The eighth book of the Burke series Footsteps of the Hawk was published in 1995. I have had mixed reactions to the first seven books of the series with as many three stars as four. For me to continue reading a series I would like to have at least four stars as the norm.Vachss has an aggressive style of writing; part of the enjoyment is that intensity. Burke mixes action with philosophy when he is at his best. He doesn’t mind breaking the law to get a desirable end and eliminating a bad guy is always desirable.At this point at about the halfway mark in the series Burke has assembled his basic cast of characters and there is not a normal person in the bunch. His friends are smart but not necessarily intellectual, down to earth philosophical but not dogmatic. They are a cadre bonded to each other and to their commitment to justice on their own terms. Burke is not quite Robin Hood although he does take from the bad to rescue the good. He values being a role model and is always willing to take chances to achieve a good end. His cohorts are not the Merry Men but they have a range of most useful skills that make use of the technology of the day. And his series of women, so far a new one each book, are not quite Maid Marian. The Burke contingent can be raw or well mannered; they move between a comfortable routine and an intensity of purpose. But they land on their feet ready to do battle another day.One of the subplots in this book is about boxing. Now boxing is one of my least favorite blood sports, just a notch above bull fighting and dog fighting. So this side trip into boxing was not a positive addition to the story for me. But it keeps popping up. Does a book like this have to be macho? I hate that and yet what is Burke if not macho? Well, he is cynical: “But if you embezzle a million bucks out of some widow’s estate, you’re probably looking at probation and community service.” Emotional: “I still hurt for Belle – for what happened to her. My fault, all of it.” Nostalgic: “When I was a kid, I used to come here a lot. By myself. There was always something to see: the chess hustlers on the permanent playing boards, folksingers trying out new stuff, pretty girls walking – gentle, safe stuff.” Coarse: “An open-topped, pus-yellow Suzuki Samurai slowly prowled past, a boom box on wheels, aggressively smashing its hyper-amped sound violence at hapless citizens in a scorched-earth assault.” You have to wonder if Burke “goes over the line” or “lives over the line.” More about Burke, the abused child: “Even after they’re grown, abused kids are different. A lot of them stay different too. Hyper-vigilant. Distrustful.” One of the fascinating things about reading a well done series like Burke is how much you gradually learn about the main characters.I had a hard time getting involved with this book. It seemed like there was more of Burke talking with his sources than there was action. But there was a one sentence that hooked me: I went out to resupply. Came back with a pint of ice cream, a bag full of warm bagels, a thick wedge of cream cheese, and a quarter pound of nova lox. I can’t totally give up on an author who can write a sentence like that.There is a fair amount of dramatic tension at the end of the book, if you get that far. His cohorts play significant roles but are mostly spotted in for their role responsibilities with minimal attachment to the story otherwise. The boxing side trip brings in a new character who plays an important role but may not ever return to the series. We will see. It would be fine with me if boxing faded away as well. The spotting ongoing characters in and out of the books is not a positive for me. I would rather have some regulars becoming more developed for the reader with each book. The rotation of the main supporting cast does not fit in with their identification as Burke’s substitute “family.” Abused children were present in background or supporting roles as well as Burke’s abused background being identified as the cause of many of his actions and reactions. There were no abused children directly in the current story. Since the reputation of this series is built on child abuse, I would expect that issue to be more front and center rather than just a part of Burke’s personal history. Poetry vis-a-vis the title:the ferret, huntingeyes on the ground, never hearsfootsteps of the hawkSadly, this book does not rise above three stars for me. There was no benefit for me from reading two Vachss books back to back. I have the rest of the series on my shelf but will probably back burner them for a while.
After floundering in the last book (Down In The Zero) -- and having way too much sex, seriously -- Burke seems back on track here, boxed between two cops and their games; McGowan's old partner Morales and Belinda, the hot cop who has been after Burke's contact info for a couple of books now.The tension is well maintained, but there were points when I lost who was doing what. The Righteous Crusader we'd been lectured at in the past was also gone -- but quite honestly, I didn't really mind Burke's
What do You think about Footsteps Of The Hawk (1997)?
Burke finds two cops gunning for him. One, Belinda, wants him to clear an imprisoned man for murder. The other, Morales, wants Burke dead or in jail. But how are the two cops linked...Here we are again, another installment in Andrew Vachss Burke series. Like most of them, it's bleaker than a Valentine's Day at Jim Thompson's house.Belinda, a character introduced in the previous Burke book, wants Burke to clear a prisoner of a murder. It seems other victims have turned up dead with the same calling card, a red ribbon inserted in the birth canal. Standing in Burke's way is a gung-ho cop named Morales, who wants Burke for a number of crimes, some of which he didn't even commit. As per usual, Burke plots and schemes his way to the novel's thrilling conclusion, which I didn't see coming until it was too late.For my money, the thing that keeps me coming back to a long-running series of this kind are the characters. At this point, I'd read a book featuring Burke playing cards with Mama and the Prof. In this book, Vachss introduces another character, Frankie. Frankie's an up and coming boxer trained by the Prof and I hope he's a recurring member of the cast.Belinda and Morales made suitable foils for Burke. I was surprised by the end and hope the repercussions are felt in the next book.About the only gripe I had was that there weren't enough clues for me to solve the mystery. Other than that, no complaints. It was a worthy addition to the Burke saga.
—Dan Schwent
Ex-con, con man and unlicensed private eye Burke is back in one of his most dangerous cases. Burke is approached by a prostitute who wants to have her pimp taken care of permanently. Despite his rep, Burke doesn't look for wet work and turns her down. The whole thing smells wrong, and soon he is in between a rock and a hard place, namely two cops, one dirty, one crazy, and Burke in the middle just trying to survive. I really enjoyed this one, it's unusual in the sense that Burke is usually protecting children from predators, and this time it's himself he needs to keep alive. The side plots are well done as well, with Burke and his crew backing a prizefighter while teaching him the facts of life on the street. Another feather in the cap of Andrew Vachss, one of the premier hard-boiled crime fiction writers around.
—Tim Niland
