Blue Belle

by Andrew Vachss

Book Overview

Burke is one of the most cold-blooded yet strangely honorable heroes in the history of crime fiction, an outlaw who makes his living by preying on the most vicious of New York City's bottom-feeders, those who thrive on the suffering of children. In Andrew Vachss's tautly engrossing novel Burke is given a purse full of dirty money to find the infamous Ghost Van that is cutting a lethal swath among the teenage prostitutes in the 'hood. He also gets...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679761683
• ISBN13: 9780679761686
• Release Date: July 1995
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.2" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Burke Is Back! And Blue Belle Is OUTSTANDING!

Andre Vachss' "Blue Belle" is my third Burke novel. All three book are excellent, but Burke, the man, and the strange folks who people his world and call him" friend" are what keeps me a faithful fan. They are my focus, whatever the plot. And the plots are good, fast-paced and riveting. However, this far-out group of characters has me hooked on the series. Burke is as complex a figure as they come, and he grows, evolves and changes with each book. I have never encountered anyone quite like him before in fiction. He is a hard-boiled, in-your-face, ex-con detective, who still isn't sure on which side of the law he prefers to operate. A survivor, at all cost, he is also a stand-up guy. Vachss delves more into Burke's past here, reveals more about his various prison stints and what he learned there. Fascinating stuff. If you are a Vachss/Burke fan, or become one, I would suggest that you try to read the books in order - at least the first 3 or 4. Of course, every novel stands on its own, independent of the others, but the character's development is continual. There are also references to past events, and for a richer reading experience it is helpful to know the history. If you're just looking for a good read, and not interested in becoming a Burke maven, then by all means, read at random. "Blue Belle" is one hard-hitting novel, reminiscent of crime fiction in the 1940s and 50s, though much more disturbing. Burke, as always, is our narrator. Everything and everyone comes under his cynical, seen-it-all scrutiny. I have never learned more about the underworld and the seamier side of life, the one most people rarely observe, than through the author's narrative. Burke's expert eyes take in details of life on the street that mine never would. His gritty urban world is one where "citizens" dwell side-by-side with "maggots." A "ghost van" is terrorizing New York City's prostitutes. A gang of fiends, traveling in a big, smoke-colored van, are brutally murdering teen streetwalkers, young girls, only thirteen and fourteen years-old. A group of pimps put together a war chest and hire Burke to take the van off the streets. Pimps are, after all, businessmen, and lost merchandise and declining profits are bad for business. When the Prophet, a friend, mentor and "colleague" of Burke's, "scopes the scene" for information concerning these killers, he encounters a psychopathic martial arts freak by the name of Mortay, ("muerte"). As a result, the Prof winds up in St. Vincent's Hospital with two broken legs, in a world of hurt. Mortay has been hitting the city's dojo's and challenging each sensei to a death match. He will not allow anyone to walk away, and has killed everyone he has forced to fight him. He gave the Prof a message. He wants to fight Max The Silent, a mute, 20th century Mongolian warrior who calls Burke "brother." Max and his woman have just had a baby daughter, whose life Mortay threatens if Max refuses to accept the challenge. Burke senses a conne

The book I wished would never end...

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.

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 disagree. Why? This novel is, pure and simple, the most forthright of all of his novels. Burke is clearly not the narrator here--Vachss is. There is so much social commentary involved, and every character is definitely a portrayal of differing aspects of our society. Add to this a story line that is truly magnificent and characters whose depth are unrivaled in other novels by Vachss, and I believe "Blue Belle" comes out on top. Read the novels in chronological order, of course, but reserve a whole night solely for "Blue Belle." I've read it at least six times, and every time I find something new worth thinking about. Not too many novels nowadays deserve as much credit.

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. And the threat, in the form of the Ghost Van, is one of the more horrific. The climax is also one of the more memorable in the Burke series. Vachss is one of the best crime writers working today. Perhaps it is because his working with abused children brings him so close to the dark side that he is able to capture it so well on the written page. "Blue Belle" is one his darkest and one of his best.

This is is a book and author that should not be passed up...

I have been a somewhat long-time fan of Andrew Vachss, after seeing an interview of him with (I admit)Oprah. After watching him, I could see where the hard edge to Burke comes from, and this is most apparent in his masterpiece, Blue Belle. I cannot begin to describe the tale woven into this powerful work of prose, but I will warn you now- put time aside for this, for once you start, Vachss grabs you by the lapels (if you are lucky) and drags you in. So I tell you: Take the phone off the hook, turn off the TV, leave a note on the door telling your friends that you are alive and well....but to bug off, pick up this book and take a trip into the darker underbelly of New York. It is more then worth the time, and your friends will forgive you.