Another Kind of Eden
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- Create Date：2021-08-18 08:21:08
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：James Lee Burke
- ISBN：B08LDWTGVY
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Summary
New York Times
bestselling author James Lee Burke brings readers a captivating tale of justice， love， brutality， and mysticism set in the turbulent 1960s。
The American West in the early 1960s appears to be a pastoral paradise: golden wheat fields， mist-filled canyons， frolicking animals。 Aspiring novelist Aaron Holland Broussard has observed it from the open door of a boxcar， riding the rails for both inspiration and odd jobs。
Jumping off in Denver， he finds work on a farm and meets Joanne McDuffy， an articulate and fierce college student and gifted painter。 Their soul connection is immediate， but their romance is complicated by Joanne’s involvement with a shady professor who is mixed up with a drug-addled cult。 When a sinister businessman and his son who wield their influence through vicious cruelty set their sights on Aaron， drawing him into an investigation of grotesque murders， it is clear that this idyllic landscape harbors tremendous power—and evil。 Followed by a mysterious shrouded figure who might not be human， Aaron will have to face down all these foes to save the life of the woman he loves and his own。
A prequel to James Lee Burke’s masterful Holland family trilogy， Another Kind of Eden is both riveting and one of Burke’s most ambitious works to date。 It dismantles the myths of both the twentieth-century American West and the peace-and-love decade， excavating the beauty and idealism of the era to show the menace and chaos that lay simmering just beneath the surface。
The American West in the early 1960s appears to be a pastoral paradise: golden wheat fields， mist-filled canyons， frolicking animals。 Aspiring novelist Aaron Holland Broussard has observed it from the open door of a boxcar， riding the rails for both inspiration and odd jobs。
Jumping off in Denver， he finds work on a farm and meets Joanne McDuffy， an articulate and fierce college student and gifted painter。 Their soul connection is immediate， but their romance is complicated by Joanne’s involvement with a shady professor who is mixed up with a drug-addled cult。 When a sinister businessman and his son who wield their influence through vicious cruelty set their sights on Aaron， drawing him into an investigation of grotesque murders， it is clear that this idyllic landscape harbors tremendous power—and evil。 Followed by a mysterious shrouded figure who might not be human， Aaron will have to face down all these foes to save the life of the woman he loves and his own。
A prequel to James Lee Burke’s masterful Holland family trilogy， Another Kind of Eden is both riveting and one of Burke’s most ambitious works to date。 It dismantles the myths of both the twentieth-century American West and the peace-and-love decade， excavating the beauty and idealism of the era to show the menace and chaos that lay simmering just beneath the surface。
Reviews
Deanne Patterson
，
This is one of my husband's favorite author's so I decided to give his work a try。 This is the first book I've read by this author。The book absolutely is not for me！ Is it because I didn't start the series at the beginning？I'm not sure。 I did not make a connection with any of the characters。The story is disjointed and all over the place with a bunch of little side stories。One thing I will give him credit for is very descriptive writing， such as I've never seen before。It seemed he put more effort This is one of my husband's favorite author's so I decided to give his work a try。 This is the first book I've read by this author。The book absolutely is not for me！ Is it because I didn't start the series at the beginning？I'm not sure。 I did not make a connection with any of the characters。The story is disjointed and all over the place with a bunch of little side stories。One thing I will give him credit for is very descriptive writing， such as I've never seen before。It seemed he put more effort into his descriptions than he did into the story line itself。One thing I noticed about his writing is the words the characters speak to each other are very graphic and vulgar。 I don't know if this is his regular writing style but it is not what I am looking for in a book。Though the book is not for me I know his writing is very popular so don't let my review hold you back from trying this book。 My husband has read all of them besides this one and enjoys them。 Published August 17th 2021I was given a complimentary copy of this book。 Thank you。All opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more
William Rham
，
I’d read several of Mr。 Burke’s “Dave Robicheaux” novels and enjoyed them very much。 However， I’d not read anything from his “Holland Family” series and so was eager to give this a try。 Although I found it very different， the writing and story-telling are every bit as strong。 In short， I was not disappointed and think it deserves a 5-star rating。Aaron Holland Broussard is a Korean war veteran and an aspiring novelist “riding the rails” on freight trains and doing migrant work to earn his keep so I’d read several of Mr。 Burke’s “Dave Robicheaux” novels and enjoyed them very much。 However， I’d not read anything from his “Holland Family” series and so was eager to give this a try。 Although I found it very different， the writing and story-telling are every bit as strong。 In short， I was not disappointed and think it deserves a 5-star rating。Aaron Holland Broussard is a Korean war veteran and an aspiring novelist “riding the rails” on freight trains and doing migrant work to earn his keep sometime during the 1960’s。 Hopping off a boxcar in Denver， he finds work on a ranch/farm run by a family that thinks the world of him， a beautiful girl to fall in love with， and a boatload of trouble。 And he has a fatal flaw that will make it difficult to negotiate the challenges he meets， if not completely do him in。 Has Aaron found his “American Dream” – i。e。， a life of happiness and fulfillment – on the outskirts of Denver; or is it all just an illusion hiding a deep and rotten kind of evil that may just destroy him？ That’s what keeps us in suspense and turning the pages。I found Mr。 Burke’s characters well-drawn and compelling。 I really wanted the “good guys” to succeed and the villains to fail。 Even the minor characters come alive。 The plot is interesting and filled with tension and conflict。 When I began the novel， I was reminded a little of Lee Child’s “Jack Reacher” novels; and fans of that series may well enjoy this。 But there’s a lot more complexity in Mr。 Burke’s work。 And his writing—the words， sentences， and paragraphs he spins onto a page—is simply first-rate。 It’s very lyrical in places and， at times， reminded me of Tennessee Williams。 Plus， the novel is leavened with a whole lot of mystery and mysticism。 So much so， that by it’s end， I wasn’t quite sure what had actually happened。 But I wasn’t disappointed by that; which is a testament to Mr。 Burke’s artistry。 Indeed， the next morning I found myself thinking about what I’d read and coming to my own conclusions about what must have happened。 In other words， this is a novel that may well stay with you。My thanks to NetGalley， Simon and Shuster， and James Lee Burke for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy， in exchange for which no promises were made regarding this review。 。。。more
V
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What a privilege to read Another Kind of Eden by James Lee Burke， such a legendary author。 I haven't read his works in many years， I'd forgotten how talented he is。 I also haven't read all the Holland family series and was not familiar with the main character， Aaron Brousard。It was gritty and dark 1960's Colorado。 The atmospheric setting and characters were well described。 There is racism and some sexual content。 None of that particularly bothered me。That said and at the risk of being ostracized What a privilege to read Another Kind of Eden by James Lee Burke， such a legendary author。 I haven't read his works in many years， I'd forgotten how talented he is。 I also haven't read all the Holland family series and was not familiar with the main character， Aaron Brousard。It was gritty and dark 1960's Colorado。 The atmospheric setting and characters were well described。 There is racism and some sexual content。 None of that particularly bothered me。That said and at the risk of being ostracized， I could not get through the book or relate to it。 I attempted to read it for almost two months， and it's a short book！I grew up on small 200 acre farm where my father grew grain & cotton and raised cattle。 We vacationed in cheap travel trailers at campsites in Colorado as far back as I can remember， which would include the 60's and 70's。 Nothing in this book reminded me of those times or that place。 Granted， my memories are those of a child and a teenager。 We were not well off， we ate out of a ice chest or on a Coleman grill， no hotels。 My father did the combine run through multiple states and I was around the field workers。I've been an avid reader for far too long to admit。 I love reading all types of history， fiction， literary， westerns， and mysteries。 This book didn't hold my interest， I couldn't grasp the characters， and I couldn't find anything I gained from reading as much as I did。 I'm sorry and I know I will be in a minority。I will continue to have the utmost respect for the author and his knowledge。 My gratitude to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital advance copy。 The opinions stated here are mine given voluntarily。 。。。more
Darlene
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The novel follows Aaron Holland Broussard to Denver where he finds work as a farmhand but is quickly promoted when the owner finds him hard-working and loyal。 Farm life is not his life goal though。 Broussard has written his first novel and hopes to find a publisher soon。 If you have read any of Burke's earlier works， you will find the names Holland and Broussard familiar。 Though this book has familiar names， the story can be read as a stand-alone。 I am a big fan of Burke and I loved this novel e The novel follows Aaron Holland Broussard to Denver where he finds work as a farmhand but is quickly promoted when the owner finds him hard-working and loyal。 Farm life is not his life goal though。 Broussard has written his first novel and hopes to find a publisher soon。 If you have read any of Burke's earlier works， you will find the names Holland and Broussard familiar。 Though this book has familiar names， the story can be read as a stand-alone。 I am a big fan of Burke and I loved this novel even more than all the others I've read。 This one has all the hallmarks of his earlier works - the brooding， tough， loyal loner， the Western scenery， the archetypal Western bad guy - but adds elements of folklore and mysticism to the mix。 It sounds like an odd combination， but Burke really makes it work。If you have not read anything from this author before， then you are in for a real treat。 This isn't your typical western。 The prose is simply beautiful。 I can't think of another author that compares。 I don't even usually like westerns， but these are just so different。 The writing style is literary fiction while the plot is edgy western。 I can't even describe the experience but I will recommend it to anyone and I will keep on reading every novel this author puts out。I thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
TC
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RecommendedReview posted at Tzer Island book blog:https://www。tzerisland。com/bookblog/2。。。 RecommendedReview posted at Tzer Island book blog:https://www。tzerisland。com/bookblog/2。。。 。。。more
Adrian Dooley
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Gonna keep this review short as this one wasn’t for me。 My first James Lee Burke read and I have to say it’s a huge disappointment。 The writing style seemed to favour prose over story and character development。 I was never fully engaged with the stories or characters。 An unreliable narrator adds to the detached reading experience。 I’m sure there were plenty of metaphors in here but honestly I wasn’t interested enough to think about them。 The bizarre finally， a frankly unbelievable love story and Gonna keep this review short as this one wasn’t for me。 My first James Lee Burke read and I have to say it’s a huge disappointment。 The writing style seemed to favour prose over story and character development。 I was never fully engaged with the stories or characters。 An unreliable narrator adds to the detached reading experience。 I’m sure there were plenty of metaphors in here but honestly I wasn’t interested enough to think about them。 The bizarre finally， a frankly unbelievable love story and a vagueness in writing style led me to have little it no interest in this one。 Some of the prose to be fair were beautifully written but I prefer a good story and well written characters first and they seemed lost in this highly stylised yet vacuous book。 Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley。 。。。more
Elaine Tomasso
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I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of Another Kind of Eden， a prequel to the Holland family trilogy， set in Colorado in 1962。Aaron Holland Broussard lives an itinerant lifestyle and takes a job on a farm south of Denver。 There he meets and falls in love with local artist Jo Anne McDuffy， falls out with a powerful local family and messes with a local professor and his cult of drug users。 I thoroughly enjoyed Another Kind of Eden as it is a long time sin I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of Another Kind of Eden， a prequel to the Holland family trilogy， set in Colorado in 1962。Aaron Holland Broussard lives an itinerant lifestyle and takes a job on a farm south of Denver。 There he meets and falls in love with local artist Jo Anne McDuffy， falls out with a powerful local family and messes with a local professor and his cult of drug users。 I thoroughly enjoyed Another Kind of Eden as it is a long time since I immersed myself in Mr Burke’s work。 His storytelling is as compulsive as ever， but I can’t help but feel that this novel is a little derivative of his previous work。 There is little to differentiate Aaron Holland Broussard from his long term creation Dave Robichaux， the same wartime PTSD， the problems with drink and the sense of justice and how to administer it。 Even the bad guys have much the same demons。 I’m not saying this is a bad thing as there is comfort in the familiar and what he has to say is worth saying。I am struggling to define what I find so compulsive and pleasurable about this novel。 I like the story with its mixture of strange characters and uncertainty about what will come next， that engenders tension。 I like the lyrical tone in the descriptions of the landscape and I like the understated contrast between the American dream and the harsh reality of life for many folks。 I like the rather biting social commentary that underlines this point。 Another kind of Eden， indeed， one that is edgy， tense and unpredictable， perhaps even supernatural although my jury is out on that。 The novel takes a turn away from the traditional for its final action scenes。 Aaron warns the reader in his introduction that some readers might not believe the events that he swears are true。 Well， it’s fantastical and I’m not sure what the author is trying to tell me， so I just went with the flow or the action， tension and excitement。Another Kind of Eden is a good read that I can recommend。 。。。more
Kaye
，
James Lee Burke is a masterful writer and a national treasure。 Still， having read all but two of his novels， I'm convinced that with the passage of time he's going deeper and deeper into some strange territory。 The books are getting increasingly mystical and surreal， so much so that at times it's been hard to find the plot。That is NOT the case with Another Kind of Eden。 It's compact， and much more linear than the most recent books。 Burke's genius is evident， but he reined himself in with the sup James Lee Burke is a masterful writer and a national treasure。 Still， having read all but two of his novels， I'm convinced that with the passage of time he's going deeper and deeper into some strange territory。 The books are getting increasingly mystical and surreal， so much so that at times it's been hard to find the plot。That is NOT the case with Another Kind of Eden。 It's compact， and much more linear than the most recent books。 Burke's genius is evident， but he reined himself in with the supernatural phenomena。 They make an appearance， but are not the stars of the show。Perhaps my appreciation of this story stems from the fact I've always like the Holland family series more than the Robicheaux books （except those set in Montana）。 Odd， because Burke displays sheer wizardry when he writes about the bayou， but it often seems over the top。There are hints that Aaron Holland Broussard， the lead character， has more than a little in common with Burke himself。 He's a writer and a teacher and a veteran， and he carries the values we associate with The Greatest Generation。 He wanders into a small Colorado town and finds that hell quite literally has broken loose。Thanks to NetGalley and Simona & Schuster for an advance readers copy。 。。。more
Kathy
，
Two of the things I like best about James Lee Burke as a writer is his skill in character development and his descriptive writing。 Both make his novels come alive for the reader。Another Kind of Eden is set in the 1960s。 Aaron Holland Broussard， a Korean war vet and an aspiring writer， has submitted his book for publication and is now riding the rails in boxcars in the American West。 He jumps off in Colorado and picks up some migrant work working for Jude Lowry， owner of a large dairy and produce Two of the things I like best about James Lee Burke as a writer is his skill in character development and his descriptive writing。 Both make his novels come alive for the reader。Another Kind of Eden is set in the 1960s。 Aaron Holland Broussard， a Korean war vet and an aspiring writer， has submitted his book for publication and is now riding the rails in boxcars in the American West。 He jumps off in Colorado and picks up some migrant work working for Jude Lowry， owner of a large dairy and produce farm， a man he comes to respect greatly。Aaron， a troubled 26 year old， is often at odds with himself。 He has been known to be prone to violence， has blackouts that he can't remember， and says he has a personality disorder in that he has three different personalities。 Yet those who know him best say he is a good man， one who stands up for the right things。 He finds himself falling in love with Joanne McDuffy， a college student， who has a strange and damaging relationship with one of her professors。 The professor， in turn， is involved with a hippie drug cult。 Aaron also finds himself having to deal with a local businessman and his son who wield their power over the locals in evil and sadistic ways。 One of the main themes throughout the book is the battle between good and evil， including some supernatural happenings as well。A slow-burner， one cannot help but root for Aaron and hope that things work out for him。My thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to read an ARC of this book which is scheduled for publication on 8/17/21。 All opinions （and any errors） expressed in this review are my own。 。。。more
Bonnye Reed
，
I received a free electronic copy of this book， an ARC， from Netgalley， James Lee Burke， and the publisher Simon & Schuster。 I have read Another Kind of Eden of my own volition， and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work。 I love everything James Lee Burke blesses us with。 And though I can't wait to read his southern novels， His Holland Family sagas are all exceptional。This book is more true-to-life than anything else I have read about this period of time in the Southwest。 It is obvi I received a free electronic copy of this book， an ARC， from Netgalley， James Lee Burke， and the publisher Simon & Schuster。 I have read Another Kind of Eden of my own volition， and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work。 I love everything James Lee Burke blesses us with。 And though I can't wait to read his southern novels， His Holland Family sagas are all exceptional。This book is more true-to-life than anything else I have read about this period of time in the Southwest。 It is obviously based on personal experience， and from the heart。 Taking place in the early 1960s， we are in southern Colorado， a small town called Trinidad 21 miles north of Raton， New Mexico。 Trinidad was a mining town back in the early 20th century， and with a population now of about 8，000 and still dwindling in 2021， it continues to be economically dependent on tourism and truck gardens， still small， down-home， insular， and isolated。 This is pretty much a template of small western towns， then and now。This is a first-person tale told by Aaron Holland Broussard， a young man of 26， trained as an English teacher but working his way across the west by hopping trains and making a living as a farmworker while he waits for a publisher to want his first novel。 The western lifestyle of the early 1960s is portrayed as it probably was。 I was 12 or 13 in southern New Mexico and didn't see much off of the farm but from what I remember the times were rather bleak。 Money was tight - is always tight in farm country - and immigrants and hippies were often traveling through on their way to anywhere else。 Veterans of WWII and Korea were also traveling through our west， looking for something。 They would find a place to land， but the road would call them before long， and they would be on their way to somewhere else。 Aaron lets us see it through his eyes， and it is so sad it might bring you to tears， but you will have a much better understanding of both that time frame in America and the woes of veterans of our country's 20th-century wars。 Another Kind of Eden is a book I would like everyone I know to read。 It is a wake-up call for all of us to take to heart。Pub date August 17， 2021Reviewed on August 11， 2021， at Goodreads and Netgalley。 Reviewed on August 17， 2021， at AmazonSmile， Barnes&Noble， BookBub， Kobo， and GooglePlay。 。。。more
Kathleen Gray
，
I love James Lee Burke's writing as much as I am entranced by his plots and this latest is no exception。 He has a particular style and rhythm to his words that is instantly recognizable and oddly comforting， especially when he's writing about violence and dark things，。 Aaron Holland Broussard， a Korean War vet with mental health issues and a former professor， is now working as a farm laborer in Colorado。 A chance meeting with Jo Anne， a waitress， and an evil father-son duo sets him off into a ma I love James Lee Burke's writing as much as I am entranced by his plots and this latest is no exception。 He has a particular style and rhythm to his words that is instantly recognizable and oddly comforting， especially when he's writing about violence and dark things，。 Aaron Holland Broussard， a Korean War vet with mental health issues and a former professor， is now working as a farm laborer in Colorado。 A chance meeting with Jo Anne， a waitress， and an evil father-son duo sets him off into a maelstrom of events that will at times make you ask why he doesn't just leave town。 Except he's fallen in love。 Unfortunately， Jo Anne is involved with her art professor and there's a bus load of drug addled people in her back yard。 And there's murders in the area， Burke writes vivid characters- you'll be able to visualize the Sheriff， his equally troubled coworkers， and others- but he soars with atmospherics and landscapes。 Know that there are ghosts and that the big showdown might be a bit confusing （it was for me） but there are great pleasures here。 There's also a line near the end about Broussard's books that might make long time readers think a bit about Burke himself。 Thanks to the publisher for the ARC。 This will be fine as a standalone- new readers will find themselves seeking out more- and his fans will be pleased as well。 。。。more
Scott Portnoy
，
I would like to thank Simon and Shuster and Net Galley for allowing me to read this book for free in return for an honest review。I am a fan of James Lee Burke and his Detective Dave Robichaux series。 This is a book from the Holland series which previously I have not read。Aaron Broussard， the central figure， is a college educated writer who chooses to be a drifter and rider of the rails。 He arrives in Trinidad Colorado via box car and lands a job as a worker on a large tomato farm in the employ o I would like to thank Simon and Shuster and Net Galley for allowing me to read this book for free in return for an honest review。I am a fan of James Lee Burke and his Detective Dave Robichaux series。 This is a book from the Holland series which previously I have not read。Aaron Broussard， the central figure， is a college educated writer who chooses to be a drifter and rider of the rails。 He arrives in Trinidad Colorado via box car and lands a job as a worker on a large tomato farm in the employ of farm owner and father figure Jude Lowry。Aaron is running from demons that have haunted him ever since his traumatic experience during the Korean War。 He suffers from hallucinations and what seems to be PTSD。Much of the time it is difficult to separate the mystical goings on as described by Aaron from the real。 I believe this is a deliberate narrative style that Burke has chosen to show just how close one can fall into the abyss that separates madness from sanity。The central mystery involves a confrontation between Aaron and his friends with the rich town bully and his son。 Many of the characters are on a continuum from mostly well meaning to pure evil。Burke believes that the capability for evil resides within human nature and he explores this dichotomy as the mystery unfolds。The Epilogue does NOT resolve what exactly happens in the final confrontation leaving the reader to decide for themselves。I enjoyed the book and the descriptive prose and dialogue。 Those looking for a linear narrative that has a definitive resolution will be disappointed 。 Burke has much to say about human nature and does not hold back， subscribing to the Hobbesian view that humanity is often nasty and brutish and life short。 。。。more
Lou Jacobs
，
Another Kind of Eden by James Lee BurkePublication Date: August 17， 2021 by Simon & SchusterA modern day morality play starring the flawed and tortured soul of Aaron Holland Broussard， haunted by the violence inherent to the Holland family line and the recurring nightmares that may or may not represent reality … especially those from the Korean War。 He was an articulate twenty-six year old， trained in Journalism at the University of Missouri， but considered himself a failure。 After a short stint Another Kind of Eden by James Lee BurkePublication Date: August 17， 2021 by Simon & SchusterA modern day morality play starring the flawed and tortured soul of Aaron Holland Broussard， haunted by the violence inherent to the Holland family line and the recurring nightmares that may or may not represent reality … especially those from the Korean War。 He was an articulate twenty-six year old， trained in Journalism at the University of Missouri， but considered himself a failure。 After a short stint as an English instructor， and a completed novel gathering dust in a New York agent’s office， he found himself riding the rails with the intent of doing menial farm jobs while gathering inspiration。 At times he had nonalcoholic blackouts and other times fugue states … not quite knowing what represented reality。 He was plagued by the knowledge that those in powerful positions maintained their control by unbridled cruelty。 He certainly could not fathom a reason for killing animals for sport。 In the spring of 1962 he finds himself hopping off the train in Denver， and inexplicably riding a Greyhound bus into the city of Trinidad， where he quickly hires onto the diary and produce farm of Jude Lowry。 The bucolic setting is not what it seems on the surface。 While the era of hippies and free love is burgeoning ， along with it is the culture of drug trafficking， and union-busting。 Nonetheless， Aaron finds purpose and camaraderie with two quirky and colorful bunkmates。 There was Cotton Williams with silver hair down to his shoulders and his nose firmly implanted in a continuing stream of Classics Illustrated comics。 His backstory involved being an active participant in the liberation of Rome from the Nazi hordes。 He personally exterminated the exterminators deep in the catacombs… earning him a Silver Star。 Equally likable was Spud Caudill …。 “a good soul， but as homely as mud， and as socially sophisticated as a dirty sock floating in a punch bowl” … who spent most of his time thinking and pursuing women。 Their first taste of unjust power and corruption occurs when the three are sent to Trinidad with a truck load of farm goods。 While eating in the local restaurant ， neither Aaron or Spud can keep their eyes off the young and beautiful waitress。 As they innocently made their way back to the truck， they were attacked and bludgeoned mercilessly by four men， wielding ax handles。To their surprise， the motivation for the assault was a sticker on the rear bumper of Mr。 Lowry’s truck …United Farm Workers。 While at the jail for questioning ， Aaron receives a message from the waitress。 “You don’t know what you’re dealing with。 Call me” … signed Jo Anne McDuffy。 Aaron not only calls， but insists he wants to talk in person and comes to her house。 She informs him the attack was led by Darrel Vickers on behalf of his powerful father ， Ruben Vickers。 He is well known locally for his penchant for cruelty to maintain control， as well as to humiliate and degrade。 While at Jo Anne’s house， he asks to view her paintings， and is met with her statement: “I paint things that not many people care about” … all are extrapolations of photographs taken after the 1914 Ludlow Massacre involving women， children and the local miners。 Aaron describes his impressions: “…the canvas had become an entryway into a ragged pit in the earth where eleven children and two women were assembled like a church choir， their heads shaped like darning socks， backdropped by smoke and flames， their mouths black holes， their screams trapped under the paint …。” Aaron enters into an ill advised and troubled courtship with Jo Anne that has far reaching complications and the inevitable confrontation with the Vickers。 Just one example of gems placed in the mouths of his multifaceted characters: “I hate people who flaunt violence and take pleasure speaking of it。 They belong to a culture of cowards and misogynists … every one of them is cruel and a spiritual failure… The louder their rhetoric， the more craven their behavior …” James Lee Burke crafts a masterful complex and convoluted tale involving power， greed， cruelty， and mental illness ， as well as， love and justice。 Utilizing lyrical prose and complicated and well fleshed out multiplicity of characters he resolves his exciting denouement with the introduction of the supernatural and mysticism that one wonders where reality ends。 Although Burke has written other tales involving the Holland family， this captivating and gritty journey can be enjoyed and devoured as a standalone。 Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review。（ at readers remains。com AND Mystery and Suspense Magazine ） 。。。more
Michael Burke
，
Remembering America ``great again"。。。 the early 1960's。。。 the country was wholesome and innocent， it was a time of Camelot -- peace and love filled the air。 Father knew best， we made room for daddy， and while Hazel tidied the house Ozzie was searching for Tutti-Frutti ice cream for little Ricky and David。 This was the facade。 This was not Mayberry。In James Lee Burke's "Another Kind of Eden" Aaron Holland Broussard is an aspiring writer wandering across the great wide western states， hopping trai Remembering America ``great again"。。。 the early 1960's。。。 the country was wholesome and innocent， it was a time of Camelot -- peace and love filled the air。 Father knew best， we made room for daddy， and while Hazel tidied the house Ozzie was searching for Tutti-Frutti ice cream for little Ricky and David。 This was the facade。 This was not Mayberry。In James Lee Burke's "Another Kind of Eden" Aaron Holland Broussard is an aspiring writer wandering across the great wide western states， hopping trains and working on farms， just trying to make an honest living。 Beneath Eden's surface things are not so perfect， not always as they appear。 Those in power use brute force to maintain control over the disadvantaged。 Any mention of the word "union" is an incitement for violence。 The respected beacons of the community， the people Aaron looks up to， harbor dark corrupt secrets。 Even the dawn of the hippie flower child culture feels the contamination of narcotics。A hidden undercurrent runs through Aaron， too。 An overwhelming force compels him to stop the wrongs he sees behind the facade， all while he wrestles with demons and flashbacks from his Korean war trauma。 In the aftermath of these blackouts he is left to wonder what violence he summoned to answer the evil。There is a reference to Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" in the prologue。 That story， set in the time of Salem's witch trials， concludes with the world turning upside down for the main character。 He travels a nightmarish journey culminating in the revelation that the people he counted on are aligned with the devil。 Aaron has the same experience。 His blackouts， time-tripping， and hallucinations meet with the supernatural in a showdown smashing his reality like a wrecking ball。 James Lee Burke's previous novel， "A Private Cathedral''， also introduced a supernatural vein into his work。 His protagonist in that book （and in dozens of others）， Dave Robicheaux， is also a moral but flawed man driven to violence when confronted with pure evil。 In these works the villainy is manifesting itself stronger than ever and must be dealt with accordingly。 With 5 stars I highly recommend this book as I would all James Lee Burke's work。 Thank you to NetGalley， Simon & Schuster， and James Lee Burke for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review。 Posting today on NetGalley and GoodReads。"Another Kind of Eden" publishes on August 17， 2021 and I will be posting this review on Amazon， Barnes & Noble， BookBub， and Twitter on that day。 #AnotherKindOfEden #NetGalley 。。。more
Elisabeth
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Edge of your seat， gritty novel full of mean and scary people。 Mostly men。 Makes me appreciate my dull small town life。 Greg Iles and S A Cosby fans will enjoy this。
Diane Ferbrache
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I am very conflicted about this book。 Because I have not read the previous books in this series， I did not know what to expect。 The writing is stellar -- beautiful， captivating， engrossing， but the final third of the book turns a suspenseful mystery into something that may （0r may） not be right out of a Stephen King book。 Aaron is an intriguing character。 His past seems to be a mystery to everyone， even himself。 He admits to having blackouts， not alcohol or drug induced， but the result of some s I am very conflicted about this book。 Because I have not read the previous books in this series， I did not know what to expect。 The writing is stellar -- beautiful， captivating， engrossing， but the final third of the book turns a suspenseful mystery into something that may （0r may） not be right out of a Stephen King book。 Aaron is an intriguing character。 His past seems to be a mystery to everyone， even himself。 He admits to having blackouts， not alcohol or drug induced， but the result of some sort of psychological issue -- schizophrenia？ PTSD？ Burke deftly puts us in the middle of the 1960s and does a great job of recreating life on a ranch in rural Colorado at the beginning of the Viet Nam war and the beatnik/hippie movement。 The mystery around the deaths of women in the area and the suspense created by the constant conflict between Aaron and a father/son duo make for a great read。 But Burke lost me with the final confrontation and the ending。 I am impressed with the quality of the writing， but the story left me feeling "meh！" 。。。more
Liz
，
This is the first James Lee Burke novel I’ve read that wasn’t part of the Dave Robicheaux Series。 This is the third book of the Holland family saga。 It works as a standalone。 Aaron Broussard is an educated young man， an aspiring writer， who's been riding the rails and finding manual labor jobs in 1962 as he explores the country。 He takes a job on the McDuffy family farm in Colorado。 He quickly runs afoul of the Vickers， a father-son duo who enjoy gratuitous violence。 He starts a relationship wit This is the first James Lee Burke novel I’ve read that wasn’t part of the Dave Robicheaux Series。 This is the third book of the Holland family saga。 It works as a standalone。 Aaron Broussard is an educated young man， an aspiring writer， who's been riding the rails and finding manual labor jobs in 1962 as he explores the country。 He takes a job on the McDuffy family farm in Colorado。 He quickly runs afoul of the Vickers， a father-son duo who enjoy gratuitous violence。 He starts a relationship with a beautiful young painter， who has her own weird relationship with a local professor who seems to be taking advantage of her。 This is an in depth character study of Aaron who has a bit of a dark past including some jail time and unexplained blackouts。 It’s told with him looking back from some future date at these events。 The writing is poetic at times。 I found myself underlining numerous passages。 The story is extremely dark with a bit of the supernatural about it。 The plot involves the fight of the average man standing up to true evil。 As much as I liked Burke’s writing， I can’t say the story really worked for me。 The ending was very ambiguous and several questions remained unanswered。 My thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book。 。。。more
James Ryan
，
I thank the author and publisher for this ARC of Burke's new novel。Burke is back， just as gritty as he's even been - maybe even more so if possible。 He delivers a hard boiled narrator who is tied to the world of academia and publishing while straddling the world of Tom Joad type who still wandered in 1960s America （and who still do in the world of Nomadlands in the 2020s）。In the bizarre world of a PTSD Korean War vet who in the early 1960s becomes a drifter， Burke carries us into the sordid worl I thank the author and publisher for this ARC of Burke's new novel。Burke is back， just as gritty as he's even been - maybe even more so if possible。 He delivers a hard boiled narrator who is tied to the world of academia and publishing while straddling the world of Tom Joad type who still wandered in 1960s America （and who still do in the world of Nomadlands in the 2020s）。In the bizarre world of a PTSD Korean War vet who in the early 1960s becomes a drifter， Burke carries us into the sordid world that lies below the surface of the American Dream。Compare this this the David Lynch's vision in his movie "Blue Velvet"。Even better still， compare this to Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"。 I think Burke here picks up Capt。 Kurtz's dark psychoses， carries them in the 20th century， and then plops them in our laps here in the 21st。Careful。 This narrator is totally unreliable as we he reports the real terror and horror that spurts from his tortured， schizoid soul。 。。。more
Cynthia
，
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this novel in prepublication and for an honest review。There are few writers who can turn a descriptive phrase like Mr。 Burke。 His use of adjectives and descriptive metaphors is， bar none， the best I’ve ever read。 He paints pictures with his words that are a feast for the eyes and the brain。 I’ve read every Robicheaux book and many of the Holland books。 Another Kind of Eden drifts been reality and the mysticism in the 1960’s Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this novel in prepublication and for an honest review。There are few writers who can turn a descriptive phrase like Mr。 Burke。 His use of adjectives and descriptive metaphors is， bar none， the best I’ve ever read。 He paints pictures with his words that are a feast for the eyes and the brain。 I’ve read every Robicheaux book and many of the Holland books。 Another Kind of Eden drifts been reality and the mysticism in the 1960’s – when life was simpler and the world was still adjusting to post war life while the Cuban Missle Crisis was looming。 Our main character Aaron lands as a migrant worker at the farm of Jude Lowry。 A seemingly kind man who hired Aaron on as his foreman。Between the good work， and the woman， Jo Anne， that he meets， Aaron is living a life he called “a good life。” Another kind of Eden is a story of Aaron’s love and loyalty， justice for those wronged by brutality， and offers ample reason to believe that not everything is as it seems – or as one “sees。” It’s a captivating novel of the American West during the 1960’s when most of the country was embroiled in peace， love and protest。 Read it。 。。。more
Barbara
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3。5 starsTwenty-six-year old Aaron Holland Broussard grew up in Texas， fought in the Korean war， studied journalism at the University of Missouri， and wrote a novel that he's submitted to publishers。 Aaron is now riding the rails out West， absorbing experiences for his next book。 The story opens in 1962， when Aaron hops off a train in Colorado and gets a job on Mr。 Jude Lowry's farm near the town of Trinidad。 There's a bunkhouse full of employees， and a general sense of camaraderie and friendshi 3。5 starsTwenty-six-year old Aaron Holland Broussard grew up in Texas， fought in the Korean war， studied journalism at the University of Missouri， and wrote a novel that he's submitted to publishers。 Aaron is now riding the rails out West， absorbing experiences for his next book。 The story opens in 1962， when Aaron hops off a train in Colorado and gets a job on Mr。 Jude Lowry's farm near the town of Trinidad。 There's a bunkhouse full of employees， and a general sense of camaraderie and friendship。However， Aaron's closest co-workers are Spud Caudhill - a homely man who has a passion for dago red wine and prostitutes;and Cotton Williams - who has long gray hair， an unseeing white eye， and a liking for comic books。Aaron is intelligent， well-spoken， and compassionate， but he has disquiet in his soul。 Aaron feels guilty about the death of his best friend Saber Bledsoe in Korea; he's lost a girl he thought was the love of his life; and he suffers from non-alcoholic blackouts， during which he becomes belligerent and violent。 Thus Aaron tries to keep a tight rein on his anger， to avoid killing someone。Trouble starts when Mr。 Lowry sends Aaron， Spud， and Cotton to Trinidad with a load of tomatoes。 A United Farm Workers bumper sticker on the truck gets Aaron and his friends beat up by four goons。。。。。。。。。。and instead of going after the ruffians， Sheriff Wade Benbow jails Aaron， Spud， and Cotton overnight。 It turns out Benbow wants Aaron to help him catch a serial rapist who's killed several girls， including Benbow's granddaughter。 Benbow thinks the killer works on Mr。 Lowry's farm， and he wants Aaron to spy on his fellow workers。 In the meantime， a pretty waitress named Jo Anne McDuffy gets in touch with Aaron。 She tells him the men who beat him up were led by a creep called Darrel Vickers， son of wealthy bigwig Rueben Vickers。 Jo Anne says both Vickers' are buckets of shit and Aaron should stay away from them。 Aaron is immediately attracted to Jo Anne。。。。。。。。。。and learns she's a painter studying under art professor Henri Devos。 Aaron meets Devos and hates him on sight， thinking he's a smarmy predator that wants to take advantage of Jo Anne。 Aaron and Devos compete for Jo Anne's attention， and the girl seems torn between them。Burke's books always pit good against evil， and - from this point on - Aaron is plagued by sinister forces。Rueben Vickers shows up at the Lowry farm， enraged about his son Darrel being accused of assault。 One thing leads to another and Rueben repeatedly lashes Aaron's face with a quirt， after which Aaron tells Rueben 'you have a black soul， you're a bully， and you carry an incubus that will cost you your soul。' This deeply affects the old bully， and - as it turns out - preys on his mind。 Further encounters between Aaron and the Vickers' escalate the situation。Aaron falls hard for Jo Anne。。。。。。。。。。and is upset that she lets Henri Devos hang around her house。 Moreover， the professor brings a busload of penniless hippies and thugs， who park on Jo Anne's property， plug into her electric line， eat her food， etc。 Aaron has a run-in with the miscreants， and - later on - a violent confrontation with Devos。As in some of Burke's other books， the story has elements of magical realism。 Aaron talks to ghosts。。。。。。。。。and has an encounter with supernatural entities that are malevolent and dangerous。 All this leads to a momentous climax that unveils shocking secrets。Burke's talent for depicting landscape and atmosphere is unsurpassed， and his evil characters belong in a place worse than hell。 I enjoyed the book， my one quibble being that Burke's books all seem to follow the same paradigm。。。。。evil forces threatening good people。I'd recommend the book to fans of James Lee Burke and readers who enjoy mystery and/or horror stories。Thanks to Netgalley， James Lee Burke， and Simon and Schuster for a copy of the book。You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer。blogspot。com 。。。more
Jim
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Simply one of the best writers in the world。 If you haven't experienced a James Lee Burke book， stop what you're doing and look into his bio and explore。 Then order a few， including this one when it comes out， and sit back and enjoy his work。 You won't be sorry。 Simply one of the best writers in the world。 If you haven't experienced a James Lee Burke book， stop what you're doing and look into his bio and explore。 Then order a few， including this one when it comes out， and sit back and enjoy his work。 You won't be sorry。 。。。more
Deborah Cleaves
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Burke is a wordsmith like no other creating a musically descriptive language all his own。 No other author has ever left me breathless with wonder and admiration on every page of print。this book is magical， penetrating examination of both time and fugue states， mixing hallucinations and reality to create a wondrous illumination of evil hiding among normalcy。 Breathtaking。 Highly recommend。
Dollie
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I would like to thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC free for an honest review。 In the 1960s Aaron Broussard likes to ride the rails and perform migrant work。 A veteran of the Korean War， he suffers from dissociative personality disorder （he has three personalities）， and suffers from blackouts。 When he gets hired at a tomato farm outside Denver he meets several people， not all of them kind， but one of which he falls in love with and makes him want to settle down。 I would like to thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC free for an honest review。 In the 1960s Aaron Broussard likes to ride the rails and perform migrant work。 A veteran of the Korean War， he suffers from dissociative personality disorder （he has three personalities）， and suffers from blackouts。 When he gets hired at a tomato farm outside Denver he meets several people， not all of them kind， but one of which he falls in love with and makes him want to settle down。 Nothing works out for him。 I decided to read this book because it sounded like a great mystery。 It was， only a mystery that answered no questions。 It made me feel like I'd wasted my time reading it。 This was my first James Lee Burke novel and I’m pretty sure it’ll be my last。 It’s not that it was a terribly bad novel and at least I liked some of the characters。 My problem with it is that it was the slowest mystery I’ve ever read and left me thinking “Why were these people doing the things they did？” Such as， his boss is killed in front of her and his widow just pretends he went back to Boston for a visit。 At the end of the story Aaron just moves on without any real explanation of what actually happened in the canyon。 Perhaps there was no explanation besides the fact that some of the people there were dealing drugs。 I’m still left wondering what the hell was flying around in the canyon scaring Aaron and Jo Anne out of their wits。 The story gets one star。 The fact that I liked some of the characters and that it only took me two days to read it gives it another star。 My apologies to Mr。 Burke and fans of his Holland series， but this just really WASN’T my cup of tea。 I'm someone who likes answers and explanations。 。。。more
Andy Krahling
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I hadn't read a JLB book in a long time， and was excited for this one。 I enjoyed this， thought the main character was interesting， and the story held my interest。 Aaron Broussard is a complex man， with many hidden facets that periodically come to the surface。 I appreciated the look back into the 60's， and will confess surprise as to the direction the novel took in the final 1/3 or so。I would read others in the series。 I hadn't read a JLB book in a long time， and was excited for this one。 I enjoyed this， thought the main character was interesting， and the story held my interest。 Aaron Broussard is a complex man， with many hidden facets that periodically come to the surface。 I appreciated the look back into the 60's， and will confess surprise as to the direction the novel took in the final 1/3 or so。I would read others in the series。 。。。more
Laura
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free electronic ARC of Another Kind of Eden in exchange for my free and honest review。Let me begin by saying， I love anything and everything James Lee Burke writes。 ❤ JLB is one of my hands- down favorite authors。 His characters are flawed， relatable and most always loveable。 Settings are described in a way that allows the reader to see and feel the places described。This book follows Aaron Holland Broussard on a fool's errand - my terminology Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free electronic ARC of Another Kind of Eden in exchange for my free and honest review。Let me begin by saying， I love anything and everything James Lee Burke writes。 ❤ JLB is one of my hands- down favorite authors。 His characters are flawed， relatable and most always loveable。 Settings are described in a way that allows the reader to see and feel the places described。This book follows Aaron Holland Broussard on a fool's errand - my terminology。 He crosses paths with the wrong folks， falls in love with the wrong girl and basically gets himself in so much trouble。The setting is after the Korean War， small town outside of Denver。 Aaron has returned from the war whereas his best friend died on the battlefield。 He is a writer and former teacher who has decided to ride the rails and work as a farmhand。 Enter the bad guys。。。Aaron crosses paths with Darrel Vickers and his friends by happenstance and sets off a feud that will last the entire novel。Enter the love interest， Jo Anne。。。I am sure JLB meant her to read this way， so I don't feel too badly for not completely loving this character and not rooting for her。You can read the publisher's summary for a brief overview。 What I include in my reviews are my thoughts and feelings about the novel and are purely my own。**********spoiler alert***************My one major criticism of the novel is the inclusion of the winged creatures in the canyon scenes。 I know this is the fight between good and evil but feel like they are just add-in creatures that detract from the storyline， not add to it。 。。。more
Debra
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James Lee Burke has a gift of letting us get into the mind of his protagonist。 Although， it is never a very clear place to be。 There is good and bad in each of us and in this novel， you can't always tell the good guys from the bad guys and the ending surely shows that。 It was not what I expected at all。I was so engrossed in this story that I was surprised how quickly I read it。 One gets taken along for the ride and when it ends， you wish you had just a wee bit left to save for tomorrow。 I have a James Lee Burke has a gift of letting us get into the mind of his protagonist。 Although， it is never a very clear place to be。 There is good and bad in each of us and in this novel， you can't always tell the good guys from the bad guys and the ending surely shows that。 It was not what I expected at all。I was so engrossed in this story that I was surprised how quickly I read it。 One gets taken along for the ride and when it ends， you wish you had just a wee bit left to save for tomorrow。 I have a feeling we will be given more， just not tomorrow。 There were some loose ends that I really want to follow。Thank you NetGalley for the early read。 。。。more
Chris
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The Holland family and their various adventures are well-known to James Lee Burke fans。 Best as I can tell， having only read a handful of Robicheaux novels and Wayfaring Stranger， these adventures start with the novel Cimarron Rose and make up much of the non-Robicheaux/Burke universe。 While this particular branch of the Holland family gets its start in the novel Wayfaring Stranger （which I have read and highly enjoyed）， I missed out on House of the Rising Sun and The Jealous Kind。The Jealous Ki The Holland family and their various adventures are well-known to James Lee Burke fans。 Best as I can tell， having only read a handful of Robicheaux novels and Wayfaring Stranger， these adventures start with the novel Cimarron Rose and make up much of the non-Robicheaux/Burke universe。 While this particular branch of the Holland family gets its start in the novel Wayfaring Stranger （which I have read and highly enjoyed）， I missed out on House of the Rising Sun and The Jealous Kind。The Jealous Kind appears to be the novel in which Aaron Holland Broussard （main character in this one） is introduced and serves as a coming-of-age story for he and perhaps other characters mentioned in Another Kind of Eden。I began reading Another Kind of Eden under the assumption that it was a stand-alone and while it can be read as such， I can't help but feel that I would have benefited from a reading of The Jealous Kind at the bare minimum。Aaron is a fascinating character and while he suffers a great deal due to mental illness and PTSD， he has a very clear sense of right and wrong， loyalty， love and friendship。 He has chosen a life that many believe is beneath him。 He is highly-educated， articulate， and well-read but chooses to live as a day laborer and farmhand。If， like me， Another Kind of Eden is your first （or second） （re-）introduction to the Holland family， I think that it will pique your interest to learn more about this clan that has dominated much of Burke's writing career。Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Another Kind of Eden in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Linda
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There are more moveable parts in the human psyche than there are words to describe each tiny mechanism。James Lee Burke offers a panoramic view of what lies at the heart of evil。 Another Kind of Eden takes us into the depths of darkness in which individuals dwell by choice and by action。 People with dead eyes and dead souls who seriously believe that there is no accountability for deeds done。 And the scope widens with the realities of War where the masses decide your fate in an instant。Aaron Holl There are more moveable parts in the human psyche than there are words to describe each tiny mechanism。James Lee Burke offers a panoramic view of what lies at the heart of evil。 Another Kind of Eden takes us into the depths of darkness in which individuals dwell by choice and by action。 People with dead eyes and dead souls who seriously believe that there is no accountability for deeds done。 And the scope widens with the realities of War where the masses decide your fate in an instant。Aaron Holland Broussard is a complicated man。 He walks the higher road in life， but he painfully is aware of the dark places within his head。 The Korean War and the loss of his best friend weigh heavily upon him。 Some days he works through it and some days it works through him。 Aaron has moments where the memories may be real or may be imagined。 It's getting harder and harder to separate them。It's 1962 and Aaron views a blur of boxcar scenery。 He jumps out at Trinidad， Colorado and takes a job loading the last of the tomato crop on Jude Lowry's farm。 He and Lowry have found a working relationship alongside workers Spud and Cotton。 Lowry is a WW I Medal of Honor recipient。 Cotton served in WW II and received the Silver Star。 Spud from East Kentucky can talk your ear off。 Those who serve usually fail to speak of it。But one evening in Trinidad， Aaron， Spud， and Cotton are attacked by a group of men as they exit a cafe after dinner。 The three are beaten brutally and the sheriff throws them in jail for disorderly conduct。 Not a sign of the perpetrators though。 But we'll meet up with them later。 Aaron does meet up with the waitress from the cafe and she discloses the names of the bad guys。 And here is where Aaron falls hard for Jo Anne and Jo Anne will inadvertently be a conduit that leads to those unspeakable bottom feeders of life。 James Lee Burke is one of my favorite authors。 He can vividly paint background scenery in just a few strokes。 His best characters are usually those who have deep aches in their bones and an emptiness so ingrained that there is very little water left in the well。 His passages almost beg to be re-read and savored in the moment。 Another Kind of Eden speaks to societal ills that linger and stay from generation to generation。 You'll recognize them as they surface throughout。 True realism and magical realism meet on the playing field of life。。。。。。I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review。 My thanks to Simon & Schuster and the highly talented James Lee Burke。 。。。more
Tim
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I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review。ANOTHER KIND OF EDEN by James Lee Burke is based on the adult life of Aaron Holland Broussard who has chosen a life without strings attached and is willing to live a live free of the comforts most would want， but instead lives much like a railroad tramp from the depression would’ve back in the depression era; yet this takes place primarily in the early ‘60s。Aaron is an interesting character who is at times com I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review。ANOTHER KIND OF EDEN by James Lee Burke is based on the adult life of Aaron Holland Broussard who has chosen a life without strings attached and is willing to live a live free of the comforts most would want， but instead lives much like a railroad tramp from the depression would’ve back in the depression era; yet this takes place primarily in the early ‘60s。Aaron is an interesting character who is at times compassionate and understanding of others， usually those who are marginalized by society and specifically those in power that he interacts with in a way that puts him in harm’s way， yet those who see this and care about him fear that he doesn’t care about his own safety or future， and he often appears to be fearless in his open defiance of authority figures。Settled into a regular job at a farm that fits his desire to work outdoors and be left alone for the most part， he develops a strong relationship with the farmer and his wife that is based on mutual respect and affection; but something takes place that seemingly involves the son of a man that Aaron has come up against who is a feared and evil man who has recently abused Aaron physically in front of others， and this threatens his safety as he decides not to knuckle under to threats by his foes and local law enforcement figures。Investigation into finding out who is responsible for the crime he cannot turn aside from leads him to discover hidden things from the past of those he comes in contact with that makes his self appointed task more difficult as he comes upon more questions than answers。Can Aaron accomplish the task he’s committed to while risking his own personal safety （and of those he cares about）， and what does he really know about the woman he’s fallen for and who she really is？Great book that brings Woody Guthrie， “Grapes of Wrath”， and “On The Road” to mind with the setting and rebellious nature of the leading character， although when things get a bit strange near the end I had a bit of difficulty with the transition from a story with a retro-rural feel to something else entirely， but it all works out in the end and was an interesting departure for the author from from his “Dave Robicheaux” series that I love， and I look forward to future novels in that series as well the “Holland Family Saga”。5 stars。 。。。more
Abibliofob
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I am amazed at the number of great books one author can produce。 James Lee Burke is one of those that always can tell a good story。 I have yet to read a bad book by this favorite author of mine。 Another Kind of Eden is a story in the series about the Holland family and it covers a harsh rural setting in the 1960s。 We get to follow Aaron Holland Broussard working as a farmhand and how he meets a girl。 Everything is far from clear in this story， there is darkness surrounding the community and the I am amazed at the number of great books one author can produce。 James Lee Burke is one of those that always can tell a good story。 I have yet to read a bad book by this favorite author of mine。 Another Kind of Eden is a story in the series about the Holland family and it covers a harsh rural setting in the 1960s。 We get to follow Aaron Holland Broussard working as a farmhand and how he meets a girl。 Everything is far from clear in this story， there is darkness surrounding the community and the people in it。 Someone is murdering girls and there seems to be drugs flowing through somehow。 I must thank @this_is_edelweiss and @simonandschuster for letting me read this advance copy。 Out in stores August 17th I also want to thank @jamesleeburke for still writing great stories。 Well done sir。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Another Kind of Eden
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Another Kind of Eden&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Another Kind of Eden&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0