The Axeman's Jazz: A Skip Langdon Novel (Skip Langdon Novels) [Mass Market Paperback]

Julie Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 20, 1992 | Series: Skip Langdon Novels

"Julie Smith not only firmly establishes her claim to the New Orleans crime scene, but she explores an intriguing new franchise for the serial killer."
Sue Grafton
For detective Skip Langdon, the murder of a multiple self-help group member is no fun. Even if the guilty character is claiming the mantle last held by the Axeman, a notorious New Orleans serial killer of seventy years ago. Yet as Skip threads her fascinated way from one self-help group to another, she finds she has more in common with the twelve-steppers than just the murder. And she knows what they do not: that among their anonymous numbers is a deadly murderous, and dangerously attractive -- psychopath....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Appealing heroine Skip Langdon is assigned to the team tracking a serial killer who preys on Alcoholics Anonymous members.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

New Orleans social-misfit Skip Langdon (New Orleans Mourning, 1990) postpones her vacation from homicide when the ``Axeman'' writes the police and taunts them about two murders he has committed. Both victims belonged to several 12-step recovery programs, so Skip and her fellow officers attend meetings, swipe membership phone lists, and finally concentrate on two group participants--Di, once up on charges for child abuse, and Alex, a randy psychiatrist once accused of assault. Another murder occurs before Skip and sharp-tongued police-shrink Cindy Lou realize that Di is being framed. By then, however, Axeman has taken Alex hostage, and the two women must talk the killer into giving himself up. Cruel swipes at 12-step concepts and an unlikely meeting between Skip and her mother at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting undercut Smith's deft skewering of southern mannerisms and standards for womanhood. Still, this is a more polished work than Mourning, and Cindy Lou a more interesting heroine than Skip. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett (July 20, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804109540
• ISBN-13: 978-0804109543
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,162,152 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Author of the Skip Langdon and Talba Wallis mystery series; Edgar-winner; New Orleans resident.

Also founder of www.booksBnimble.com, an electronic publishing start-up, and author of the YA paranormal adventure, CURSEBUSTERS!

Latest adventure:
I've reworked my writing class as an ebook called WRITING YOUR WAY (http://amzn.to/o6XN3T), with special emphasis on first chapters and marketing. You can see The Prose Nazi video below for an idea of my approach--i.e. flexible; designed to find YOUR best writing method, not force mine on you. We also have outtakes for your amusement. The third video, which I'll call GTFA, is a trailer for a fun parody book booksBnimble couldn't resist doing one rainy afternoon. Check out my websites, www.cursebustersbook.com, www.booksBnimble,com (where I also blog) and www.casamysterioso.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Skip takes on the 12 step programs, October 3, 2001

By 

Carol Peterson Hennekens (Colorado Springs, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Axeman's Jazz: A Skip Langdon Novel (Skip Langdon Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

The debut novel in the Skip Langdon series, New Orleans Mourning, won the Edgar Award. That's a hard act to follow and Smith sure tries. Many of the good parts of the first book are still present -- Skip's wonderful observations of Southern manners first among them. Got a killer holding a hostage outside? The Police are meeting at your house for a strategy session. Of course you serve coffee and cookies -- Cream anyone?

Unfortunately, the Edgar also seems to have given Smith the clout to ignore her editors and this book is easily 25% longer than necessary. The fact that the killer must be among the 12 step crowd (Codependents Anonymous) and in the six assigned to Skip is determined early. We then go through endless pages without moving the mystery forward.

Bottom-line: Still a nice sense of New Orleans but slow pacing make this an optional read. Reading of New Orleans Mourning helpful but not required.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good mystery and New Orleans - it doesn't get any better., March 23, 1998

By 

An Amazon User (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Axeman's Jazz: A Skip Langdon Novel (Skip Langdon Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

If you've ever lived in New Orleans you'll recognize the quirky characters. If you're like me and you MISS living in New Orleans, Axeman's Jazz, and Julie Smith's other Skip Langdon stories will transport you back there - as well as entertain you.

5.0 out of 5 stars 12 Step Programs Featured in Great Mystery, March 23, 2011

By 

Sally Jacobsen - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Axeman's Jazz (Skip Langdon Novels) (Hardcover)

I always enjoy this series of Louisiana mysteries starring failed belle Skip Langdon, but I had to buy this one for my daughter because of the great portrayal, only sometimes satirical, of 12-step programs (especially ones addressing co-dependency).