Product Description

Success can never be guaranteed in every case Alexandra Cooper prosecutes, but for once the odds are with her; she is able to put away a serial rapist for a crime he committed over twenty years previously. Outside the courtroom another predator is at large. His first victim was a call-girl, a cat-o-nine-tails discovered near her body, and it seems as though Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace need to look amongst her clients for the killer - but the discovery of other corpses, the modus operandi remarkably similar to the first, turns the investigation into a hunt for a random and viciously sadistic murderer. A part of the killer's signature is that in the humid heat of summer he leaves his victims' remains in some of the least populated parts of New York - a derelict office building, an abandoned fort on an island below Manhattan. Alex fears it may be another twenty years before they can identify this monster, each day bringing the dread of news of another killing. Then she, Chapman and Mercer get lucky and are able to give a name to their target. But that's not the same as putting him safely behind bars: to do that they are going to have to get close to him, much too close for Alex's own safety ...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25162 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-24
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 416 pages

Review
'Yet again Linda Fairstein brilliantly orchestrates a page-turning mix of cutting-edge legal issues, forensics, New York City history and suspense.' RTE Guide 'Fairstein, whose professional resume includes groundbreaking work in the field of sex crimes prosecution, manages to both entertain and educate, as Alex Cooper struggles wth the evidentiary challenges of the Warren rape case and with tracking a vicious serial killer' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Prosecutor Alexandra Cooper, head of the Manhattan DA's Special Victims Unit, pursues a serial predator who has graduated to murder.Airline desk agent Elise Huff has been missing a week from her job at La Guardia when the NYPD gets a report of a woman's corpse in the old Battery Maritime Building. But the young woman who's been handcuffed, tortured and strangled isn't Elise; it's Amber Bristol, a legal secretary who doubles as an escort and dominatrix. Elise's body turns up in a desolate stretch of reeds near Brooklyn's Belt Parkway, killed under circumstances that strongly suggest a serial murderer even before the discovery of the inevitable third victim on Bannerman Island. Alex would love to give her full attention to the crimes, but first she has to wrap up the 35-year-old case of a woman whose bail-jumping assailant, conclusively identified by DNA evidence unavailable in 1973, has to be tried under the antiquated rules of his original courtroom appearance. And Alex's prosecution is hampered by the Latin Princes, a gang determined to harass her (and maybe worse) because she locked up their kingpin. Both cases feature all the gritty forensics, exhaustive procedural detail and moral outrage you'd expect of this franchise (Bad Blood, 2007, etc.). Both are atmospheric and absorbing enough to keep you turning pages until the nail-biting climax on Governors Island. But because Fairstein never develops a relation between the two cases, each one seems like a distraction from the other. And a string of intriguing subplots - a super with a history of beating his girlfriends, a journalist who dallied with the dominatrix, a turf battle with the FBI - only muddy the waters.All of Fairstein's accustomed strengths and weaknesses are on prominent display. Fans will love the result; nonfans aren't likely to be converted. (Kirkus Reviews)

About the Author
Linda Fairstein was Assistant DA in Manhattan before taking early retirement to concentrate on her writing. She continues to work for several charities supporting the victims of sexual crimes. She divides her time between Manhattan and Martha's Vineyard.

Customer Reviews

A departure from form
I love Linda Fairstein and am disappointed in her latest novel. It's still a cut above many writers in this genre and has, as ever, a compelling story line. But, there's far too much historical stuff about NYC and not enough about the characters we know and love, Mike, Mercer and of course the heroine, Alex Cooper. The premise is promising from the outset and I was still gripped, but unlike previous novels there's not nearly enough about the central characters, the victims or the perpetrator. So if you're a Fairstein fan, you'll undoubtedly want to read this, but I suspect you will be a little disappointed.

best one yet
after the disappointment of death dance this one i couldn't put down, her best book from the last 9 shes written, i think it is goood that she explains the history of NY as it makes you feel as though you are in the book with her and helps you relate. i look forward to the next one and hope its as good.

Cracking Murder Mystery
Having read most of Linda Fairstein's books I found this one to be as good as all the others. The story moves along well and there is enough in here to keep the reader interested. Bodies pile up with their usual intensity and the finale has enough tension to take you completely by surprise. I loved the descriptions of all the historical sights and felt that they were appropriate and necessary for the storyline to develop. The plot is well written and just when you think you are getting a handle on things, another twist of the plot bowls you over. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars is because I thought a couple of places were just a little bit slow, but otherwise this is a well written book with an excellent storyline. I would highly recommend it, and I am looking forward to reading the next one.