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.