Crescent City is high compared to other large cities. I miss the green parrots who haven't really returned to New Orleans. A friend said he used to sit on the balcony in the evening and count green parrots. Only a few returned to the city. I hope the next book solves the mystery of Dewitt's missing childhood friend.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I had to notch this one down a half star from 4 to 3.5. I did enjoy the book and the writing was excellent - the dialogue was also catchy and, at times, quite hilarious. The main reason I knocked a star off the review was because of the protagonist. Quite frankly, I couldn't find her to be a likable character. She lies, gets high and/or drunk at the drop of a hat (sometimes both) and has a warped way of looking at things - to the point that I often just could not identify with her at all. Also, the whole thing with the Detection book showing up in certain situations was too far-fetched to be believable. As well as the business card that she accidentally finds on her first day ... which ultimately leads her to the final clue of the puzzle. A little too coincidental. Those were a couple examples of things I had some issues with.But don't let that turn you away from reading the book - it is worth the time. It gives you a realistic feel for the city of New Orleans and the aftermath of the storm. It paints a pretty pathetic picture of the city as a whole - which might explain why the character of Claire DeWitt claims she loves the city. I can't imagine why anyone would love a place like that, but with someone like Claire and her twisted viewpoint, I guess it makes some kind of sense.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was great. The writing is excellent and had a lot of quotes that made me pause and reflect about not only the storyline but also life, in general. The narrator of the audiobook has an excellent voice that is just perfect for reading the character of Claire DeWitt.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was okay - it was interesting to read, as a detective novel in the vein of Dashiell Hamet. Its the first of this kind I have read so it took a bit to get used to. Also she is more spiritual - she relies on spiritual clues as well as regular ones. Also, the plot revolves around a child-abuse situation, whixh is why it probably left a bad taste in my mouth. It is definitely a base for a series though, you see glimpses of her past, both as a kid and as a trainee in the profession, but this is not her first or even her 50th case, so those details are only hinted at. The characters are compelling, as is the setting - New Orleans- and well-drawn so it feels like you are there in the scene, but the style is a bit of a snag.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a complex story that addresses post-traumatic stress disorder in urban areas and draws an interesting parallel between disaster and war. There is an investigation going on here, but that is secondary to the human depravity, sadness and hopelessness of the post Katrina culture. The mystery is not necessarily in the mystery (case), but in understanding human nature in general. Thematically, every part is expertly crafted, but where the reading becomes difficult (for me) is in the hollow sadness that permeates every character. There is little redeeming qualities presented about New Orleans and by the end I never want to visit the city. The picture portrayed is one of despair, death, chaos, crime and corruption where a great majority drinks or drug themselves to deal. The story is a slow sliding decline (drowning) with sinking lows and no highs. It is evident that there is no happy ending for anyone, but the despondency can be a bit depressing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Claire DeWitt is a hard boiled detective-tattooed, reefer smoker, drinker. A disciple of the famous detective, Jacques Silette, she knew from the moment she read his tome, Detection, she knew that's her calling. She studied under his student, Constance and, upon her passing, became the best detective in the world.She is called back to New Orleans where she lived for a time, to find out what happened to noted N.O. District Attorney, Vic Walling. He has not been seen since Hurricane Katrina.Along the way to the conclusion of this mystery, DeWitt describes New Orleans (from which I just returned from vacation so I could recognize the places she spoke of), describes unsolved mysteries (her friend Tracy who disappeared when they were teenagers and Jacques Silette's daughter, Belle), quotes from Silette's book, Detection, and meets strange and interested characters and former acquaintances (many of whom are not happy to see her).Vaguely reminiscent of Lisbeth from Steig Larsson's series the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, DeWitt has more charm and personality and you immediately like her. You become intrigued with Silette and the quotes from his book.Sara Gran has created a detective who should make her mark in the mystery genre and become a staple of mystery fans. She's tough. She's smart. She's the best detective in the world. Read Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead. (Do you know why New Orleans is called the city of the dead? If not, it's an interesting story.)
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Received as an Audio Advance Reader copy and hate to admit, I didn't get past the first disc. Partly my fault...I just don't do well with audio's and partly, the book just never grabbed me.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I enjoyed this book. The story was good. I did get tired of the drugs and alcohol. But I really enjoyed was all the philosophical tidbits that she had gleaned from a book, "Detection" (1959) by Jacques Silette, a genius detective (Note that I don't think this is a real book). Those tidbits, along with an interesting story line, made the book quite enjoyable.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Quirky modern mystery that doesn't shy away from tricky topics (the murder being solved took place during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans). Detective Claire DeWitt is damaged and also wacky, and the wackiness was just a tad too much for me; her detective manual, as it were, is a supremely bizarre book about, I don't know, the nature of innocence and guilt, from which we see copious quotes, and she also consults an I Ching. It all sort of works out fine structurally, but the wackiness doesn't quite match the tone of the supremely depressing mystery.

    Ultimately, I enjoyed it, and it's worth taking a look if you're tired of formulaic or cozy mysteries. But I won't be first in line for the sequel, I'm sorry to say.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was an odd, interesting read. As a portrait of New Orleans post-Katrina, it was disturbing and intriguing. I have a hard time imagining anyplace could be so hopeless or so violent, but being from such a safe and well-settled place in the world, perhaps I simply don't have the perspective to accept that harsh reality.

    The protagonist, the titular Claire DeWitt, was unlike any heroine I've bumped into before. She was rough around every edge, mystical and odd, certified (apparently) insane, victim of every vice, unable to make friends, but so good at what she does that nearly everyone is in her debt. I can't decide if I appreciate this literary tactic or not. It was a bit like watching a train wreck.

    I liked the mystery itself, and the way bits of it were unraveled. I'm pretty baffled about the very last clue that led to the full revelation, however. All the other bits of detection - vaguely mystical though they were - I could follow and understand. That one seemed particularly out of the blue.

    And though I'm a little disappointed, I'm ultimately glad the mysteries of Bella, Constance, and Tracy were never solved. Fodder for sequels? I'm not sure that will work in this case, but it does satisfactory answer the narrator's insistence that you don't always get the answers you want, without leaving the main story arc wanting.

    So. Fun read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really enjoyed this offbeat mystery set in New Orleans. The detective, Claire DeWitt, uses an alternate methodology based on the writings of a famous French detective. Her detecting includes drugs and the occult. It is clear that Gran is very familiar with the city which is one of my favorite places in the entire world. This mystery is very hard to describe. It is like an alternate reality or perhaps more like a heightened reality. The crime itself takes a backseat to the city, Katrina, street kids, missing friends and mystery itself. It seems this is the beginning of a series, and I'll definitely be looking for the next one. Recommended if you like that kind of thing.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I always thought I didn’t like mysteries. Obviously, I’ve been reading the wrong ones. I can admit when I’m wrong. Maybe it it’s the offbeat way the mystery is solved or the setting which is more than a map of clues but also a background for a messed up detective trying to figure out how to fit back into society and whether or not she wants to go through with the plan or leave everything behind.Claire Dewitt is a detective with issues. A stint in a hospital has left her slightly skittish, mentally, but also slightly interested in getting back to work. When a client seeks her out, she decides it might be time to test her own enthusiasm for work. A case of a missing district attorney brings her home to New Orleans --- a city newly devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Claire starts feeling around for clues in her unorthodox way but what she finds has more to do with herself than the case she’s being paid to resolve.There are so many things wrong with Claire and not the little things we all might be able to relate to on some level. She’s screwed up; really screwed up. A one-time teenage detective, she carries around guilt over never having found a friend who went missing. She’s an addict --- drugs, alcohol, and the above mentioned strange and scary array of guilt. Like crazy guilt. And she’s eccentric, especially inher detecting style. A devout follower of Jaques Silette’s mysterious detective handbook, Detection, she uses out of the ordinary techniques such as omens and mind-enhancing drugs to seek out clues. In fact, she isn’t the type of detective who looks for clues at all. She waits for them to find her. It’s an interesting way of looking at things for someone who is supposed to be a detective.There are so many small mysteries surrounding Claire that the main case of the missing district attorney seems almost background noise to what’s really going on with her. New Orleans is a haunted place for Claire and many times you wonder what it is she’s chasing. Is it her own demons or one more clue that found its way out of the ether into her head which is already full of scary ideas? You also aren’t surprised when her client, the only one she has, wants to fire her. Oddly, you’re not surprised either when she manages to have an explanation for everything in the end. Well, not everything, but enough to make you wonder exactly what is with the woman. There is so much to love about this book and I’m not sure I’m doing it justice so here’s my plea to you --- read it. I recommend it highly.