Purple Cane Road

Dave Robicheaux, former officer for the New Orleans Police Department and before that a U.S. Army infantry lieutenant who fought in the Vietnam War,^[1] works as sheriff's deputy in New Iberia, Louisiana. In this book, he discovers new evidence in a murder case and additional leads in the disappearance of his mother, a longstanding subplot to this series.

Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review.^[2] Kirkus gave it a positive review.^[3] Writing for The New York Times, Richard Bernstein was intrigued by the book but found it, "so devoted to its own appearances, that it comes across as almost a commentary on itself rather than as something real..."^[4] A reviewer in the Houston Chronicle stated, "James Lee Burke scores again with great characters."^[5]

• 2000, USA, Simon & Schuster, New York, ISBN 0440224047