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For years Burke has harbored an outlaw's hard love for Wolfe, the beautiful, driven former sex-crimes prosecutor who was fired for refusing to "go along to get along." So when Wolfe is arrested for the attempted murder of John Anson Wychek, a vicious rapist she once prosecuted, Burke deals himself in. That means putting together a distrustful alliance between his underground "family of choice," Wolfe's private network, and a rogue NYPD detective who has his own stake in the outcome. Burke show more knows that Wolfe's alleged "victim," although convicted only once, is actually a serial rapist. The deeper he presses, the more gaping holes he finds in the prosecution's case, but shadowy law enforcement agencies seem determined to protect Wychek at all costs, no matter who gets sacrificed. Burke ups the ante by re-opening all the old "cold case" rape investigations, calls in a lot of markers from both sides of the law, and finally shows all the players why "down here" is no place for tourists. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
I liked this one better than the last few in the Burke series. A serial rapist named John Anson Wychek, convicted and imprisoned, is released via a miscarriage of justice. When he is shot, Eva Wolfe, a former sex crimes prosecutor and Burke's unrequited heartthrob, is arrested and charged. Burke is determined to get her out of this jam and mobilizes his lawyer, newspaper writer and family, getting them to analyze by computer other victims of Wychek, hoping one of them might be responsible. Burke does a number of insightful interviews and then masquerading as his writer-buddy Hauser gets emotionally involved with Wychek's sister. The good news is that Vachss has gone back to his "less is more" format, but ended up shortchanging readers show more with the abrupt ending. show less
I've been reading Vachss's Burke books for a long time now. This one has all the old familiar characters and plenty of backstory for those who aren't familiar with the earlier books. For those who don't already know Burke, he's definitely not your typical hero. He's frightening and vengeful, but he's also got an unshakable moral code.
Vachss's books are dark and violent, but extremely well done. If you think you can handle it, I recommend his books strongly.
I don't want to say too much about this one, but I will say I didn't see the end coming. I'll definitely get the next Burke book as soon as it's available.
Vachss's books are dark and violent, but extremely well done. If you think you can handle it, I recommend his books strongly.
I don't want to say too much about this one, but I will say I didn't see the end coming. I'll definitely get the next Burke book as soon as it's available.
Having read one Andrew Vachss novel that I really liked, I hoped I'd found another author who really clicked with me. So I checked two more books out of the novel.
The only reason I even finished reading this second one was the unfulfilled hope that it would end better than it started out.
The only reason I even finished reading this second one was the unfulfilled hope that it would end better than it started out.
Rated "Good" in our old book database.
serial rapist acquires terrorist list
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Author Information
Hardboiled writer Andrew Henry Vachss was born on October 19, 1942 in New York City. He attended Case Western Reserve University and the New England School of Law. Vachss has worked in many government and law enforcement organizations, ranging from the U. S. Public Health Service to the New York City Juvenile Justice Planning Project. Vachss' work show more as a writer includes a series of books featuring an unlicensed private detective named Burke. Burke's appearances include Flood, Strega, Blue Belle, Hard Candy, Blossom and Sacrifice. Vachss has also written comic books and graphic novels. (Bowker Author Biography) Andrew Vachss was born on October 19, 1942 in New York, New York. He graduated magna cum laude from the New England School of Law in 1975 and received a B.A. from Case Western Reserve University in 1965. Some of Vachss' extensive experience include positions as an Attorney and Consultant, Adjunct Professor at the College of New Resources, New York, NY, Director of the Juvenile Justice Planning Project, New York, NY, Project Director of the Dept. of Youth Services, Boston, MA, and Unit Supervisor for the Dept. of Social Services, New York, NY. He is a member of the American Society of Criminology, National Association of Counsel for Children, American Professional Society of the Abuse of Children, and PEN American Center. Vachss' first novel, "Flood" (1985), began his series of detective stories that feature the unlicensed private detective known as Burke. Burke narrates the novels "Flood," "Strega," "Blue Belle," "Hard Candy," "Blossom," and "Sacrifice." His subject matter uses child-related sex crimes, which is something Vachss spent his entire career observing. His literary awards include the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere for "Strega" in 1988, The Falcon Award for "Strega" in 1988, and Deutschen Krimi Preis, Die Jury des Bochumer Krimi Archivs for "Flood" in 1989. Vachss has also written collected short stories: "Born Bad" (1994), and "Everybody Pays" (1999). He is also a contributing editor for Parade Magazine. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Andrew Vachss is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing.
Some Editions
Series
Burke (15)
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Down Here
- Original publication date
- 2004
- Disambiguation notice
- Please distinguish between:
-- this separate novel in Andrew Vachss' "Burke" Series, Down Here (#15, 2004); and
-- the similarly-titled Quality Paperback Book Club omnibus, Down Here (2000), which ... (show all)includes three earlier novels in the "Burke" Series, Strega (#2, 1987), Blue Belle (#3, 1988), and Hard Candy (#4, 1989).
Thank you.
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Statistics
- Members
- 309
- Popularity
- 102,908
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.71)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 11
- ASINs
- 4
