House of the Rising Sun, James Lee Burke
House of the Rising Sun, James Lee Burke
9 Rating(s)
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

House of the Rising Sun

Author: James Lee Burke

Narrator: Will Patton

Abridged: 7 hr 53 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/01/2015


Synopsis

Bestselling author James Lee Burke’s “stunning” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) masterpiece is the story of a father and son separated by war, circumstance, and a race for the Holy Grail—a thrilling entry in the Holland family saga.

After a violent encounter that leaves four Mexican soldiers dead, Texas Ranger Hackberry Holland escapes the country in possession of a stolen artifact believed to be the mythic cup of Christ, earning the ire of a bloodthirsty Austrian arms dealer who places Hack’s son, Ishmael, squarely in the cross hairs of a plot to recapture his prize.

On the journey from revolutionary Mexico in 1918 to the saloons of San Antonio during the Hole in the Wall Gang’s reign, we meet three extraordinary women: the Danish immigrant who is Ishmael’s mother and Hackberry’s one true love; a brothel madam descended from the Crusader knight who brought the Shroud of Turin back from the Holy Land; and a onetime lover of the Sundance Kid, whose wiles rival those of Lady Macbeth. In her own way, each woman will aid Hack in his quest to reconcile with Ishmael, to vanquish their enemies, and to return the Grail to its rightful place.

An epic tale of love, loss, betrayal, vengeance, and retribution, The House of the Rising Sun further cements Burke’s reputation as “one of America’s all-time masters” (New York Journal of Books).

About James Lee Burke

American mystery author, James Lee Burke, was born in Houston, Texas, explaining why most of the lead characters in his novels are Texan. He has won two Edgar awards, which is a very rare experience, and is a bestselling author of two short story collections and over thirty novels. Burke is best known for his Dave Robicheaux series. His Edgar Awards were for Black Cherry and Cimarron Rose. Two of his series were made into screen plays with each movie having a-list actors playing the Robicheaux character (Alec Baldwin - Heaven's Prisoners, and Tommy Lee Jones- In the Electric Mist).

A writer must usually hold down other employment while they attempt to gain a degree of following readers. Burke's various jobs included.......truck driver, newspaper reporter, social worker, land surveyor, unemployment system employee, Job Corps worker, teacher, and finally, novelist.

Burke lives in Montana with his wife, Pearl, two daughters, and four grandchildren. His favorite advice was given by Irving Stone, when Burke was nineteen.......... "Never write a story to pay your gas bill......if you do, be assured your utilities will be turned off".


Reviews

Goodreads review by Andrew on August 12, 2022

No bones about it, JLB is my favourite writer of crime fiction. Correction, he’s my favourite writer – period! In this latest episode in the saga of the Holland family we go back in time to catch up with Hackberry Holland, a Texas Ranger battling with Pancho Villa’s revolutionary force. We switch to......more

Goodreads review by Canadian Jen on March 07, 2016

James lee Burke where have you been all my reading life?? I'm stunned we haven't been introduced before reading this magnificent book. It's the turn of the 20th century and Hackberry is on the search for his son who is serving in the military but has now been kidnapped. He wants to make amends for a......more

Goodreads review by Barbara on March 14, 2023

In this 4th book in the 'Hackberry Holland' series, Hackberry tries to help the grown son he abandoned as a child. The book can be read as a standalone. ***** Hackberry Holland, former Texas Ranger and lawman, seems to find trouble wherever he goes. He runs his mouth, gets blackout drunk, and is quick......more

Goodreads review by Angela M on December 07, 2015

4+ stars . This is my first James Lee Burke book . I guess I never read him before since he's known for his crime and mystery books and I don't typically read them . I don't really enjoy books with a lot of violence . Having said that , it was a way of life at various times in history - the wars, the......more

Goodreads review by Nick on December 17, 2015

Why only two stars? This should have been an automatic 5-Star: Mexican Revolution, Battle of the Marne, Texas Rangers, and Burke's writing. What could go wrong? Sadly, most of it. Let us count the ways. The book is ponderously plotted - Elmore Leonard could have gotten to the same place in half as ma......more