Linda Fairstein

I've seen Fairstein's stuff on bookstore shelves for years, and for some reason brushed her off as one of those popular crime novelists I don't have time for (as opposed to the large stable of popular crime novelists I DO have time for). So a couple weeks ago, I saw a CBS Sunday Morning segment featuring her, and was intrigued enough to search out her first Alexandra Cooper novel from the library, and now I have to read THIS series. Cooper, like the author herself, is a Manhattan Assistant show more District Attorney (well, Fairstein "retired" to write full time a good many years ago, now) working in the Sex Crimes Unit. This may be what put me off in the first place---not wanting to immerse myself in the ugly world of sexual violence. But there was really very little of that in this one, as we follow the investigation into a murder of a woman initially thought to be Cooper. Was she actually the intended victim, or was the actress borrowing her car and her getaway cottage really the target of the shooter? I clicked with Fairstein's style, the character of Cooper (she's a very believeable combination of tough broad and damsel in distress), and the camaraderie between Cooper and her long-time friend Mike Chapman, who is an NYPD detective assigned to her office (they challenge each other with wagers on the Final Jeopardy clue on a regular basis). Besides Chapman, Cooper has several good friends; she isn't a loner, and her support system is solid. I really like the set-up here. So if Fairstein can avoid a few pitfalls (like putting her fictional self in true jeopardy too often, or going for the sensational when the substantial is what I want), I'll follow her adventures.
Reviewed in 2017 show less

(Review from rereading)

Final Jeopardy is a delight. It's a good mystery; it's so good I didn't even remember the twist until I was in the revealing scene. Many writers create good mysteries, but Linda Fairstein manages to combine a good mystery with an education about New York City, history, literature and the arts. I always learn things in her books, and the treasure trove of knowledge led me to reread her novels more than the mysteries themselves. Final Jeopardy is intense, thrilling and show more smart. Alexandra Cooper remains one of my favorite fictional characters. I appreciate Fairstein's insight into the actual caseload of an ADA; it's not Law & Order, where the lawyers try one case at a time. Cooper's days and nights are filled with many intriguing cases. Still, at the end of the day, Alexandra Cooper is someone I want to meet for dinner and a bottle of wine. I care about what books she's read. Perhaps what surprised me most in this rereading of an old favorite was how familiar Alexandra was from the beginning. Now, eleven books in, she's been a companion through the years, but she was relatable instantly.

Everytime I finish a Linda Fairstein novel, I encourage others to start from the beginning of the series. It's refreshing to reaffirm my own advice. show less

After seeing Linda Fairstein at a local author event, I decided that I really needed to read one of her mysteries. I began with the very first book, and I'll be reading more.

Fairstein describes Martha's Vineyard beautifully, and really gives readers a wonderful feel for the daily life of a high-powered assistant district attorney. She also does an excellent job of showing how laws governing sex crimes have changed over the years-- something she should be capable of since she was the head of show more the Manhattan Sex Crimes Unit for over two decades.

I really enjoyed the book. It's fast-paced, and the non-cooking Alex Cooper is a strong, fascinating character who has a strong circle of friends. However, Final Jeopardy does have a couple of first-timer hiccups. The dialogue is often a bit stiff and stilted, and when a bad guy is about to be exposed a few pages down the road, Fairstein shines a beacon on the clue she planted. But guess what? I don't care. Those things are easily fixed. The characters, story, and setting are first-rate. I'm looking forward to more Alex Cooper! show less

I'd discovered Linda Fairstein's Alexandra Cooper series during BEA 2014 with her thriller Terminal City which was set at Grand Central Station. I soon read as many of her earlier novels as I could get my hands on.

Alexandra Cooper is a Deputy District Attorney of New York who specializes in sex crimes or what appears on television as SVU. Cooper and Homicide Detective Mike Chapman have a long standing professional relationship. They bicker, they support each other, they face down show more politicians, dangerous criminals and terrifying situations together.

In Devil's Bridge, Coop and Chapman are getting used to their new romance. Excited to be with each other, unwilling to impose rules or demands, there's a lot that is new to these old friends. So, when after an awful day at work, Mike doesn't hear from Coop, he gives her some space. It takes some time before he realizes that she might be in danger.

This time Fairstein tells the story from Mike Chapman's point of view as he desperately tries to piece together what happened the night that Coop disappears. His investigation takes him back to the early years of Hell's Kitchen as well as to the murky waters of City Hall. We learn more about Alex Cooper through Mike Chapman's eyes and about Mike's past, it's easier to understand why Coop keeps him a priority in her life.

Some of Fairstein's characters are remind us of the famous, political and notorious in present day New York City. We encounter references to the mayor's wife's chief of staff whose anti-police stance and relationship with a convicted murderer interferes with a murder investigation, to a corrupt reverend that squeezes himself into volatile situations to push his political agenda, and to a self--aggrandizing politician whose policies have caused friction with the NYPD and may have resulted in the increase in crime in NYC. Fairstein's jabs at this fictional mayor resonate with readers disappointed in the current NYC mayor and those looking forward to a change of administration.

Devil's Bridge kept me riveted throughout two long flights and the cab ride back to Brooklyn. I'm looking forward to the next in the Alexandra Cooper series. show less