Now Burke has a case, but nobody to foot the bill. But the mystery of the ghost from Burke’s past is too much for him, and he begins looking into it. Since the original contact with the mystery woman many years before, Burke has gone through a lot, including a substantial facial reconstruction. Consequently, people don’t know his face any longer, which is a double-edged sword, sometimes, working both for and against him.
From this point, the story is a search for a hidden mystery woman and the sometimes expected, often unexpected, details and situations that turn up during the hunt. Burke brings his crew in on the action, and we get to meet a memorable cast of characters including The Prof who, as the name implies, is one of the brains of the crew; The Mole, so-named due to his adversity to anyplace above ground; Michelle, a man in a past life; Mama, a restaurateur who chases away business; and Max the Silent, a ghost, and Burke’s sometime protector. Other more minor characters flesh out the plot, but they’re all part of Burke’s circle.
Vachss always offers a tightly-written and well thought out story, and this book is no exception. There are many surprises, a few expected results, actions, and deaths, all woven into a superb story that absolutely must be on your reading list. And get to it sooner rather than later, as Vachss has another Burke novel due in just four months. Doesn't give you much time to read the previous books, does it?
I like to think there’s a lot of Vachss in Burke, his protagonist throughout his novels. I especially like the way he craftily weaves in West 90s patois with gutter slang. His ability to either recall overheard talk, or to come up with his own brand of speaking, is especially pleasurable. What follows are some quotes from this book. And I promise not to spoil it for you. These are only a taste of what to expect in the full course.
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