When District Attorney Alexandra Cooper undertakes the prosecution of Andrew Tripping for the assault of Paige Vallis she has an up hill struggle, for the charge is not only rape but also child abuse, as Andrew Tripping used his 10 year-old son Dulles as a weapon to compel Paige Vallis, to submit to his sexual desires. Both Judge Moffett and Andrew’s Attorney Peter Robelon use the ’well she had diner with him, and then agreed to go back to his place’ line, and as Peter Robelon states, his client is a Yale graduate, with no previous record, and an ex CIA agent.
While his farther is awaiting trial, Dulles has been placed in foster home. Alex is keen to interview the child but is thwarted at every turn. Then Alex is approached by Dulles lawyer Graham Hoyt, who states that his only consideration is the welfare of the child. Whilst Alex is pondering on their meeting she receives news of a murder that completely alters the direction of her case.
As in previous books Linda brings her supreme knowledge of court procedure and experience in dealing with rape victims into the story, so that interwoven with the main story are the many other cases that a busy prosecutor encounters on a normal day. Although, clearly Alex is dealing in the main with traumatised victims, there is often the amusing incident that provides the reader with a chuckle and makes the stories so believable.
Before long Alex and Mike Chapman are uncovering insider trading deals, blackmail and possible conspiracy. The more they investigate the longer the tentacles seem to stretch. What possible connection can there be to the death of an elderly woman, and just who is Harry Strait? This fascinating mystery moves from New York to a spooky storm on Martha’s Vineyard, ending in a terrifying climax in the eerie waterways Of New York known as The Kills.
On the personal front, Mercer Wallace, previously partnering Mike Chapman in the Manhattan North Detective Squad now transferred to the Special Victims unit, is experiencing the joys of fatherhood, Mike Chapman is still seeing Valerie Jacobsen, and Alex is still working at her relationship with Jake Tyler. This relationship has been staggering for the past couple of books and maybe deserves a decent burial, but then I never really took to Jake and continue to harbour secret thoughts of Alex getting it together with Mike Chapman.
The writing is excellent and although we are now on the 6th book in the series,
Linda skilfully throughout the current book provides the reader with the background
to the characters, thus providing a full and satisfying story. A really excellent
entry in an already highly claimed series. This is the best yet.
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Lizzie Hayes
Earlier books in the series are Final Jeopardy, Cold Hit, Likely to Die,
The Deadhouse and The Bone Vault .