Lew Griffin has quit the detective business and withdrawn to the safety of his old home in New Orleans’ Garden District, where he copes with his past by transforming it into fiction. But following the death of a close friend, he returns to the streets—not only the urban ones he has conquered but also those of the rural South that he escaped long ago—to search for the runaway daughter he didn’t know his friend had.
Griffin discovers that we rarely know anyone, even those closest to us. And he now finds that he must also face the two things he most fears: memories of his parents and his own relationship with his now-vanished son.
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"Brilliant writing like poetry and social commentary posing as a mystery. Griffin is a disarming character. After reading this, I had to find the rest of the Lew Griffin mysteries. How could Sallis fly so far under the radar? Don't miss this amazing author."
— Chris (5 out of 5 stars)
“An intelligent, enigmatic book…engrossing and disturbing.”
— New York Times“There is danger, violence, suspense; there are characters so vivid as to be documentaries in miniature and milieus as perceived by all the senses…The reader has to hope the remarkable biography of Lew Griffin will continue.”
— Los Angeles Times“Offers plentiful satisfaction…rich characterization, captivating rhythms and lyrical voice.”
— Publishers Weekly“Valmont Thomas’ baritone drawl is a perfect match for the emotional weight of the story. His mellow yet robust narration lends strength to the gumshoe’s sardonic wit and guides the listener through the steamy Southern locales with an introspective edge…an intriguing listen.”
— AudioFile“Another walk on Louisiana’s wild side…even stronger than The Long-Legged Fly.”
— Kirkus Reviews" I didn't care much for this one. I liked his later books better. "
— Robert, 12/22/2011" Hyper literary hardboiled existential lonely pi fun "
— Sam, 4/9/2010James Sallis has published more than a dozen novels; multiple collections of short stories, poems, and essays; the definitive biography of Chester Himes; several books of musicology; and a translation of Raymond Queneau’s novel Saint Glinglin. His works have been shortlisted for the Anthony, Nebula, Edgar, Shamus, and Gold Dagger awards. The film version of his novel Drive won the Best Director Award at the Cannes International Film Festival, and his Lew Griffin books are in development for film. He plays guitar, French horn, mandolin, fiddle, sitar, and Dobro, both solo and with the band Three-Legged Dog.
G. Valmont Thomas, a longtime member of the acting company at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, has also been a faculty member at the Johnny Carson School of Film and Television at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. His voice may also be heard in a number of video games and in advertisements for radio and television.