But the parallels are striking. Both Vachss and the protagonist of his novels are aficionados of blues music and the racetrack. Both smoke too much and eschew alcohol. Both men share a tough anticrime stance. A human cripples his own kid, they give him another bite.
Fear looms large in both men's lives.
Vachss won't say where he lives. His wife's job in the Queens County D.A.'s office comes with a residency requirement. It shows an address for his downtown office. I've gotten lots of threats. I have no way to evaluate their seriousness, but I see no reason why I should take a chance.