Edgar Award Best Novel Winner

Cimarron Rose

by James Lee Burke

Summary

Texas defense attorney and former Texas Ranger Billy Bob Holland takes on the murder case of his illegitimate son, a troubled teenager accused of killing a young woman, while wrestling with violence in his own past. Burke transplants his signature blend of moral struggle, vivid landscape, and explosive action to the Texas hill country with a new protagonist. The book opened a fresh series and showcased Burke's gift for haunted, conflicted heroes.

Historical Context & Significance

This first Billy Bob Holland novel earned James Lee Burke his second Edgar Award for Best Novel.