From Publishers Weekly
Vachss's 17th Burke novel (after 2006's Mask Murder) combines gritty realism with an over-the-top depiction of an omniscient spy network. Claude Dremdell, a white supremacist whose sole hope against his terminal illness is a pricy experimental Swiss treatment, ropes Burke into a plot to extort money from three wealthy men who years earlier committed a brutal murder (loosely based on the real-life Martha Moxley case), but were never suspected. Armed with only fragmentary evidence in the form of two checks, Burke turns for help to an Israeli intelligence operation working covertly in the U.S. with superhuman powers of information gathering. Lengthy tirades about the failures of the criminal justice system under the current Bush administration will distract even those who agree with them. In the end, the violent vengeance Burke seeks overshadows the worthy points Vachss makes about the continuing horrific sexual abuse of the young.
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From AudioFile
This would make an excellent short story--too bad its a full novel. David Joe Wirth reads with gritted teeth as befits the story of tough-guy Burke, who moves in a world of tough guys. Even the dogs are tough. And theres no relief in this relentless book. Wirth never lets listeners forget the underlying pain. The story of a terminally ill con looking for a final score could be told quickly, but half the book is filler. Vachss shifts time and place without warning. Tangents go nowhere and confuse a complex plot. Fans will recognize Vachsss obsession with exposing crimes against children. But the crimes are so graphically detailed that youll need a shower and a stiff drink after listening. M.S. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to an alternate
Audio CD
edition.