What do you think?
Rate this book
Burnout
Goosey Larsen isn't your average detective, and it's doubtful that he'll ever reach that level of performance. His annual personnel review described him as someone who "lacks motivation" and "needs to improve his interpersonal skills."
Goosey can usually be found coming in late or sneaking out early, but when dead bodies start turning up in downtown Charleston, Goosey is forced to do the one thing he hates most: policework.
Goosey can usually be found coming in late or sneaking out early, but when dead bodies start turning up in downtown Charleston, Goosey is forced to do the one thing he hates most: policework.
240 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2011
About the author
James Vachowski
10 books23 followersJames Vachowski works in the field of global security and crisis management.
When he’s not traveling, James divides his time between his home states of Massachusetts and South Carolina.
When he’s not traveling, James divides his time between his home states of Massachusetts and South Carolina.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 1, 2014
I’m giving BURNOUT by James Vachowski 5-stars because I really enjoyed this book on a whole bunch of different levels.
First and foremost, Mr. Vachowski is a fabulous storyteller. Secondly, he has peopled his novels with recognizable characters that a reader can really sink his teeth into. Thirdly, once upon a time, I was a civilian employee for the US Army and having worked in a government/bureaucratic environment, I could completely identify with his lead character’s tongue-in-cheek view of his fellow employees. Behind the humor, there was a universal truth that made the story come alive for me.
Fourthly, I am a big fan of Hitchcockian suspense. Alfred Hitchcock once described suspense this way: you take five men playing cards on a train. A bomb suddenly goes off under their table. The audience feels surprise. You take the same five men, you let the audience see the bomb and the timer and the countdown which the men know nothing about... that’s suspense. This is the kind of suspense that Mr. Vachowski has running throughout his book.
And lastly, this is a story with heart. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries of the hardboiled school and who are willing to laugh at themselves.
First and foremost, Mr. Vachowski is a fabulous storyteller. Secondly, he has peopled his novels with recognizable characters that a reader can really sink his teeth into. Thirdly, once upon a time, I was a civilian employee for the US Army and having worked in a government/bureaucratic environment, I could completely identify with his lead character’s tongue-in-cheek view of his fellow employees. Behind the humor, there was a universal truth that made the story come alive for me.
Fourthly, I am a big fan of Hitchcockian suspense. Alfred Hitchcock once described suspense this way: you take five men playing cards on a train. A bomb suddenly goes off under their table. The audience feels surprise. You take the same five men, you let the audience see the bomb and the timer and the countdown which the men know nothing about... that’s suspense. This is the kind of suspense that Mr. Vachowski has running throughout his book.
And lastly, this is a story with heart. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries of the hardboiled school and who are willing to laugh at themselves.
June 17, 2016
"I’m a fan of mystery novels especially when there’s a detective and crime involved. Burnout by James Vachowski provided me with a read that was interesting as much as it was intriguing. The magic of the story has to do a lot with the main protagonist. Detective Mike Larson is someone who just wants to take it easy in a job he has been doing for years. It makes sense considering his age. I like reading about protagonists that aren’t perfect as their flaws gives layers to their personality. I also have to applaud the author for the amount of research he put in the story. With a lot of police work going on James was very impressive in showing how the police and detectives go about their cases, and even the descriptions of the autopsies. There is a lot of mystery and suspense in the book which will keep you engrossed. The writing is in first person and that allows you to understand what is truly going on in character’s mind. It also helps amplify the humor present in the story.
Burnout by James Vachowski is a nice fast-paced read you should checkout if you’re a fan of police mysteries."
Note: Same review has been posted on Amazon US/UK under the name Omer Mujtaba
January 27, 2014
This is a great crime story. The characters are believable and have depth to them. The main character, Mike Larson, is a cop, who wants to perform his job with the minimum amount of effort. His boss, Big Jim, doesn't want to exert any mental or physical effort. Squealer, on the other hand, is the opposite of the other jaded cops of the Charleston Police Department. He is a bright-eyed, enthusiastic cop, who performs his job well beyond his job title.
The plot has interesting twists and turns in its murder mystery. At times, Mike's personality rivals the classic "Columbo" character. He downplays his intelligence while stating that he has only one more thing to add.
I can see the books as part of a series. The characters are set up and ready to go. The only thing needed is another murder.
The plot has interesting twists and turns in its murder mystery. At times, Mike's personality rivals the classic "Columbo" character. He downplays his intelligence while stating that he has only one more thing to add.
I can see the books as part of a series. The characters are set up and ready to go. The only thing needed is another murder.
May 13, 2014
"Very few people actually go missing these
days – more often than not, people just get the urge to be
somewhere else. Hell, I get that feeling all the time, usually
between nine and five, Monday through Friday. "
Welcome to the world of detective Goosey. He's not your favourite detective and you would probably not want him on your case unless you want the investigation closed up sooner than the duration of the crime. Goosey hates police work. He's lazy and oozing sarcasm at every page, yet you can't avoid liking him!
James Vachowski has written a funny, engaging story as he takes you through the mind of the burnt out detective. The surroundings and situations are well described. I would surely like to read more!
days – more often than not, people just get the urge to be
somewhere else. Hell, I get that feeling all the time, usually
between nine and five, Monday through Friday. "
Welcome to the world of detective Goosey. He's not your favourite detective and you would probably not want him on your case unless you want the investigation closed up sooner than the duration of the crime. Goosey hates police work. He's lazy and oozing sarcasm at every page, yet you can't avoid liking him!
James Vachowski has written a funny, engaging story as he takes you through the mind of the burnt out detective. The surroundings and situations are well described. I would surely like to read more!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews