Book Review: In the Moon of Red Ponies

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

In the Moon of Red Ponies     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
James Lee Burke
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Billy Bob Holland # 4
Simon & Schuster, Jun 2004

Former Texas Ranger Billy Bob Holland and his wife Temple relocate to Missoula, Montana where he opens up a law practice. However, Billy Bob is a bit stunned to learn justice did it again as the state freed the most dangerous person he ever met, psychopath Wyatt Dixon (see BITTERROOT) on a technicality. Though concerned that the crazed Wyatt might target him or Temple, he never expected the man to arrive at his law office needing a lawyer to represent his horse-trading business.

Meanwhile, someone steals important documents from the Global Research lab. The police believe former Gulf War soldier, part Lakota Johnny American Horse and his girlfriend Amber, daughter of U.S. Senator Romulus Finney, are the thieves. Billy Bob takes on Johnny as a client while Detective Darrel McComb targets the half-Lakota veteran perhaps because he desires Amber. Cold-blooded multi millionaire CEO Karsten Mabus will hire anyone to do anything to obtain the papers including killing Billy Bob and his family.

The violence is typical of James Lee Burke as events spin out of control sort of like a tornado with innocent people being hurt by the spinning funnel clouds of subplots. Most interesting is Wyatt as he struggles with the help of legal drugs and Jesus to control his maniacal behavior. Billie Bob remains the same person wanting a little peace in his life, but somehow is always the eye of the storm as he learns that Tip O’Neill was right that “all politics is local” inside the Burke norm of a fabulous ferociously brisk thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner