Rating: 
Summary: Somewhat disappointing
Review: "The White Road" is another Charlie "Byrd" Parker novel. The first three in this series were great, with plot lines that grab you from the first page and keep you reading well into the night. This one just doesn't have the same level of excitement, although it is a good read for Parker fans. It seemed a bit confusing at times and delved into the metaphysical a bit too much. Parker's two comrades in arms, Angel and Louis, were not as much a part of the action as in the previous novels. The author seemed to be sending a message instead of the mile a minute action we are accustomed to in the Parker series. I hope the next story gets back to the same style as the first three.
Rating: 
Summary: THAT LONESOME ROAD
Review: By this fourth novel, it is quite clear that Irishman John Connolly is a brilliant, effusive and poetic writer. Who else could take such dark themes, and with his art of writing, create such somber yet optimistic landscapes. In this book, this brilliance sometimes gets in the way of the plot, and manages to slow the pacing of the book down at times, but it is nonetheless a mesmerizing addition to the Charlie Parker series.
Parker has a remarkable narrative tone, and his humor is downright incredible at times. I don't think readers will enjoy this as much as they should if they haven't read at least "The Killing Kind," the brilliant predecessor to this work. There are too many holdovers from that novel to enable anyone to fully grasp the situation if they haven't met Reverend Faulkner and Pudd before.
Some real surprises here, including the murderous rampage of Louis and Angel; Angel's morose attitude since the incident with Rev. Faulkner in the previous book; Rachel's pregnancy and her love for the sometimes misguided Charlie; a horrifying killer in Cyrus Nairn; Connolly's elegant use of the supernatural in his detective tales; and a compelling "ghost"...all add up to another fantastic read.
You can't do much better than this series; in four novels, Connolly has demonstrated what a terrific writer he is.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating:
Summary: Very dark, very strange
Review: Charlie "Bird" Parker has been the hero of four mysteries by John Connolly now, and this latest is in some ways the strongest of the bunch. Parker is a detective with an ability to see murdered people, and talk to them. He regards this more as a curse than a gift: they usually look to him for vengeance against those who killed them.In the current installment, Parker is summoned to South Carolina by a lawyer friend to investigate a murder. The supposed killer is a young black man; his victim a young white woman with whom he was having an affair, and whose family is very wealthy. Even in the 21st century, such an interracial affair is frowned upon, and when she winds up dead, the young man's life is in immediate danger. Parker is needed to investigate, and of course he'll have to bring along his gay sidekicks Louis and Angel, a burglar and a hitman, both supposedly retired. Connolly is a strange writer. The prose is almost poetic, the descriptions and philosophy of the writing is dark and elegaic, almost too descriptive. The characters are interesting, especially the villains. In this one, Kittim is especially repulsive and terrifying. In addition, there's a well-drawn small character who is initially not too positive, but turns out for the better in the end. I enjoyed this book. It has characters from some of Connolly's previous books, and I would recommend reading the four books in order, but this is a worthy addition to the series.
Rating:
Summary: A Total Stunner
Review: Charlie "Bird" Parker has settled down in rural Maine with his new love, Rachel, and is awaiting the birth of their child when he gets a call from an old friend, Elliot Norton. Elliot is a lawyer in Charleston, SC, who is handling a powder-keg of a case -- a young black man accused of the rape/murder of the daughter of a rich and powerful white family. When Elliot all but grovels as he begs Charlie to come to SC and do some investigation for him, Charlie can't say no. And so begins Charlie's odyssey on the long and twisted White Road. Connolly writes of the dank Congaree Swamp and other Low Country environs as though he were born in the languid South rather than Ireland, and every paragraph he writes flows like dark and haunted poetry. For every step forward Charlie takes in seeking information to help Elliot's client's case, forces and villains from his past converge to drive him backwards and to kill him if they can. (*Note: do read "The Killing Kind" first to understand who Faulkner, Pudd, et al., are.) And then there is the hooded Lady in White, who might or might not be real as she wanders the shimmering White Road where the past meets present and future and where old wrongs are righted. This stunning novel is absolutely mesmerizing as it races forward to a shattering denouement. It will leave you breathless, but don't read it at home alone late at night.
Rating:
Summary: AN INTRIGUING STORY
Review: Dublin born and bred novelist John Connolly is Irish to the core - a bit fey, a tad dark, and extremely gifted. His initial offering "Every Dead Thing" (1999) won the Shamus Award for the best first novel, and his third "The Killing Kind" garnered raves. So will "The White Road." According to Mr. Connolly his recurring protagonist Detective Charlie "Bird" Parker may have a good bit of the author in him. This is "probably typical of a lot of novelists who choose to write in the first person," he said. "We tend to imbue our lead character with many of our own qualities, although we only admit to the good ones." Whatever the case and wherever Parker came from he's a standout. "....Parker is a flawed man," Mr. Connolly continues. "He is capable of violence, and is often tempted by the possibility that he can turn his back on a case, if he chooses, and make his own life a little easier. He is stopped by his own guilt, his own desire to be a better man, and by visions of the lost." Surely that's an apt description of Parker in this tale. A southern millionaire's daughter is raped and sadistically murdered. She is found in a south Carolina swamp; her black boyfriend is arrested and a trial date is set. Race is a salient issue in "The White Road"; hatreds never buried seek reprisal. Only Parker would tackle a case such as this. Little does he know that he not only endangers himself but also the lives of his lover and his unborn child.
John Connolly skillfully probes the American psyche with the clear eyed view of an outsider, while he spins an intriguing story that will keep most of us burning the midnight oil. - Gail Cooke
Rating:
Summary: AN INTRIGUING STORY
Review: Dublin born and bred novelist John Connolly is Irish to the core - a bit fey, a tad dark, and extremely gifted. His initial offering "Every Dead Thing" (1999) won the Shamus Award for the best first novel, and his third "The Killing Kind" garnered raves. So will "The White Road." According to Mr. Connolly his recurring protagonist Detective Charlie "Bird" Parker may have a good bit of the author in him. This is "probably typical of a lot of novelists who choose to write in the first person," he said. "We tend to imbue our lead character with many of our own qualities, although we only admit to the good ones." Whatever the case and wherever Parker came from he's a standout. "....Parker is a flawed man," Mr. Connolly continues. "He is capable of violence, and is often tempted by the possibility that he can turn his back on a case, if he chooses, and make his own life a little easier. He is stopped by his own guilt, his own desire to be a better man, and by visions of the lost." Surely that's an apt description of Parker in this tale. A southern millionaire's daughter is raped and sadistically murdered. She is found in a south Carolina swamp; her black boyfriend is arrested and a trial date is set. Race is a salient issue in "The White Road"; hatreds never buried seek reprisal. Only Parker would tackle a case such as this. Little does he know that he not only endangers himself but also the lives of his lover and his unborn child.
John Connolly skillfully probes the American psyche with the clear eyed view of an outsider, while he spins an intriguing story that will keep most of us burning the midnight oil. - Gail Cooke
Rating: 
Summary: To slow and confusing to follow
Review: I have a 50 page rule when reading a book. It it doesn't grab me in the first 50 pages, I don't bother. Sorry, but I could NOT read this S L O W mess. Most prologues in books are a page or two to set up the story - this one was 37 PAGES LONG! And, it kept flipping back and forth to the point that I didn't have a clue what was happening. FINALLY on page 38 we start the story - I guess. I was so disoriented I had no clue who was narrating the story - and narrate he did. Oy, the back story! I read three to six books a week and don't have the patience for books that are all back story, narrative and S L O W. This one was like wading through molassess - and about as interesting. If you feel you must tackle this book, get it from the library.
Rating:
Summary: kept me reading into the night... again
Review: I remember finding Connelly's Every Dead Thing and how estatically thrilled I was to discover it being the debut novel of this, then, new writing talent. The wounded, damaged and self-deprecating character, Charlie Parker, hooked me immediately (reminiscent of the infatuation I developed for Dave Robicheaux nearly two decades ago), and I've eagerly awaited and enjoyed each subsequent installment. I (weren't we all) worried over Angel's fate at Faulkner's hands in Dark Hollow; am pleased to see he's not only survived, but (is this possible? I found myself hoping) may have unveiled a "ray of divine relief" through his association with Ben Epstein. Louis has always been the stronger presence, and, as remains the case, I enjoy him immensely. Rachel is a strong, intelligent woman; strong enough to let Bird follow his path, seek his karmic solution(s), and conquer his various demons. She's a worthy mate for our hero. The character development for these supporting players is often divied out with devilish economy, making readers yearn for more, more... as is appropriate, I believe. What I find most interesting is it isn't the stories, the plot, of each book that we seek more fervently, rather Parker's personal journey is what keeps us holding the glass to the wall. Bravo, Mr. Connelly! ps Black Coupe de Villes will never again be merely another car!
Rating:
Summary: A tense thriller
Review: In The White Road, Detective Charlie Parker has finally gotten over the suffering of his wife and daughter's murders, and is awaiting the birth of his first child by his lover Rachel, when he finds himself defending a young black man accused of raping his white girlfriend, the daughter of a powerful Southern millionaire. When he agrees to take on the case he finds nightmares from the past re-surfacing in this tense thriller.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Complicated For Its Own Good
Review: John Connolly is a master storyteller. He usually tells complicated, intricate stories full of strange and original characters. His lead character, Charlie "Bird" Parker, is your perfect private investigator; dark, broody, with a closet full of skeletons and secrets. But this time, with The White Road, Connolly has tried to go all the way, to differing results. This time around, the story might be just a little too complicated and convulted for its own good. This time around, Parker leaves Maine to go help a lawyer friend in need. Elliott is representing Atys, a young black man accused of having killed his white lover, who just happens to be the daughter of the richest and most powerful man in the state. Soon enough, Parker faces hitman after hitman, and strange character after strange character with the help of his long-time friend (and hitman) Louis. Meanwhile, Louis's lover, Angel, is trying to get revenge on the man who nearly caused his death in Connolly's previous book. Both stories quickly entangle with one another as secret after secret is slowly revealed. I enjoyed the plot and pacing of The White Road. Connolly is a sparse writer who is great at creating emotionally tense narratives. But this time around, his story has too many characters for its own good. With his previous novels, Connolly had created vivid and eery supporting characters. There are too many of those in The White Road, and soon enough, they all blend in together. True, the menace is always there, but you never get to really care about the situations Parker finds himself in because a new character is introduced with each new chapter. Still, The White Road is vintage Connolly; a mystery with a twist of the paranormal. You never know what will happen in a Connolly novel, keeping you on the constant edge of your seat. The White Road is not a bad bood. As a matter of fact, it is a very entertaining one. But compared to the other great, masterful thriller Connolly has written in the past, this one doesn't quite reach the level of success of its predecessors.
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