Rating: 
Summary: A brilliant police/legal procedural
Review: A COLD HIT occurs when a crime scene DNA matches that stored in a centralized data base. This new technique leads the Manhattan District Attorney's office to conclude a serial rapist operates on the Upper West Side. When the police catch the perpetrator, Assistant DA Alexandre Cooper will prosecute the case as she handles the Sex Crime Unit. The corpse of Denise Canton tied to a ladder floating down the river becomes a case for Alex and her team because the assailant also raped the deceased. Denise, a major player in the art world, and her spouse were undergoing an acrimonious divorce with ownership of several paintings being the prime issue preventing a peaceful settlement. Alex quickly learned that the victim dabbled in black market purchases and fixed auction sales. As they dig deeper into the world of Denise Canton, Alex and her team become targets for a culprit who plans to make sure their investigation fails. COLD HIT is a thoroughly tense-filled and pulse-pounding police procedural that never slows down for the reader to catch their breath. Best selling author Linda Fairstein escorts her audience inside the environs of art collectors. This tour includes a glimpse at the ugly crimes committed just to own a masterpiece. Alex is a strong female who serves as a capable leader, not afraid to participate in power games with her male counterparts. She cares for the victims of sex crimes, which adds a vulnerability that makes her a better character. Anyone who enjoys Cornwell or Rosenberg, will gain much entertainment from this novel and Ms. Fairstein's previous work, FINAL JEOPARDY. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: More of a Art Lesson than a good thriller....
Review: A very slow moving book. I expected the book to be a good one, alas I was let down. If you read the first two, dont bother. I felt I was reading up on Art and their poncy art galleries than a good crime book. I didnt 'connect' with the characters like say P. Cornwells Kay Scarpetta. Come on Linda pick up the pace a bit and return to the detail and wit of the first two novels. Read if you must, but dont expect much.........
Rating: 
Summary: Did not hold my interest
Review: An okay book--content and writer's style did not hold my interest but was an easy read.
Rating:
Summary: fabulous,fast moving,action packed
Review: another great book by linda fairstein. they keep getting better as the series goes on. hope she continues to write more and more.
Rating:
Summary: Didn't like it.
Review: Didn't like this too much. A lot of the book was filler -- conversations that weren't really related to the plot at all, or interesting in and of themselves, but clearly intended to fill up space so she could turn the book in to her publisher. I had a hard time finishing it because what action there was in the book ended about halfway through. These are things that her editor should have made her correct because they are very obvious. So to that extent I blame the editor. Also, I found the author's description on the dust cover as "America's foremost prosecutor of crimes of sexual assault and domestic violence" to be objectionable -- she runs the sexual assault bureau for a single city, which should be credentials enough. Mr. Fairstein, sometimes you are allowed to tell the publicity department, 'No.' This excessive tooting of your own horn makes you look bad. I don't think I will buy this author's books again in hardcover.
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: Waiting for more
Review: I just happened upon Linda Fairstein's first book, tore through it and her second. I waited, impatiently for another. Cold Hit was a great read. Alex is a great character, a real leading lady with class, style and smarts. Fairstein's books have great suspence with a quick pace. I've shared them with family and we all are addicted! I had given up on Mystery's other leading lady, Kay Scarpetta, but Fairstein's main character fills the shoes and then some. So when's the next one, is all I want to know!
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: 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.
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