return to home  
Join   |  Gift   |  Member Login   |  Library Login
BookBrowse Mobile
Follow Us: 
    Reader reviews of Killer Heat

Read what people think about Killer Heat by Linda Fairstein, and write your own review.

Killer Heat

Killer Heat
by Linda Fairstein
Published in USA Mar 2008,
384 pages.

Publication information


Critics' Opinion: 
Readers' Rating: 
About BookBrowse Rankings
Share: 
Buy This Book
Page 2 of 6 There are currently 31 reviews
for Killer Heat
Select your view:
Order Reviews by:
Click Here To Write Your Own Review
Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Robin
Manhattan Murder Mystery
This harrowing story of a serial rapist/murderer on the loose definitely succeeded in capturing my attention. Not normally a mystery reader, this book was multi-layered and interposed so many different themes (such as some history of the Manhattan islands, the legal side of an ongoing investigation, and police procedure) that it instantly bewitched me. It was a very quick read, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone in the mood for an all-consuming, think-about-nothing-else afternoon!

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by John
Killer Heat
In Killer Heat, Linda Fairstein brings back familiar lead characters in Asst. DA Alexandra Cooper, NYPD homocide detective Mike Chapman, and detective Mercer Wallace.

The story is set in N.Y. City during an August heat wave and involves the murders of three women that seem to be the work of a single serial killer.

One of the women is a prostitute with some well known clients which could have made this particularly timely in light of the Spitzer debacle but this angle is not pursued and plays no role in the story.

The book doesn't immediately engage ones interest as the opening seems quite reminiscent of a number of other murder mysteries.

The story then proceeds in a very linear fashion with few unexpected twists. A subplot about a Latino gang out for revenge on Ms. Cooper is never really developed and quickly dealt with in the end.

The book is well written, however, and certainly holds one's interest and has suspense enough to keep the pages turning. Ms. Fairstein also provides interesting historical information about some of the islands in N.Y. harbor.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it as a good read especially to fans of the genre. Of course, fans of Ms.Fairstein's work and the main characters [Ms. Cooper and friends] should love it. The quality of writing could also give it broader appeal.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Karen, Great Falls, VA
Killer Heat and Killer Pacing
I think this is Linda Fairstein's best book to date. Fascinating history surrounding New York Harbor islands and sand dunes, excellent accurate legal analysis that entertains, great plot twists, and her pacing is superb. I completely forgot I was home with the flu! Plus, I'm a sucker for the characters and their banter. They're very fully developed personalities at this stage in her writing. Now, if only I could once guess the answer to the Jeopardy question they bet on each night!

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Shirley
Killer Heat by Linda Fairstein
Although Linda Fairstein has written a whole series about the New York District Attorney, Alexandra Cooper, this is the first one I have read. Ms Fairstein uses the experiences she had for more than 20 years in the Sex Crimes Unit of the District Attorney’s office in Manhattan. This novel is a page turner as Ms. Cooper goes about solving the brutal murders that appear to point to a deliberate method used for all three victims. It is a fast-paced and exciting read. I will definitely read her previous books featuring Alexandra Cooper.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Barbara L.
A FRESH Lady Review
This is the first book I have read by Linda Fairstein, but I will be looking for more. Killer Heat was a real page turner. The plots of the first two murders were interwoven from the start. The reader was given just enough clues to think they had the solution only to find the contradictions along the way. As a murder mystery it was first rate.

That was what kept the pages turning, but there was far more to enjoy about this novel. Fairstein exhibited great sympathy for the victims and gave important lessons to all women as the lawyer, Alexandra Cooper, faced the prospect of torture herself. Given Fairstein's professional background, you were assured that she knew the scenarios that she was portraying. An added extra were all the history lessons given out along the way. I am now anxious to see Governor's Island and the other islands visited in the investigation.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Karen
Intriguing and Suspenseful
This is my first Linda Fairstein book, and I must say I became an instant fan. I have read many forensic novels, and I have my favorite authors. Now I can add Fairstein to that list.

This novel was very intriguing and suspenseful. I really enjoyed the progression of the story line and the mystery involved. I also enjoyed learning the history of various military installations in the New York area.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to current Fairstein fans and "newbies". Now, I am off to the bookstore to look for more Fairstein novels!
«  prev   1 2 3 4 5 6   next »

Become a Member
Click Here
Editor's Choice
  •  Jun 19 
  •  Jun 17 
  •  Jun 15 
If You Find Me
Emily Murdoch

If You Find Me Jacket

There are some things you can't leave behind…
Americanah
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Americanah Jacket

Fearless, gripping, at once darkly funny and tender, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story set in today's globalized world.
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
Karen Joy Fowler

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves Jacket

The story of an American family, middle class in middle America, ordinary in every way but one. But that exception is the beating heart of this extraordinary novel.
The Expats by Chris Pavone
   Most Recent Blog Entries
Top Ten Guidelines For How to Behave in a Book Club
Movies Based on Books: Summer 2013 (May - August)
Jewish Themed Young Adult Books, Not About The Holocaust
rss  RSS   rss  subscribe
Recent Reader Reviews
In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
First time novelist Vaddey Ratner captured my heart and senses in this novel based on her childhood in Cambodia. Her story transcends any news story... read more
In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
From the first page, I was drawn in by the lyrical writing of the author and mesmerized as the narrator, eight year old Raami, remembered the years... read more
TransAtlantic by Colum McCann
Trite but true, all good things must come to an end. I so wanted to keep reading the wonderful prose, the settings that let one think they are part... read more
RSS RSS feed More...  
Most Viewed This Week
1. Coraline
Neil Gaiman
2. Memoirs of a Geisha
Arthur Golden
3. The Glass Castle
Jeannette Walls
4. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Rebecca Skloot
5. Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Katherine Boo
More...
Book Club Recommendations
Where'd You Go, Bernadette
by Maria Semple
Paperback (Apr/13)
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
by Rachel Joyce
Paperback (Mar/13)
The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards
by Kristopher Jansma
Hardback (Mar/13)
How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
by Mohsin Hamid
Hardback (Mar/13)
More...
First Impressions
Members read and review books often months before they're published. See what they think in First Impressions!
Her Last Breath
by Linda Castillo
4.5 Stars            (Jun/13)
Crime of Privilege
by Walter Walker
Four Stars            (Jun/13)
Children of the Jacaranda Tree
by Sahar Delijani
4.5 Stars            (Jun/13)
More...
  Latest BookBrowse News
Kenn Nesbitt is new Children's Poet Laureate (Jun 12 2013)
Kenn Nesbitt has been named the new Children's Poet Laureate: Consultant in Children's Poetry to the Poetry Foundation, which noted that the two-year position... Full Story
rss RSS feed More...
 
BookBrowse Poll
Q: We've been discussing guidelines for book club etiquette. Which of these do you think are important?
Read the book
Listen thoughtfully to all members
Take notes while you're reading
Stay on topic when you're speaking
Enjoy yourself
Don’t get drunk
Bring chocolate, everyone likes chocolate!
Eat before you come so you don’t devour the snacks
Compliment others sincerely
Have a good sense of humor
Don’t fret the small stuff
Search: Title or Author
Free Newsletters

Online Book Club
More about
The Execution of Noa P. Singleton
Join the discussion!


Win This Book!
You Only Get Letters From Jail


one of the finest and truest collections of 'American' short stories I have ever read

Enter To Win Now!

wordplay
Solve this clue:
"T M T C, T M T Stay T S"

and be entered
to win....
frame top
New Author
Interviews
Carol Rifka Brunt
Kent Wascom
Jennifer McVeigh
Elizabeth Becker
frame bottom
HOME Book Submissions | Advertising | Library Subscriptions | Reviewing for BookBrowse | Contact Us