Overview
A potentially momentous discovery. A suspicious fire. A 50-year-old missing person’s case. Are they connected?
When Buddy Bolden died in a Louisiana insane asylum in 1931, a quarter century after his reign as the undisputed first “king” of jazz, he left behind no known recordings. But when quirky New Orleans antiques dealer Bruneau Abellard listens to a vintage phonograph cylinder he found in the secret compartment of a sideboard, he wonders if he has stumbled upon an important piece of musical history. In researching his discovery, Bruneau runs headlong into an arson investigation led by his childhood friend, NOPD Detective Bo Duplessis, which in turn may hold the key to a 50-year-old unsolved missing person’s case.
To untangle their present-day mysteries, Bruneau and Bo must first piece together a perplexing string of puzzles from the distant past. Their parallel investigations immerse them in the rhythm-and-blues subculture of 1960s New Orleans, and transport them to the dawn of the 20th Century, when a brash young musician introduced a new sound to the city, forever changing the course of music history.
Fast-paced and vividly drawn, The Bolden Cylinder introduces a memorable cast of eccentric characters, including a malodorous collector of early R&B memorabilia, a sultry nightclub singer, a reputed mob boss, a 12-year-old tap dancer, and an inscrutable peddler of voodoo paraphernalia. Together, they serve up a savory gumbo of suspenseful intrigue set against the seductive backdrop of a city in which past and present are forever interwoven.
Review
When Buddy Bolden died in a Louisiana insane asylum in 1931, a quarter century after his reign as the undisputed first “king” of jazz, he left behind no known recordings. But when quirky New Orleans antiques dealer Bruneau Abellard listens to a vintage phonograph cylinder he found in the secret compartment of a sideboard, he wonders if he has stumbled upon an important piece of musical history.
I expected more from this book. I wanted more from the asylum and more history. Plus, it is not as fast paced as I like. It is enjoyable but it is a bit wordy. That is not to say it is not a good read. I think I went into this tale with different expectations than the author.
That being said, I loved the setting of New Orleans. The author took you all over this area and did a fabulous job. I have not been to N.O. in quite a while. But I could just picture it. AND THE FOOD!
The mystery is also different with a wonderful myriad of characters. And the way it is woven together definitely keeps the reader guessing to what is going to happen next.
Need a unique mystery set in New Orleans…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for an honest review.
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