Chasing The Devil's Tail
By David Fulmer
Poisoned Pen Press - January 2002
ISBN: 1-890208-94-9 - Trade Paperback
Historical Mystery / for Mature Audience

Reviewed by Alvin C. Romer, MyShelf.Com
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There's no better time and place to conduct murder, mayhem, and mystery than at the turn of the century New Orleans. The Storyville section of the city, with the notorious Bourbon Street as a backdrop will have all the ingredients to aid and abet the aforementioned. The author, David Fulmer brings us a story full of riptose and revelry where greed, jealousy, and hatred fuels the need for murder in the first degree. This is all take place in the city of Jazz music's birth, with the plot and stroyline making references throughout to historical figures associated with the area interwoven with strong characterization. Creole detective Valentin St. Cyr has an unenviable task of uncovering and investigating who is murdering storyville prostitutes and leaving a black rose calling card. This is a fast moving tale of race, class, and color where the author's characters really take and hold center stage without compromising a weak plot. True to the dynamics of the book, you have a Jelly Roll Morton personification who is a piano virtuoso, Ferdinand LeMenthe; and a Mae West entity in LuLu White, the notorious and conniving madam of the district. There are many other characters that play prominent roles to a greater whole that our hero has to decipher in finding the devious, but clever killer. Is it the neighborhood financier, the madam, one of the ever present musicians looking to gain favor, or could it be any one of the myriad partners in crime that would give a willing person a ticket to the party? Read this fascinating but riveting account of New Orleans when the law had no boundaries talent and tackless temptation. Pick up the book where books are sold!

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