False Allegations

False Allegations by Andrew Vachss
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Burke gets hired by an albino lawyer named Kite, he finds himself investigating a woman who claims to have been sexually abused as a child to see if her allegations are true, hopefully giving Kite's methods validation. Is the woman telling the truth? And will Burke tell Kite the truth when he learns it?

Andrew Vachss' books are as depressing as a room full of dead puppies and this one is no exception. Burke travels to places that make sewers seem like luxury hotels and meets people who make Charles Manson seem charming. Okay, that last bit might be a slight exaggeration but you get the point. These are some bleak books.

False Allegations is more of the same. It was nice seeing the supporting cast again, even though it was light on The Mole and Terry. Clarence doesn't do a lot for me but I'm always a fan of The Prof.

Other than a strong female that's inexplicably attracted to Burke, this doesn't feel much like the other Burke books. There's very little action and Burke actually does a fair amount of research and investigating. Kite was an interesting character and I have a feeling he'll be back.

Still, there isn't much that sets this above earlier Burke books. Like I said, not a lot happened. The writing is good. Vachss' similes read like something Raymond Chandler would write after an all night bender with Jim Thompson.

The Burke series is an engaging one but I don't know if I'm going to go the distance with it. I own one more and that might be the last one I read. Three stars but they aren't happy stars, that's for sure.

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