In the Electric Mist

Detective Dave Robicheaux begins investigating the murder of a young woman in Iberia Parish. He has a chance encounter with Hollywood stars Elrod Sykes and his girlfriend Kelly Drummond, who are in town to shoot a Civil War film. The meeting sets up a web of crime, fame, and personal turmoil that will unfold through the case.

Elrod’s erratic driving leads to his arrest, and Kelly reveals they found a decayed corpse in the swamp. Dave senses this discovery could be connected to the murder he's investigating. He decides to follow the swamp lead as a potential breakthrough.

While digging for clues, Dave recalls a murder he witnessed as a teenager—a chained prisoner shot in the swamp and dumped into the bog. The memory deepens the case and suggests a longer pattern of disappearances. This connection tightens the stakes for Dave personally and professionally.

Clues begin to point toward Julie 'Baby Feet' Balboni, whose mafia ties complicate the investigation. Balboni denies knowing the murdered prostitute and may be trying to distance himself from the case. The possibility of organized crime as a hidden driver intensifies the pursuit.

Dave visits the film site and meets producer Michael Goldman. Goldman explains that while Balboni is helping to fund the film, he is not officially a co-producer as Elrod claimed. The encounter reframes a source of funding as a potential cover for illicit activity.

Elrod and Kelly begin turning up regularly at Dave’s home, typically while Elrod is drunk. Dave, an alcoholic himself, shows pity and tries to support him. His daughter Alafair idolizes Elrod, while his wife Bootsie worries about the disruption.

The discovery of a second body prompts FBI involvement in the case. Dave is paired with agent Rosie Gomez to pursue the new leads, changing the dynamic of the investigation. The FBI's involvement broadens the net and raises the stakes.

Dave attends Goldman’s birthday party and drinks Dr Pepper, which triggers a chaotic drive home. He crashes his pickup in the forest and experiences a disorienting vision of Confederate soldiers. He wakes in the hospital to learn his drink had been laced with LSD.

General John Hood appears in Dave’s mind, offering advice as he struggles with guilt over Kelly’s death. The visionary figure helps Dave through the turbulent period but also blurs the line between myth and reality. The experience marks a turning point in Dave’s mental state during the investigation.

Elrod, intoxicated, takes a boat out on the bayou with Kelly. Their boat engines get tangled, and a mysterious gunman shoots Kelly, mistaken for Dave. The tragedy intensifies Dave’s sense of responsibility and the danger surrounding the case.

Dave learns that his cop friend Lou Girard has been found dead, apparently by suicide. The loss compounds the emotional toll of the investigation and raises questions about who might be behind the murders. Dave presses on despite the personal cost.

A pimp’s testimony brings suspect Murphy Doucet into focus, and Dave arrests him using a planted knife as evidence. Doucet posts bail and soon kidnaps Dave’s daughter Alafair, escalating the danger. The case becomes personal for Dave as he fights to rescue his daughter.

Gomez and Dave find Doucet at his campsite; Gomez instinctively shoots him. Dave plants a throw-away pistol on the unarmed Doucet to shield Gomez from murder charges and to ensure the actual killer is held accountable. They rescue Alafair and return home.

Months after the case closes, Dave stops seeing Hood’s visions and realizes the specter was a personal guide rather than a real figure. Balboni is arrested for a non-mafia crime (tax dodging), while Elrod finds sobriety and helps Alafair with a small film role. The family begins to recover as peace returns.

Alafair discovers a Civil War photograph of General Hood and his soldiers and, in the back row, Dave Robicheaux himself. The image implies Hood’s presence was a real memory captured in history, not a mere hallucination. The film ends with Dave moving forward, carrying the past with him.