The meta aspect of the detective style is evident in the narrative and the narration. It feels like old Pulp Fiction meets contemporary Mystery.

Narrator is excellent! (Posted on 2/15/12)

This mystery is as haunting as was Katrina's aftermath. The detective angle is perfect for the feel and grit of the story and the setting.
The narrator's delivery is right in keeping with the style that marries modern and classic detective literature. (Posted on 9/22/11)

I had to notch this one down a half star from 4 to 3.5 (this site, however, will only let me submit full-star ratings). I did enjoy the book and the writing was excellent - the dialogue was also catchy and, at times, quite hilarious. The main reason I knocked a star off the review was because of the protagonist. Quite frankly, I couldn't find her to be a likable character. She lies, gets high and/or drunk at the drop of a hat (sometimes both) and has a warped way of looking at things - to the point that I often just could not identify with her at all.

Also, the whole thing with the Detection book showing up in certain situations was too far-fetched to be believable. As well as the business card that she accidentally finds on her first day ... which ultimately leads her to the final clue of the puzzle. A little too coincidental. Those were a couple examples of things I had some issues with.

But don't let that turn you away from reading (or listening to) the book - it is worth the time (and the narrator is excellent). It gives you a realistic feel for the city of New Orleans and the aftermath of the storm. It paints a pretty pathetic picture of the city as a whole - which might explain why the character of Claire DeWitt claims she loves the city. I can't imagine why anyone would love a place like that, but with someone like Claire and her twisted viewpoint, I guess it makes some kind of sense. (Posted on 9/1/11)