With its trademark mix of brutality and poetry, Swan Peak is a brilliant piece of work from an American master. * Observer *
James Lee Burke is the heavyweight champ, a great American novelist whose work, taken individually or as a whole, is unsurpassed. * Michael Connelly *
A gorgeous prose stylist. * Stephen King *
Richly deserves to be described now as one of the finest crime writers America has ever produced. * Daily Mail *
The gentle giant of US crime writers, Burke always ensures that his Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux grapples with hot topics as much as with his own inner demons. * i newspaper *
There are not many crime writers about whom one might invoke the name of Zola for comparison, but Burke is very much in that territory. His stamping ground is the Gulf coast, and one of the great strengths of his work has always been the atmospheric background of New Orleans and the bayous. His big, baggy novels are always about much more than the mechanics of the detective plot; his real subject, like the French master, is the human condition, seen in every situation of society. * Independent *
The king of Southern noir. * Daily Mirror *
His lyrical prose, his deep understanding of what makes people behave as they do, and his control of plot and pace are masterly. * Sunday Telegraph *
One of the finest American writers. * Guardian *
When it comes to literate, pungently characterised American crime writing, James Lee Burke has few peers. * Daily Express *
With its trademark mix of brutality and poetry, Swan Peak is a brilliant piece of work from an American master. -- Peter Guttridge * THE OBSERVER *
How does Burke do it? Following swiftly on from his brilliant The Tin Roof Blowdown, we find Dave Robicheaux and his ex-homicide partner Clete Purcel escaping hurricane-devastated New Orleans for the wild calm of Montana, only to find a twisted serial killer at work, and worse. 4 Stars -- Henry Sutton * THE MIRROR *
Hurricane Katrina is over, but the clean-up goes on: inthe latest instalment of Burke's crime series, Dave Robicheaux flees New Orleans only to be sucked into a perfect storm of murder, convicts and oil money. The frenetic plotting contrasts with moody descriptions of the Montana wilderness. * ESQUIRE *
His lyrical prose, his deep understanding of what makes people behave as they do, and his control of plot and pace are masterly. -- Susanna Yager * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
The last 30 pages had me gripped with tension. This, together with Burke's ability to place you vicariously in the haunting landscapes he describes with such love and passion, again confirms his position as one of the finest American writers. -- Matthew Lewin * THE GUARDIAN *
As a master of crime fiction, Burke needs no introduction ... With its relentlessley captivating narrative, Swan Peak immerses us in this corner of Montana, alive with colourful, dangerous characters. The sense of impending doom builds until the climatic ending. A thriller so good you will regret finishing it. * WATERSTONE'S BOOKS QUARTERLY *
Superious crime fiction -- Michael Parkinson * EVENING STANDARD ES MAGAZINE *
James Lee Burke... never fails to please. He offers a sweeping, repertorial perspective of how modern America works, while weaving a tightly plotted thriller around a fabulous array of characters. -- Carla McKay * DAILY MAIL *
