Rating: 
Summary: The best fiction is non-fiction
Review: A lot of crime authors write fluff: Prose without a purpose. No one would ever accuse Vachss of that. His stories are all part of a message: We make our own monsters. As amazing as Vachss' Burke novels are, they are made that much more significant when the reader realizes that the stories aren't fiction, but fictionalized truth. Everything Vachss writes has happened, is happening. He's seen it up close. That point is brought home most clearly in False Allegations. False Allegations highlights the work-and the importance of the work-of the CIVITAS ChildTrauma Programs at Baylor College of Medicine. That organization is conducting neurobiological research to understand *exactly* how trauma effects the developing brain, and how to counteract that trauma. The information is imparted through the narrative, when Burke needs a final, authoritative word on whether or not a woman was the victim of childhood abuse. It's part of a larger narrative involving, as the title clearly states, "false allegations"-Vachss' writing will certainly infuriate anyone married to either side of the debate, and will enlighten anyone with enough sense to keep an open mind on the issue. False Allegations is the best kind of novel. It's totally enthralling and exciting, and, at the same time, educational. If everything in life served such dual purposes, we would have all the problems of society beat in half the time.
Rating: 
Summary: More truth to "False"
Review: After two mediocre entries in the great Burke series ("Down in the Zero" and "Footsteps of the Hawk") Vachss starts to breath life back into his main charachter again. Burke is reenergized and back at what he does best, dealing with abused children and borderline psychotic females. Vachss's early Burke novels ("Flood," "Blue Belle," "Blossom" and "Hard Candy") remain the best of the series. But with "False Allegations" he begins a revival which has carried him through the two most recent novels. Thankfully so. A world without Burke would be a duller world, indeed.
Rating:
Summary: More truth to "False"
Review: After two mediocre entries in the great Burke series ("Down in the Zero" and "Footsteps of the Hawk") Vachss starts to breath life back into his main charachter again. Burke is reenergized and back at what he does best, dealing with abused children and borderline psychotic females. Vachss's early Burke novels ("Flood," "Blue Belle," "Blossom" and "Hard Candy") remain the best of the series. But with "False Allegations" he begins a revival which has carried him through the two most recent novels. Thankfully so. A world without Burke would be a duller world, indeed.
Rating:
Summary: More truth to "False"
Review: After two mediocre entries in the great Burke series ("Down in the Zero" and "Footsteps of the Hawk") Vachss starts to breath life back into his main charachter again. Burke is reenergized and back at what he does best, dealing with abused children and borderline psychotic females. Vachss's early Burke novels ("Flood," "Blue Belle," "Blossom" and "Hard Candy") remain the best of the series. But with "False Allegations" he begins a revival which has carried him through the two most recent novels. Thankfully so. A world without Burke would be a duller world, indeed.
Rating:
Summary: A greater writer, who has earned the right to preach!!!
Review: I have enjoyed reading the noir of Andrew Vachss. His is a very hard boiled, no holds barred style, and will always, if nothing else leave his readers thinking. However, I'm rather surprised by the negative feed back Vachss has received for "False Allegations". The novel is certainly in keeping with Vachss' style and his character Burke. It is fast paced, and reads like his other works. Yet many seem to feel it is a bit preachy. To a certain extent it is preachy, But so what? Vachss having devoted his life to the helping of children, and abused children in particular, has earned the right to give a bit of a sermon if he so desires. His detractors should keep in mind that as a lawyer he didn't have to specialize in children' assistance, and defense. He could have specialized in other areas of law, become a real shark, and earned a fortune. But he didn't, and instead devoted his career to child welfare, and protection.And what they will learn is that unlike so many people in our day, Vachss doesn't simply talk the talk, he also walks the walk!!! Which is more than most people can say today. To not just believe in something, (Whatever it might be.) but living it on a daily basis. While I fully recognize that as noir prose, this novel isn't as hard boiled as his other Burke novels, nevertheless it is still a great read with a very legitimate message. It is for this reason that I gave it a ten. I have recently read "Safe House", the latest Burke novel, it was excellent, and I look forward to more in the Burke series. The series should be read in order starting with "Flood", and "False Allegations", the ninth in the Burke series should not be passed up.
Rating: 
Summary: The one disappointment in a great run.
Review: If you've never read a Burke novel, don't start here.Vachss has used his fictional Burke to advertise the non fictional work of CIVITAS, an admirable effort, but it just did not make for an entertaining read. False Allegations starts out strong, but the last half of the book has Burke standing around talking to people. Yawn. This one was an effort to finish
Rating:
Summary: Vachss takes on the talk show circuit...
Review: In the latest and possibly last of the Burke series, our
anti-hero finds himself entangled in the world of "false
memory syndrome." Is child abuse the witch hunt of the 90's,
or is the "syndrome" just a tool of high-priced lawyers
defending monsters? Burke does a lot of digging to find out.
With hints of Don't! Buy! Thai! and the CIVITAS research
group, this book comes closest to what Vachss does in real
life, helping the abused prosecute the predators.
Highest recommendation.
Rating:
Summary: Give us more Burke
Review: Not as fast paced as some of the Burke novels in the past, but still worth reading for us Burke fans.
Rating:
Summary: Very Disturbing but quite true
Review: Of all the Burke novels that I have read which would be all of them, this one disturbed me the most. It struck a nerve in me and it scared me because the truth can't be denied. False Allegations is a testimony of how to keep a rape society going. If you are interested in transforming our society than this is the book to read. Burke enters the controversial ground of recovered memories but not for the reasons he thinks he is. He meets Dr. Bruce Perry who is not a fictional person. I have made use of Dr. Perry's research in my career as a teacher of children who have been abused. If you like poetic justice, this book also includes that in such a way that one can't help but cheer. This is not a novel to take lightly.
Rating:
Summary: Very Disturbing but quite true
Review: Of all the Burke novels that I have read which would be all of them, this one disturbed me the most. It struck a nerve in me and it scared me because the truth can't be denied. False Allegations is a testimony of how to keep a rape society going. If you are interested in transforming our society than this is the book to read. Burke enters the controversial ground of recovered memories but not for the reasons he thinks he is. He meets Dr. Bruce Perry who is not a fictional person. I have made use of Dr. Perry's research in my career as a teacher of children who have been abused. If you like poetic justice, this book also includes that in such a way that one can't help but cheer. This is not a novel to take lightly.
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