Category Archives: Alafair Burke

February 4, 2022 · 12:02 am

Review: Find Me by Alafair Burke

Title: Find Me by Alafair Burke
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

The disappearance of a young woman leaves her best friend reeling and an NYPD homicide detective digging into her own past in this twisty mystery about the power of female friendships. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Better Sister and The Wife.

Some pasts won’t stay forgotten . . .

She calls herself Hope Miller, but she has no idea who she actually is. Fifteen years ago, she was found in a small New Jersey town thrown from an overturned vehicle, with no clue to her identity. Doctors assumed her amnesia was a temporary side effect of her injuries, but she never regained her memory. Hope eventually started a new life with a new name in a new town that welcomed her, yet always wondered what she may have left behind—or been running from. Now, she’s leaving New Jersey to start over once again.

Manhattan defense lawyer Lindsay Kelly, Hope’s best friend and the one who found her after the accident, understands why Hope wants a new beginning. But she worries how her friend will fare in her new East Hampton home, far away from everything familiar. Lindsay’s worst fears are confirmed when she discovers Hope has vanished without a trace—the only lead a drop of blood found where she was last seen. Even more ominously, the blood matches a DNA sample with a connection to a notorious Kansas murderer.

With nowhere else to turn, Lindsay calls NYPD homicide detective Ellie Hatcher, the daughter of the cop who dedicated his life to hunting the Kansas killer. Ellie has always believed there was more to the story of her father’s death twenty years earlier—and she now fears that Hope’s recent disappearance could be related.

In pursuit of answers, the women search for the truth beneath long-buried secrets. And when their searches converge, what they find will upend everything they’ve ever known.

Review:

Find Me by Alafair Burke is an intriguing mystery with an interesting cast of characters.

Lawyer Lindsay Kelly is very worried when her best friend Hope Miller does not return any of her calls. Hope has long term amnesia and has recently moved to the East Hamptons. Lindsay becomes increasingly concerned and cannot be dissuaded from checking on her friend. What she discovers is even more troubling since Hope has seemingly vanished without a trace. Detective Carter Decker does not seem too concerned so Lindsay investigates Hope’s disappearance on her own.

During her search for Hope, Lindsay crosses paths with NY Detective Ellie Hathaway. A drop of blood from a long-ago serial murder case in Wichita is found at the house where Hope is last known to have been. Ellie is immediately interested since the Wichita case consumed her father before the killer was eventually caught and prosecuted.

When another East Hamptons missing persons case takes a murderous turn, Detective Decker is suddenly very interested in finding Hope. Lindsay knows her friend had nothing to do with the death and she knows she has to locate Hope before the police do. With Hope’s future on the line, will Lindsay uncover what the connection is between Hope, Wichita and the East Hamptons murder?

Find Me is an engrossing mystery that is full of tension. Lindsay is a devoted friend who is determined to prove Hope’s innocence. Hope is an enigmatic character due to her amnesia. Ellie is still troubled about her father’s death so she hopes to new information will provide answers. The storyline is engaging and moves at a brisk pace. With shocking plot twists, Alafair Burke brings this suspenseful mystery to a stunning conclusion.

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Filed under Alafair Burke, Contemporary, Find Me, Harper, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense

November 15, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: Piece of My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke

Title: Piece of My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke
Under Suspicion Series Book Seven
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In the latest thrilling collaboration from #1 New York Times bestselling author and “Queen of Suspense” Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke, television producer Laurie Moran must solve the kidnapping of her fiancée’s nephew—just days before her wedding.

Television producer Laurie Moran and her fiancée, Alex Buckley, the former host of her investigative television show, are just days away from their mid-summer wedding, when things take a dark turn. Alex’s seven-year-old nephew, Johnny, vanishes from the beach. A search party begins and witnesses recall Johnny playing in the water and collecting shells behind the beach shack, but no one remembers seeing him after the morning. As the sun sets, Johnny’s skim board washes up to shore, and everyone realizes that he could be anywhere, even under water.

A ticking clock, a sinister stalker, and fresh romance combine in this exhilarating follow up to the bestselling You Don’t Own Me—another riveting page-turner from the “Queen of Suspense” Mary Higgins Clark and her dazzling partner-in-crime Alafair Burke.

Review:

Piece of My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke is an intriguing mystery. This seventh installment in the Under Suspicion series can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the previous novels.

TV producer Laurie Moran and her soon to be husband Alex Buckley are celebrating his birthday with their families in the Hamptons.  Laurie and her ten year old son Timmy arrive before her father, retired NYPD policeman Leo Farley. Alex and his brother Andrew, his wife Marcy, seven year old Johnny and their twin daughters are eager for the upcoming celebrations. But their joy turns to fear when Johnny disappears from the beach in the split second he is out of view of his babysitter.  Although the local police are soon on the case, Laurie, Leo and Alex believe one of their enemies might be responsible for taking Johnny. Will they figure out the kidnapper’s identity and rescue Johnny before it is too late?

Laurie cannot help but wonder if someone whose path she crossed while producing her show might be out for revenge. As she is trying to narrow down a suspect, Leo is worried Johnny’s kidnapping has something to do with an old case of his. Eighteen years ago, Darren Gunther was convicted of stabbing a popular bar owner to death. However, Gunther is attempting to overturn the conviction based on new evidence and false accusations against Leo.  Laurie and Leo are working together to investigate this angle but will their efforts prove successful?

Chapters from young Johnny’s perspective provide an intimate peek into his experiences with the kidnapper. Johnny manages to keep calm as he obeys the kidnapper’s demands.  He is frightened but cool under pressure during extremely their stressful exchanges. Johnny remains hopeful his loved ones with soon rescue him but his situation takes a dire turn.

Piece of My Heart is an engrossing mystery with a fantastic cast of regular characters. The secondary  characters are well drawn and life-like. The search for Johnny moves at a brisk pace as Laurie and Leo leave no stone unturned during their quest for answers. With unexpected plot twists,  Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke bring this suspenseful mystery to a dramatic conclusion. Old and new fans are sure to enjoy this  newest addition to the Under Suspicion series.

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Filed under Alafair Burke, Contemporary, Mary Higgins Clark, Mystery, Piece of My Heart, Rated B, Review, Simon & Schuster Inc, Suspense, Under Suspicion Series

April 14, 2019 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Better Sister by Alafair Burke

Title: The Better Sister by Alafair Burke
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Keep your enemies close and your sister closer.

Though Chloe was the younger of the two Taylor sisters, she always seemed to be the one in charge. She was the honor roll student with big dreams and an even bigger work ethic. Nicky—always restless and more than a little reckless—was the opposite of her ambitious little sister. She floated from job to job and man to man, and stayed close to home in Cleveland.

For a while, it seemed that both sisters had found happiness. Chloe earned a scholarship to an Ivy League school and moved to New York City, where she landed a coveted publishing job. Nicky married promising young attorney Adam Macintosh and gave birth to a baby boy they named Ethan. The Taylor sisters became virtual strangers.

Now, more than fifteen years later, their lives are drastically different—and Chloe is married to Adam. When he’s murdered by an intruder at the couple’s East Hampton beach house, Chloe reluctantly allows her teenage stepson’s biological mother—her estranged sister, Nicky—back into her life. But when the police begin to treat Ethan as a suspect in his father’s death, the two sisters are forced to unite . . . and to confront the truth behind family secrets they have tried to bury in the past.

Review:

The Better Sister by Alafair Burke is a riveting domestic mystery.

On the surface, forty-one year old Chloe Taylor appears to have it all.  A successful career in which she is a rising star.  A happy marriage to her loving husband. A well-adjusted stepson whom she dotes upon.  But after her husband lawyer Adam McIntosh is murdered at their East Hampton vacation home, her world unravels when her sixteen year stepson Ethan is arrested for killing his father.  

Further complicating her life is the sudden appearance of her estranged sister, Nicky, who just happens to be Adam’s ex-wife and Ethan’s biological mother.  Chloe is pleasantly surprised to discover Nicky is no longer an alcohol swilling, pill-popping unstable mess. Instead, Nicky is running a successful online business where she sells the jewelry she designs.  They have completely put their strained past behind them as they present a united front during Ethan’s incarceration and trial.

Despite this newfound closeness, neither Chloe nor Nicky discuss their respective marriages to Adam. But murder trials have a way of ferreting out the truth and Chloe learns stunning information about Ethan. While testifying in his own defense, Ethan reveals the truth about their life behind closed doors. Is Ethan guilty of murdering his father? If Ethan did not kill Adam, will Chloe uncover the killer’s identity?

Chloe’s success at a women’s magazine has exceeded her wildest dreams. She works long hours and although Adam is working at a prestigious law firm, there are cracks in their marriage. The past two years have difficult since Adam left his job as a prosecutor to work in a firm where he know defends white collar clients. The higher his wife’s star rises, the more Adam’s resentment grows due to his unhappiness in his career.

With the police focus on Ethan, Chloe learns some troubling information about Adam. She takes what she has learned to one of the detectives investigating his murder. However, after Ethan’s arrest, Chloe concentrates on his defense and these details fall by the wayside. Does the answer to who killed Adam lie somewhere within this forgotten and puzzling discovery? Or is Ethan responsible for his murdering his father?

The Better Sister is an engrossing mystery with a topical storyline. The characters are fully fleshed with relatable strengths and weaknesses.  The courtroom portion of the plot is interesting but is the right person on trial for murder? With shocking twists and unexpected turns, Alafair Burke provides a very shocking answer to this question. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this clever mystery.

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Filed under Alafair Burke, Contemporary, Harper, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Better Sister

January 22, 2018 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Wife by Alafair Burke

Title: The Wife by Alafair Burke
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

His Scandal
Her Secret

From New York Times bestselling author Alafair Burke, a stunning domestic thriller in the vein of Behind Closed Doors and The Woman in Cabin 10—in which a woman must make the impossible choice between defending her husband and saving herself.

When Angela met Jason Powell while catering a dinner party in East Hampton, she assumed their romance would be a short-lived fling, like so many relationships between locals and summer visitors. To her surprise, Jason, a brilliant economics professor at NYU, had other plans, and they married the following summer. For Angela, the marriage turned out to be a chance to reboot her life. She and her son were finally able to move out of her mother’s home to Manhattan, where no one knew about her tragic past.

Six years later, thanks to a bestselling book and a growing media career, Jason has become a cultural lightning rod, placing Angela near the spotlight she worked so carefully to avoid. When a college intern makes an accusation against Jason, and another woman, Kerry Lynch, comes forward with an even more troubling allegation, their perfect life begins to unravel. Jason insists he is innocent, and Angela believes him. But when Kerry disappears, Angela is forced to take a closer look at the man she married. And when she is asked to defend Jason in court, she realizes that her loyalty to her husband could unearth old secrets.

This much-anticipated follow-up to Burke’s Edgar-nominated The Ex asks how far a wife will go to protect the man she loves: Will she stand by his side, even if he drags her down with him?

Review:

Part police procedural and part domestic drama, The Wife by Alafair Burke is an engrossing, twist-filled mystery.

Angela Powell is a happily married stay at home mom to thirteen year old Spencer. Her husband,Jason, is an economics professor whose bestselling book about socially conscious investing has resulted in a lucrative consulting business and guest spots on news programs. Angela eschews the limelight and works hard to maintain a well-ordered, structured life for her family. Their domestic bliss slowly begins to unravel when Jason’s intern, Rachel Sutton, accuses him of sexual harassment. But what really rocks the foundation of their life is an allegation from a client, Kerry Lynch, that soon leads to Jason’s arrest. Determined to stand by her husband, Angela is stunned by numerous revelations about her husband. When Kerry goes missing, Jason is the prime suspect in her disappearance and SVU Detective Corrine Duncan is asking Angela some very hard questions about the night Kerry vanished.

Angela grew up in a blue-collar family who resides in a playground of the rich and famous.  She and her best friend, Trisha Faulkner, ran a little wild and had a few brushes with the law.  But Angela moved past her rather troubled past and when she met Jason, she was running a successful catering business. Not really looking for love, Jason nonetheless won her over and they have been happily married for six years when trouble strikes. Angela has worked very hard to maintain a low profile and although Jason is well-aware of her past, no one else has stumbled onto her secrets. As Jason’s very public problems thrust them into the media spotlight, one of Angela’s biggest fears is her past will be uncovered.

Corrine is a tenacious investigator who is not jaded by the sexual assault cases she works so hard to solve. She is genuinely concerned that Angela is putting Jason’s interests before her own. No matter how worried she about Angela, Corrine has no reason to doubt that Kerry is telling the truth about Jason and she works hard to find the evidence she needs to solidify her case. After Kerry vanishes, she is not officially assigned to the case, but Corrine cannot remain on the sidelines during the investigation.

The Wife is an intricately plotted and very clever mystery that is mostly written from Angela’s perspective. She is a  complex character whose tragic past makes her a sympathetic and credible narrator. Her continued loyalty to Jason is admirable but might be misplaced as the truth about her husband slowly begins to emerge.  Savvy readers might surmise some of the upcoming twists, but Alafair Burke brilliantly saves the most shocking revelations for the novel’s jaw-dropping, stunning conclusion.

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Filed under Alafair Burke, Contemporary, Harper, Mystery, Review, Suspense, The Wife

January 24, 2016 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Ex by Alafair Burke

the ex Title: The Ex by Alafair Burke
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense, Legal Thriller
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In this breakout standalone novel of suspense in the vein of Gone Girl and The Girl on a Train, a woman agrees to help an old boyfriend who has been framed for murder—but begins to suspect that she is the one being manipulated.

Twenty years ago she ruined his life. Now she has the chance to save it.

Widower Jack Harris has resisted the dating scene ever since the shooting of his wife Molly by a fifteen-year-old boy three years ago. An early morning run along the Hudson River changes that when he spots a woman in last night’s party dress, barefoot, enjoying a champagne picnic alone, reading his favorite novel. Everything about her reminds him of what he used to have with Molly. Eager to help Jack find love again, his best friend posts a message on a popular website after he mentions the encounter. Days later, that same beautiful stranger responds and invites Jack to meet her in person at the waterfront. That’s when Jack’s world falls apart.

Olivia Randall is one of New York City’s best criminal defense lawyers. When she hears that her former fiancé, Jack Harris, has been arrested for a triple homicide—and that one of the victims was connected to his wife’s murder—there is no doubt in her mind as to his innocence. The only question is who would go to such great lengths to frame him—and why?

For Olivia, representing Jack is a way to make up for past regrets, to absolve herself of guilt from a tragic decision, a secret she has held for twenty years. But as the evidence against him mounts, she is forced to confront her doubts. The man she knew could not have done this. But what if she never really knew him?

Review:

The Ex is an intriguing legal thriller that is full of twists and turns. Alafair Burke masterfully keeps readers (and defense attorney Olivia Randall) guessing whether or not accused killer Jack Harris is guilty or innocent of the murders he is accused of committing.

Olivia and Jack share a complicated and painful past but when his daughter, Buckley, asks Olivia to help her father, she immediately agrees to defend him. While Olivia’s guilt over her role in the heartbreaking demise of their relationship twenty years earlier still haunts her, Jack has clearly moved on. He met and married Molly but, tragically, three year prior, she was one of twelve victims who were killed by teenager Todd Neely during a mass shooting in Penn Station. Unfortunately for Jack, one of the three people he stands accused of killing is none other than Todd’s father, hedge fund financier Malcolm Neely. The other two victims, twenty-year old Tracy Frankel and forty-one year old Clifton Hunter, seemingly have no connection to Jack so the police only give them a cursory look.  Olivia is convinced the Jack she once knew would not murder anyone, but the deeper she looks into his case, the less certain she is of his innocence.

Olivia is a dedicated attorney who does not hesitate to use any means necessary to help her client. She is not exactly pure as the driven snow in her personal life, but despite her less than appealing traits, she is a surprisingly likable character. She continues to feel guilty over her behavior during her engagement to Jack and this is a major factor in her decision to take his case. Olivia initially believes wholeheartedly in his innocence but she quickly discovers he has been less than truthful with her as she prepares his case for trail. For a good portion of the novel, she remains uncertain whether or not he is guilty but Olivia remains committed to providing him the best defense possible.

By all appearances, Jack is a grieving widower who is dedicated to his daughter. He brushes off Olivia’s attempts to discuss their past and he certainly seems to have moved on with his life. However, the deeper Olivia digs into his life, information begins to emerge that reveals his darker side. While he eventually concedes he is not a paragon of virtue, Jack maintains his innocence despite the growing evidence to the contrary.

The Ex is written in first person from Olivia’s point of view and as she delves into Jack’s case, she is forced to re-examine their shared past. Flashbacks provide valuable insight into her previous relationship with Jack and Olivia does not sugarcoat her missteps and misdeeds. While definitely older and wiser, she takes full responsibility for her actions (both good and bad) and her life experiences give her a better understanding of her behavior back then.

The Ex is a well-written and perplexing mystery that is quite suspenseful. The characters are complex and multi-layered with realistic flaws and human frailties. The storyline is engaging and there are enough plot twists to keep the story moving at a brisk pace. As Olivia wavers back and forth between Jack’s guilt and innocence, the reader experiences the same doubts and misgivings which makes it impossible to know how the novel will end. All in all, a superb legal thriller by Alafair Burke that old and new fans will enjoy.

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Filed under Alafair Burke, Contemporary, Harper, Legal Thriller, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Suspense, The Ex

November 16, 2015 · 11:58 pm

Review: All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke

all dressedTitle: All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke
Under Suspicion Series Book Two
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 288 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

The second thrilling novel in the New York Times bestselling Under Suspicion series following The Cinderella Murder, featuring intrepid television producer Laurie Moran as she investigates the case of a missing bride.

Five years ago Amanda Pierce was excitedly preparing to marry her college sweetheart in a lavish ceremony at The Grand Victoria Hotel in Palm Beach. Then, with their guests and families on site, Amanda disappeared.

In present-day New York City, Laurie Moran realizes a missing bride is the perfect cold case for her investigative television series, Under Suspicion. She and her team set out to recreate the night of the disappearance at the Florida resort with Amanda’s friends and family in attendance, hoping to shed new light on the mystery as the series has done in past episodes. With a jealous sister, playboy groomsmen, Amanda’s former fiancé now married to a bridesmaid, and rumors about the “beloved” bride herself, Laurie and Under Suspicion host Alex Buckley quickly realize everyone has a theory about why Amanda vanished into thin air.

One thing is certain: whoever was behind Amanda’s disappearance plans to keep the truth hidden “until death do they part…”

The bestselling Under Suspicion series from Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke offers “plenty of intrigue and excitement” (Publishers Weekly, on The Cinderella Murder). Featuring the chilling suspense and elegant settings readers have come to love, All Dressed in White is not to be missed.

Review:

All Dressed in White is the latest addition to Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke’s Under Suspicion mystery series. In this outing, the cast and crew of the cold case TV show are profiling the unsolved disappearance of a bride who vanished five years earlier.

Television producer Laurie Moran is about to pitch her latest ideas for the next episode in her popular television show when Sandra Pierce drops by her office in hopes of convincing Laurie to feature her missing daughter’s case. Dubbed the Runaway Bride, Amanda Pierce vanished without a trace the day before her destination wedding and no one has seen or heard from her again. Despite a thorough investigation, the police could not say with any certainty that foul play was involved in her disappearance, but Sandra remains convinced Amanda’s fiancé Jeff Hunter murdered her for financial gain. Once all of the members of the wedding party and Amanda’s family agree to participate in the show, Laurie, along with her cast and crew, head to Palm Beach to reenact the events leading up to Amanda’s disappearance in hopes of solving the case.

Laurie is no stranger to losing a loved one to murder and she understands better than anyone Sandra’s need for answers about her daughter’s disappearance. Laurie’s preliminary research supports the theory that Amanda did not leave under her own volition but with a plethora of suspects, which includes not only Jeff, but his current wife (and Amanda’s best friend) Meghan White, and Amanda’s sister Charlotte, Laurie still has a lot of work ahead of her. New clues emerge after reviewing the security footage from the hotel, but there is still very little evidence as to the perpetrator’s identity. During the course of the investigation, it also becomes apparent there are several members of the wedding party who are harboring secrets they are reluctant to have revealed.

The pool of suspects is vast and the information that Laurie uncovers does not help narrow down her list or their possible reason for murdering Amanda. Jeff is a natural suspect since he stood to gain a vast fortune in the event of Amanda’s death. His rather quick marriage to Meghan also paints him in an unflattering light but does that also make him a killer? Meghan also falls under suspicion considering her marriage to Jeff but Laurie also discovers the two women were quarreling in the days leading up to Amanda’s disappearance. Close friend Kate Fulton is afraid a secret she is keeping will be exposed but does this have any bearing on what happened to Amanda?  Jeff’s groomsmen are obnoxious and seemingly harmless but their actions are also closely scrutinized throughout the investigation. A surprise suspect emerges after the wedding photographer remembers his assistant was not initially questioned after Amanda’s disappearance. News about the murder of a student from the same campus where several of the key players attended college piques Laurie’s interest but is there any connection between that long ago homicide and Amanda’s case?

Intricately plotted with a fantastic cast of characters, All Dressed in White is a cleverly written whodunit. This engaging and fast-paced mystery will stymie readers as Laurie and her team investigate their latest cold case in hopes of discovering the truth about what happened to missing bride Amanda Pierce. Another excellent collaboration from Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke that old and new fans of the Under Suspicion series are sure to love.

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Filed under Alafair Burke, All Dressed in White, Contemporary, Mary Higgins Clark, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Simon & Schuster Inc, Under Suspicion Series