The Getaway Man I don’t
Tue., October 28, 02:19 PM
The Getaway Man
I don’t know why I keep reading books by Andrew Vachss. I know why I started: pure curiosity. I know the family from way back. Andrew is a lawyer who defends the rights of children. His books help to support his causes.
His Burke series contains fascinating characters, and I read a lot of them before I finally decided that they’re just too depressing. However, U.D. handed me The Getaway Man, telling me it wasn’t part of the series. The previews on the cover describe Vachss’s books as noir, which is quite accurate.
The getaway man of the title is Eddie, a guy from a deprived childhood (you never get all of it), who just likes to drive cars. Is he a little slow? Maybe, or maybe he’s just never had the education. Cars are indeed his strong point, both driving them and repairing them. In his own field, he’s an expert.
Eddie served some time in reform schools, and eventually he became the driver for a couple of robbers. When one of their jobs went bad, people were killed, and the rest went to prison. It’s in prison that Eddie meets an older man who looks out for him and teaches him. When they both get out, Eddie is the driver for the gang.
Eddie has a legitimate business too, and you keep hoping that his luck will change. But somehow you know it won’t. If you remember what I wrote about The Lovely Bones, I said it made me feel good, that I knew the ending would be good. In the same way, I knew I wouldn’t like the ending of The Getaway Man. I didn’t.
Nevertheless, I am aware that not everyone’s taste is mine. I do recommend that you read some of Vachss’s books, which you will find interesting even if you don’t want to read more.
