Good story. A little jumpy in places but otherwise good writing.
Looking forward to the rest of this series. ( )

Burke is a private detective living in the dark netherworld of NY City. He is contacted by a relentless woman, skilled in martial arts but not worldly, who is seeking revenge on a killer/rapist. This is the first of 17 books by Vachss, and Burke has a diverse group of supporting characters, including the Prof, Mole, Michelle, deaf-mute Max, Mama, and two dogs, who who guards his office and the other, who guards his junkyard (co-owned with Mole.) Dark stuff, with a side order of violence. ( )

Years ago, I read Strega and was instantly a Vachss fan. However, while I did read some of his other works (including some comic book contributions), I never got a chance to return to the Burke series. So now, here I am at the beginning.

Flood is a great crime noir featuring larger than life characters that achieve almost mythical street cred without - in my opinion - straining credulity. At the center of this story of revenge and justice is Burke, a below-the-radar survivor that makes his home and living in the slimy underbelly of New York City. Much like the author, Burke has a special hatred for child molesters and other freaks that prey on innocent youth, and the focus of this first novel involves him helping the mysterious Flood track down the main responsible for the rape and murder of her best friend's baby.

It's hard not to draw parallels between the Burke series and other off-the-radar protectors like Jack Reacher and Repairman Jack, but the comparisons end when it comes to the level of real-world evil on display in Burke's world, which is unfortunately too close to the real world. If you like your action dark, gritty, and violent, you might want to tag along with Burke. ( )

Grandes maestros del suspenso