tbsims's review against another edition
4.0
The series is getting better and better for me. For a mystery series, the 'crime' is important, and the writing (realistic and enjoyable), then there are the characters (are they believable are they likable), and with these, I'm really loving that there is an extra storyline each book - about NYC history or American history, and something different (ballet? library? museum?).
Really liking it.
Really liking it.
kelly_79's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
gawronma's review against another edition
2.0
The book was good to very good. It read like an episode Law & Order: SVU.
hectaizani's review against another edition
2.0
Really wasn't all that impressed with this thriller. Picked it up because it used Roosevelt Island in NYC as a major part of the setting, and I remember exploring the island as a teen. The story didn't really hold my interest all that well, and I didn't care much for any of the characters, I was much more interested in the NYC trivia.
sleepseeker's review against another edition
3.0
This is the fourth book in the series and like the third book, this was just ok. I still prefer the first two books.
aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lindakat's review against another edition
1.0
I was going to give this book two stars but after having sat on it a couple of days I realised that I was still raging about the concepts in the book, the storyline being immaterial to this, since honestly there wasn't one.
There was literally nothing I liked about it at all... and then to find out what a horrendous person the author is just synched it for me; one star I shouldn't have picked this up.
I paid next to nothing for this book, got it in a bag of second hand books for five bucks total, picking this book because I love asylum stuff and because I share the same first name as the author.
It was a waste of money. This book was not about asylums, or any of the cool creepy stuff that usually comes with that, no it was about the two main characters being in love with the other and getting wikipedia info dumped into your lap; seriously the murder scenes could have been set anywhere it made no difference the location or to the story, rather all it would have changed would have been whatever wikipedia information you were told.
But my biggest complaint, how can a district attorney have a book that stars a district attorney that reads so damn fake?
The main character is pathetic, a whiny bitch of a thing but there was one scene in particular that just pissed me right off and that is as follows.
So Alex (our hot, smart, perfect main character with the social decorum/maturity of a two year old chucking a tantrum) argued with her boyfriend over literally nothing (it was a work call, for goodness sake, I also take work calls privately, it's what you do) ran out in the snow to spite him without dressing for warmth, after said spouse just spent hours making her dinner. Also, as a side note, dinner isn't ruined if you eat it five minutes late, that was also stupid. Side note the second, Alex (our wonderful heroine, who wouldn't 'let people in' yet expected the world to revolve around her) held an ex dead spouse over her current spouse's head like it was his fault dude died; super annoying.
Ok, so Alex (our everything of a main character, who done nothing other than get kidnapped and flirted) ran out in the snow to go to another guy in her life expecting him to fix things for her; a work colleague that was supposed to be at her beck and call at midnight or whatever because she wasn't mature enough to have a conversation with her boyfriend. Rather than be sensible when finding the work colleague was in bed with his girlfriend in his own home, rather than have a different conversation she once more ran out into the snow wearing nothing appropriate, in a crappy neighbourhood with a rapist on the loose and having a creepo stalker.
Super sensible actions, no?
But what really made me rage were the false accusations of rape where alcohol was involved,
The sexists jokes- no literally everything, the whole book was sexist jokes and women bashing, not what you'd expect from a female author,
That the ending didn't make a lick of sense since seriously none of the evidence pointed to the killer, they having apparently been that useless as detectives,
And especially, especially, the joke that Alex wasn't pretty enough to be raped at the end. Are you actually serious right now? Seriously fuck off.
Hated this book, hated everything about it. It is literally offensive.
There was literally nothing I liked about it at all... and then to find out what a horrendous person the author is just synched it for me; one star I shouldn't have picked this up.
I paid next to nothing for this book, got it in a bag of second hand books for five bucks total, picking this book because I love asylum stuff and because I share the same first name as the author.
It was a waste of money. This book was not about asylums, or any of the cool creepy stuff that usually comes with that, no it was about the two main characters being in love with the other and getting wikipedia info dumped into your lap; seriously the murder scenes could have been set anywhere it made no difference the location or to the story, rather all it would have changed would have been whatever wikipedia information you were told.
But my biggest complaint, how can a district attorney have a book that stars a district attorney that reads so damn fake?
The main character is pathetic, a whiny bitch of a thing but there was one scene in particular that just pissed me right off and that is as follows.
So Alex (our hot, smart, perfect main character with the social decorum/maturity of a two year old chucking a tantrum) argued with her boyfriend over literally nothing (it was a work call, for goodness sake, I also take work calls privately, it's what you do) ran out in the snow to spite him without dressing for warmth, after said spouse just spent hours making her dinner. Also, as a side note, dinner isn't ruined if you eat it five minutes late, that was also stupid. Side note the second, Alex (our wonderful heroine, who wouldn't 'let people in' yet expected the world to revolve around her) held an ex dead spouse over her current spouse's head like it was his fault dude died; super annoying.
Ok, so Alex (our everything of a main character, who done nothing other than get kidnapped and flirted) ran out in the snow to go to another guy in her life expecting him to fix things for her; a work colleague that was supposed to be at her beck and call at midnight or whatever because she wasn't mature enough to have a conversation with her boyfriend. Rather than be sensible when finding the work colleague was in bed with his girlfriend in his own home, rather than have a different conversation she once more ran out into the snow wearing nothing appropriate, in a crappy neighbourhood with a rapist on the loose and having a creepo stalker.
Super sensible actions, no?
But what really made me rage were the false accusations of rape where alcohol was involved,
The sexists jokes- no literally everything, the whole book was sexist jokes and women bashing, not what you'd expect from a female author,
That the ending didn't make a lick of sense since seriously none of the evidence pointed to the killer, they having apparently been that useless as detectives,
And especially, especially, the joke that Alex wasn't pretty enough to be raped at the end. Are you actually serious right now? Seriously fuck off.
Hated this book, hated everything about it. It is literally offensive.
dontmissythesereads's review against another edition
4.0
Book #49 read in 2006
I was so disappointed in the previous book in this series that I didn't know what to expect from this one. I was very pleased that I enjoyed it as much as Fairstein's earlier in the series. I am excited to read the next.
I was so disappointed in the previous book in this series that I didn't know what to expect from this one. I was very pleased that I enjoyed it as much as Fairstein's earlier in the series. I am excited to read the next.
sariggs's review against another edition
1.0
I originally gave this four stars for its nyc setting and nyc history background and the main female character, but I took all my stars back because I cannot separate the artist from the art, and this author defended Harvey Weinstein and is largely held responsible for prosecuting and convicting the children known at the Central Park Five for a rape they didn’t commit.