Top ten rural noir novels

Tom Bouman's Dry Bones in the Valley won the 2015 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller and the 2015 Edgar Award for Best First Novel.

For the Guardian Bouman tagged his top ten rural noir novels, including:

The Dave Robicheaux Series (1987-2013) by James Lee Burke

In the mystery world, he has no equal. The books in this series set on the Louisiana Bayou have a dilapidated, lyrical charm, and Burke excels at physical atmosphere. But his greatest achievement, in my humble opinion, is emotional atmosphere, and the rich interior life of his lead character.

Read about the other entries on the list.

James Lee Burke is among C.J. Box's top 10 US crime novelists who "own" their territory.

--Marshal Zeringue