The Getaway Man

By Andrew Vachss

Book Overview

Eddie starts stealing cars long before he's old enough to get a license, driven by a force so compelling that he never questions, just obeys. After a series of false starts, interrupted by stays in juvenile institutions and a state prison term, Eddie's skills and loyalty attract the attention of J.C., a near-legendary hijacker. When he gets out, Eddie becomes the driver for J.C.'s ultra-professional crew. J.C., the master planner, is finally ready to pull off that one huge job every con dreams of ... the Retirement Score. But some roads have twists even a professional getaway man couldn't foresee ... Andrew Vachss, a writer widely acclaimed for breathing new life and death into the crime genre, here presents a classic noir tale, relentlessly displaying and dissecting not guilt, but innocence.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1400031192
• ISBN13: 9781400031191
• Release Date: February 2003
• Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A getaway from the norm, but a great read none the less

Andrew Vachss has a long series of hits with the Burke books. (Also recommend each of them). The Getaway Man is something different and new for Mr. Vachss. The characters come to life and emotional attachment occurs. The main character is a criminal but you care for him none the less. This book is a quick read that leads you through the life of Eddie who's only goal is driving. Through a series of stays in prison, comes out and begins driving for a series of criminals, each case seemingly to get more complex. Eddie gets through the story with his simple views on life and fierce loyalty to the people he drives for. After all, he's a professional. The last page makes the whole trip worth the time to read this book.

Vachss Proves It Yet Again

Andrew Vachss doesn't need his iconic protagonist Burke to knock the reader for a loop. This book was a pleasure from the cover to the core; action-packed and smooth as silk. It's the first in Vintage's new line, and for sure every other author who produces for the series will have one hell of a high level to live up to.

A change of pace for a great crime writer

Readers used to novels featuring Vachss's continuing character Burke will find this book a true change of pace. Vachss alters his literary voice completely in his creation of Eddie, a professional getaway driver. Eddie is as far from Burke as can be imagined, an innocent in a world of corruption, a man who is a criminal mainly because his talents are best suited for that particular job. He is a driver who lives to drive, and spends his evenings watching old movies that he likes to think parallel his own life (like Thunder Road and Moonshine Highway). Loyal and honorable, realistic but trusting, Eddie seems a sweet child in an evil man's world until, as in the classic plots of James M. Cain, a woman makes him reexamine his priorities and loyalties. To say more would give away too much of the plot, but Vachss never takes a wrong turn on Eddie's drive away from innocence.The tight prose and simple style suit the subject perfectly. Eddie isn't nearly as eloquent with language as Burke, and there are frequent grammatical errors in this first-person narrative which only add to the richly drawn portrait. Nor is Eddie as outwardly intense as Burke. There's no crusader in these pages, only a guy trying to make a living doing what he loves to do, and trying to deal with the temptations and moral dilemmas that go with the job. The sense of the 1950s predominates, although there are frequent references to contemporary technology. The book is short, less than 200 pages, and they fly effortlessly by, with Vachss's trademark style of using simple breaks rather than the artificiality of chapter heads. The trade paperback package is totally simpatico with the novel's spirit, displaying stylish 50's cover artwork and logo, and even creases printed on the covers, to give that stuck-in-the-back-pocket paperback feel (you'll have to break the spine yourself). It's a terrific book that ends with a perfectly measured body blow to the gut, and those who appreciate crime fiction at its best would be fools to miss it.

Well Worth Your Time

You just can't go wrong with Vachss. This tightly woven noir novel drags you into its world quickly and won't let you go. Vachss is a master of drawing seemingly round characters with only a few quick strokes, then immersing them in an action-filled story that keeps you guessing. Although this book less openly didactic than the Burke series, its ethical foundation is no less solid and no less clear than that of his other works. If you haven't read Vachss before, this is a fine place to start--a quick read that reveals his terse yet gripping style and uncompromising honesty. If you are a fan of Vachss, this one won't let you down.

Pulls No Punches...

This short novel offering from world renowned author Andrew Vachss is sure to please the reader of "hard boiled" crime fiction. Direct and to the point (as most Vachss offerings are)this "novella" is a proverbial page turner. I felt like a kid as I delved into this story. Wait...no I didn't say kid...well read the book and you'll know what I 'm talking about,