Storm Damage / Ed Kovacs / 307 pages

"She was pierced so many times there was more hardware in her body than is aisle 12 at home Depot.  She had more tattoos then the 1st Marine Division, and she was the granddaughter of an infamous Mafia don who still owned a large portion of the Quarter ...and she managed the coffee shop on the corner."  This passage demonstrates Ed Kovacs excellent use of descriptive language to establish the sights, sounds, and essence of post-Katrina New Orleans.  This a thrilling page-turner recounts Cliff St. James' investigation into the murder of Sam Siu, a Vietnamese immigrant/business owner.  Sam was murdered just prior to the arrival of the hurricane's apocalyptic arrival.  His body disappears and his daughter pays Cliff to discover who killed Sam.  This story has everything...FBI, CIA, martial arts, Mardi Gras, spousal abuse, rape, corrupt officials, romance (?)...