Created by O’Neil De Noux
“I always get them. Always.”
Although this long-running series started out with him as a determined, no-nonsense New Orleans Homicide Detective, DINO LaSTANZA becomes a private investigator following the events in New Orleans Homicide (2013), and is a full-fledged private eye by the seventh novel, The Blue Nude (2013). In fact, he quickly earns a rep around town–many consider him “the most dangerous private eye in the city.”
Though he doesn’t have to work too hard at it. He can pick and choose his cases–being married to Lizette, a wealthy woman who loves spending money on him, does have its advantages. Like the mansion he lives in. Like the Maserati he drives. Like his 1940s-style office which she redecorated for him, which he thinks looks like something “right out of The Maltese Falcon.” (The office, by the way, is appropriately enough in a building on… wait for it… Mystery Street.
One of the most persistent writers in the genre and a long-time contributor to this site, O’Neil De Noux is a New Orleans writer with over forty books published, and an astounding 400 short story sales. He writes crime fiction, historical fiction, children’s fiction, mainstream fiction, science-fiction, suspense, fantasy, horror, western, literary, young adult, religious, romance, humor and erotica. His fiction has received several awards, including Shamuses and Derringers, and two of his stories have appeared in the Best American Mystery Stories anthology series (2013 and 2007). He’s also responsible for several other series characters, mostly police officers (or former police officers) with the NOPD, such as 1890’s detective Jacques Dugas and contemporary detective John Raven Beau, but also private eyes such as LaStanza and possibly his best known character (and my fave), former NOPD Homicide Detective turned 1940s private eye Lucien Caye (the books are good, but I LOVE the short stories). Conicidentally, O’Neil has also served as a vice-president of The Private Eye Writers of America.
NOVELS
- Grim Reaper (1988) |Â Buy this book |Â Kindle it!
- The Big Kiss (1990) |Â Buy this book |Â Kindle it!
- Blue Orleans (1991) |Â Buy this book |Â Kindle it!
- Crescent City Kills (1992) |Â Buy this book |Â Kindle it!
- The Big Show (1996) |Â Buy this book |Â Kindle it!
- New Orleans Homicide (2013) |Â Buy this book |Â Kindle it!
- The Blue Nude (2013) |Â Buy this book |Â Kindle it!
- The Long Cold (2015) |Â Buy this book |Â Kindle it!
- Saint Lolita (2017)Â |Â Buy this book |Â Kindle it!
- Righteous Sentence (2019)Â Â |Â Buy this book |Â Kindle it!
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
- If I Were a Rich Man…
Millionaire Eyes - O’Neil’s Big Easy Favourites
And Other Louisiana Eyes
Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.
