In Burke, Vachss gave readers of crime fiction a hero they could believe in, an avenger whose sense of justice was forged behind bars and tempered on New York's meanest streets. In this blistering new thriller, Burke is drawn into his ugliest case yet, one that involves an underground network of abused women and the sleekly ingenious stalkers who've marked them as their personal victims. Burke's client is Crystal Beth, a beautiful outlaw with a tattoo on her face and a mission burned into her heart. She is trying to shield one of her charges from a vengeful ex with fetishes for Nazism and torture. But the stalker has a protector, someone so informed, so ruthless, and so connected that he need only make a few phone calls to shut down Crystal Beth's operation for good--and Burke along with it. Sinuous in its complexities, brutal in its momentum, Safe House is Burke at the edge of his nerve and cunning. And it's Vachss at the peak of his form.
Burke allows his emotions to show in his relationships with his loyal "family." He and his friends will go the distance to protect others from the predators that stalk them. What I like a lot about his books, is the types of characters he uses. They're not necessarily physically attractive,but their appeal is from within themselves and their loyalty to one another.
Vachss again presents astonishing depth of observation
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
In Safe House, Andrew Vachss again offers the reader the benefit of his astounding observational powers. This novel is a thrilling and suspenseful detective story that pits Vachss' ferocious and loyal Burke against white-supremacist gangsters who seek to bomb targets enough to start world war three. But the fierce plot is only the frosting on the cake. The true heart of this book is its unflinching report on the wrenching reality of domestic violence in America. And if you think those two themes have nothing to do with each other, buy this book right away. Once you have finished reading what Vachss has to tell, you will understand domestic violence for the form of terrorism it truly is. I read many new books this year, but this was the one I know will stay with me.
Steel and Silk!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
I don't usually read mysteries, but a friend said I *had* to try Vachss. I started with Hard Candy. I never read anything so cold and so sexy at the same time. Since then, I've read *everything* Vachss writes. I thought he hit his peak with Down in the Zero, to be truthful. And False Allegations was disappointing ... at least for me and the reasons *I* read the books. But Safe House ... pow! The man is *back!* I can't wait for the next one.
Powerful and intense!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
I read everything in the so-called "hardboiled" genre, and none of them can lay a glove on Burke and his crew. Vachss is cold, bold, and never gets old.
Burke to the Basics
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
After the dogma and "preachiness" of False Allegations, which wasn't necessarily bad, mind you, but a little long, it's nice to see Vachss get back to the Basics. Burke is back in full style, tough, hard-boiled, and a problem to solve. The intricacies of the story, the development of the characters, the pay off at the ending All these together prove that Vachss is becoming a better writer as he goes along. IF you know Vachss, you won't be surprised here. All the elements are here, the righteous indignation, the disgust with the legal system, and the notion of family. All in all, with Safe House, M. Vachss brings us back to the hard-boiled character that we met in Flood. Great Read.
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