Review of "The Axeman's Jazz" by Ray Celestin

Nicely paced historical thriller/crime novel, set in an atmospheric New Orleans in the early 20th century, with lots of Jazz (one of the protagonists is a young Lewis Armstrong, not yet Louis) and sleaze and graft. A narrative that swaps between viewpoints - it's "close third" person narrative but the person swaps around, and it's well done. Actually based on a true story, so sprinkled with occasional genuine newspaper articles.

I hadn't previously heard of Ray Celestin, who doesn't seem to have written any other novels, but I will keep an eye out for him.