Case Triggers Memories
Andrew Vachss' Burke continues to explore the dark side in Another Life

By Laura L. Hutchison
Originally published February 1, 2009, by the [Fredericksburg, VA] Free-Lance Star

ANDREW Vachss' main character, Burke, is the most likable criminal you'd ever want to meet. Unless, of course, you mess with a kid or someone in his family.

In Another Life, Burke picks up where he left off in Terminal. The only man who has ever been a father to him, "the Prof," is in a coma, where he landed after the makeshift family's last job went horribly wrong.

When Pryce, whose government contacts are golden, if not legal, says he can get the Prof the best medical care available if Burke helps him out, there's no way Burke can turn him down.

So he takes on the task of trying to find the 2-year-old son of a Saudi prince, who was kidnapped, possibly by a ring of pedophiles. But when all of Burke's investigating turns up nothing, he has to figure out where to look next.

His investigation leads Burke to memories of his own horrible childhood, and reminds us that true families are made, not born.

Vachss says this--his 17th[sic]--is the final book in the Burke series, which started in 1985 with Flood.

© Copyright 2009 The Free Lance-Star Publishing Co. of Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA