Down Here

Andrew Vachss' stories about Burke have covered a lot of ground since I started reading them. The early novels were deeply tortured, tales of an anti-hero scarred down to his core by a legacy of pain and abuse. Surrounding Burke are the members of his 'true' family. All children of the 'secret,' all people driven to living on the fringes of society, all finding meaning in their shared companionship. In this world Burke is both feared and loved. Loved for his fierce loyalty to those he shares a bond with, and fired by those who have made abuse a landmark in the corridors of darkness.Burke is inteliigent, but not an intellect. He has friends like the Professor and the Mole for that. But he is street smart to the nth degree. While no longer the automatically violent character of the early novels, Burke has no qualms about the use of violence when his version of justice requires it. Down Here is a novel of complex interlocking plots, but the edge is still there as he searches for a way to unravel a plot to frame Wolfe, a woman he has long admired, for shooting a serial rapist she once convicted, who has now gone free on a technicality.The more Burke digs into the accusations and the stonewalling by the district attorney's office, the clearer it becomes that there is more involved than the accusations against Wolfe. The FBI has become involved, as well as white supremacists and terrorists. Wolfe is a pawn in a deeper game. And while she fights to beat the case against her, it is not all that clear that she welcomes Burke's involvement.To me, Down Here marks Burke's real return to the city and his friends. Previously, right after he returned from his 'trip' to the West Coast, his membership in New York's underground felt awkward and stilted. The entire cycle from the attempt on his life and his revenge was never entirely satisfactory, but with this story we are completely immersed again into Burke's milieu, moving through the edges of the shadow city, meeting a caste of characters that at once familiar and strange.Vachss' writing is at a peak. We are used to a lot of action in a Burke story, and Down Here is a change of pace, focused on Burke's interior development and the intricacies of the plot development. In a way this is more like a police procedural than the pure action and suspense that Vachss often uses. With many volumes written in this series, the characters are tightly defined. While the story is completely readable on its own the newcomer will benefit from taking the time to read several of the earlier novels.

The latest Burke novel is a little more mellow than some of the previous books of the series. Part of that is because Burke himself is a changed man, I suppose. The old rage is still there at his core, but the rage is expressed more subtley. Wolfe, a former prosector of sex crimes, is accused attempting to murder a rapist she put away years ago. Burke, who has had dealings with (and unresolved feelings for) Wolfe, is brought in to help the DA-turned-outlaw. But it soon becomes apparent that there is something far more to this groundless accusation as the city pushes a case that is worthless on its face. Vachss demonstrates once again how good he is at dealing with the underside of society. His characters are hard-bitten, hard-fighting, fully fleshed out people, who are horribly damaged, in many aspects unsavory, and completely lovable. But I was surprised at the relatively soft touch Vachss brought to this book. There's a great deal of tenderness in Burke, hinted at previously, that shines through more than usual. He's not above hurting people to get the job done, even appearing to enjoy it in some instances, but Burke seems to be tired of this violent life of his. The result is an unusually soulful entry in a series that is the very definition of hardboiled.

It's difficult to believe that Down Here is the fifteenth novel about Burke, that grown-up "Child of the Secret" who lives across the border that separates the normal world from the world of lawlessness and violence. The novels read more like one lengthy, continuing story, each book another chapter in the story arc of Burke's life. Some chapters are naturally more interesting than others, but all have been well worth reading, and Down Here is one of the more effective ones. There is a power to Vachss's writing that sustains and nourishes the reader during even the most procedural of scenes, and there are a great many of those here. That's only natural, however, since Burke is put in the situation of investigator. The woman he deeply admires and possibly loves, Wolfe, is a former sex crimes prosecutor who has been accused of attempted murder by a convicted multiple rapist now free on a technicality. Burke takes it upon himself and his colorful crew to prove Wolfe's innocence, but once that's done, there are still more puzzles to be solved and links to be made. The plot is primarily that of discovery, and it's to Vachss's credit as a writer that the process never becomes boring. Interest is maintained by his icy prose style, the never less than fascinating characters, and the viewpoint of Burke himself, who, in an ethically ambiguous situation, pimps himself, initiating an affair with the rapist's sister, an artfully drawn businesswoman of whom Burke grows fond. The core of Burke's "family" is present - Mama, Max the Silent, the Prof, Michelle, the Mole, and the adopted offspring Terry and Clarence. They're their usual helpful selves, except when they want to help themselves to some money. Burke's altruism toward Wolfe isn't always shared by Mama and the Prof, who seem frustrated by the lack of profit in this particular job. Their greed is a quality that makes them both a little less admirable but a lot more human. Burke's humanity comes through as well, in spades. He's a living, breathing character whose observations can be touching, but whose cynicism still stings. As always, Vachss's Zen-like refusal to use traditional chapter breaks makes the novel flow like a stream, and once you pick it up it's a tough book to put down. When you finally do, you'll find yourself wishing, not for the next book in a series, but for the next chapter in the dark, brooding, and somehow hopeful life of Burke.

The best thing about this book (next to the return of all Vachss' terrific characters) is the twisted plot. Forget about the standardized gumshoe pap that passes for mystery/suspense nowadays; Vachss knows how to keep the reader guessing. I have been waiting restlessly for the next Burke book to come out, and this one is *well* worth it.

I got this book online last week (what a cheap price), and I read it in one sitting, as I do with all of his books. LEt me tell you, for all you Burke fans, this is the book that we've been waiting for. I don't want to give anything away, but the relationship between Wolfe and Burke is fantastic in this book! You will not be disappointed.Vachss is one of the greatest writers, period. He should be FAR more popular than he is right now. Tell ALL your friends to buy this book.