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bonniereads777's review against another edition
4.0
It is 1940s Los Angeles, and Bobby Saxon wants to join the Booker “Boom Boom” Taylor Orchestra, a talented group restricted to certain clubs and locations because they are Black. Bobby is also a talented musician, and white, but he harbors a secret that causes him to seek out Booker’s band. Then a murder happens on the famous Apollo gambling ship during Bobby’s first real gig. A member of the band, James, is arrested and charged with the murder, mostly because of the color of his skin. Bobby is tapped by Booker to investigate and try to clear James, and again skin color is the reason. Bobby’s white skin will take him places Booker and the rest of the band members cannot go. Bobby is a reluctant investigator at first but is promised a spot in the band if he finds the real killer.
The vibe and feel of 1940s crime movies come alive in this novel. Those familiar with 1940s LA will be delighted as the actors, actresses, musicians, and gangsters of that era make appearances at many famed restaurants and watering holes. The blatant racism of that time is palpable and shocking. While he is wrapped up in the investigation, Bobby is also trying to make a personal decision that will chart the course of his future.
Bobby’s investigation moves a little slowly in the first half of the book but picks up speed in the second half. The secret Bobby is hiding is an important and intriguing aspect. Recommended for readers interested in 1940s historical fiction, crime novels, or the history of entertainment in Los Angeles.
The vibe and feel of 1940s crime movies come alive in this novel. Those familiar with 1940s LA will be delighted as the actors, actresses, musicians, and gangsters of that era make appearances at many famed restaurants and watering holes. The blatant racism of that time is palpable and shocking. While he is wrapped up in the investigation, Bobby is also trying to make a personal decision that will chart the course of his future.
Bobby’s investigation moves a little slowly in the first half of the book but picks up speed in the second half. The secret Bobby is hiding is an important and intriguing aspect. Recommended for readers interested in 1940s historical fiction, crime novels, or the history of entertainment in Los Angeles.
samhouston's review
4.0
The Blues Don’t Care is the first entry in Paul D. Marks’s new series featuring Bobby Saxon, a musician turned amateur detective who lives in WWII era Los Angeles. Bobby is a mean piano player in the style of all the popular jazz and swing bands of the day, but he has a big problem. Bobby is white. His favorite bands are exclusively all black. And, at least in Los Angeles, it’s unheard of for a white musician or singer to be part of what would otherwise be an all-black band.
But persistence has a way of paying off. Bobby sits through so many sets of his favorite band, The Booker “Boom Boom” Taylor Orchestra, that Booker starts to recognize him in the crowd - admittedly, it helps that Bobby’s is one of the few white ones in the whole room. But best of all for Bobby, on the night that he and Booker finally speak to each other Booker is short a piano player, a problem Bobby can help solve for him. And although he is not exactly warmly welcomed by all the bandmembers, by the end of the night Bobby has impressed all of them, especially Booker, with his talent.
When he is offered a regular gig with the Booker “Boom Boom” Orchestra, it appears that Bobby’s dreams have become reality. But there is only one way that he will keep the job, and it has nothing to do with Bobby’s musical talent. One of the other bandmembers has been arrested and locked up for a murder he didn’t commit, and Booker asks Bobby, because he is a white man, to prove the man’s innocence. If he pulls it off, the job is Bobby’s. If not, not.
To say that Bobby is in over his head is an understatement. He has no idea where to begin his “investigation,” but before this one is over he manages to get himself (and anyone who dares help him) punched, kicked, tied-up, shot at, and otherwise abused. But Bobby, as we already know, is persistent – and persistence pays off.
Bottom Line: The Blues Don’t Care is a fun, atmospheric look at 1940s Los Angeles that almost perfectly captures the tone of all those old black and white gangster movies of the day. Bobby Saxon is such a fan of those films himself that he uses them as training films in his quest to make himself into a detective capable of solving a murder the police have little interest in solving for themselves. Sometimes that works, and sometimes it makes him crazily reckless. And that’s exactly why The Blues Don’t Care is so much fun. (Well, that and one other thing about Bobby you’re going to have to learn for yourself – trust me.)
Review copy courtesy of Author and/or Publisher
But persistence has a way of paying off. Bobby sits through so many sets of his favorite band, The Booker “Boom Boom” Taylor Orchestra, that Booker starts to recognize him in the crowd - admittedly, it helps that Bobby’s is one of the few white ones in the whole room. But best of all for Bobby, on the night that he and Booker finally speak to each other Booker is short a piano player, a problem Bobby can help solve for him. And although he is not exactly warmly welcomed by all the bandmembers, by the end of the night Bobby has impressed all of them, especially Booker, with his talent.
When he is offered a regular gig with the Booker “Boom Boom” Orchestra, it appears that Bobby’s dreams have become reality. But there is only one way that he will keep the job, and it has nothing to do with Bobby’s musical talent. One of the other bandmembers has been arrested and locked up for a murder he didn’t commit, and Booker asks Bobby, because he is a white man, to prove the man’s innocence. If he pulls it off, the job is Bobby’s. If not, not.
To say that Bobby is in over his head is an understatement. He has no idea where to begin his “investigation,” but before this one is over he manages to get himself (and anyone who dares help him) punched, kicked, tied-up, shot at, and otherwise abused. But Bobby, as we already know, is persistent – and persistence pays off.
Bottom Line: The Blues Don’t Care is a fun, atmospheric look at 1940s Los Angeles that almost perfectly captures the tone of all those old black and white gangster movies of the day. Bobby Saxon is such a fan of those films himself that he uses them as training films in his quest to make himself into a detective capable of solving a murder the police have little interest in solving for themselves. Sometimes that works, and sometimes it makes him crazily reckless. And that’s exactly why The Blues Don’t Care is so much fun. (Well, that and one other thing about Bobby you’re going to have to learn for yourself – trust me.)
Review copy courtesy of Author and/or Publisher
theirresponsiblereader's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Bobby Sexton is a young Los Angeleno, of military age (who is not serving but wants to) during the height of World War II. His greatest desire in life is to be a piano player—he can’t get on with a serious band (mostly due to age, it seems—but there’s something else, too). So he starts spending time in black jazz clubs and finally works out the nerve to try to get in with the Booker ‘Boom-Boom’ Taylor Orchestra. He’s given a shot, and during his first gig, a white man is murdered. One of the other band members is arrested for the murder, but Booker (and Bobby) are sure he’s only arrested because he’s a convenient black man.
So, Booker makes Bobby a deal—use his whiteness in a way that no one else in the band can—find the killer. Or, at least, find a way to get James out of jail. Drawing on knowledge of detecting gained solely out of films, Bobby gives it a shot.
He catches a break by striking up the beginning of a friendship with a Deputy assigned to the case (who is not all that sure that James is guilty, but isn’t free to find an alternate suspect). Given the hints from that deputy, Bobby plunges in and soon finds himself lost in a maze of smuggling, big business, refugees, intelligence about the Concentration Camps, Nazis, and more. Bobby quickly learns (and relearns and relearns) that real life and real detective work isn’t like it looks in the movies, still he seems to have some talent for detecting (or is he just too stubborn to realize he doesn’t?).
A Couple of Thoughts about the Setting
It occurs to me, that every book I’ve read that takes place in World War II (and doesn’t involve the armed forces) takes place in or around New York City (or wherever the Pevensie children go). Seeing Los Angeles at this time was a nice change. I’d never really thought about what it was like during this time in L.A.—or anywhere that wasn’t where my grandparents lived or NYC.
So, Booker makes Bobby a deal—use his whiteness in a way that no one else in the band can—find the killer. Or, at least, find a way to get James out of jail. Drawing on knowledge of detecting gained solely out of films, Bobby gives it a shot.
He catches a break by striking up the beginning of a friendship with a Deputy assigned to the case (who is not all that sure that James is guilty, but isn’t free to find an alternate suspect). Given the hints from that deputy, Bobby plunges in and soon finds himself lost in a maze of smuggling, big business, refugees, intelligence about the Concentration Camps, Nazis, and more. Bobby quickly learns (and relearns and relearns) that real life and real detective work isn’t like it looks in the movies, still he seems to have some talent for detecting (or is he just too stubborn to realize he doesn’t?).
A Couple of Thoughts about the Setting
It occurs to me, that every book I’ve read that takes place in World War II (and doesn’t involve the armed forces) takes place in or around New York City (or wherever the Pevensie children go). Seeing Los Angeles at this time was a nice change. I’d never really thought about what it was like during this time in L.A.—or anywhere that wasn’t where my grandparents lived or NYC.
For a book that’s largely about tolerance and acceptance of others, the era-appropriate racial and ethnic slurs fly pretty freely in this book. I can see a lot of people being made uncomfortable by it, being offended, or objecting to it. Not me, it’s how people talked—the slurs directed toward the African Americans Bobby plays with or spends time around did feel ugly, and those who used them weren’t depicted favorably. But the epithets for Axis powers (or their citizens) were casually used by just about every character. It didn’t strike me as hateful, just as slang. Maybe it says something about me (or maybe I read too many books written in the 1940s and 50s) that I didn’t care about it, it just seemed like context-appropriate dialogue. But I do know that not all readers will appreciate that aspect.
A Note about the Framing Device
There’s a framing device used here to introduce us to Bobby, Booker, Bobby’s music, and to give us a glance at their future. I’m not sure it was needed, I don’t know what it added—but I didn’t mind it. But as I thought about the book, I wondered, “why?” I just didn’t see the value.
There’s a framing device used here to introduce us to Bobby, Booker, Bobby’s music, and to give us a glance at their future. I’m not sure it was needed, I don’t know what it added—but I didn’t mind it. But as I thought about the book, I wondered, “why?” I just didn’t see the value.
I can see where in any sequels it could come back, and maybe turn into something I don’t wonder about, but I’m not convinced we need that device.
I’m not saying it was bad…just extraneous.
Has Bobby Never Heard of a Notepad?
Sure, I get it. There were shortages of everything, rations were the name of the game, but Bobby couldn’t have used a notepad, scratch paper, the back of sheet music, anything? Every time he looks something up, like an address in a phone book*, he rips out the page that has the information to take it with him.
Sure, I get it. There were shortages of everything, rations were the name of the game, but Bobby couldn’t have used a notepad, scratch paper, the back of sheet music, anything? Every time he looks something up, like an address in a phone book*, he rips out the page that has the information to take it with him.
* Kids and younger adults should ask your parents.
I remember reading other, older, PI novels where this happens some—and even some TV shows/movies. But Bobby’s a serial vandal—I lost count of who many phone books he ruined. Please, please, Mr. Marks, get the guy a pencil and a notepad for the sequel.
So, what did I think about The Blues Don’t Care?
First of all, I would’ve liked more about the jazz/band. Bobby playing, thinking about, or listening to music was the best part of the book. Yeah, I know, it’s a murder mystery, not a band novel, so the focus needs to be on the murder and hunt for the murderer. But, I tell you what, we could’ve used a lot more of the music scene for flavor, for grounding the story—and just for fun.
There are aspects of the novel, particularly about Bobby, that I don’t feel comfortable talking about at this point—I can’t do it without ruining some reveals. But I do appreciate the way that Marks deals with the characters and their circumstances. That’s really all I can say.
I see that this is listed as the first of a series, and I’m not sure how long you can use the “fish out of water” musician-turned-detective idea before it stops working, but I’m interested in seeing how Marks tries to do it. I’ll be back for at least the first sequel.
On the whole, though, I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the amateur (very) detective stumbling his way through the L.A. underworld, through the racial divide, and through his first case—and through a degree of maturation and self-acceptance. It’s got the heart of a hard-boiled mystery, but isn’t as grim or violent as you’d expect (not that it’s a cozy by any means). Marks hits the right notes* with his prose and characters, creating a mystery that appeals on many levels. I recommend this for mystery readers looking for the kind of thing they haven’t read before.
* You know I had to.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author via Saichek Publicity in exchange for this post and my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.
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