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Burke #12
Dead and Gone
From the modern master of noir, Andrew Vachss, comes this heart-topping and bestselling new thriller that completely reinvents the Burke series.
Urban Outlaw Burke barely survives an attack by a professional hit squad that kills his partner. With a new face, Burke goes into hiding. And on the hunt. Dead and Gone takes him from the streets of New York City through a cross-country underground, and deep into his own tortured past. The violent journey ends in a place that exists only in the dreams of the darkest degenerates on earth.
Urban Outlaw Burke barely survives an attack by a professional hit squad that kills his partner. With a new face, Burke goes into hiding. And on the hunt. Dead and Gone takes him from the streets of New York City through a cross-country underground, and deep into his own tortured past. The violent journey ends in a place that exists only in the dreams of the darkest degenerates on earth.
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 12, 2000
15 people are currently reading
403 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Vachss
138 books890 followersAndrew 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 youths exclusively. He is the author of numerous novels, including the Burke series, two collections of short stories, and a wide variety of other material including song lyrics, graphic novels, essays, and a “children’s book for adults.” His books have been translated into twenty languages, and his work has appeared in Parade, Antaeus, Esquire, Playboy, the New York Times, and many other forums. A native New Yorker, he now divides his time between the city of his birth and the Pacific Northwest.
The dedicated Web site for Vachss and his work is
www.vachss.com. That site and this page are managed by volunteers. To contact Mr. Vachss directly, use the "email us" function of vachss.com.
The dedicated Web site for Vachss and his work is
www.vachss.com. That site and this page are managed by volunteers. To contact Mr. Vachss directly, use the "email us" function of vachss.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 27, 2019
Burke survives an assassination attempt but not without some significant injuries, one eye lost and significant facial injuries, and the loss of a beloved member of his "family." After months in the hospital, feigning amnesia to the cops, he busts out to seek revenge against the person who set him up as an intermediary to pay a ransom and recover a child kidnapping victim. Burke leaves New York, thinking it's not safe for him, travelling to Chicago to trace the victim's parents, and then to Portland. He meets Gem, a survivor of the Cambodian genocide, who in many ways is as damaged as Burke, and they develop a symbiotic relationship. There is a long, fairly unnecessary detour to find a tech wizard orphanage friend of Burke to eventually lure an old adversary into a showdown. These books have become unnecessarily long, with too much filler, in my opinion.
October 8, 2011
I always forget why it is I don't like Andrew Vachss novels. I will go years without reading one and then think, "Hey, why don't I read another Vachss novel?" Then I'll read one and remember, "Oh yeah, his endings are always inexplicable and unsatisfying and never seem to tie up a single loose end. And don't forget how rushed they are."
I think about that and then I think, "Oh man, his female characters are also caricatures. No one writes women worse than Vachss with the possible exception of men who write super hero comics."
And then I will go a couple of year without reading Vachss and will find myself in a bookstore and somehow will have forgotten all of the above.
That faulty memory is how I came to read this Vachss offering and I suspect in a couple of years I will repeat this recursive dumbassery of mine. I hope writing all of this down helps me remember but it probably won't. Sigh...
Anyway, crappy, rushed and unsatisfying ending and if Gem doesn't make you want to vomit at least twice (hi, hot Asian chick dressed as a sexy schoolgirl is a fucking cliche unworthy of anyone outside of derivative porn, thanks!), then I probably need to challenge you to a thumb wrestling match, best two out of three. You could do worse than read this book but you'd really have to work at it.
I think about that and then I think, "Oh man, his female characters are also caricatures. No one writes women worse than Vachss with the possible exception of men who write super hero comics."
And then I will go a couple of year without reading Vachss and will find myself in a bookstore and somehow will have forgotten all of the above.
That faulty memory is how I came to read this Vachss offering and I suspect in a couple of years I will repeat this recursive dumbassery of mine. I hope writing all of this down helps me remember but it probably won't. Sigh...
Anyway, crappy, rushed and unsatisfying ending and if Gem doesn't make you want to vomit at least twice (hi, hot Asian chick dressed as a sexy schoolgirl is a fucking cliche unworthy of anyone outside of derivative porn, thanks!), then I probably need to challenge you to a thumb wrestling match, best two out of three. You could do worse than read this book but you'd really have to work at it.
October 7, 2022
I can tell by the review that I did actually read this book although as I listened to it in the audible format with help from an e-book, I really had no recollection of ever having read this book before. Nine years has erased this story. Although it is a fairly clever one and one that displays a good deal of the Burke thought process. I am impressed by the intricacy of the story and how it all fits together. I am a little bored with the long progression of sexy women. This one he actually agreed to create the use full appearance of being married to. As usual she seemed to have fallen for him while he was a little more ambiguous about the relationship.
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I occasionally read two books in a series back to back. So that’s what I am doing here. I just finished Choice of Evil and am moving on now to book #12 in the Burke series Dead and Gone that promises “a new Burke.” The hardcover dust jacket is a dog collar. That and the title should give you a hint about what is in store for our protagonist.
There is always a woman in a Burke book. The woman in this book is Gem. She is Cambodian; exotic is always preferred. In addition to her sexual skills, mandatory for a Burke novel, she is tagged as a slim person who eats big meals and snacks, really big.
The story outline for this book is really quite simple but the conclusion is quite complex. Burke survives an assassination attempt but not without some significant injuries, one eye lost and some scarring and disfiguration of his face. He sets out seeking revenge against the person who set him up. He travels to Chicago, Portland, and Albuquerque in his search. Along the way he meets Gem who joins him in his travels. There are adventures and flashbacks along the way. We learn more about Burke being “raised by the state” in his youth, something he alludes to quite often. And we get to know more about two friends from the past. He does come face to face with the person behind the assassination and they let it all hang out.
So is it just a comic book story about a giant confidence game a la the well known 1973 movie “The Sting”? Well, no, it is more than that with the normal Vachss sexual deviance and violence. I was surprised by the quirky ending. Pansy is dead and people in NYC think he is dead. At the conclusion of the book do we have, as promised, “a new Burke” who will settle down in Portland with Gem?
I enjoyed Dead and Gone for its new characters and new settings and additional looks into Burke’s past as a juvenile delinquent. I laughed at the end but that didn’t take away from the usual serious look at child sex abuse. I am beginning to think that Vachss sketches out a graphic novel, then takes out the drawings and tells the story in graphic words. I haven’t read comics in a long time so I am finding that I have to adjust. I am giving Vachss four stars because he took the chance of upending an established character halfway through the series. Where to now, Mr. V?
Should I just move into the next book in the series Pain Management? I'll have to decide that in the morning.
————————-
I occasionally read two books in a series back to back. So that’s what I am doing here. I just finished Choice of Evil and am moving on now to book #12 in the Burke series Dead and Gone that promises “a new Burke.” The hardcover dust jacket is a dog collar. That and the title should give you a hint about what is in store for our protagonist.
There is always a woman in a Burke book. The woman in this book is Gem. She is Cambodian; exotic is always preferred. In addition to her sexual skills, mandatory for a Burke novel, she is tagged as a slim person who eats big meals and snacks, really big.
The story outline for this book is really quite simple but the conclusion is quite complex. Burke survives an assassination attempt but not without some significant injuries, one eye lost and some scarring and disfiguration of his face. He sets out seeking revenge against the person who set him up. He travels to Chicago, Portland, and Albuquerque in his search. Along the way he meets Gem who joins him in his travels. There are adventures and flashbacks along the way. We learn more about Burke being “raised by the state” in his youth, something he alludes to quite often. And we get to know more about two friends from the past. He does come face to face with the person behind the assassination and they let it all hang out.
So is it just a comic book story about a giant confidence game a la the well known 1973 movie “The Sting”? Well, no, it is more than that with the normal Vachss sexual deviance and violence. I was surprised by the quirky ending. Pansy is dead and people in NYC think he is dead. At the conclusion of the book do we have, as promised, “a new Burke” who will settle down in Portland with Gem?
I enjoyed Dead and Gone for its new characters and new settings and additional looks into Burke’s past as a juvenile delinquent. I laughed at the end but that didn’t take away from the usual serious look at child sex abuse. I am beginning to think that Vachss sketches out a graphic novel, then takes out the drawings and tells the story in graphic words. I haven’t read comics in a long time so I am finding that I have to adjust. I am giving Vachss four stars because he took the chance of upending an established character halfway through the series. Where to now, Mr. V?
Should I just move into the next book in the series Pain Management? I'll have to decide that in the morning.
August 5, 2012
What did I think? This guy's the king of "Noir", is what I think. Andrew Vachss, a lawyer and author with a penchant for the welfare of kids and women - especially the kids - has created Burke to let some steam escape.
Burke's world is not the world you and I live in. Burke exists in NYC but he is not seen in it. When society mentions the name "Burke" it is in the fashion of a legend: a myth, someone who is not real. Burke likes it that way.
With unforgettable characters fully developed over a long series of books,we dive into the seedy, underground realm of the city. The rules are different, alien to someone such as myself. Life is very physical but full of kick ass psych ops aimed at evil.
These books are dark, very raw...and not easily set aside.
Usual disclaimer. There's no need to discuss plot. The books are excellent, period. And if you've read this review, you've read 'em all (save you some time)
Burke's world is not the world you and I live in. Burke exists in NYC but he is not seen in it. When society mentions the name "Burke" it is in the fashion of a legend: a myth, someone who is not real. Burke likes it that way.
With unforgettable characters fully developed over a long series of books,we dive into the seedy, underground realm of the city. The rules are different, alien to someone such as myself. Life is very physical but full of kick ass psych ops aimed at evil.
These books are dark, very raw...and not easily set aside.
Usual disclaimer. There's no need to discuss plot. The books are excellent, period. And if you've read this review, you've read 'em all (save you some time)
May 16, 2017
Burke is ambushed on page 5 and he faces recovery throughout the book.
February 9, 2015
Oh, good lord.
Burke, a hard case criminal-type with a heart of gold, is on a mission to find out who set up the assassination attempt that cost him an eye and the life of his beloved dog, Pansy. He teams up with Gem, sexy, mystical Asian woman and her lustrous, black hair who--despite her apparent lifelong history as an underworld operator--simply can't help jumping in the sack and then falling in love with our aging, disfigured hero. (She parades around naked, sits in his lap sucking his thumb, and loves listening to him explain the history of blues and do-wop and marveling at his pool-shooting skills.) Anyway, it turns out Burke has run afoul of an elaborate scam to fleece Neo-Nazi pedophiles who hope to live on a secret fascist-pervert island together and raise an Aryan incest army.
Wow. It would be funny if it wasn't so appalling.
This book is about 125 pages too long--and while some sequences have that stripped-down scheming momentum found in the best of Richard Stark (earning it my second star)--much of it felt like filler. Do I need a scene of Burke doing a ride-along with a cop to watch the drunk-driving prevention class he teaches? (And as the cop is supposed to be helping him on the down-low, why is he parading Burke around in front of high school kids?) How many pages should be spent with Gem and Burke banging in hotel rooms and chatting over room-service meals? Why are they heading out to go shoot pool again? Aren't there Russian mafia pedonazis they need to hunt? Doesn't Burke have a dog to avenge?
The thing that makes it all collapse is the utterly absurd conspiracy at the book's core. It's somehow simultaneously offensive and comical. Hyperbolic, James-Bond level villains don't mix well with real-world sufferings like child-trafficking and hate groups. It's like reading a Fantastic Four comic in which you find out Doctor Doom is a serial rapist. The tonal/conceptual dissonance is too much to process.
I read Shella (not a Burke novel) before this, and other than a lengthy detour into the day-to-day of a Neo-Nazi compound in Illinois (What is with Vachss and Nazis? Is this like a thing he does?) I found it to be a lean, gritty page-turner with just enough over-the-top melodrama to keep things interesting. This one, though, doesn't work. I'm sure there are better books in this series, if only because there are like 20 or something. If anyone can recommend one that's more solid, I'll give it a shot. There's a lot to like in what Vachss does with Burke, but Dead and Gone was probably not the best introduction.
Burke, a hard case criminal-type with a heart of gold, is on a mission to find out who set up the assassination attempt that cost him an eye and the life of his beloved dog, Pansy. He teams up with Gem, sexy, mystical Asian woman and her lustrous, black hair who--despite her apparent lifelong history as an underworld operator--simply can't help jumping in the sack and then falling in love with our aging, disfigured hero. (She parades around naked, sits in his lap sucking his thumb, and loves listening to him explain the history of blues and do-wop and marveling at his pool-shooting skills.) Anyway, it turns out Burke has run afoul of an elaborate scam to fleece Neo-Nazi pedophiles who hope to live on a secret fascist-pervert island together and raise an Aryan incest army.
Wow. It would be funny if it wasn't so appalling.
This book is about 125 pages too long--and while some sequences have that stripped-down scheming momentum found in the best of Richard Stark (earning it my second star)--much of it felt like filler. Do I need a scene of Burke doing a ride-along with a cop to watch the drunk-driving prevention class he teaches? (And as the cop is supposed to be helping him on the down-low, why is he parading Burke around in front of high school kids?) How many pages should be spent with Gem and Burke banging in hotel rooms and chatting over room-service meals? Why are they heading out to go shoot pool again? Aren't there Russian mafia pedonazis they need to hunt? Doesn't Burke have a dog to avenge?
The thing that makes it all collapse is the utterly absurd conspiracy at the book's core. It's somehow simultaneously offensive and comical. Hyperbolic, James-Bond level villains don't mix well with real-world sufferings like child-trafficking and hate groups. It's like reading a Fantastic Four comic in which you find out Doctor Doom is a serial rapist. The tonal/conceptual dissonance is too much to process.
I read Shella (not a Burke novel) before this, and other than a lengthy detour into the day-to-day of a Neo-Nazi compound in Illinois (What is with Vachss and Nazis? Is this like a thing he does?) I found it to be a lean, gritty page-turner with just enough over-the-top melodrama to keep things interesting. This one, though, doesn't work. I'm sure there are better books in this series, if only because there are like 20 or something. If anyone can recommend one that's more solid, I'll give it a shot. There's a lot to like in what Vachss does with Burke, but Dead and Gone was probably not the best introduction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2018
I love the Burke series, enough to choke down the female characters who are rather one dimensional throughout most of the books. It's a great series full of amazing writing about guns, cars, good dogs, crime, vengeance, pain, families of choice, and why we need to fight the monsters it would be easier to ignore.
Sadly, for me, Dead and Gone went too far into the writing of women as sexual fantasies/fetishes instead of actual characters. The main lady in this book is a copy paste from any porno - complete with racist tropes and a naughty schoolgirl outfit! - she eats like a man without gaining an ounce, wants to run around naked for his enjoyment, and *shudder* sucks his thumb when she isn't busy mooning over him (despite his ED).
I loved the look into Burke growing into who he would become that we got from this installment, but this really was a hard read to get through and it would have been tossed into the donate bin half way through if it wasn't from a series I had loved for so long.
Sadly, for me, Dead and Gone went too far into the writing of women as sexual fantasies/fetishes instead of actual characters. The main lady in this book is a copy paste from any porno - complete with racist tropes and a naughty schoolgirl outfit! - she eats like a man without gaining an ounce, wants to run around naked for his enjoyment, and *shudder* sucks his thumb when she isn't busy mooning over him (despite his ED).
I loved the look into Burke growing into who he would become that we got from this installment, but this really was a hard read to get through and it would have been tossed into the donate bin half way through if it wasn't from a series I had loved for so long.
October 1, 2018
A 'reinvention' of the Burke series, not that it seems all that different - no spoilers since they come in the blurb. Burke is left for dead after he is set up in a complex hit that leaves him with his partner dead and him hurting physically and emotionally. The story follows his quest to track down his would be killer, for revenge and for his own safety.
Blackest of black noir, still highly readable albeit, I would imagine, opaque unless you've read in order.
Blackest of black noir, still highly readable albeit, I would imagine, opaque unless you've read in order.
August 21, 2010
We will miss you Pansy! You were a warrior!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2020
It is excellently written and the characters are realistically portrayed. The book jacket gives a summary of the author's history as a federal investigator, social case worker, labor organizer, and director of a maximum security prison for youth offenders.
It is very clear, from the beginning of the book, that the characters are irrevocably flawed and detailed descriptions of each are provided. The protagonist would be diagnosed as antisocial personality disorder and so would most of his compatriots. Yes, they were made that way--not born that way. They most likely came from parents who had significant mental illness and had also suffered lifetimes of invalidations which predisposed the characters toward severe personality disorders.
The main character, Burke, is not to be sympathized for his makeshift family or the allegiance to his dog, other persons that he has strong ties to. The dog was his possession. The 'family' is very much a tit-for-tat. There is no milk of human kindness in these characters--which is the point. The author is not looking for sympathy for his characters.
Around page 250 or so it became very clear that the core plot involved pedeophilia and pornography. This was also explained in a non-emotional but not didactic manner (which again demonstrates the level of writing talent). I would not have selected this book if I had known this. It did not occur to me to read reviews prior to grabbing this hardcover from a charity book sale. I will donate it and not keep it our family library.
The author is worth reading. He is highly talented. Persons with antisocial personality disorder generally do not choose to be that way. So much depends on influence and behavior patterning from others who can show youth on this path more effective behaviors and ensure there are reinforcements to continue those behaviors that will allow better functioning in society and, likely, feelings of happiness, belonging, and contentment.
So, Mr. Vachss, I gave you a solid 6 or so hours of my weekend that cannot be taken back. I will give you another chance, but will look at reviews of those novels first. I have worked and do work with persons with these difficulties and wish to maintain boundaries with my personal time. That said, this was probably the best book to describe this level of damage. I gave it the 5 star rating because it should be included in psychology, social work and other human services curriculum. Flat out--it takes balls to write this type of book. Most authors do not have the guts or background to do so. The story is good. The 'mystery' aspect is good. The writing is excellent. HE WROTE THIS 20 YEARS AGO. Think about that.
It is very clear, from the beginning of the book, that the characters are irrevocably flawed and detailed descriptions of each are provided. The protagonist would be diagnosed as antisocial personality disorder and so would most of his compatriots. Yes, they were made that way--not born that way. They most likely came from parents who had significant mental illness and had also suffered lifetimes of invalidations which predisposed the characters toward severe personality disorders.
The main character, Burke, is not to be sympathized for his makeshift family or the allegiance to his dog, other persons that he has strong ties to. The dog was his possession. The 'family' is very much a tit-for-tat. There is no milk of human kindness in these characters--which is the point. The author is not looking for sympathy for his characters.
Around page 250 or so it became very clear that the core plot involved pedeophilia and pornography. This was also explained in a non-emotional but not didactic manner (which again demonstrates the level of writing talent). I would not have selected this book if I had known this. It did not occur to me to read reviews prior to grabbing this hardcover from a charity book sale. I will donate it and not keep it our family library.
The author is worth reading. He is highly talented. Persons with antisocial personality disorder generally do not choose to be that way. So much depends on influence and behavior patterning from others who can show youth on this path more effective behaviors and ensure there are reinforcements to continue those behaviors that will allow better functioning in society and, likely, feelings of happiness, belonging, and contentment.
So, Mr. Vachss, I gave you a solid 6 or so hours of my weekend that cannot be taken back. I will give you another chance, but will look at reviews of those novels first. I have worked and do work with persons with these difficulties and wish to maintain boundaries with my personal time. That said, this was probably the best book to describe this level of damage. I gave it the 5 star rating because it should be included in psychology, social work and other human services curriculum. Flat out--it takes balls to write this type of book. Most authors do not have the guts or background to do so. The story is good. The 'mystery' aspect is good. The writing is excellent. HE WROTE THIS 20 YEARS AGO. Think about that.
August 14, 2020
For those of us who are regular readers of the books, there is some definite heart ache as Burke's family permanently loses a member. At the same time, Burke is nearly killed and left for dead. As he slowly recovers, his focus is to not reveal any information about himself and to be true to memory of the lost member. The investigation removes Burke from his familiar New York City element and puts him in Chicago briefly and then the West Coast.
The story proceeds at Vachss' normal fast pace along with his wonderful ability to reveal so much about his characters while they simultaneously reveal so little. As usual, we get a series of new characters introduced along with the usual suspects. This time though the plot ends up being weaved from threads laid down in other books. If you haven't read any other Burke novels, don't worry about the woven plot; it's explained well enough that you don't need to, though reading them will provide more depth to the story. It will also provide more depth to the death we experience. My only regret with the book is that it focuses on Burke to the exclusion of the rest of the family. Sure, the book, and the series, is about him but it's nice to read about the Prof and Mole and Mama and the rest. This time there is very little family and a whole bunch of Burke. The book is definitely still high on the recommend list though.
The story proceeds at Vachss' normal fast pace along with his wonderful ability to reveal so much about his characters while they simultaneously reveal so little. As usual, we get a series of new characters introduced along with the usual suspects. This time though the plot ends up being weaved from threads laid down in other books. If you haven't read any other Burke novels, don't worry about the woven plot; it's explained well enough that you don't need to, though reading them will provide more depth to the story. It will also provide more depth to the death we experience. My only regret with the book is that it focuses on Burke to the exclusion of the rest of the family. Sure, the book, and the series, is about him but it's nice to read about the Prof and Mole and Mama and the rest. This time there is very little family and a whole bunch of Burke. The book is definitely still high on the recommend list though.
May 6, 2025
Vachss returns to form with Dead and Gone a late entry into the Burke series but a standout at that.
We open with an assassination attempt on main character Burke wherein he is shot in the face and his beloved dog Pansy killed. Talk about an action packed start.
From there we get a book where Burke is trying to heal his heart and mind as well as track down his anonymous attempted murderers. Once again we get more of Burkes backstory and it’s very telling. The continued development of his character has been very satisfying.
Throughout the book we get introduced to a few new interesting characters which is always welcome and Burke gets himself a girlfriend again. Hopefully this one can stay alive past one novel.
The book is well paced and true to the series form. Most definitely a strong entry and well worth a read. It was nice to see Vachss put out a better effort with this one.
We open with an assassination attempt on main character Burke wherein he is shot in the face and his beloved dog Pansy killed. Talk about an action packed start.
From there we get a book where Burke is trying to heal his heart and mind as well as track down his anonymous attempted murderers. Once again we get more of Burkes backstory and it’s very telling. The continued development of his character has been very satisfying.
Throughout the book we get introduced to a few new interesting characters which is always welcome and Burke gets himself a girlfriend again. Hopefully this one can stay alive past one novel.
The book is well paced and true to the series form. Most definitely a strong entry and well worth a read. It was nice to see Vachss put out a better effort with this one.
May 26, 2020
Dark tale about a contemptible two-time felon (who has a special dislike of pedophiles) teaming up with his unsavory cronies to avenge an attempt on his life by undertaking a variety of sordid activities aimed at exacting revenge against his would-be assassins, who themselves are extremely disreputable characters. It was interesting to peek into this underworld, but in my view a glance would have been more than sufficient—the extensive exploration of these shady people and the murky environment in which they operated that the book provided was not my cup of tea.
September 28, 2021
Gem. A major pain in the ass as all woman Burke is with.
Mr. Vachss, I love you for your Burke books.
But why in hell did you give him all these idiots. Gem is another one of this nagging know it all- cows. I hate every word she does and says. Alone, how she talks, I could slap her around.
Burke's woman: Always probing, pressing, demanding, insulting and even beating him.
The poor man. He deserved better. Pansy was a better friend to him than all his bitch-woman he encounters over the time.
Mr. Vachss, I love you for your Burke books.
But why in hell did you give him all these idiots. Gem is another one of this nagging know it all- cows. I hate every word she does and says. Alone, how she talks, I could slap her around.
Burke's woman: Always probing, pressing, demanding, insulting and even beating him.
The poor man. He deserved better. Pansy was a better friend to him than all his bitch-woman he encounters over the time.
April 24, 2023
Started out with some serious sadness, but goes on to be a great story!
Maybe the best of the series so far.
Even with the usual cut-off sentences, the dialog was much easier to follow in this book.
Maybe the best of the series so far.
Even with the usual cut-off sentences, the dialog was much easier to follow in this book.
November 23, 2021
Read in 2000. Tough and gritty.
January 23, 2022
Outstanding book!
I am on a mission to read all the Burke books. You really need to read them in order, starting with “Flood”—-they’re so good.
I am on a mission to read all the Burke books. You really need to read them in order, starting with “Flood”—-they’re so good.
September 25, 2022
Burke vs. more Nazis, the Russian mob, and some pedophiles.
December 8, 2023
RIP Mr. Vachss. Thank you for all you did to help the Children of the Secret. In real life and in your books.
February 28, 2025
Not his best. Really didn’t care for one incident. Won’t give details though.
March 15, 2025
Hands down my favorite Burke novel. Everything about this is peak Burke. Losing Pansy. Enacting revenge. Perfect story.
February 21, 2017
You know a crime novel series has dragged on at least one book too many when the author's alter-ego hero spends more time struggling with erectile dysfunction than he does fighting the bad guy.
Andrew Vachss gets the most affecting part of "Dead and Gone," the 12th book in the Burke series, over with quickly. In a harrowing assassination attempt, Burke loses an integral part of his life (I don't want to spoil anything, though the book cover kinda does) and as a replacement gains a grindingly irritating and borderline-offensive Asian "wife" -- Gem, whose diminutive stature belies the appetite of a long-haul trucker. Gem is the Burke series' equivalent of Jar Jar Binks.
It doesn't matter to her if Burke's ... equipment (Vachss always precedes a euphemism with an ellipsis) is faulty. She assures Burke that he is big American man with very big American penis, and even at half-staff, he's more than enough to satisfy her. Even if Burke's junk goes totally defunct, as the Prof might say, Gem can get off through her utterly creepy habit of sucking Burke's thumb.
Once Vachss finishes his interminable exercise in Asian fetish porn, Burke realizes he's never going to accomplish his vengeance sitting in a hotel room getting his thumb sucked and watching Gem denude the room service menu. Burke remembers his days as an institutionalized teenager when he met the boy named Lune, a super-genius with a talent for pattern recognition. Lune can scan scads of data and pick out the through line that ties everything together.
Burke tracks down Lune in the mountains of New Mexico where Lune heads a covert compound of calculatedly diverse super-geniuses who point out patterns for the right price. For days and days and days, Burke submits to exhaustive interrogation, revealing all the details of his life. Nothing is too minute, nothing insignificant. It all goes into the data mountain that Lune and his team will scale in search of the key clue to who wants Burke dead.
At last, they have it: the common thread that runs through Burke's entire being. It turns out that -- here it comes -- Burke hates pedophiles. Of course! It seems so obvious! Like the answer was right there in front of our faces!! Like any schmo could have told us that!!
Armed with this stunning insight into his own character, Burke retreats into flashback in search of the pedophile enemy with the riches and resources to pull off an attempt on Burke's life. Excerpts from "Strega" and, I think, "Sacrifice" further pad out this flabby book and remind readers how lean and lupine the earlier books were.
Through his achievements on and off the page, Andrew Vachss has earned something of a lifetime pass. If the hard-earned money I paid for "Dead and Gone" contributes in some way to Vachss' crusade to protect children, that's great, I won't kick. But I also won't let it go unmentioned that Vachss failed to deliver in this novel. Much like Burke's wayward wiener, "Dead and Gone" is a flaccid flop.
Andrew Vachss gets the most affecting part of "Dead and Gone," the 12th book in the Burke series, over with quickly. In a harrowing assassination attempt, Burke loses an integral part of his life (I don't want to spoil anything, though the book cover kinda does) and as a replacement gains a grindingly irritating and borderline-offensive Asian "wife" -- Gem, whose diminutive stature belies the appetite of a long-haul trucker. Gem is the Burke series' equivalent of Jar Jar Binks.
It doesn't matter to her if Burke's ... equipment (Vachss always precedes a euphemism with an ellipsis) is faulty. She assures Burke that he is big American man with very big American penis, and even at half-staff, he's more than enough to satisfy her. Even if Burke's junk goes totally defunct, as the Prof might say, Gem can get off through her utterly creepy habit of sucking Burke's thumb.
Once Vachss finishes his interminable exercise in Asian fetish porn, Burke realizes he's never going to accomplish his vengeance sitting in a hotel room getting his thumb sucked and watching Gem denude the room service menu. Burke remembers his days as an institutionalized teenager when he met the boy named Lune, a super-genius with a talent for pattern recognition. Lune can scan scads of data and pick out the through line that ties everything together.
Burke tracks down Lune in the mountains of New Mexico where Lune heads a covert compound of calculatedly diverse super-geniuses who point out patterns for the right price. For days and days and days, Burke submits to exhaustive interrogation, revealing all the details of his life. Nothing is too minute, nothing insignificant. It all goes into the data mountain that Lune and his team will scale in search of the key clue to who wants Burke dead.
At last, they have it: the common thread that runs through Burke's entire being. It turns out that -- here it comes -- Burke hates pedophiles. Of course! It seems so obvious! Like the answer was right there in front of our faces!! Like any schmo could have told us that!!
Armed with this stunning insight into his own character, Burke retreats into flashback in search of the pedophile enemy with the riches and resources to pull off an attempt on Burke's life. Excerpts from "Strega" and, I think, "Sacrifice" further pad out this flabby book and remind readers how lean and lupine the earlier books were.
Through his achievements on and off the page, Andrew Vachss has earned something of a lifetime pass. If the hard-earned money I paid for "Dead and Gone" contributes in some way to Vachss' crusade to protect children, that's great, I won't kick. But I also won't let it go unmentioned that Vachss failed to deliver in this novel. Much like Burke's wayward wiener, "Dead and Gone" is a flaccid flop.
July 13, 2017
I have read a number of Andrew Vachss, Burke series novels (mostly in order up to this point) and this has been the hardest to read.I love Vachss' style of writing, neo-noir/pulpish, it's the content matter that is difficult. The protagonist Burke deals with child abuse. More of Burke's back story is revealed with each novel, this book being no exception. Additionally, all the usual characters that make this enjoyable, mama, Prof, Pansy and the rest are here.
If you like to watch Law & Order SVU, like I do, you will find this book engaging and a fast read. Otherwise, stay away.
If you like to watch Law & Order SVU, like I do, you will find this book engaging and a fast read. Otherwise, stay away.
January 24, 2016
I can't think of any other author with Vachss's mastery of the difference between the realms of the verbal and of the actual. How words can be deeds, can comprise or can trigger transactions between characters, but the verbal is just a thin line between the even greater gifts that can be given -- or what can be taken away -- in the non-verbal realm. He also accomplishes more, with fewer words, than 90% of the other authors out there. In that way he demands of the reader a sort of initiation; it's a token of the type of initiation that would have been required to actually know any of the characters he shares with the reader.
I cherish The Burke series for many fabulous attributes: strong characterization, consistency, a complete and coherent culture, characters who are constantly birthing themselves out of their own pasts via idiosyncratic philosophies and survival mechanisms, and who form bonds based on how those philosophies do or do not mesh with others'. For his reveals of such self-forged idiosyncratic codes of honor and the ways they are kept.
Also of course, for a dog-loving reader, the character Pansy is another unparalleled gift Vachss gives us. (And we need these gifts to survive what he then subjects us to in the storylines.)
Part of what got me hooked on the series was the gritty realism of bygone 70s and 80s Manhattan. The realism remains as the timeframe of the books moves forward in time and the technologies, capabilities, and neighborhood characters change.
This book wasn't one of my *very most* favorites, for a few small, early flaws. (If I could give 4.5, I would.) I found it a little harder to drop into (could have been my own attention issues, who knows); a few of the choices about where to spell things out and where to make the reader connect the dots weren't as intuitive for me in this one. But the rest of the strengths were fully in force. The adventures brought me through a lot of new territory (literally and figuratively), introduced some great new characters as well as of course involving familiar ones, and by halfway through I was as fully obsessively, page-turningly hooked as ever. Another really great read; one I'd recommend to any reader who can stomach a bit of grit, but particularly to those who like super-grounded settings, gritty characters, strong subcultures, gritty mystery plots ... and especially to anyone who likes authors who work their magic as much through the words they withhold as the ones they elect to provide on the page.
I cherish The Burke series for many fabulous attributes: strong characterization, consistency, a complete and coherent culture, characters who are constantly birthing themselves out of their own pasts via idiosyncratic philosophies and survival mechanisms, and who form bonds based on how those philosophies do or do not mesh with others'. For his reveals of such self-forged idiosyncratic codes of honor and the ways they are kept.
Also of course, for a dog-loving reader, the character Pansy is another unparalleled gift Vachss gives us. (And we need these gifts to survive what he then subjects us to in the storylines.)
Part of what got me hooked on the series was the gritty realism of bygone 70s and 80s Manhattan. The realism remains as the timeframe of the books moves forward in time and the technologies, capabilities, and neighborhood characters change.
This book wasn't one of my *very most* favorites, for a few small, early flaws. (If I could give 4.5, I would.) I found it a little harder to drop into (could have been my own attention issues, who knows); a few of the choices about where to spell things out and where to make the reader connect the dots weren't as intuitive for me in this one. But the rest of the strengths were fully in force. The adventures brought me through a lot of new territory (literally and figuratively), introduced some great new characters as well as of course involving familiar ones, and by halfway through I was as fully obsessively, page-turningly hooked as ever. Another really great read; one I'd recommend to any reader who can stomach a bit of grit, but particularly to those who like super-grounded settings, gritty characters, strong subcultures, gritty mystery plots ... and especially to anyone who likes authors who work their magic as much through the words they withhold as the ones they elect to provide on the page.
February 1, 2021
If you haven't been reading the Burke novels in order, or aren't familiar with them at all, this isn't to the one to begin reading first. To really understand this one you really need to be familiar with most if the twelve books that come before it. It just doesn't work as s stand-alone read.
Even if you are familiar with the rest of the Burke novels, this is still one of the weaker ones. Part of the reason is that it takes place outside of NYC, which is Burke's playground. He knows it inside out and it is clear that Vachss does, too. All the Burke novels that take place outside if NYC seem less detailed and less personal. Perhaps that is because Gotham itself is a character and when she's not part of the plot, it's less interesting.
The other flaw is that we see Burke fall in love, yet again, with a hot, smart woman many years his junior, within what seems like only a matter of days. The hardcore cynic with an inability to trust always manages to trust a woman easily. Is that because he yearns for the love of a mother he never had? How does such a hard man with a history of heartbreak, with a history of losing the women he loves through death or abandonment, always fall so quickly for a new love? Or worse, is this simply the authors fantasy playing out in his most beloved, fascinating character? I don't know, but I hope it's a trope that isn't repeated in the remaining Burke novels.
The other problem the confrontation between Burke and one if the arch-villains is a supreme let-down. The final showdown is hardly believable. I won't spoil it, but the novel was slow-moving. The reader deserved a more dynamic ending. This is definitely not one of the better Burke novels.
Even if you are familiar with the rest of the Burke novels, this is still one of the weaker ones. Part of the reason is that it takes place outside of NYC, which is Burke's playground. He knows it inside out and it is clear that Vachss does, too. All the Burke novels that take place outside if NYC seem less detailed and less personal. Perhaps that is because Gotham itself is a character and when she's not part of the plot, it's less interesting.
The other flaw is that we see Burke fall in love, yet again, with a hot, smart woman many years his junior, within what seems like only a matter of days. The hardcore cynic with an inability to trust always manages to trust a woman easily. Is that because he yearns for the love of a mother he never had? How does such a hard man with a history of heartbreak, with a history of losing the women he loves through death or abandonment, always fall so quickly for a new love? Or worse, is this simply the authors fantasy playing out in his most beloved, fascinating character? I don't know, but I hope it's a trope that isn't repeated in the remaining Burke novels.
The other problem the confrontation between Burke and one if the arch-villains is a supreme let-down. The final showdown is hardly believable. I won't spoil it, but the novel was slow-moving. The reader deserved a more dynamic ending. This is definitely not one of the better Burke novels.
November 20, 2016
Started this in the late evening of November 17th after the electricity went out in my neighborhood. Read the first 100 pages using a flashlight and then headlamp. I don't want to be too premature, but this may be the best in the series. The pacing is solid, the set-up crisp, the investigation moving along at a decent pace. I just hope it doesn't come to an abrupt (and ludicrous) ending.
Oh yeah, pretty sure I read this back when it came out, but nothing is resonating with my memory banks (I do have a few post-it notes on certain pages, so I may have to re-visit my interview with Mr. Vachss from that time period). Ranks up there with my favorites of the series. Successfully took Burke away from NYC and had a nice, investigative set-up. The ending, while still a smidgen rushed, felt a bit more fleshed out than some of the previous novels, plus the "reveal" didn't feel forced or WTFy in any way. The introduction of some new characters, Gem and Byron (a nod to Leonard from Joe R. Lansdale, perhaps--Vachss name drops Mojo Joe, too) plus the reappearance of some old characters make the whole thing mesh rather nicely. The relationship between Burke and Wolfe is still a bit frustrating, though, her character having started out really great early on in the series, but now seems a bit one-dimensional. Or perhaps it's just the whole Sam/Dianne-Maddie/David-Holt/Steele nature of sexual tension that's a bit irking. Still, her standoffish appearances here do little to deter from the rest of the story.
Oh yeah, pretty sure I read this back when it came out, but nothing is resonating with my memory banks (I do have a few post-it notes on certain pages, so I may have to re-visit my interview with Mr. Vachss from that time period). Ranks up there with my favorites of the series. Successfully took Burke away from NYC and had a nice, investigative set-up. The ending, while still a smidgen rushed, felt a bit more fleshed out than some of the previous novels, plus the "reveal" didn't feel forced or WTFy in any way. The introduction of some new characters, Gem and Byron (a nod to Leonard from Joe R. Lansdale, perhaps--Vachss name drops Mojo Joe, too) plus the reappearance of some old characters make the whole thing mesh rather nicely. The relationship between Burke and Wolfe is still a bit frustrating, though, her character having started out really great early on in the series, but now seems a bit one-dimensional. Or perhaps it's just the whole Sam/Dianne-Maddie/David-Holt/Steele nature of sexual tension that's a bit irking. Still, her standoffish appearances here do little to deter from the rest of the story.
August 21, 2011
'Dead and Gone; features Vachss' penultimate hard man, Burke, on a quest for revenge following an attempted hit on his life. What originally loomed as a single cash for kid exchange soon turned sour when the kidnapped kid seemingly turns on Burke leaving him permanently scared and pi$$ed off. In a slow methodical build up, Vachss takes us through a great many of Burke's criminal acquaintances and introduces another in Gem - a fiesty mysterious women whose lust for the extreme is matched only by Burke's thirst for pedophile blood. 'Dead' and Gone' showcases some of the hardships and meaningful relationships Burke had during his tormented and tumultuous childhood in context to the present day manhunt to further build upon the already well defined broken yet driven protagonist. While delivering in premise and interesting characters (Lune, Gem in particular), 'Dead and Gone' suffered too much from inconsequential dialogue and lengthy delays between acts of importance. This had all the makings of something special - the opening is pure noir not to be missed but I felt the target shift slightly and the aim miss the mark. 2.5 stars.
July 30, 2013
Once you've read a number of the Burke books, you can pretty much anticipate how it's going to play out - the roles of the usual cast of characters, if not the nuts and bolts of how this particular plot will be resolved. (Actually, this one surprised me a little in the denouement.)
I was pretty uncomfortable with Burke's relationship with Gem - her infantilization. Come to think of it, all of his relationships with women have a similar tone, if I recall correctly. I would have to go back and re-read to be sure, and honestly, I'm not sure that I'm up for it. I appreciate Vachss' commitment to the Children of the Secret, and the dedication of his main character to ridding the world of sexual predators, but I don't know that I want to re-immerse myself in Burke's world.
Although I do also appreciate how much he loves his dog.
I was pretty uncomfortable with Burke's relationship with Gem - her infantilization. Come to think of it, all of his relationships with women have a similar tone, if I recall correctly. I would have to go back and re-read to be sure, and honestly, I'm not sure that I'm up for it. I appreciate Vachss' commitment to the Children of the Secret, and the dedication of his main character to ridding the world of sexual predators, but I don't know that I want to re-immerse myself in Burke's world.
Although I do also appreciate how much he loves his dog.
February 7, 2012
In “Dead and Gone” (2000), Burke facilitates what appears to be the trade of a boy who had been abducted from his parents years ago. But actually, it was all designed to be an assassination attempt on Burke. He ends up in the hospital with a bullet through his brain, an eye missing, and severe disfigurement. Even worse, to Burke: he watched Pansy, his dog, get killed.
Once out of the hospital, Burke strikes out to find who set him up. The quest takes him to Chicago, Oregon, New Mexico, and Florida. He meets some very interesting people along the way, including Gem, an exotic Cambodian criminal who becomes his lover. There is, of course, a final reckoning with those who set him up, and Pansy is avenged. It just takes a while.
Once out of the hospital, Burke strikes out to find who set him up. The quest takes him to Chicago, Oregon, New Mexico, and Florida. He meets some very interesting people along the way, including Gem, an exotic Cambodian criminal who becomes his lover. There is, of course, a final reckoning with those who set him up, and Pansy is avenged. It just takes a while.
September 10, 2013
This started very well, tense action pieces, confident voice, and a whole breathless anticipation in quick rat-a-tat sentences. Halfway through though (as soon as the girl came in), it devolved into trashy crap. And it didn't stop there. The end is such a load of manure that I feel ashamed that I had built this up. Very disappointed.
Vachss tries a confident John McDonald approachJohn D McDonald but fails pathetically. I could think of a million better ways to waste your life than this.
Vachss tries a confident John McDonald approachJohn D McDonald but fails pathetically. I could think of a million better ways to waste your life than this.
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