INSIDE SAM LERNER

In Banta’s (The Fly Strip, 2016) latest novel, a retired, 40-something Los Angeles police detective returns to his hometown of New Orleans only to become embroiled in a case of a dead sex worker.

Sam Lerner is overwhelmed with guilt and bad memories after the death of his wife, Kira, in a car accident. After failing to find solace in drink, he moves from LA to the Big Easy with his golden retriever, Beatrice. His first stop is Maire’s Gentlemen’s Club, which he first visited years ago, as a teenager. There, he rekindles his friendship with proprietor Maire Girod, and he also runs into his old friend police captain Leon Duval (who later seems to dog his every step). At Maire’s, he also becomes acquainted with a call girl in her early 20s, Madsen Cassaise, and their relationship provides him with much-needed peace of mind. Within days, however, Madsen goes missing and is later found drowned. Sam finds himself drawn into the case, even though he has no badge or local authority, and he soon learns of the demise of another young woman. Are the two deaths related? Lerner’s investigation takes him throughout New Orleans and its environs, delving into jazz clubs, voodoo practices, and more. The story draws on the noir tradition, with its antihero detective and a seductive woman—in this case, Maire—in danger. Unfortunately, its plot is fairly conventional, with few narrative shocks. The author tells the story predominately through Sam’s eyes, but he occasionally shifts the perspective to other characters to try to give the tale additional emotional and psychological weight. However, the effect is distracting and only serves to undermine the twists and turns. Despite the lack of surprises, though, the novel is enjoyable. Sam succeeds as an antihero, as his sense of morality drives him to tackle the case. He has his faults, but readers will root for him to find peace with the world. The depiction of New Orleans, though somewhat cursory, does go beyond infamous ?Bourbon Street, presenting a slightly more nuanced vision of the city and region than usual.

A conventional but sometimes entertaining noir whodunit.