New Orleans, 1919. As music fills the city, a serial killer strikes . . .
Inspired by a true story, set against the heady backdrop of jazz-filled, mob-ruled New Orleans, The Axeman’s Jazz by Ray Celestin is a gripping thriller announcing a major talent in historical crime fiction.
Winner of the CWA New Blood Dagger for Best Debut Crime Novel of the Year
Recommended on the Radio 2 Arts Show with Claudia Winkleman
Shortlisted for Theakston's Crime Novel of the Year Award
New Orleans, 1919. As a dark serial killer – the Axeman – stalks the city, three individuals set out to unmask him:
Detective Lieutenant Michael Talbot – heading up the official investigation, but struggling to find leads, and harbouring a grave secret of his own.
Former detective Luca d’Andrea – now working for the mafia, his need to solve the mystery of the Axeman is every bit as urgent as that of the authorities.
And Ida – a secretary at the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Obsessed with Sherlock Holmes and dreaming of a better life, she stumbles across a clue which lures her and her musician friend, Louis Armstrong, into the case – and into terrible danger . . .
As Michael, Luca and Ida each draw closer to discovering the killer’s identity, the Axeman himself will issue a challenge to the people of New Orleans: play jazz, or risk becoming the next victim.
'A fascinating portrait of a vibrant and volatile city and a riveting read' – Guardian
The Axeman's Jazz is the first book in Ray Celestin's prize-winning City Blues quartet. It is followed by the second installment, Dead Man's Blues.
"A rewarding crime novel, swinging its way to a terrifying denouement with all the panache of a New Orleans marching band" - The Times
"A fascinating portrait of a vibrant and volatile city and a riveting read" - Guardian
"Gripping . . . Celestin smartly evokes the atmosphere of 1919 New Orleans, and a city dominated by music and the mob" - Sunday Times
"Based on a true story . . . this thriller blends voodoo, gangsters and jazz into an intoxicating mix" - Sunday Mirror
"The evocative prose brings the jazz-filled, mob-ruled ‘Big Easy’ of pre-prohibition America to life in glorious effect with a story full of suspense and intrigue. Stunning" - Sunday Express
"Outstanding" - Daily Telegraph
"A clever and utterly believable procedural with a suitably grisly killer, set in a brilliant and vibrant historical background" - Crime Review
"The best debut I’ve read this year" - Scotsman, Crime Books of the Year
"Celestin has skilfully woven around the facts a clever story of three detectives who, in different ways and for different motives, set out to find the murderer. He brilliantly portrays the mood of a city under a siege of fear. Fictional musicians mix with the real jazz artists of the period, not least Louis Armstrong." - The Times, Crime Books of the Year
"An absolute must for true crime fanatics" - Refinery29
