Blue Belle: Amazon.ca: Andrew Vachss: Books

Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

When Burke, a yuppie-hating, horse-playing ex-con and private-eye outlaw, takes on the Times Square world of porn and murder, he finds himself facing a deadly karate expert and falling for a masochistic woman who's learning to deal with her past as an abused child. Although this "often reads like parody of hardboiled detective novels," the "abrupt climax leaves the heart pounding," noted PW.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Customer Reviews

17 Reviews

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.2 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)

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Most helpful customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book in the Burke series, Dec 16 2003

By	"kimbo2004" (williamsville, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blue Belle (Paperback)

If you like Vachss' Burke series, don't miss this one. This book contains Burke's greatest love interest (besides his dog Pansey). It also has a lot of information and action involving his "family". The way that Burke's family of misfits understand and stand by him is one of the reasons why I have read and reread each book in the Burke series and look forward to each and every one as they are released. This one is my favorite of the series. If you didn't think that Burke would ever find his ideal woman or at least one who wasn't using him for something, you were wrong. Do things work out for Belle and Burke? Well those of you who have read the later books in the series know the answer and those who haven't will have to get a copy to find out.

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5.0 out of 5 stars The book I wished would never end..., Aug 10 2003

By	Mark A. Mahlmeister (Hamburg, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Blue Belle (Paperback)

This book was so good, I read it over a span of 2 days. I never wanted to put it down. Burke is an excellent example of a street-level character that is tough, multi-leveled & real. Vachss writing explores all angles of his characters and is great at explaining past occurrences in his Burke series to newcomers without dragging it out too long for the familiar. Vachss' writing is well researched and he makes me wish his books could go on forever. Blue Belle is my favorite of his Burke books so far and I hope this series never ends because all the Burke books are great.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Vachss should mix in a little decaf, Mar 7 2003

By	brazos49 "brazos49" (Sugar Land, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blue Belle (Paperback)

In my opinion, this is almost a very good book. What I think primarily keeps it from being one is the "over the top" nature of so many characters and so many story elements. For example, in this book one of the villains is Mortay, a hooked up martial arts killer. No problem so far, but - he can dodge bullets?? Too much. Pretty much everything about Belle is overblown as well.

I think if Vachss had just toned down things in general, he would have gained a lot of realism and delivered a fine book. He has the elements, he just seems to lack the confidence in his story to not oversensationalize it.

I've now read two of Vachss' books and I find I have the same feeling after reading this one as I did after Strega - I'm having a hard time deciding whether or not to read another one of his works. He delivers some very intriguing, gritty crime material, but he burdens it with some negative baggage. I think I'll browse the reviews for his other works and see if one of them sounds promising. If so, maybe I'll check it out. Otherwise, I think I'll move on.

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Most recent customer reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Read it for the series, otherwise forget it
Again, another book of being "under Burked". Burke is a great character, hard nosed, mean when has to, holds back nothing, really hard boiled. Read more

Published on April 20 2002 by flodnag

5.0 out of 5 stars Vachss' best book!
Some people would argue that "Flood," his first novel, or his later novels such as "Dead and Gone" are better than "Blue Belle," but I would... Read more

Published on Mar 1 2001 by Ryan Kuntze

3.0 out of 5 stars Suspenceful criminal fiction
Mystery writer Vachss continues his series in which Burke, a street-wise ex-con, is reputable for solving crimes that requires inside knowledge. Read more

Published on Nov 16 2000 by mchenryed

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Burke's best
I have read all of Vachss's Burke novels and this one is one of my favorites. The "Belle" of the title is one of Burke's more interesting leading ladies. Read more

Published on May 16 2000 by Brian D. Rubendall