Resurrecting Langston Blue (CJ Floyd Mystery Series) [Paperback]

Robert Greer (Author)

Book Description

Series: CJ Floyd Mystery Series | Publication Date: May 22, 2007

The casualties of war take many forms. When Amerasian ER doctor Carmen Nguyen suspects that her father, Langston Blue, who disappeared during the Vietnam War, may be alive, she hires cheroot-smoking, African-American bail bondsman and Vietnam vet CJ Floyd to help her find him. CJ’s discoveries aren’t pretty: Carmen’s father was an elite assassin operating behind enemy lines, authorized to kill anyone who got in his way, from innocent villagers to presidents. During his final, fateful mission, Blue apparently discovered some troubling information on secret U.S. government programs—information that made his life expendable. Soon Carmen, CJ, and his new partner, Flora Jean, are following a trail of double deals, Vietnamese racism, political corruption, and power grabs that lead all the way to the halls of the U.S. Senate. Resurrecting Langston Blue is a riveting read—a mystery and political thriller that twists and turns right up to the very end.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Carmen Nguyen escaped Vietnam as a toddler and, as an emergency-room doctor, has achieved a measure of success against long odds. Her father was an American serviceman, Langston Blue, who may or may not have deserted during a clandestine operation, but about whom nothing has been known for 40 years. Nguyen had assumed he was dead, but it turns out he may be alive and in danger. Nguyen hires Denver investigator CJ Floyd and his partner, Flora Jean Benson, a former marine intelligence sergeant, to find her father. Using her contacts in military intelligence, Benson learns Blue abandoned a rogue operation, and the other survivors of the mission may want him dead to ensure their involvement will never be revealed. This fourth Floyd mystery--Nguyen previously appeared in the stand-alone Heat Shock (2003)--is a paranoid conspiracy theorist's dream come true. Or maybe it's a nightmare. Either way, it's an entertaining, white-knuckle thrill ride with the powers that be. Wes Lukowsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“Greer delivers a top-notch, tautly woven adventure that extends his development of the African American detective novel.”
—The Bloomsbury Review

“... a taut mystery intertwined with political detail.”
—Ebony magazine

“An entertaining, white-knuckle thrill ride with the powers that be.”
—Booklist

“Greer remains a taut, powerful writer, and Resurrecting Langston Blue will keep you involved—and nervous.”
—Cleveland Plain Dealer

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Frog Books (May 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1583941827
• ISBN-13: 978-1583941829
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.2 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,076,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars (RAW Rating: 4.5) - Old wounds reopened, November 17, 2005

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Resurrecting Langston Blue (CJ Floyd Mystery Series) (Hardcover)

Thirty-five years ago, Vietnam Veteran Langston Blue witnessed an atrocity of war that sent him into self-imposed exile to keep from being murdered. He would have remained in hiding in his West Virginia back woods cabin forever, but was contacted by someone claiming to be his daughter. He'd been told his wife was murdered, so he didn't see how he could have a daughter. Unsure what to do, his choices are reduced when his cabin is blown up. Now fearing that this woman may actually be his child, he makes his way across country to Colorado to make sure the people who are after him aren't after his child.

Bail bondsman CJ Floyd was hired by Carmen Nguyen to find her father, Langston Blue. Carmen thought her father had deserted her, but found out from her aunt that he never knew about her. Her aunt also told her that a popular politician is one of the reasons Langston went into hiding. After Carmen and Langston are reunited, the politician ends up dead and the police believe Langston is the murderer. To clear Langston, CJ must solve the mystery of what happened thirty-five years ago.

Mr. Greer's style of writing is smooth and fast-paced, which made for quick reading of this almost 400 page novel. You know you've read a good murder mystery when you finally find out whom the killer is and you want to slap yourself for not figuring it out. RESURRECTING LANGSTON BLUE had me in that spot. Mr. Greer had several plot lines rolling at the same time. The lines started at one spot, gradually separated, then merged to end the book with a bang.

Reviewed by Deatri King-Bey
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Realy 3.5 Stars..., October 9, 2005

By 

Phyllis Rhodes (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Resurrecting Langston Blue (CJ Floyd Mystery Series) (Hardcover)

In Robert Greer's latest novel, bail bondsman CJ Floyd journeys down "Memory Lane" to revisit the atrocities of the Viet Nam conflict. CJ is retained by a recently engaged Amerasian, to locate her father, Langston Blue, who has sequestered himself in the remote hills of West Virginia after his discharge from the Army nearly 35 years before. Coincidentally, a botched assassination attempt on Blue's life forces him to Denver to attempt to locate his long-lost daughter at around the same time that the city mourns the recent murder of a popular congressman.

Floyd quickly discovers that the dead congressman is Blue's former squad leader from his old Army unit. The plot thickens when the police connect Blue to the murder. Floyd's role turns defensive as he searches for clues to prove Blue's innocence and discovers evidence of political corruption, covert military death squads, shady journalism, and suspicions of ethnic cleansing. The plot is further complicated by conflicts in Floyd's romantic relationship with long-time girlfriend, Mavis, his desire to retire, and a vengeful ex-convict who blames Floyd for her brother's death and is out to exact her revenge on Floyd and his loved ones.

This was my first time reading a CJ Floyd mystery and I found the story to be engaging and suspenseful; albeit a bit lengthy and heavy on dialogue. Nonetheless, I think fans of the series will be delighted with this offering.

(...)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Resurrecting Langston Blue, January 13, 2007

By 

Essie L. Hughes "avid book reader" (cincinnati, oh) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Resurrecting Langston Blue (CJ Floyd Mystery Series) (Hardcover)

I have read all of Robert Greer's novels and I love his style of writing. He seems to put you in the scenery where you can feel the surroundings weaving you into the locale he is writing about. He is another underrated author.