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From Publishers Weekly
The crusading longtime chief of Manhattan's Sex Crimes Prosecutions Unit brings to her exciting first novel the same passion and insights into the criminal and crime-busting minds that marked her memoir, Sexual Violence (1994). Fairstein also brings herself to the novel-or at least an alter ego of a narrator, Alexandra Cooper, who's also a middle-aged blonde heading the borough's prosecution of sex offenders. Cooper's typical day of counseling victims and working with the NYPD on sex crimes would probably keep readers fascinated, but her latest problem-the shooting murder of glamorous movie star Isabella Lascar at Cooper's getaway home on Martha's Vineyard-pitches the plot at high intensity right away. Though Cooper is warned by the DA not to play cop, she and homicide detective Mike Chapman, who's assigned to bodyguard her, work together unofficially to solve the crime, carrying on a sort of anti-romance all the while. Fairstein isn't a gifted stylist-her dialogue is as wooden as a judge's gavel-and the details of Cooper's professional and personal lives drive the story forward with more vigor than the murder investigation does. Some readers will be disappointed, too, that Cooper, like any victim, has to be rescued in the end by her fiercely protective and ingenious friends on the NYPD. But then this heroine's greatest appeal lies in the warmth of her friendships, the humanness of her mistakes and her unswerving devotion to protecting the next female from harm. As a woman with grave responsibilities who still puts her pantyhose on one leg at a time, she makes a memorable debut. Literary Guild and Mystery Guild main selections; Doubleday Book Club alternate; author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
Like her creator, Fairstein (Sexual Violence, LJ 9/15/93), Alexandra Cooper is New York City's assistant district attorney for sex crimes prosecution. A Hollywood actress staying at Alex's vacation home on Martha's Vineyard and driving a rental car charged to Alex's credit card is murdered. Was Alex really the intended victim and the murderer someone she had once prosecuted? Is that why she's been receiving anonymous nocturnal telephone calls? Or was the actress done in by her estranged lover? Why is Alex's own current lover, an investment banker and former Senate candidate, trying to cover up his own involvement with the actress? This thriller, which will keep readers asking questions and turning pages, has the potential to be one of the summer's big hits. Recommended for popular collections.
--Charles Michaud, Turner Free Lib., Randolph, Mass.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
--Charles Michaud, Turner Free Lib., Randolph, Mass.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
I SAT ON MY LIVING ROOM SOFA AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE morning with a copy of the mock-up of the front page of the day's New York Post in my hand, looking at my own obituary. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
I SAT ON MY LIVING ROOM SOFA AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE morning with a copy of the mock-up of the front page of the day's New York Post in my hand, looking at my own obituary. Read the first page
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Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Fair story, poor prose,
By A Customer
Ce commentaire est de: Final Jeopardy (Mass Market Paperback)
I would have found this story of mystery and murder more engrossing if Fairstein's prose had been less murky, and the dialog less stilted. Conversations read like narrative, and it was often difficult to figure out who was speaking. The overall tone, even given the hard-boiled prosecutor and seen-it-all detectives, was flat and expressionless. With all the tightly written, literate crime novels out there, I wouldn't be inclined to try Ms. Fairstein's works again.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Don't think I'll go further...,
By
Ce commentaire est de: Final Jeopardy (Hardcover)
I thought, as a Law and Order SVU fan, this might be something I might like (except in book format). Well, it was all right at first. I liked Alexandra. A very strong willed character, although she had her girlie moments, she wasn't a stone cold woman of ice either. That was good. Her friendship with Mike Chapman was really fun to read. Chapman made the story more interesting with his sense of humor. His jabs towards Alexandra (and vice versa) were fun to read.The plot was all right. It wasn't really that exciting. The only twist was who Isabella's male companion was, but it wasn't that shocking or revealing. However, I'm glad Alexandra didn't mope about and became dramatic diva over that moment. I do like seeing her all up in a temper though - that was really entertaining to watch. So, the plot was rather mediocre, and although I did like the characters, it wasn't enough to make me fully enjoy the book. What rather killed it for me was, it was rather dry. So dry, it took me a while to finish a book that only had 336 pages. Oh boy, did it ever drag. On top of that, Alexandra also handles many other cases and it's all mixed in with the main case featuring Isabella. Now although this is realistic, to me it felt like it was added to fill in pages of the book. It wasn't exciting, it didn't particularly interest me, and there were many minor characters added you could not keep track without at least back tracking to figure out which case she's talking about now. It came to the point where I skimmed through most of the last third of the book, read the grand climax (which wasn't that great in the first place) and then I was done. I was just curious what was so great about these series and I just wanted to see how it was like. I realize this is the first book so of course, perhaps books after this one are better. Yet, I'm not sure if I'm going to get the second book. If it's like this one, I will pass. This might not be for everyone, but those that are into legal thrillers are welcome to try and see for yourselves.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent behind the scenes look at an assistant DA.,
By Kel "acountkel" (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
Ce commentaire est de: Final Jeopardy (Mass Market Paperback)
This was a pretty good book. It is an excellent dipiction of what happens in the "sex crime unit" as an assistant district attorney. The story line was pretty decent as well. Alexandra is an assistant DA in the "sex crime unit" in NY. Her actress friend borrows her place on Martha's Vineyard and while she is there, she is murdered. At first the authorities think the murder was mistaken identity (should have been Alex) but as it turns out it wasn't. With a few twists and turns, the book continues nicely coming full circle at the end. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
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