Crime

I haven’t read a book in this series for some time and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed revisiting the characters of Assistant DA Alexandra Cooper and Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace of the NYPD.

Ostensibly a crime thriller, this narrative also features many historic details about New York City. I really liked all the information about Central Park and the Dakota. I’m one who likes that level of description and can’t get enough of all the facts. I’m always inspired to go off on my own and read more about those famous places that I’ve only actually ever seen once in real life.

This particular case starts with the discovery of a body in the water by the Bethesda Angel. The girl appears homeless and has no identification. In their efforts to figure out who killed her, the team explores the park and surrounding areas, stumbling onto a connection to a wealthy family who has lived at the Dakota for generations. A little girl disappeared from the top floor apartments of the Dalton family and was never found. Is that case related to this current homicide?

There are other side plots going on as well in this novel as Mike Chapman has made a serious error in judgment leading to a scandal that also threatens Alex’s reputation. Mental health issues, the plight of the homeless, the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the safety in Central Park called into question, rapists on the loose, well, you get the picture. Very busy book. The last part when Alex finds herself in personal danger (don’t they always go off on their own and get into trouble) was the least appealing part of this novel. I also get the impression, though I have skipped around the series and not kept up with it, that this current romantic situation she finds herself exploring is really out of character.

Regardless, I did enjoy this and also liked the narrator who did justice to the characters and gave voice to their quirky personalities and accents. I listened to the audio version and also read a bit of the e-book that I received as an ARC from NetGalley a quite some time ago.

Definitely want to search out other installments going forward. Recommended. ( )

When the body of a young woman is discovered in Central Park, the clock begins ticking for Assistant DA Alex Cooper and Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace to find the killer who has breached this haven in the middle of New York City. Is the body found in the lake, under the unseeing gaze of the Bethesda angel, the first victim of a deranged psychopath, or is the case connected to other missing girls and women in years past whose remains have never been found? Just as the trio gets their first lead, the investigation is almost derailed when Mike and Alex become embroiled in a scandal.

As Alex attempts to fight the accusations leveled against her and Mike, she follows clues that range from the park’s most buried — literally — secrets all the way to the majestic Dakota, which has experienced its own share of tragedies. When another young woman is attacked in the park, a new question arises: is this enormous urban park a sanctuary—as it seems to the thousands of New Yorkers and tourists who fill it every day—or is it a hunting ground for a killer with a twisted mind? ( )

This is the 15th book in the Alexandra Cooper, New York Assistant District Attorney, series, the book I thought I read but hadn't. Thank goodness I had it on hand. Set in Central Park, this murder mystery takes some interesting turns, including carrying several different story lines: the homeless, a missing child, murder, stalkers, a hint of romance, the very wealthy to the history and geography of Central Park. And of course, the usual office politics. There was a lot going on in this novel, maybe too much (so many different threads, not all of which came together in the end), but I enjoyed it. And now I'm officially all caught up with the series!
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I like the way Fairstein often chooses a particular place to used as background for her thriller. in this case, Central Park in NYC. I lived in NYC for some time and visited Central Park many times, but never had any
idea of the myriad parts of the park that I never knew about. This book was, in addition to being a good read is also an excellent tourist guide. ( )