To the Bright and Shining Sun

For generations, Perry James' family has lived under the shadow of the Cumberland range and worked in the coal mines. Staunch union supporters, Perry's grandfather and father have known hard times and after Perry helps to sabotage the mine to keep the 'scabs' out, things look bleaker than ever.

To escape from the cycle of poverty, Perry signs up with the Jobs Corps, where they begin to teach him how to read and write, as well as train him in a skilled trade. But Perry is torn between family honor and the lure of seedy beer joints where he can drink and escape the dark and atavistic heritage of the Cumberland Mountains.

Library Journal

These titles, published throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, represent Burke's early work before the creation of his now famous Cajun detective, Dave Robicheaux. Each features protagonists forced to make tough decisions that will forever change the paths of their lives (LJ 3/1/65, LJ 7/70, LJ 1/15/72).

James Lee Burke was struggling through some lean times as a novelist -- he had published only one book in 15 years -- when a friend and fellow writer suggested he take a stab at crime fiction. The result was The Neon Rain, the first book in his successful Dave Robicheaux books. With a complex moral protagonist and a lush writing style, the series evokes the heady environment of the Louisiana bayou country.