Rating: 
Summary: Fairstein's mysteries are injected with reality...
Review: This is the second book of Fairstein that I have read. I really enjoyed the first one, which was a more current book. I can tell her skills are sharpening as she continues to write, and I hope she doesn't end up like so many female mystery writers do, and run out out of ideas and enthusiasm for her protagonist. Since Fairstein is writing about what she knows, it helps significantly in making the 'cases' seem very real and very significant. I am usually a little relunctant to pick up books about sex crimes, I don't like to see them on television or movies. I know they happen, but it just makes me very uncomfortable. But, Fairstein doesn't need to dwell on that part of the crime...she states what happens and moves onto the solving of the crime as the main part of the book. I like that in a writer. One thing that bugs me a bit in both these books, and in many female authors of this genre...is why do the supposedly intelligent women in these books place themselves in conditions that could be dangerous. Now to be fair, in the last book I read, there was no warning of what was going to happen. But this time, even before Cooper goes to the apartment alone, I'm saying in my head "Don't be stupid and go some place without your backups..." I mean come on, anyone with a somewhat intelligent brain would realize that going to the person's apartment (who was killed) on your own is asking for problems, especially when there is a good indication that the person responsible for the crime is getting nervous, and I would think there would be rules in any of the agencies involved in this type of work, that no one goes anywhere without a partner. It only makes sense to me. Now Cooper does get herself out of her own mess, which a lot of lady protagonists do, but I always wonder, don't these ladies ever learn anything from their mistakes? I'd like to see her rather charming partner get into trouble by doing something stupid for a change. Anyway, Fairstein is an enjoyable read, and I definitely plan on continuing to get her books. Karen Sadler
Rating: 
Summary: I expected better.
Review: This was an average novel. Considering the author's background, I expected MUCH BETTER. Well written, but very FLAT with a weak plot. The author should stick to being a Prosecutor and forget about creative writing.
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