The Neon RainWhat it's about
New Orleans police lieutenant Dave Robicheaux, a Vietnam veteran and recovering alcoholic, pulls a young woman's body from a bayou, finds no one cares, and uncovers a web of corruption some would kill to protect.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read.
You'll love it if you liked
Black Cherry Blues
The Tin Roof Blowdown
The Big SleepGood to know
It's the first Dave Robicheaux novel, so it's the place to start.
By the numbers
- Readers13 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller10 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #590 of the 623 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #897 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2927 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
If you like this, read next
The Godfather
Rebecca
The Day of the Jackal
Crime and Punishment
The Pillars of the Earth
In Cold BloodExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Classic booksTop 25 · 924 ranked
Books of the 1980sTop 25 · 229 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is The Neon Rain worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,927 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 54.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Neon Rain about?
New Orleans police lieutenant Dave Robicheaux, a Vietnam veteran and recovering alcoholic, pulls a young woman's body from a bayou, finds no one cares, and uncovers a web of corruption some would kill to protect.
What should I read after The Neon Rain?
If you liked it, try Black Cherry Blues by James Lee Burke, The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke or The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler.