Cold Hit

Rating:
Summary: A well constructed, absorbing, first class mystery.
Review: Eight o'clock at the end of a long August day and the corpse of a woman tied to a ladder washed up on the Hudsen river. Who is she, once so elegant and clearly well cared for, who had so prematurely, met a violent end.

So opens Linda Fairstein latest book 'Cold Hit'. This is a brilliant piece of writing. It is tight and exciting. I love mystery fiction, but what a bonus when I learn something. In both the earlier books 'Final Jeopardy' and 'Likely To Die' I was enthalled, not just by the mysteries that Linda wove, but by the fascinating insights into Alex Cooper's job as the Assistant District Attorney, prosecuting sex crimes, which Linda Fairstein seemlessly interlaces into her plots, and which again is in evidence in this lattest offering.

In 'Cold Hit' we are introduced additionally into the Art World. An unknown area to me, I found the experience added yet another dimension of interest and intrigue.

We meet again Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace. Although, in this book Alex has a new man in her life, it seems to have little effect on the chemistry that sparks between Alex and Mike Chapman and which they both seem oblivious to. But we all know that's how it sneaks up on one:-)

Cold Hit is the luck that will match DNA from a crime scene with a DNA profile in the police database. Is it ever that simple?

This is a well constructed, absorbing, first class mystery that keeps one guessing. I heartily recommend that none of you miss this one. It is a terrific book.

Rating:
Summary: An artistically-done caper...literally!
Review: Fairstein is a recent find for me. Her background into the real world of violent sex crimes is usually a field that make me extremely uncomfortable. But Fairstein does a good job in explaining the reality of that world without dwelling on it unnecessarily. Thank you for that.

This particular novel deals with the seamy side of the art world. I knew it existed from reading nonfiction on it, as well as other mysteries dealing with it--it seems to be a popular subject at the moment. Is it happening more often, or are we just more aware of it? The plot basically boils down to the fact that certain art has been stolen and missing for over ten years. The person found murdered originally may possibly have had some connection to the resurfacing of this artwork. Then Mike and Alex (the ADA) take it from there.

I got a kick out of some of the background into both the art world (the propensity to cover up valuable paintings/illuminated manuscripts seems to be a real problem) and also into the information concerning the railway system in New York. I've been reading the nonfiction book "Gangs of New York" so this information played into the understanding I got from that book. To me, the more well-written history in a mystery...the better I like it.

This book got a little confusing after a while. Too many people, too many paintings to keep track of. My favorite parts of the book deal with Alex's coworkers, especially Mike who reminds me greatly of one of my mentors in my HIV lab, who was also a practical joke player and wisecracker. This deep detail into characterization always pleases me with mysteries or any book. It is part of what make a good book come alive. This book was more 'alive' then others I've read recently because of good characterization, but the plot line was a little obtuse. Anyway, it was a fun read...

Karen Sadler

Rating:
Summary: Very poor audio book
Review: I listened to Cold Hit from the abridged commercial audiobook, so I won't comment on the writing style, as what I heard may not be representative of the original written prose. I strongly suggest, though, that if you want to learn this story you read the book rather than listening to the tape. Without a doubt, this is the most poorly produced/edited commercial audio book I've listened to. The reader is bad enough, starting out on the first tape at such a rapid pace that I repeatedly had to rewind and replay portions to make out what she had said. The editing makes things even worse. Throughout the story there is background noise discernable, very noticeable session breaks, and there are multiple instances when the reader flubbed a sentence, stopped, and started reading again back at the beginning of the sentence, and the entire error is left on the tape with no effort made to edit it out.

Rating:
Summary: Missing the Mystery
Review: Linda Fairstein's latest is another Alex Cross, excuse me, Alex Cooper mystery with the protagonist working more closely with police than any DA unit chief ever would, especially in a city like New York. This time Cooper is involved in a high-stakes art caper that leads to a woman's dead body washing up at the end of Manhattan.
Fairstein knows her subject, and the grittiness of the police detail and dialogue reflect it. But she also falls all over herself to give Fairstein a wonderfully glamorous lifestyle which has her casually dining in the finest Manhattan restaurants and whisking off for a weekend at "the Cape" with her globetrotting TV News boyfriend. I'm not certain if this is the way that Fairstein really lived while on the job, but if it was, she shouldn't have traded it in for the typewriter.
Still, Cooper's relationship with her cop friends, especially wisecracking Mike Chapman and standup guy Mercer Wallace is interesting, especially when Jeopardy is on the tube. Otherwise, COLD HIT is a slow-paced mystery story with no more plot twists than your average episode of Law and Order. The book left me, well, cold.

Rating:
Summary: Less Grit, More Elegance
Review: Linda Fairstein's third book in the Alex Cooper series is a sophisticated foray into the high-stakes international world of art. It is markedly different than her first two books--one expects Cary Grant to saunter onto the pages at any minute, resplendent in tuxedo and sporting his usual savoir faire.

Instead, we have hardboiled street cop/renaissance man Mike Chapman, Alex's fast-talking, down-to-earth and impossibly endearing sidekick. Whether it's questioning a recalcitrant sidekick, stuffing his mouth at a resplendent Italian-food restaurant, or betting Alex on the nightly Final Jeopardy question, Mike is always in top form. But this time, he may be in over his head.

When Deni Caxton, the estranged wife of an internationally renowned art dealer, is found raped and murdered, Alex, as New York's Assistant District Attorney for the Sex Crimes Unit (as is Linda Fairstein in real life), is called onto the case. Almost immediately, she, Mike, and Mike's able partner Mercer are caught in a confusing whirlpool of events that pulls them ever deeper into a well of murder. In short succession, several other bodies are found, and each seems to tie in some way with Deni Caxton's demise.

The more Alex and her friends try to unravel the clues, the more they are drawn into a seemingly endless web of shady art dealers, mysterious Mata-Hari-type women, jailhouse thugs, antique dealers, and a cast of characters that would put Hitchcock to shame. It's obvious that Fairstein had a lot of fun with this novel, and it shows. Over and above the very real and perplexing mystery is the author's own unique view of the art world her fictional characters are exploring. The result is suspenseful, fun, and easy to read.

The only negative to be said about this book is that there are so many characters, one almost needs a cast sheet to keep them straight. Several times, I found myself looking back 100 pages or so to verify who was whom. This slowed me down, but was certainly not annoying enough to stop reading.

There is enough suspense in this book, including the near-murder of a cop near and dear to Alex's heart and a chilling encounter with the man who may be the perpetrator, to keep the reader turning the pages. This time I did guess the murderer, but not until near the end of the book. Like Final Jeopardy, it was good to be right for once!

This is a fun and well-written series, and Linda Fairstein has joined my list of favorite writers. I look forward to reading her next book, "The Deadhouse," with pleasure.

Rating:
Summary: Cold Hit a big hit im my book
Review: Linda FairsteinÕs Cold Hit is authentic New York City like a slap in the face, or a boot in the behind. Her characters are traditional New Yorkers and she even uses real life settings like ForliniÕs Restaurant at 93 Baxter Street, which I have frequented since the three Forlini brothers opened their top-notch eatery in 1956. I was born and raised across the street from ForliniÕs on the site which is now the city female prison. A personal note to Ms. Fairstein: Dempsey hasnÕt been the bartender there since 1992. He retired and is living someplace in Florida, sipping pina coladas, most likely made by someone else. For that minor fax paux, I deducted one star.

That aside, Cold Hit is a big hit in my book. Read and enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: Cold Hit
Review: Stick with Phillip Margolin and John Grisham. Very boring. You will get tired of reading about what liquor the main character drinks and how cultured she is....too boring to finish.

Rating:
Summary: Alex Cooper keeps going like the Energizer Bunny
Review: This lady goes from strength to strength. Once again we see Alexandra Cooper, the Assistant District Attorney for the Sex Crimes Unit of Manhattan. Only this time she finds herself with a body being pulled out of the river, but the woman is expensively dressed and tied to a ladder, with no identification.

It is not the easiest of cases, we find all kinds of skullduggery in the genteel art world, with forgery and faked provenance and Alex gets a bit too close to the murderer in this one, only narrowly escaping being shot, although unfortunately Mercer Wallace is hit, which is all rather too real.

I never imagined Art Galleries to inspire the kind of passions that abound in this book, I know that money will drive people to extremes and this is well illustrated here, but this really is the ugly side to beautiful artworks.

Nevertheless, as a subject for murder, it is a gripping plot. I know that sidekicks are not as immune as central characters, but Mercer and Mike are too central to be the victim of homicidal lunatics, but here we see that they can have a little scare, just to remind us that it is a terrible place for the good guys.

Rating:
Summary: Cold Hit....A Hit With Me
Review: This was the first in the Alexandra Cooper series I read and I really enjoyed it so I will be adding the rest of the series to my TBR pile. The characters are appealing, the story extremely well written and Linda Fairstein really knows her stuff! The story involved the art word and the Gardener Museum heist and being an Art History major I found it all exceedingly fascinating. A joy to read and it really should be in your must read pile!

Rating:
Summary: Oh, my . . .
Review: What a find in Linda Fairstein! I read Final Jeopardy and enjoyed the book. (I picked it up because I am a "Jeopardy" fan.) I liked it, so I moved on to Likely to Die. I liked that one, too. So, naturally, I picked up Cold Hit. When I got to the end of one chapter and found myself sitting in my chair at 1am on a weekday morning (I leave for the office at 6:30 am), with my hand over my mouth saying, "Oh, my. . .!" Well, this is by far the best! Read it now!