Andrew Vachss, best known for his Burke series of crime novels, takes a detour into ’50s noir with this gem, The Getaway Man. Eddie steals cars as a teenager and graduates to prison. But his true love is driving. Eddie earns the reputation as a dependable wheel man. He links up with J.C. who plans capers. Over the years, J. C. and Eddie pull off plenty of successful crimes. Finally, Eddie and J.C. decide to knock over an armored car and retire on the bundles of cash. The complication is J. C.’s girl, Vonda. Vonda fears J.C. will dump her when they score all that money. She tries to convince Eddie to be her getaway man. The last few pages of The Getaway Man are as taut and suspenseful as anything Jim Thompson ever wrote. I loved the stinger at the end.
While I have read – and usually enjoyed – the Burke novels. The author has deep feelings about child abuse and has aired them in some of those books, which, though I’m abhorrent of mistreatment of children in any way, seemed a little heavy-handed to me, and I quit the series.
This is a Vachss book I’m not familiar with. It sounds quite noir, with the feeling that nothing good can come of what the characters do. Probably a book I’d have to be in the right mood for. Thanks for the review!
I had the same experience with Vachss’ work as you did, Rick. The relentless (and graphic) depictions of child abuse disturbed me and I had to stop reading the Burke series. THE GETAWAY MAN, although noirish, is much lighter fare.
On of Vachss’ best books. Great choice.
I was surprised by Vachss’ deftness in THE GETAWAY MAN, Bill. The last few Burkes I read were pretty heavy-handed.
Have always meant to read him. I have one or two waiting.
The first few books in Vachss’ Burke series are very good, Patti. And THE GETAWAY MAN was a complete surprise to me. Vachss can really write noir!
Yes, Vachss is usually better the further he gets away from Burke, which series is not only turned to its propaganda pupose, noble though it might be, but which has always struck me as the mirror-image of Doc Savage and his crew, whic makes for even more cognitive dissonance while dealing with the genuine serious ugly of the novels.
Love your phrase, “serious ugly,” Todd! You’re right about the echoes of Doc Savage and his crew in the Burke series. But the darkness of those novels becomes oppressive.
Read it when it came out back in 2002, I think.
Not a fan of Vachss, but I did enjoy this one. He’s obviously read a few Gold Medals in his day.
I liked the first few books in Vachss’ Burke series, Drongo, but had to stop reading them as the child abuse escalated in each book. THE GETAWAY MAN does read like a vintage Gold Medal!
When I read the first Burke book, I wished I’d created the guy myself. This sounds even better.
THE GETAWAY MAN will transport you right back to Gold Medal territory, Evan. Very noirish.
So glad to see this book highlighted. I loved it. This is what Friday’s Forgotten Books is all about.
I’m not sure how many people who follow Vachss’ Burke series know about THE GETAWAY MAN, Eric. That’s why I chose it.
What about his Batman novel? Is it any good?
I haven’t read it, Juri, but I will and report back.
I just abandoned the Burke novel Hard Candy after 130 odd pages, it just didn’t hold together for me. This one I will have to check out.
THE GETAWAY MAN grips you from Page One, Eric. You’ll zoom through this book.
Vachss’ early Burke books were great, but his one-trick-pony bete noire of child abuse wears thin and belies his true abilities as as a writer. He is passionate about the problem of child abuse in both his writing and his legal work. I have passed on his work for the last ten years or so (always with good intentions of going back to him real soon). I could not get through his Dark Horse book Another Chance To Get It Right. I enjoyed his Batman book (Batman goes after the Thai child sex trade) but thought it was thin.
All that being said, I thought his first collection was one of the most compelling and important books published in the last few decades.
Vachss’ first novel, FLOOD, impressed me with its energy and uniqueness, Jerry. Subsequent books had plenty of passion, but the subject matter became darker and darker. I had to stop reading Vachss’ books because they just drained me.