An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.
Follow the remarkably bold, smart, and refreshingly human New Orleans detective Skip Langdon through the twists and turns of New Orleans--from raucous Mardi Gras to the swampy summertime--at she navigates deadly family secrets, tracks down a serial killer, and delves deep into the mastermind of a psychopath unlike any you've ever encountered...
NEW ORLEANS MOURNING
It's Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and civic leader and socialite Chauncy St. Amant has been crowned Rex, King of Carnival. But his day of glory comes to an abrupt and bloody end when a parade-goer dressed as Dolly Parton guns him down.
AXEMAN'S JAZZ
What's the perfect killing field for a murderer? A place where he (or maybe she) can learn your secrets from your own mouth and then make friends over coffee. A supposedly "safe" place where anonymity is the norm. The horror who calls himself The Axeman has figured it out and claimed his territory—he's cherry-picking his victims in the 12-Step programs of New Orleans.
JAZZ FUNERAL
Skip Langdon just happens to be on hand when Ham Brocato, director if New Orleans Jazzfest, is discovered dead on the kitchen floor in the middle of his own party the evening before the Fest. To complicate the already murky case, the victim's sixteen-year-old blues musician sister has disappeared, and Skip suspects that if the young woman isn't the murderer, she's in mortal danger from the person who is.
DEATH BEFORE FACEBOOK
It’s a chilly November in 1994, and thirty-one-year-old Geoff Kavanagh surreptitiously splits his time between science fiction novels and cyberspace in his parents’ dilapidated, overgrown, uptown New Orleans mansion. Until his mother finds him dead from a suspicious fall off a ladder. Maybe he should never have posted about seeing his father murdered …
HOUSE OF BLUES
Sugar Hebert arrives home from a ten-minute errand to find her husband shot to death and the rest of her family missing—including her daughter Reed, heir apparent to the Hebert restaurant dynasty, and Reed's eleven-month-old daughter.
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS
Politics makes the strangest bedfellows of all and in New Orleans, a psychopath’s running for mayor. Not just the usual harmless megalomaniac—a murderer and a monster.
CRESCENT CITY CONNECTION
Sure, New Orleans is known for corruption, but suddenly the good guys get a break—an honest police chief. And then someone guns him down. When a terrifying organization called The Jury takes out the cop-killer, Detective Skip Langdon’s on the case. And she suspects The Jury’s the brainchild of her old nemesis, self-described preacher Errol Jacomine
82 DESIRE
It seems Councilwoman Bebe Fortier has misplaced her equally prominent husband, United Oil VP Russell Fortier. Across town, part-time detective/poet Talba Wallis has a simple wish--to find out what Russell Fortier's disappearance has to do with her.
Author of 20 mystery novels and a YA paranormal adventure called BAD GIRL SCHOOL (formerly CURSEBUSTERS!). Nine of the mysteries are about a female New Orleans cop Skip Langdon, five about a San Francisco lawyer named Rebecca Schwartz,two about a struggling mystery writer named Paul Mcdonald (whose fate no one should suffer) and four teaming up Talba Wallis, a private eye with many names, a poetic license, and a smoking computer, with veteran P.I. Eddie Valentino.
In Bad GIRL SCHOOL, a psychic pink-haired teen-age burglar named Reeno gets recruited by a psychotic telepathic cat to pull a job that involves time travel to an ancient Mayan city. Hint:It HAS to be done before 2012!
Winner of the 1991 Edgar Allen Poe Award for best novel, that being NEW ORLEANS MOURNING.
Former reporter for the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE and the San Francisco CHRONICLE.
Recently licensed private investigator, and thereon hangs a tale.
Skip is certainly not what you would expect, and definitely not what other people wanted her to be either. Loved the down home, got no time for your crap attitude. Makes you feel at home without ever leaving your chair. Like real life, the bad guy doesn't always get what he deserves, but you just have to keep slugging away, hoping that you are making a difference. I stayed up late many times hoping to finish the book 'cause they were that good!
As a series I rated it 5 stars. The first books in the series, not so much. As the series progressed the tension and character development build. I'm happy I purchased this as a "boxed set (Kindle version)" since I might not have completed it if I had started with just book one.
I have really enjoyed this series and was sorry when I finished. I love the New Orleans atmospshere. I have already book 10, Murder on Magazine and am hoping for another visit with Skip soon. These books may not be great literature, but they sure are a great way to spend an evening.
This Skip Langdon Complete set was an AWESOME READ!! I'd already read, most of these books, but it was a pleasure to re-read them. The new ones, basically filled in the gaps from the other already read books! Skip goes through so much growth in these stories!! A MUST READ!! Better still, was the Talba Wallis book! Characters that you will love, those you hope will finally get caught by Skip. Best of all, was the mention of my hometown in South Florida, Delray Beach!! I'd give this set of books, 50 stars, if I could!!
Started off a little slow...wasn’t sure if I was going to like the series. But after finishing all of them today, I’m a fan! Julie Smith writes New Orleans so well that the reader feels like they are right there in the sweltering, steamy humidity of the Quarter. I like that Skip is a flawed hero, she questions herself and her methods at times. I’m hoping there will be more in this series!
Some books were better than others,Ii know that the writer needs to tell every reader about Skips, size, look etc. but by the 3rd or 4th book it gets a bit boring. I love Julie Smith descriptions of New Orleans, you can almost smell the jambalaya and taste the pralines. Character are fascinating .. Don't miss these books..
I really enjoyed the whole series. It was so good that I had a hard time putting it down. I like the characters, they were very interesting and believable. I had a great time reading.
It was a fun series to read, well written and you see to. Like all the characters and the storylines. I took off 1 star for explicit sex and foul langage, in my opinion the book would be awesome without both. Thank you for writing them
The characters are believable, and Julie Smith understands New Orleans culture and geography. I went to LSU and LSUNO, lived in Metairie, and enjoy the story line. My favorite type of fiction is mystery based on realism. The Skip Langdon series is excellent. Just started #10.
Readers here's another excellent read: Julie Smith and her Skip Langdon series in a box set.
Exploring the Depths of New Orleans: Julie Smith's Skip Langdon Series (Books 1-9) is a deep dive into the vibrant and often shadowy corners of New Orleans, presented through the eyes of a remarkably bold and smart detective, Skip Langdon. The box set of books 1-9 offers a comprehensive journey that is both gritty and witty, with a heroine who is refreshingly human in her approach to solving crimes. The series kicks off with "New Orleans Mourning," where the festive backdrop of Mardi Gras turns grim with the murder of a socialite, setting the tone for a series that intertwines the city's celebratory spirit with its penchant for darkness. As we follow Langdon through the nine books, she navigates a maze of deadly family secrets, tracks down a serial killer, and delves into the psyche of a psychopath, all while the city's culture pulses in the background.
Smith's writing is lauded for its taut, fast-paced narrative that rivals the thrill of a Grisham novel but with more heart and soul. Her ability to capture the essence of New Orleans—from the raucous Mardi Gras to the oppressive heat of summer—is a testament to her skill as a storyteller. The series is not just about solving crimes; it's an exploration of the human condition set against a city known for its corruption, music, and indomitable spirit. The Skip Langdon series is a must-read for mystery enthusiasts looking for a series that offers more than just suspense. It's a celebration of a city and its detective—a woman who embodies the strength and complexity of New Orleans itself. For those looking to get lost in a series that captures the soul of a place while providing a thrilling ride, Julie Smith's Skip Langdon boxset is a treasure waiting to be discovered. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the series, these books promise to keep you hooked from the first page to the last. So, pick up your copy today!
Marathon read! Some books 4.5 but not enough books to make it to a 5.
Skip Langdon is a tall slightly over weight police office from the way right of town. Yep she was a debutante and hated being reminded of it. Her parents hate she’s a cop.
Skip has an innate ability she can see the actions it would take to commit a particular crime. She is also resolute, determined and totally incapable of letting a case be.
I had read the first book of the series and enjoyed it, so when I got the chance I took the offer of 9 books and I so glad I did. I really like the character of Skip Landon, she is a really fascinating character and all the characters of the nine books, are interesting too.
Great characters, fast-moving action, and intertwined stories made this series hard to put down. The author seems to have issues with body shaming, often having a female character described as heavy with a pretty face. Skip was often portrayed as ugly, too tall, and heavy.
I Enjoyed reading these books. Lots of action some romance and the villain dies in the end. Kate is a likable chaacter although I think too much fuss is made about her size. I am 6 foot tall also. That is the reason I think this.
The series was longer than I thought, but somewhat addictive-I felt like it was a habit to find out what was happening in Skip’s world every day. Learned a lot about New Orleans in the course of the stories
Reading all nine of Skip Langdon books in one fell swoop sort of makes your eyes to want to cross, but I knew that I had to badger on,, this saga was too good give up now. You will get caught up in it too. Try it you will love it!
I have read the entire 9 book series and give good stars and kudos to Julie Smith. Love the characters, love the stories, I can't face enough about it all! If you like mystery stories with great atmosphere and details, you definitely need to read these!!!
Imaginative, exhilarating, creative, informative on New Orleans culture, habits, scenery, very interesting characterazition, detail given made it easy to picture scenes. Great writing
This series was fun to read. I enjoyed the growth of Skip throughout. Glad she finally got Jacomine. The only thing I didn’t like was too many girls with horrible parents in the books.
This series is a great one. It’s a bit different but good. I loved the twists and turns. Skip seems to always get in the middle of something that sends her twisting & running always on the edge of or in danger. Great friends she has love them. It’s crazy & fun at times.
Once you start there is no stopping - not that you want to! Hope there are more Skip Langdon stories on the horizon. In the meantime I'm trying some of Julie Smith's other series. I'm sure they will be good too. She just can't miss.
Whew! nine books in a row, super overkill, in your face stories about this interesting out of control cop. A large woman from the "Upper" side of society making her way into a world of nastiness and male cop disdain. Good story lines, interesting characters.
I absolutely love all of the Skip Landon books. The author is brilliant and imaginative. The characters spring to life and you feel all their passion and pain. Bravo Julie Smith
I liked the characters - the mostly non-DNA family. The series is gritty - the darker side of life - and the timeline is confusing sometimes, but the stories are well-crafted.
I have now read all 9 of the Skip Langdon books and loved reading about her! She is a normal person! Does she get the evil man or not? Love all the characters! Absolutely worth the read!