The Hadacol Boogie

I just finished reading The Hadacol Boogie, James Lee Burke's 25th Dave Robicheaux novel. I really like this series, which features Dave Robicheaux, an Iberia Parish Louisiana detective, his private detective friend Clet Purcel, and his daughter Alafair. This latest book starts out with Robicheaux seeing a disfigured man drop a large plastic bag in his backyard, which turns out to contain the body of a murdered young Black woman named Clemmy Benoit. He begins an investigation with his partner, detective Valarie Benoit, and unofficially, with his friend Clete. It leads to the unsavory owner of a local bar and brothel named Jerry Carlucci, an otherworldly handyman, a scary hitman, and a mafia don who wants to build a casino along the Gulf near Carlucci's bar. This is a really good mystery, but in addition to the investigation itself, the story dives into much bigger issues, such as the environment destruction of South Louisiana, racial injustice, Louisiana's haunted past, the presence of evil in our world, and even elements of the supernatural. It is much more complex than the average crime novel, a very serious book indeed, far more so than Burke's previous mysteries. At 89 years old, I suspect Burke wants to get his message of the darkness this country faces out there while he can.