This is Burke’s latest book and it’s a stand alone.  I tried to like it.  I’ve enjoyed every single book he’s written and I don’t think I’ve missed many.  Burke has said this one is his best and I did notice there’s a sharper literary edge to it, a more Biblical use of the language.  But I dozed off twice and then went back to where I knew I’d already read and tried again only to find myself snoozing again.  

Flags on the Bayou ~ 
By James Lee Burke 2024
Read by a cast. 9h 15m
Rating:  ??? –   / Civil War tale 
(a standalone)

I did get through the whole thing though and I’m not going to send it back because I suspect there is a plot line I’m not quite following but …. I’m not at all fond of fictional war stories.  It jumps back and forth between characters and sometimes between time-frames.  There are too many actors reading the script and they’re hard to distinguish – even between male and female.  There’s a lot of vulgar language which would be okay if I were really following the action.  

In my defense I did read White Doves at Morning back in 2001when it came out and although I was a wee bit disappointed that the protagonist wasn’t Dave Robicheaux, I thoroughly appreciated it – I enjoyed it – liked it – but not passionately. .

I’ll might try Flags on the Bayou again before too long because I feel like I missed something. I’m not promising anything, though. It’s just that this book feels like it’s out in left field for me.