CIMARRON ROSE by James Lee Burke

Finished Th 8/11/16

According to the flyleaf in the paperback, I first finished on Tu 6/1/99 after taking one 30'- 4 pole to Quincy. Those WERE NOT the days.

This is not a Dave Robicheaux novel, but from the Billy Bob Holland series.

I loved the book. It had an eloquent malevolence. The Bad Guys were so well written- in an almost 19th century style. Reveals the underbelly of Southern/Western Aristocracy.

Garland T. Moon- vicious criminal, sexually abused, more or less raised in prison. Reminded me of a kind of Evil Clown.
Darl Vanzandt- Sociopath and son of one of the community's richest families. Probably suffers from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Lucas Smothers- Illegitimate son of Billy Bob. Holland is  close to this boy. The kid is a gifted musician, guitar. Vernon Smothers is his father (mean redneck).
Deaf Smith- the town. West End- Rich Side. East End- Poor Side
Bunny Vogel- College friend of Darl. Lost his career as a college football player when he got caught cheating for Darl. Slept with Darl's mother, Emma. Involved in the murder of Roseanne, but not really.
Marvin Pomroy- Straight and reasonably honest prosecutor in a town controlled by the Dixie Mafia.
L. Q. Navarro- Federal marshal that died when saving Billy Bob during an illegal raid across the Mexican border. He threw joker cards on his drug mule victims after he killed them.He appears as a ghost visible to Billy Bob throughout the novel.
Felix Ringo- Corrupt Mexican operative. CIA trained torturer.
Roseanne Hazlitt- This girl is the motivator of the story. Her body is found strangled and Lucas is setup as the murderer. Felix did it to cover up for Jack Vanzandt's meth/fake credit card business.
Temple Carrol- PI that works for Billy Bob. She probably ends up with Holland. Friends with the 'smartest little kid in the town' Pete. Holland befriends this young kid. His mother is a wreck and can barely support the boy- Holland steps in.
Brian Wilcox- Corrupt DEA agent. Works with Mary Beth and she dated this man.
Mary Beth Sweeney- Holland meets her as the new deputy in town, but she is working for the DEA trying to sort out the Vanzandt operation.

Sam Holland's diary for the 1890's figures in the novel. Billy Bob reads about his adventures with The Dalton-Doolin Gang in the Oklahoma Territory in 1892. Sam was a born again cowpoke and became a Saddle Preacher. In love with Jennie, the Cimarron Rose who was related to members of this gang. They live like animals in a series of caves by a river.
Virgil Morales- Member of The Purple Hearts motorcycle gang. Friend of Bunny, Darl, and Lucas. Testifies FOR Lucas at the trial. Says he was unconscious when the murder occurred.