Vachss was an author I crossed paths with either late 80s or early 90s, I didn't keep reading records back then so who knows.
What I do remember is being blown away by this secretive, under the radar character Burke who with his network brought his own kind of justice to bear on child killers and abusers.
Vachss went on to write about 18 books in the Burke series, but I stopped trying to keep up after around 10 or 11. He's written half a dozen standalone novels and a couple of other shorter three book series - Cross and Aftershock.
In his work life ..... Andrew Vachss has been a federal investigator in sexually transmitted diseases, a social-services caseworker, a labor organizer, and has directed a maximum-security prison for "aggressive-violent" youth. Now a lawyer in private practice, he represents children and youth exclusively.
I've probably not picked up one of his books in about 10 years, but I'll try and get back to them later this year and see if they are still as compelling second time around.
Strega (1987)
Burke is an ex-con with many ways of earning a buck and his own code of honor: he only does private eye work if the money and the client are right. Strega is an icy, beautiful Mafia princess who offers Burke money and sex to find a piece of kiddie porn. Burke agrees and hits the streets with his bizarre friends to plunge into the nightmarish world of child abuse.
Hard Candy (1989)Now a paid assassin, Burke is on a collision course with a man named Train, who runs a "safehouse" for kids. But when Burke learns that his suspicions about Train are right (the safehouse keeps kids in harm's way), he becomes his own gun-for-hire.
Sounds like potent stuff, Col. I don't know if this would be my sort of story, but I do like it that Burke has his own sort of code and a sense of integrity in his own way.
ReplyDeleteHard-hitting themes are prevalent in a lot of his books and not everyone needs to read about them. Definitely more me than you I think.
DeleteJust bought the first three Burke novels, Flood, Strega, and BlueBelle. These sound very dark. Thanks for costing me money again, Col.
ReplyDeleteSorry sir - but I'm sure you'll thank me in the long run!
DeleteI read Strega shortly after it came out. Harsh.
ReplyDeleteHarsh - great choice for a one word review. All his books cut close to the bone.
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