First Line: I sat on my living room sofa at five o'clock in the morning with a copy of the mock-up of the front page of the day's New York Post in my hand, looking at my own obituary.
What Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cooper soon learns is that the dead woman is actually Hollywood star Isabella Lascar, who was staying at Alex's retreat in Martha's Vineyard. The one main fact that must be learned as quickly as possible is the identity of the intended victim. Was Alex Cooper, Manhattan's top sex crimes prosecutor, the assassin's target, or was the high-profile actress? As the investigation gathers steam, Alex's life could very well hang in the balance.
After seeing Linda Fairstein at a local author event, I decided that I really needed to read one of her mysteries. I began with the very first book, and I'll be reading more.
Fairstein describes Martha's Vineyard beautifully, and really gives readers a wonderful feel for the daily life of a high-powered assistant district attorney. She also does an excellent job of showing how laws governing sex crimes have changed over the years-- something she should be capable of since she was the head of the Manhattan Sex Crimes Unit for over two decades.
I really enjoyed the book. It's fast-paced, and the non-cooking Alex Cooper is a strong, fascinating character who has a strong circle of friends. However, Final Jeopardy does have a couple of first-timer hiccups. The dialogue is often a bit stiff and stilted, and when a bad guy is about to be exposed a few pages down the road, Fairstein shines a beacon on the clue she planted. But guess what? I don't care. Those things are easily fixed. The characters, story, and setting are first-rate. I'm looking forward to more Alex Cooper!
Final Jeopardy by Linda Fairstein
ISBN: 0671010123
Pocket Star Books © 1997
Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages
Legal Thriller, #1 Alex Cooper mystery
Rating: B+
Source: Paperback Swap
Sounds interesting, Cathy. What I find especially fascinating is that you decided to read this after having met the author. I'm glad you liked it. I know what you mean about 'first book hiccups.' Still, it sounds like a good 'un.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first began attending events at The Poisoned Pen, I limited myself to authors whom I'd already read. Now I'm branching out to authors whom I have not read, which means I have even more to read now!
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