Blue Garou

by H. Max Hiller

Detective Cadillac Holland's first homicide investigation starts with the question of whether the dog that mauled Biggie Charles Lynley was sent to do someone else's dirty work or was just a good judge of character. That may be the only easy question to answer, as the list of people who wanted Biggie dead seems to grow with each person Detective Holland interviews. Everyone has a secret worth killing to protect, even the detective himself.

252 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2020

About the author

My relationship with New Orleans began with a job cooking in a cafe on Bourbon Street at the age of seventeen. My foodservice resume now includes many of New Orleans’ iconic music and dining destinations. I no longer reside in New Orleans full time but I keep to the expat creed of “Be a New Orleanian wherever you are.”
A devoted reader of detective and crime novels, I have worked as a chef on a boat traveling the inland waterways since Hurricane Katrina and began thinking up stories about a detective living in post-Katrina New Orleans, which I now write in my spare time.
My life is divided between working on the water and preserving a Victorian-era home in Hannibal, Missouri that I share with my wife and our rescue pets, which include a neurotic wolfhound/terrier mix and too many cats.

Reviews

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read by this author, the first being BLOWBACK a prequel that paves the way for the books that follow. Again we meet Detective “Cadillac” Holland and his team as they have a strange case to deal with.

In the first book Cadillac is called in to help clear up the back log of cases that mounted up after Katrina, and is still on loan and helping. He is called to a case of local rapper Biggie Charles Lynley. The suspect is still in the vehicle with Biggies body. It is an American Pit Bull, rather than have the dog shot Tulip Holland, Cadillac’s sister, asks that he not shoot the dog, as it could hold vital information to an investigation. Well Tulip was not wrong, Biggie is an ex-convict but on his release he managed to set up a music studio. Enquiries lead the team through the life of Biggie and the lives of others around him, it is very obvious that the team are not being told the whole truth.

This story is set 4 years after Hurricane Katrina and once again Hiller incorporates the devastation that she left in her wake into the story. He briefly explores issues in the poorer neighbourhoods and projects, mentioning how insurance companies fail to pay out on policies as well as those not being insured because of financial restraints. For me the inclusion of these details work very well in the main story, it gives something extra as they are peppered throughout, not overbearing but enough, they have been worked very well and not over-used. The main characters are now starting to make themselves known more, they are very memorable and have been well-developed.

There are various elements going on in this book, they expand on details mentioned in Blowback, such as the reason for Cadillac coming back home after his injury in Iraq, the disappearance of his father, the case itself and obviously Katrina. It would be easy to think that there could be some confusion, but there is not. Hiller has a very logical way of telling this story, it makes sense and has a very well laid out style to it. There is no big fan fare of a conclusion, instead it has simply, logically and naturally been brought to a very satisfying conclusion.

I would definitely recommend this book to readers of Crime, Mystery

I had not come across the word “Garou”, but don’t worry Hiller explains the term. But I did a little googling and found some rather interesting further reading.

I would like to express my thanks to the author for bringing this book to my attention, my review is my own and is unbiased and honest.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cadillac's first case looks easy enough it all started with the question did the dog maul Biggie Charles Lynley , was he sent to do the dirty work or does the dog just have a great judge o character . Now Cadillac has to figure out who wanted Biggie dead but it only keeps growing with each person he talks to . Everyone has a secret to keep and a secret that is worth killing for even Cadillac himself .

Cadillac is on his first case and it actually is kind of a fun one . He is a very strong character that is also crafty in the way he handles people. It seems like sometimes he doesn't really want to be an officer he is really comfortable around food . Like with all good characters we get to see him at his best and at his worst . We see that he is battling with some ptsd from the Iraq war. I truly love this character and his way of solving the mysteries he has to solve.

This is a book that you can get lost in . The author can really paint a picture and he uses New Orleans as the perfect back drop for his story. The characters good and bad are very well written and complex . I love mysteries and this series has me wanting more . There is so much going on in the book and so many twists and turns . There are actually two stories going on in the book Cadillac wanting to find out where his father disappeared to after Katrina and then the story of who wanted to kill Biggie . I will say this , this story is well written will have you on the edge of your seat all the way through . So I would add this book to your summer reading list.

[Gail Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book by Voracious Readers and didn't initially realise that it is the second in the series. This just means that I will backtrack and read book 1 later.
When is a murder not a murder but a dog attack? If a dog kills is it a murderer or a murder weapon?
This is the question that Detective Cooter Holland must work out an answer to.
I did wonder how an author could possibly construct an entertaining and challenging story with what at first seems an easy to answer question.
As in life there are not only one or two storylines but many all interwoven and all needing to be solved.
However H Max Hiller weaves his magic and pulls the reader into his web and leaves the reader wondering how on earth he is going to pull all the threads of the story together to make an acceptable conclusion to it.
This was a story that I took more time to read than normal as I didn’t want to miss out on any clues or storylines.
I would recommend this to all who enjoy a challenging murder mystery story.

[**Elle**Bee**Double U** · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read these book completely out of order, but it is nice to know that even though I have read them out of order, I don't feel lost. But I will say since I started with book 4 first in this series and one of the constant themes in this book is about Detective Holland's missing father I was glad to see that we might be getting some answers soon. Although if you read this book, there is an answer given, I'm not 100% certain that Cadillac honestly believes what he was told and won't stop until he gets definite answers.

Another aspect of these books that I love is that it's not always an open and close case, even though I'm sure Avery would love for Cadillac's cases to be like this. There is always more than meets the eye with each case and the investigation into the death of Biggie Charles Lynley is no different. While everyone else would love to just call it quits and blame the dog on the killing, Detective Holland isn't one to always take the easy answers.

[Jane Goldberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is only through Good Reads and Facebook that I got to 'virtually' meet the author of this book. He is a great guy and wow, he has lived through a lot, particularly as a Hurricane Katrina victim.

Max uses his first hand experiences to help him create a New Orleans so perfectly that the reader actually feels like they are there, with the main character, Cadillac Holland. Cadillac is a veteran of the War on Terror who is battling PTSD from a two prong attack on the military convoy he was in near Baghdad. Words are writers' tools. Max's toolbox is not JUST words, but emotions and a lot of them. This book is a perfect example of how a writer can BOTH lose himself in a character AND use that character's behavior to make the plotline irresistible. Great read, (nope; not a GOOD read, but a GREAT read-sorry Good Reads, I couldn't help myself).

This is book 1 of the Cadillac Holland series-and its got all of the elements a great book needs- a cute but troubled guy, a dog whom everyone wants to lay the blame on for a murder and a dog fighting ring. Oh! Blackmail! That, too!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Cadillac Holland entry, in a well-written series by H. Max Hiller, offers a slow burn of New Orleans detecting by New Orleans cop Holland. A pit bull attacks and kills an ex-con record exec, whom no one is sorry to see meet his end. When Holland’s sister, a New Orleans attorney, begs Cadillac at the scene of the attack not to shoot the dog, he doesn’t. But his decision to investigate who ordered a dog to attack the record mogul opens a labyrinth of people who had reason to take out Biggie Charles. The novel continues storylines begun in the first in the series, Blowback, but this book stands on its own. Characters are fully fleshed and interesting. The tension builds slowly. It feels a bit like being in New Orleans in the summer. But in the last quarter of the book the pace quickens and we watch the myriad of strings unknot. I recommend highly.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did the pit bull do the dead or was it the girlfriend, bodyguard, or even one of the many enemy's of the former gangster turned record producer? ( cough cough, yea right) But Det. Holland a,k,a Cadillac, was given the case so he's going to work it. I love that the story takes place in a New Orleans , with real places and their descriptions. It makes it all the more real for me. There are everything from gangs, little old ladies, dog trainers , Cadillac's odd mother, and some good/bad cops. When a calm quiet, well -behaved pit bull is your only suspect in a murder , something is just not right. But who did the deed, and are others in danger is it one or more people who are involved in it. Someone is hiding something but who is it or are they several secrets floating around?

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cadillac Holland is a complex, "troubled" cop and I absolutely love him. When a rap music exec, Biggie, is mauled by his pit bull Cadillac takes the case. With a slew of suspects and a corrupt city his investigation becomes very complicated. There is so much going on in this mystery with multiple storylines-glimpses into Cadillac's past, his missing Father and the murder of Biggie that I had a hard time keeping everything straight. However, it held my interest and had me swiftly turning the pages. The background of NOLA and the food descriptions were first-rate. I recommend this gritty cop story to lovers of crime and mystery novels.

[Kathy Brown]

I don't do the star rating thing, but enjoyed this unconventional police procedural. It's part of a series, and there are several previous volumes. It brought readers up to speed for the ongoing story arc. Characters are interesting, and the setting is the star. A noir vibe in this contemporary tale of corruption, violence, and moral ambiguity. Good for NOLA fans. More scene, as opposed to summary, would have increased this reader's engagement. Book would have benefitted from a throughout line edit and final proofreading.

[Jennie Rosenblum · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars- After thoroughly enjoying the first book in this series, I eagerly picked up the second installment from my to-be-read pile. Once again, I was captivated by the main character, Detective Cadillac Holland, and the evocative setting of New Orleans. In this sequel, Cadillac returns to investigate his father's disappearance, but his attention is soon diverted by a peculiar case of death by dog. The mystery is intricately woven, though it occasionally loses momentum in a few sections. Despite some minor grammatical errors and typos, the book remains an engaging read.

[Margaret Both · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting, fascinating, vastly entertaining are all perfect descriptions of Blue Garou. The assorted characters are well thought out. I agreed with Tulip 100% re Taz. Sometimes the scales of justice are weighted to conceal evil yet sometimes those like Holland, Avery and Tulip balance the scales.
The ending was satisfying!!
Definitely looking forward to more in this series!
A huge Thank You to H. Max Hiller for the complimentary copy of Blue Garou via Voracious Readers Only.

[Lisa Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many detective stories set in New Orleans, but this series really seems to capture the feel of post-Katrina MOLA better than most. The characters are relatable, the plot is interesting, and the themes compelling.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A suspenseful mystery. It was fast paced and exciting! I loved the crime mystery and really enjoyed solving it along with the character.

[Connie Royer-Keener · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twist turns I love a good mystery and this book did not disappoint. I was on the edge of my seat and didn't want to stop. Highly recommend

[Jessica Ozment · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Blue Garou" is a zesty New Orleans style, culturally rich novel, centered around an unsolvable murder. H. Max Hiller's ability to make his readers feel as if they were actually in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, is impeccable. His attention to detail is bested only by his knowledge of the region. I have never visited New Orleans, but feel I've come to know more about the traditions, and food just from reading this story.

Detective "Cadillac" Holland decided to take a change of pace, and leave the intelligence community he'd grown accustom too, to become an officer of the law for Louisiana's State Patrol. He felt this was his best option to finding out the whereabouts of his missing father who'd gone missing among the terrible wreckage of Katrina. As a fair amount of time passes, it becomes clear to Cadillac that he must change things up a bit and dig deeper. As his sister pushes Holland to pursue an infamous Pit bull as the cause for everything, Cadillac only begins to touch the surface of the rabbit hole. Soon, the Detective has more than he can handle when his findings wash up a well-to-do record label, a horde of missing weapons, an illegal dog fighting ring, and so much more. Will Detective Cadillac Holland be able to gain the upper hand and put a stop to the series of crimes connected to the murder? Or, will he become swept up in the madness of it all?

I found this enriching novel to be well written, and a fantastic read. Not only did I feel like I'd walked away from the book with a better understanding of the impact of Katrina, but I found an enticing novel. Give this Hard-boiled read a shot, you won't be sorry!

You may view my review here: http://fanaticreviewsbyjess.blogspot....

[Michelle Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite

H. Max Hiller will keep you turning pages with his mystery, The Blue Garou, (Detective “Cadillac” Holland Series, Book 1.) Detective “Cadillac” Holland joined the Louisiana State Patrol to investigate his father’s disappearance during Hurricane Katrina, but it proved futile. Now he’s investigating the death of New Orleans gangster, Biggie, who was killed by Taz, an angry pit bull that was dyed blue. It appears like an “open and shut case” until Cadillac’s sister, a lawyer, defends the dog’s innocence and argues why it shouldn’t be killed. Cadillac decides to investigate and learns about Biggie’s will, which excludes his temperamental girlfriend, but gives his sly bodyguard control of his business to manage for a son he gave up for adoption. More research uncovers shocking information on Taz, who was the murder weapon, but who was the person that actually owned this weapon?

The Blue Garou is a nice mystery. Cadillac, who possesses a sharp sense of wit, along with a strong character, narrates the story. H. Max Hiller is fluent in his writing and produces an engaging story that has a good plot filled with New Orleans charm, but bittersweet moments as it highlights the horrifying devastation Hurricane Katrina left. The author held my attention with an absorbing beginning, and the suspenseful story moved at an even pace. There is sufficient action to entertain readers and the dialogue is unforced. I enjoyed reading The Blue Garou, Book 1 from The Detective “Cadillac” Holland series.

[Leslie]

Complex Plot

This was a great second book in the series. The author takes you on a complex route to justice for many of the story's characters.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Cadillac' is a controlled version of Vince Flynn's character Mitch Rapp, the same skills but less likely to use them. Mr Hiller has a few plot twists that even Flynn would have appreciated. His descriptions of the aftermath and rebuilding of the city after Hurricane Katrina are pretty heartbreaking but balanced out by the joy and strength that the culture and traditions of New Orleans has instilled in her citizens. It is very clear how it drew Holland in, as well as the celebs who chose to make it their home and help rebuild. The mentions of the Cajun and Creole dishes sounded fantastic and made me long for a cup of coffee from Cafe du Monde and a plate of fresh beignets. Maybe we can look forward to a few recipes included in the future? (Hint hint lol)

Since Flynn is an author I really enjoy and will miss, it was a very pleasant surprise when Holland reminded me so much of his character. I will be waiting for the next installment in the series. Laissez les bon temps roulez!!!!!!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read - looking forward to Book 2

'Cadillac' is a controlled version of Vince Flynn's character Mitch Rapp, the same skills but less likely to use them. Mr Hiller has a few plot twists that even Flynn would have appreciated. His descriptions of the aftermath and rebuilding of the city after Hurricane Katrina are pretty heartbreaking but balanced out by the joy and strength that the culture and traditions of New Orleans has instilled in her citizens. It is very clear how it drew Holland in, as well as the celebs who chose to make it their home and help rebuild. The mentions of the Cajun and Creole dishes sounded fantastic and made me long for a cup of coffee from Cafe du Monde and a plate of fresh beignets. Maybe we can look forward to a few recipes included in the future? (Hint hint lol)

Since Flynn is an author I really enjoy and will miss, it was a very pleasant surprise when Holland reminded me so much of his character. I will be waiting for the next installment in the series. Laissez les bon temps roulez!!!!!!

[Shellie Uchtman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was okay, at times it seemed to drag on and on. I found several structure sentence problems that can be easily fixed, with some editing. The character's and plot were realistic, however, some of state trooper Holland's actions seemed unrealistic to me. Like him dating (rather quickly) the woman who adopted the son of the victim; Biggie Charles Lynley (aka drug dealer/owner of a recording station.) Also, the fact that he would sit down and have a beer with a potential suspect as he was questioning him.
Sometimes, I felt I was reading/learning more about the destruction caused hurricane Katrina, than what I was about the actual crime that had happened in the book. The plot itself isn't bad and with some editing of the book, I think this could be a book that could grab my attention.

[Sharon]

I was given this book free to read and leave an honest review. Cooter's background is shown piece by piece. We know he was in Baghdad. He almost died there. But there's more to it. Much more. Now he's a detective in New Orleans, looking for his missing father, who also was a cop and who disappeared during Hurricane Katrina. He want to find out what happened, for his mother's sake. His sister, Tulip, is an attorney that wants Cooter to save a dog that killed his owner. Cooter is tough, hard-boiled, and on the edge. Can he control his actions, or will he go over the edge? I really enjoyed this book. The writing was great. It reminds me of Michael Connolly's Harry Bosch books. The story was wonderful and kept me want to read it all at once.

[Desleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Great book.
So many things happening in this story. Very entertaining. I highly recommend it to all readers who enjoy a good detective story. I also just finished reading the second book: Can't Stop the Funk. I hope there isn't a long wait for book three.

[Gay]

Every time I thought I knew who the bad guy was, something changed. This story kept me guessing. Wonderfully great read!