Rating: 
Summary: This is what I picture a cheesy romance novel to be like....
Review: ....but under the guise of a murder mystery. What a bore, I was so disappointed. I am not usually one who reads crime fiction, but for some reason the backdrop setting of the novel was what drew me in. Who couldn't be intrigued by abandoned psychiatric hospitals, asylums, prisons, etc.? This 540-odd page book is about 400 pages too long. Too many descriptions of meals, shopping, relationship problems, etc. Too predictable, as well. I was rolling my eyes constantly because it was so easy to figure out what was going to happen next. No jaw-droppers here. The characters were simply stereotypical. Fairstein's writing, I feel, talks down to the reader. Almost to the point of being offensive, like, how dumb does she think we (readers) are? This was the first (and last) novel of this kind I read, especially one by this author. I have the feeling it would make a great movie aired exclusively on Lifetime. I think I'll stick with the women's historical fiction kick I've been on.
Rating:
Summary: This is what I picture a cheesy romance novel to be like....
Review: ....but under the guise of a murder mystery. What a bore, I was so disappointed. I am not usually one who reads crime fiction, but for some reason the backdrop setting of the novel was what drew me in. Who couldn't be intrigued by abandoned psychiatric hospitals, asylums, prisons, etc.? This 540-odd page book is about 400 pages too long. Too many descriptions of meals, shopping, relationship problems, etc. Too predictable, as well. I was rolling my eyes constantly because it was so easy to figure out what was going to happen next. No jaw-droppers here. The characters were simply stereotypical. Fairstein's writing, I feel, talks down to the reader. Almost to the point of being offensive, like, how dumb does she think we (readers) are? This was the first (and last) novel of this kind I read, especially one by this author. I have the feeling it would make a great movie aired exclusively on Lifetime. I think I'll stick with the women's historical fiction kick I've been on.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the chemistry?
Review: Actually, I think the book deserved 3 stars, but I wanted to bring down the 4 and a half star average. There was only one problem with this book and that is the chemistry between Micheal and Alexandra. If you look back at relationships in books and television, you'll know that the two male and female characters need to have unreqited sexual chemistry for it to work. For example, when they first filmed the pilot for X-Files, Scully had a long term boyfriend. Fortunately, they edited the scenes out. Here, we have Blondie and her faulted relationship to Jake. He doesn't trust her with his sources, and doesn't show respect for the dead... only interested in getting a scoop. And now Mike has a relationship to Valerie- a recovering cancer patient. Fairstein doesn't manage to hold the chemistry between Alex and Mike like the three previous books. Less banter and no sexual tension, only uncomfortable scenes that suggest both are jealous of the other's partners. It would have worked if there was chemistry, but apart from Mike rubbing Alex's hands warm at the police station... their relationship has become too professional. SPOILER ALERT. If you haven't read the book, don't read this paragraph. Read the book? Okay. It's great to see Mercer is going to be a dad. He's never been a neccessary character before, and the series would work without him there. Netherless, as much as I don't care for that character his new life began the tense scene in the car where Alex poked fun at what she assumed was Mike's singular sex life. Painful, but the fight was funny. Both characters in their mid 30s are feeling time close in on them. In general, a good, tension filled book. Of course, Alex is such a wimp in the end, following the bad guy into the hospital. "He isnt armed... scratch his eyes out with your manicure!!!!" I yelled. One question though... I don't know much about pounds. Down Under we use kilos. Isn't 115 pounds extremely light for a 5'10" woman. With blonde hair, ballerina's muscle tone... Fairstein desribing a media image of a perfect woman. I like that Chapman describes her as too skinny. Perhaps next time Alex will eat a steak with Jake, instead of him eating the steak and Alex having soup and salad. She's physically weak, and in her line of work she should know the dangers of being so defenseless. One more point. The ending was unsatisfactory. Sure, itll be exciting to see how they deal with the stalker. No doubt it will be the end-of-the-book cliffhanger where our bony heroine manages to save herself, the day, and catchthe bad guy/girl all at once. Hopefully the next book sees more chemistry between Cooper and Chapman.
Rating: 
Summary: LINDA FAIRSTEIN HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!!
Review: All I can say is that she must be an absolute killer in a courtroom because from the first sentence Linda Fairstein has you hooked! And, as in a good Agatha Christie, you can't help but stay spellbound until you reach the final page and find that the real villain was someone that you hadn't even suspected. The Deadhouse is a wonderful book that once again demonstrates Linda's love of New York, her love of the work that she does, her respect and admiration of collegues and her love of law, art, friends and Martha's Vineyard. It showcases her brilliant writing ability too <G> With consumate skill Ms Fairstein weaves a plot that has you enthralled, and leaves you guessing, from beginning to end. You actually feel like it's you who is Alex Cooper and, like her, you can't see forward to the future. The characters, as always, are just that, believable, human, fallible and even desirable :) Keep up the great work Linda! The only thing that makes the wait for the next installment bearable is the knowledge that you do such an incredible job in the courtroom and yes, I did feel icy <G> Linda in Oz
Rating: 
Summary: Egotistic DA
Review: Although I enjoy Ms. Fairstein's books.....I find her somewhat egotistical. She presumably is writing about someone in her own real-life occupation and she seems somewhat filled with self-admiration, self-importance, and a holier than thou attitude. She tries to be tough, but then has 5 pairs of shoes under her desk, expensive make-up and never seems to go out without a hair in place. I am glad that I neither work for or with her. She would drive me nuts!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: This Time, It's Personal for Alex Cooper
Review: As a mystery writer with my debut novel in its initial release, I genuinely enjoy Linda Fairstein's Alex Cooper series. Her current book, THE DEADHOUSE, is one of the strongest in her series. Assistant District Attorney Alex Cooper finds herself involved on a deeply personal level in the homicide investigation into the death of Lola Dakota, an abused wife who was also a brilliant university professor. While Lola refused to cooperate with prosecuting her husband for domestic abuse charges while she was alive, her death changes things. The husband becomes Alex's prime suspect, but he seems to be in the clear because he was arrested a short time before the killing. The chief clue is a paper with the word "deadhouse" and a series of numbers scribbled on it. The deadhouse turns out to be an ancient hospital where smallpox victims once went to die. Ms. Fairstein steams onward from there, and THE DEADHOUSE is a fabulous read. I recommend it highly.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting plot but not much else
Review: As is standard with Fairstein novels, The Deadhouse has an interesting plot/mystery but Fairstein's poor writing detracts from the novel. Read this for the mystery-but don't expect anything else. The main focus of The Deadhouse revolves around the murder of a professor, Lola Dakota. Setting this in academia could have provided Fairstein with a lot to write about and rich characters to explore. Unfortunately (and I say this as a former academic), Fairstein seems to be completely clueless about how universities really function-and how divided academic disciplines are. Even at an experimental school, very few professors work across disciplines. As a medical historian, I was also insulted by Fairstein's bizarre assumption that an archeological dig would include a political scientist and a biologist. Historians and anthropologists would slit their throats before they allowed people with such different approaches to walk near an archeological site. Academic politics are characterized by a surreal number of turf battles (ironically, these battles-among people who essentially do the same thing-would have provided a much more interesting backdrop for the novel). Along the way, various different sex crimes occur and one gets a glimpse into the problems and issues which confront D.A.s working on sex crimes. This is always the most interesting part of Fairstein's novels and I would have preferred it if she followed several of these stories all the way through. I also have a peeve with Alexandra. She is perfect-perfectly bland-and I find myself annoyed by the fact that Fairstein always likes to keep her at the "perfect" age for a single woman-36. Why can't she age? Why is she always virtuously eating salads? Why does Jake like her? There is nothing real about this woman. She's a piece of cardboard. The other characters are poorly developed as well (including Lola-she's a non-academic's silly idea of what a maverick academic is). Read this for the mystery-which is, as always, interesting but if you are looking for characters to care about, skip this one.
Rating: 
Summary: A Compelling Page-Turner.....
Review: Assistant D.A., Alexandra Cooper, was sure it was the victim's husband. She'd been working for almost two years to get Kings College political science professor, Lola Dakota, to press charges. Dakota's husband had abused her, stalked her, and terrorized her, but on the day she was strangled and thrown down an elevator shaft, her husband had an airtight alibi. He was in jail. The only clue she and her favorite homicide detective, Mike Chapman, have to work with, is a note found in Lola's pocket with the word "deadhouse". Their investigation leads them to Kings College and her collegues, where they find out that Lola was involved with a special historical project on Roosevelt Island, a desolate strip of land in the East River where nineteenth century New York quarantined its sick, dying, and insane, and the worst of its criminals. Always tenacious and persistent, Chapman and Cooper dig deep, following leads and literally leaving no stone unturned, but won't quit until they find the murderer and get to the whole truth..... Linda Fairstein is back with another intricately plotted installment of her Alex Cooper series. The story is compelling, full of atmosphere and suspenseful, riveting scenes. The characters are engaging, well drawn, and interesting, and the writing is crisp, smart and intelligent. Ms Fairstein's indepth knowledge and expertise in the workings of the D.A.'s office and police department add real credibility to the story, and her extensive and detailed research into the history of Roosevelt Island is fascinating, and really makes this thriller stand out. The book does have a couple of weaknesses. The subplots about a stalker and Alex's and Chapman's separate love lives, become tiresome, adds nothing to the plot, and bog down the intriguing story line, and the ending is rushed and unsatisfying, leaving a few to many loose ends. But that said, The Deadhouse is a well paced, entertaining thriller that's hard to put down. This is the fourth novel of a great and realistic series. For those new to Alex Cooper and company, start at the beginning with Final Jeopardy, and read them all. If you're already a fan, The Deadhouse doesn't disappoint.
Rating:
Summary: hard and uncharming style
Review: Despite Linda Fairstein's attempts to feminize her leading character, Alexandra Cooper (interestingly enough, the name is taken from a male friend of Fairstein's, Alex), by relating details like high heels and Caleche and fingernail polish, this book is generally written in tough, masculine prose. It also has that creaky, formulaic thriller style. If it were only 200 pages long, the book would be more palatable, but over 400 pages of male-style detachment and plain delivery? Female readers will find it tough to identify with Alex, with her lack of connectedness, her attitude toward (or should I say, against) children, her heroine who, at "five feet ten inches tall and a hundred and ten pounds" , must be skin and bones, as that weight is normal for a healthy woman of 5'2"! The demands of her career as a prosecutor, her ever-vibrating beeper, her interrupted holidays, only serve to emphasize the emptiness of her life as a woman. Some of the narration made me laugh, as when Alex and her lover, Jake, spent a brief part of a holiday season morning "calling family and friends." (Was each call allotted maybe three minutes?) One minor editing error: A male friend has a new girlfriend whose last name is Jacobsen. "Jewish," Alex tells him. Well, if Farstein wishes to make the girlfriend Jewish, she needs to use Jacobson as the spelling, as only Danish and Norwegian non-Jews use the "sen" suffix! Such an error, in a novel meant to be worldly, is jarring. In summary, Alex Cooper is not an appealing heroine, nor is Farstein an appealing writer, as both seem to subscribe to a very dated "either/or" formula of feminism. It is possible "to learn to make her grandma's recipe for blueberry pie" without "marrying at age 20 and having six kids quickly." It is possible to marry, to bear children, to share in the female-connectedness orientation to life, and, at the same time,to be an intelligent and sophisticated person! Characters like Alex unfortunately only add to the hostilities between hard-driving career women and those who opt for some kind of balance between motherhood and self-expression.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing!
Review: Did Linda Fairstein all of a sudden realize she had written the required number of pages for her latest book? The ending certainly feels like that. Totally unsatisfying, with lots of open ends. A start for the next book? Sorry - I really liked Ms Fairstein's books, and the characters in those books, but - I won't buy the next book. I really felt like I wasted my money this time.
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