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72nd out of 122 books
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Strega (Burke #2)
by
Andrew Vachss (Goodreads Author)
Andrew Vachss's implacable private eye has a new client, Strega. She wants Burke to find an obscene photograph—and that search will take him into the ocean that flows just beneath the city, an ocean whose currents are flesh and money, the anguish of children and the pleasure of twisted adults. It is a place that Burke can visit only at the risk of his sanity and his life. ...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
September 25th 2001
by Vintage
(first published February 12th 1987)
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I’ve read a few of the Burke novels by Andrew Vachss so I knew there was a good chance that this book was probably as depressing as watching a puppy die from cancer. So I decided to brighten it up by scoring some black market anti-depressants off the internet. Here are my observations after taking a double handful of pills along with a couple of shots of Wild Turkey and then reading:
- Why did I think this would be depressing? Burke’s New York is a magical city filled with kind, h...more
- Why did I think this would be depressing? Burke’s New York is a magical city filled with kind, h...more
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A woman calling herself Strega hires Burke to find an obscene photograph of her friend's five year old son. As Burke's quest takes him through a web of Nazis, pimps, and kiddie porn dealers, Strega gets her hooks deeper into him. Can Burke find the photo and escape Strega's grasp?
As I said in my review for Flood, Burke's adventures are so dark it took a man with an eyepatch to write them. Vachss takes Burke on another journey through hell and back.
The thing about Burke...more
As I said in my review for Flood, Burke's adventures are so dark it took a man with an eyepatch to write them. Vachss takes Burke on another journey through hell and back.
The thing about Burke...more
* The second Burke novel.
* I have the Down Here omnibus, which includes the second, third, and fourth Burke novels. In his Introduction, Vachss says about Burke, "I wanted to show people what Hell really looked like...and I didn't think an angel would be the best guide." And he's right, I think. Yet Burke is much like Eastwood's character, The Man With No Name. And what is he but an avenging angel? And what's Burke's only religion? Revenge. So, yeah, Vachss was right; ...more
* I have the Down Here omnibus, which includes the second, third, and fourth Burke novels. In his Introduction, Vachss says about Burke, "I wanted to show people what Hell really looked like...and I didn't think an angel would be the best guide." And he's right, I think. Yet Burke is much like Eastwood's character, The Man With No Name. And what is he but an avenging angel? And what's Burke's only religion? Revenge. So, yeah, Vachss was right; ...more
Good but not as strong as the first installment (though it does finish well). This story follows Burke and his crew searching for an indecent picture of a little boy. Strega, the woman they've hired to find it, casts a "spell" on Burke making him question his sanity and his loyalty to Flood on more than one occasion. We meet a love interest for Max the Silent and in turn, a permanent character, Immaculata, is added to the family. In addition to Mac, Michelle adopts street kid Terry...more
Burke is up to his usual tricks in the 2nd of the series of hard hitting urban noirs.
New York city private detective and con man Burke nearly meets his match in a femme fatale who calls herself Stega, the Italian word for witch. An old jail house acquaintance of Burke's tracks him down and introduces him to this woman, who asks him to find and incriminating photograph. Burke's answer is priceless:
"I don't like the way you smell, lady. You stink of trouble, and I've got enough of my own."
But against his better judgment, he takes on the case, aide...more
"I don't like the way you smell, lady. You stink of trouble, and I've got enough of my own."
But against his better judgment, he takes on the case, aide...more
Strega (Burke #2) by Andrew Vachss (Alfred A. Knopf 1987)(mystery - fiction)is the second book in the Burke series. In this novel, a witchy woman hires Burke to find a child pornographer and recover a photograph. This was nowhere near as well done as the first Burke book, Flood. My rating: 3.5/10, finished 3/22/11.
Not worth your time, no matter if you're a Vachss fan or not (in my humble opinion). It's a decent story, but it could have been told in a hundred and twenty pages. More than half of this novel is useless banter on the concept of "family of choice". This is loosing math right there.
Here I go into the second book. I'm liking it already. Nice to have most of the same characters back. New narrator on Audible. I don't like him as well as the first guy.
I ended up liking the narrator by the end. This was a pretty good story. It's about sexual abuse of children. And evil clowns. Burk is a great character. I'll read the rest of the series.
I ended up liking the narrator by the end. This was a pretty good story. It's about sexual abuse of children. And evil clowns. Burk is a great character. I'll read the rest of the series.
He's still writing well, very precise and unemotional, but from my Christian perspective I'm uneasy during descriptions of the sexual acts in which his character engages. Considering the milieux in which his main character operates, the author does not overplay this particular hand, and I am grateful for his restraint.
Burke and his friends make up a different type of detective "agency" than one would find in most books. His motivation, techiniques, type of cases, and background are uniquely his own.
My favorite Burke book, though I'm not sure why. The Burke formula is pretty standardized, though this is an early one, but this one sticks with me more than the others.
My boss gave me two of his books to read and they're just not what I enjoy. I read them so that she and I could discuss them but I found myself thoroughly bored by both of them.
The book is superb. I enjoyed the "read" for it's tight nit construction and thrilling threading of dialog.
Not a bad suspense writer - slightly shallow plot/characters, but I liked Vachss' writing style.
Second Burke book and it already shows the evolution of his writing style.
I still like the characters. There is some detailed sex that some might find offensive.
OMG, She uses her Tongue!!
scarey
I really like the Burke novels, been reading this author for years. It will not disappointed fan for Andrew Vachss - Burke fans.
Andrew Vachs books are very graphic. The deal mostly with child abuse in every manner. From what i'm told he used to be a social worker and alot of the stories are from actual cases. The stories are reveting but not for the faint of heart.
I enjoyed this the 2nd Book in the Burke series, really promises to be an adventurous & really interesting series. Some of the supporting charcters are excellent.
very difficult subject manner, it can be hard to read at times. I really enjoy the characters and the paradox that lies within the main character, Burke.
Just found Vachss at the library. Okay I guess. The next one of his is Sacrafice. I'll let you know what I think when I've finished.
Vachss is sympathetic to his victims, but the crimes are just too horrific for me to read about.
Haunting, terrifying, too real and hypnotic. An excellent read but not for the faint-of-heart.
great series of unusual characters for those who enjoy fractured heros.
Way beyond hard-boiled.
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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 youths exclusively. He is the author of numerous novels, including the Burke series, two collections of short stories, and a wide varie...more
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