David FulmerBesprekingen

Reading the last book in this series (Valentin St. Cyr Mysteries) felt, to me, like watching the finale to a beloved TV show. My first thought was the hope that the author didn't screw it up.

As with the other reprint volumes from Crescent City Books, this one was flawed with poor proofing. I wish I had access to the original volumes to compare and see if they were similarly flawed. But the missing words, grammatical errors, and other oopsies didn't hurt my enjoyment of what was a satisfying end for the series.

True, there were some plot points that seemed to really stretch things, but the return of a few characters from past books was worth it. The story is set primarily on the last day of Storyville before that New Orleans Red-Light District is legislated out of existence. On that last night, Valentin and a number of police officers are patrolling Storyville to keep violence that is likely to erupt to a minimum. In addition, Valentin has gathered info about the corruption that fueled the end of Storyville and a hired killer is stalking the District with plans to kill the private detective, but not until striking at the people Valentin cares about.

The tight timeframe leads to some indulgent character scenes that don't advance the story much, while other scenes ratchet up the tension. I was satisfied with the payoff, yet wouldn't mind reading another adventure or two about the early 20th-century Creole detective.

I really hadn't planned on reading the rest of this series without a break for something else, given that I prefer variety in my reading, but these are rather addictive and fast reads, even with the awful typesetting and proofreading of these later volumes from a second publisher.

In this one, set in 1916, private detective Valentin St. Cyr investigates after a prominent, wealthy man is found dead, his body mutilated, in a dark and notorious alley in Storyville, New Orleans' red-light district. Clues are hard to find, but when a priest is murdered a day later, the hunt is on to find a cunning serial killer.

There are a couple of loose ends left dangling, ones I hope will be tied up by the end of the next and final book in the series.

I've been zipping through the remaining books in the Valentin St. Cyr historical mysteries series, and really wish I'd been able to buy the last four titles by the original publisher as I doubt they had all the poor typesetting issues, missing words, extra words, and other problems -- unless I missed something, one character's surname actually changed mid-book! -- that these volumes from Crescent City Books have.

The story was stronger this time than in the previous volume, with Valentin taking on the case of a missing teen while also investigating the brutal murders of prostitutes in the red light district, Storyville, in 1914 New Orleans. None of the scenes felt like filler as in the previous book, and a mysterious older woman with amnesia who becomes a pawn in the escalating feud between Valentin and corrupt police captain Picot ratchets up the suspense. And giving Justine, Valentin's wife, more to do in this book -- she pretty much takes over the missing teen case -- was a nice plus.

After reading the third Valentin St. Cyr mystery, set in the early 1900s in New Orleans, I found the remaining four books in the series online and quickly ordered them. These trade paperbacks are a bit taller, published by a different press, different than the first three books, and apparently, quality control is not prioritized with regards to typesetting and proofing. Typos, poor scene breaks in a number of spots, extra words, missing words, and other oddities marred this book.

Another strike against it is typical for many ongoing series when the author has to catch new readers up on character backstories and the events from the previous books. In this case, it comes across as filler and I hope Fulmer found more interesting ways to insert these info dumps in the remaining three titles. In addition, there are brief scenes that seem to have been included to pad the page count as they are little more than a quick check-in with a character without advancing either story or character development.

And yet, once I got to the back half of the book, I found Valentin's latest case as compelling as ever. The case revolves around the murders of three wealthy men found at or in a high level house of prostitution that have one thing in common: they're all owned by the same man. The victims were all shot and each has a long cut on his face. Is a madman on the loose in Storyvill, the red-light district, or is something more sinister at work? Valentin's efforts to solve the mystery and end the killing causes trouble between him and his live-in lover, former prostitute Justine who had thought Valentin was finished with Storyville and its problems.

I'm still enjoying this series, but the feeling of padding and a lack of freshness in the telling keep this from being as good as the earlier three.

The third Valentin St. Cyr mystery, set in early-20th Century New Orleans, finds the Creole detective tasked by the King of Storyville Tom Anderson to investigate the murder of a wealthy shipping magnate in that infamous red-light district. The case should be a simple one, but things don't add up. When the victim's daughter urges him to pursue the truth, no matter what, and when a business partner of the victim also turns up dead, Valentin finds himself out of his element, putting more than himself at risk.

This time, the whodunit isn't as much of a mystery as the why. With New Orleans as much a character as the people who live there, this is a quick read. I'm enjoying spending time there with them and am happy there are four more installments in the series.

I read the first Valentin St. Cyr mystery a dozen years ago and meant to read this soon thereafter, but other books claimed my attention, and I didn't get to this until now. Which does not mean I didn't find the first compelling. I loved it, and in reading this sequel, I fell in love with Valentin all over again. A Creole detective who usually passes for white in 1908 New Orleans, Valentin is coaxed by Jelly Roll Morton (one of the cast of characters based on real people) into investigating the deaths of two jass (as jazz was called back then) musicians. At first, Valentin is skeptical that there's a connection, but when a third musician is found dead, a pattern emerges. The more he investigates, the more pushback he receive from a local police lieutenant and from Valentin's boss Tom Anderson, the politically connected "King of Storyville," the district where prostitution was legal.

Fulmer has a way of bringing both his characters and early-20th Century New Orleans to life. That I figured out one part of the puzzle before it was revealed just made the resolution of the mystery more satisfying for me.

Even though I read these books out of order, it didn't diminish the wonderful story about "Storyville". and Jass.

I read this out of order, but it didn't make any difference. David Fulmer has done it again. I'm going to read "Jass" next, but I'm certain it won't disappoint.

This is a historical romance, not a detective novel--without much on the cover to let you know the difference. The book, though, has tender feelings. Beware. Women's hearts flutter! Adverbs proliferate. The book does try to be tough. It says "fuck," kills people, has examples of blunt force action, but it's a softie, almost a cozy. I don't mind them for others, but I want to be warned, so I don't buy one.

Now the good news if you picked up the book, Fulmer seems to know the old New Orleans. The times when jazz started. Where Bellocq took photos of the ladies. Where crime was fun. And deadly. But Fulmer writes a bit too politely about the other side of the streetcar tracks for my tastes.

From Amazon:

Storyville, 1907: In this raucous, bloody, red-light district, where two thousand scarlet women ply their trade in grand mansions and filthy dime-a-trick cribs, where cocaine and opium are sold over the counter, and where rye whiskey flows like an amber river, there's a killer loose. Someone is murdering Storyville prostitutes and marking each killing with a black rose. As Creole detective Valentin St. Cyr begins to unravel the murder against this extraordinary backdrop, he encounters a cast of characters drawn from history: Tom Anderson, the political boss who runs Storyville like a private kingdom; Lulu White, the district's most notorious madam; a young piano player who would come to be known as Jelly Roll Morton; and finally, Buddy Bolden, the man who all but invented jazz and is now losing his mind. No ordinary mystery, Chasing the Devil's Tail is a chilling portrait of musical genius and self-destruction, set at the very moment when jazz was born.

My Thoughts:

This was my "blind date" book and and I have to say I was amply rewarded -- not only does David Fulmer bring historical characters (such as Buddy Bolden, Lulu White, and - very briefly - a young Louis Armstrong) alive, he places them perfectly in their city in their time. The flooding, the banquettes, even the use of terms like "lucifer" for what we now call a match, all help to add to the atmosphere. It is well written novel with believable people and good musical description. The author has created a masterpiece filled with New Orleans history.

This is one of my favorite books. It's so beautifully written and it weaves an atmosphere of New Orleans at a special time in the past. The characters are rich and interesting. I will be reading more of Fulmer's work.

Two and a half. I wanted more exploration into black Atlanta, something very central to the book. More development of Joes love interest. Unsatisfied with the characterization of the Captain's wife--that felt too easy, or at least too easily handled. I loved Joe, Willie, and especially the titled, flawed dying crapshooter.

A mixed bag. The descriptions of N.O. and the time period were fascinating. I love the setting and felt like I was a part of it. Fans of the Ken Burns "Jazz" series may enjoy it. The detective story, on the other hand, was a little ragged. It wasn't great and seemed like an afterthought to the story of Valentin St. Cyr hanging out in New Orleans.

Another reminder of why I love David Fulmer - he has a real gift for capturing the realism of street-level America, even the America of past decades. It is a rare talent to be able to transport foreign readers into another culture and leave them believing their surroundings are real. I have read several odf Mr Fulmer's other offerings and this one has been the best in an exceptional bunch. His characters - starting with chief protagonist Eddie Cero, a boxer-turned private-eye - are thoroughly engaging and the action well drawn. A pleasure to read.

New Orleans prostitutes are being killed and the killer leaves a black rose at the scene of each crime. It appears that upstart cornet man, Buddy Bolden may be the perpetrator, but it's too neat, too easy.

Valentin St. Cyr, go-fer for city boss Tom Anderson, has the boss' green light to investigate alongside/instead of the bumbling coppers. But the solution eludes him...until the end, of course.

Chasing the Devi'ls Tail, a Shamus Award Winning debut novel by David Fulmer, gives readers the good feeling for New Orleans in the early 1900s. It's got interesting characters and a good story. It could have been a little tighter, from a writing standpoint, but it's a good read.½

Creole detective Valentin St. Cyr is investigating a series of murders of prostitutes in the red-light district of Storyville, New Orleans, in 1907. The author introduces many real-life historical figures into the novel including Buddy Bolden, one of the early jazz innovators. There is a great deal of historical detail about New Orleans at the time of the birth of jazz. I learned a great deal about the racial relations at the time; white, blacks, and levels of mixed-race people. Life was very difficult for non-whites and their lives were very restricted. St. Cyr is a likable man whose personal feelings interfere with his ability to solve a crime that seems to involve a good friend of his. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book and even the history lesson, but there was a great deal of violence in the everyday life of people and grimy depiction of life in early New Orleans was depressing.½

I really enjoyed this book. David Fulmer wrote a little differently than he has in the past and I think he did it successfully. I loved the fact that the main character is not a detective, police officer, investigator, etc. It made the main character easier to relate to and put yourself into his shoes. I love some of the twists at the end of the book. Even though you have an idea who the bad guys are, Fulmer was still able to put some twist in the end that make you surprised. I loved Fulmer's character development in this book and the conflicts between a couple of the characters. I could definitely relate to the town, the people, and the conflicts. Definitely worth reading!

Now here’s a mystery with literary aspirations, noir aspirations, and it’s almost good. It’s one of those books where I wonder if the problem isn’t editorial in origin rather than authorial. Mostly, I liked the book.
New Orleans, 1910, creole detective passes for white. Shady, menacing characters. Mysterious women and a potential femme fatale. Portrait of race and class conflict. Fulmer does a good job painting the dirty, dangerous streets of NOLA’s red-light district. But he tripped up on one of my pet peeves: If, as a writer, you’re going to have your characters wander up X Street, saunter down rue Y, cartwheel across Z Blvd and everywhere else in a city, and especially if you’re going to name your book after a geographical area and set it way back in history, would it kill you to add a map? I swear it makes my blood pressure go up. Damned annoying.
But other than that, the characters were pretty well drawn and definitely intriguing. The problem was in the pacing, the plotting. I broke one of the major clues clearly before I should have and I never try to. Also, I was reading the book steadily and then I took a loooong break about ¾ to the end. You really don’t want that to happen in your mystery novel. I love reading about New Orleans and I love mysteries. Maybe if Fulmer hadn’t decided to write a mystery. Valentin St. Cyr, a lovely name, pronounced French, is billed as the possessor of extraordinary detecting skills. Sherlock he’s not. He did little that other fictitious detectives don’t do, and in some cases, a good deal less.
I might give Fulmer another try—Valentin is an interesting guy—but only if I have reason to believe that any of his other books are more put-together.

This unpretentious book about an Italian American fighter who falls into the PI trade builds well honed characters, doesn't give away the ending, feels "really" 1960s with details about technology, music, costs of living, etc., which brought that era back to me. Well written in a plain way, the author has a gift of making his characters alive with human faults and good qualities.

New Orleans in 1907 is as much the main character of this book as is Valentin St. Cyr, a Creole private detective in the employ of Tom Anderson, the white politico who runs the Storyville district, the neighorhood known for legalized prostitution. Nothing escapes the attention or interest of Anderson, who, like many other characters in the book, is based on a real life figure. A number of the madames who ran houses of prostitution back then make appearances, as do Jelly Roll Morton, photographer E.J. Bellocq (known for his photos of prostitutes), and Charles "Buddy" Bolden, also known as King Bolden. Bolden, often credited with being the father of jazz. In this work of fiction, Buddy, a childhood friend of Valentin's, is the prime suspect in a series of killings of prostitutes. While no evidence directly links Buddy to the crimes, there is plenty of circumstantial evidence, and asked by Anderson to look into the matter, Valentin is determined to prove Buddy innocent and to catch the real killer.

Race, drugs, booze, sex, and music intermingle to provide a portrait of the city in the early twentieth century, elevating this mystery beyond the typical whodunit. Valentin is a wonderfully complex character, with a troubled past and a stubborn streak that keeps him gnawing at the mystery even when things look bleakest. I was pleased to learn that there are more books starring him. They're in my Amazon cart, ready to be ordered.

Read this because historic New Orleans was the setting. Overall, a quick comfortable read with an interesting mystery involving early jazz age musicians. I don't know much about Storyville nor the era (which I had difficulty pinpointing), but did get a general sense of the culture and locale. Not enough depth in characterization or setting to make a very satisfying and memorable read, but could be excellent with more development.

Just learned that this is not the author's first book about New Orleans. FHI: The oak trees notable for creating the ambience of New Orleans are "live oaks" and only lose their leaves as they are replaced by new leaves, so they would provide shelter from the rain during any season. New Orleans is not nor has ever been considered Cajun territory. Boudin, a Cajun sausage, would likely have been difficult to find there prior to the 1970s.

If reading about prostitution will bother you then it is not recommended. I however enjoyed the vivid description of New Orleans in the early 1900's and did not want the book to end. I felt transported to the time and setting of the book and wanted to keep reading more about it, the solving of the crimes didn't feel as important to me as learning about the characters and the lives they were leading.½

Writer David Fulmer has carved out a very thoughtful niche for himself with his satisfying mystery novels that are steeped in blues and jazz lore. His previous novels Jass and Rampart Street followed detective Valentine St. Cyr through the Storyville section of New Orleans as Buddy Bolden and King Oliver began to turn brass bands into jazz bands. For this novel, Fulmer moves north pre-Depression Atlanta, which is finally shaking off the effects of the Civil War and coming into its own as a center of blues and hillbilly music. Former detective turned sneak-thief Joe Rose pulls into town as a major jewel heist goes down. Soon, his acquaintance, pimp and rounder Little Jesse lies dying from a drunken cops bullet. Street singer Blind Willie McTell (yup, that McTell) begins to compose the epic song of the title as he keeps a vigil at Little Jesse's bedside and encourages Rose to find the killer. Meanwhile, Rose and his lady are being framed for the heist by a racist cop and the clock is ticking for him to find the answers. Fulmer always cooks up a satisfying story and this is no exception. Just like his Storyville novels, the city of Atlanta becomes a character - divided between black and white, rich and poor, old and new, the city is revealed in all its contradictions. Fans of the blues should not miss this beautifully written story.