Part of Alexandra Cooper, book 10
First published 2008
Alex Cooper savors her latest courtroom triumph in a rape case when the call comes in. A young woman's brutalized body has been discovered in an abandoned building. The murder's savage nature becomes more alarming when a second victim appears near the Belt Parkway, killed and dumped in identical fashion. City officials demand quick results before tabloid headlines spiral out of control. Cooper faces threats from gang members furious about her recent legal victory while trying to maintain her personal life, including meetings with an appealing restaurant owner. A third murder confirms the worst fears. Cooper and her investigative team race against time as their probe centers on someone with a disturbed fascination with military culture. The pursuit becomes increasingly perilous when it leads to a series of small, deserted islands scattered around New York harbor. Cooper must rely on her exceptional interrogation abilities and crucial evidence breakthroughs to track down the killer before more victims fall.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, race-against-time
Setting: New York, New York Harbor
Period: Contemporary
384 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday
Content warnings: murder, violence