Customer Reviews

Bad Blood

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

...and I've read every one, in order. "Bad Blood" combines all the aspects of a Fairstein novel: obscure New York history (sometimes it's too long and very boring; in this case, it was fascinating), a trip to Martha's Vineyard (mercifully short this time), a usually riveting mystery, and a cast of characters we've learned to love.

The book begins calmly enough with Alexandra Cooper prosecuting a very difficult case against a Johnnie Cochran-type defense attorney. The defendant, wealthy society-type Brendan Quillian, stands accused of murdering his wife, Amanda, by manual strangulation. Alex's case is very weak, much more than normal, even though she knows he did it, or hired somebody to do it. We accompany her to the courtroom for several tense, disappointing days--and then all hell breaks lose.

A dangerous explosion in New York's extensive "underground city" that houses Manhatta's entire supply of water (and here is where the fascinating factoids come in) may be an act of terrorism--or some sort of deadly vendetta among rival families who have worked these tunnels for generations. That is bad enough--but what is the connection between snotty Brendan Quillian and the gangs who work below the city? And how will it affect Alex's case?

The book zips through the tale with all the usual elements in place: danger, pathos, drama, and deep, dark secrets, until the denoument, where, for a heart-stopping minute or two, we think her long-time sidekick Mike Chapman might have been killed.

Great stuff. A perfect "beginning of summer" read.

The Hatfields and the McCoys have to take a backseat to the Quillians and the Hassetts, the two feuding families at the center of Linda Fairstein's latest novel. With her ensemble characters --- Assistant DA Alexandra "Alex" Cooper and NYPD detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace --- working with their supporting coterie, BAD BLOOD is a riveting and truly interesting read.

When Amanda Quillian is found brutally murdered, the team quickly comes to the conclusion that Amanda's husband, Brendan, hired a hitman to do the dirty deed. Brendan is arrested, indicted and defended at his trial by smart, suave Lem Howell. Before becoming a defense attorney, he mentored Alex in the District Attorney's office where they developed an ongoing affection and mutual respect. But when the sparks start to fly in the courtroom, the gloves come off and each fights mercilessly for their side --- that is, until Brendan grabs a court officer's gun and shoots her in the head. For a few moments the chaos becomes the cover Brendan needs to make a clean escape.

Alex, Chapman and Mercer lead the complex investigation into Amanda's murder, discovering who Quillian really is, where he could be hiding and who might be helping him. Their queries take them from Manhattan to the Bronx and then to a "big dig" deep underground in the center of Manhattan, where an old murder surfaces that leads to another related killing --- both of which are the underlying events for the hatred between the families.

The third-generation Irish workers on site are the descendants of their immigrant grandfathers who first descended into the black hole that would take them 60 feet down to a dark and dangerous workplace. They burrowed their way through bedrock and mud to build the subway systems, "gas mains, housing for electrical wiring, sewers and shafts of every variety --- as well as the two antiquated tunnels that have carried billions of gallons of fresh water daily, for almost a century, from upstate to the five boroughs...all built by a small cadre of construction workers known as sandhogs. They have not only created this underground kingdom but they are the only men ever to see most of it."

Fairstein came to writing after 25 years as the founder and head of the Sex Crimes Unit, which is still a linchpin in the workings of the NYPD. (Olivia Benson, the female lead in the long-running television series "Law and Order," is based on the author.) And in the same way that viewers of the show are witnesses to sex crimes, readers are informed by Alexandra Cooper (Fairstein's alter ego) that "most people don't treat victims of domestic abuse in the same manner" as other victims --- even now, in the 21st century. As a matter of fact, the subject of "intimate-partner violence" is a running theme in all of Fairstein's books. But have no fear; she writes only to inform, not to preach.

The architecture that holds Fairstein's stories together lies in her plots, her gift for creating likable characters, her ability to keep them fresh each time they appear, and her habit of shaping her tales with heady historical "trivia," which imbues her work with fascinating authority.

BAD BLOOD is not a perfect book. It flags in some places and strains credulity in others, yet the reader is kept wanting more. Fairstein does not write noir nor does she indulge in rock 'em sock 'em antics and cozies; rather, she presents a mystery, plus a team to work together as colleagues and friends in order to solve it. Her audience can count on being firmly and fully satisfied. BAD BLOOD is no exception.

--- Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

This twisted tale of murder and revenge begins with a gripping courtroom scene, and if you've even been a trial lawyer, or a fan of Court TV, every word will ring true. Some scenes are set in the underworld of caverns, wells and tunnels of the "sandhogs" who built the NY water system, and the brotherhood which guards their secrets. The surprise ending involves a DNA twist that no one will ever guess!

Let me begin with this book's strengths:
* the information about the underground tunnels and the Sandhogs is interesting, although I suspect Fairstein has exaggerated the extent to which they are an intermarried, insular subculture.
* for most of the book, there is just enough of an intriguing plotline to keep you wondering what's going to happen next. Plot is definitely Fairstein's strength in this entire series.
* Mike is sliiiiightly less extremely annoying here than in some of the earlier novels in the series.

And now the weaknesses:
* Having just finished the book, what's foremost in my mind is how frustrating it is to try to visualize/imagine the scenes that Fairstein is describing. Perhaps not all readers do this, or even care, but when I'm reading I like to to imagine the scene in my mind. In the final scene (especially), the physical layout of the scene is very complicated and important to the story, yet it is impossible to visualize from the scattered, vague descriptions we get. I don't want to say more and give anything away.
* Things were not well tied-up at the end. I'm still not sure who did what, why, or why now.
* Fairstein resorts to the Batman technique of explaining many of the details in the last chapter by having the good guy and the bad guy perform a protracted Q&A. The whole "but before I kill you, I want to tell you what I did and why" silliness.
* The requisite, tiresome episode at Martha's Vineyard with bad dialogue and a oh-so-fabulous love interest who serves no purpose here but as a set-up for a future novel.
* Just eat a freaking cookie already, Alex.

I have enjoyed the other stories by the author (Entombed in particular) but thought this one was really not very good. I wondered if the author was just trying to meet a deadline as opposed to writing a story she wanted to tell. :-(

In my opinion, I thought "Bad Blood" was an excellent read, and it kept my interest as I followed Alex Cooper as she searched for answers to solve a tunnel explosion and a man on trial for the murder of his wife. The story moves along at a quick pace and I felt it was an interesting read. The reviews are numerous on this tale, so there's no need at this point to recap the story further, else I may give away more of the story for those folks that haven't read it. I will add that it was very educational to learn (which I always enjoy) about the water tunnels of New York City. It was very apparent that Ms. Fairstein did a considerable amount research into this subject and I appreciate her effort. Overall, if you enjoy a great mystery you won't be disappointed in "Bad Blood". I'd gladly recommend it to anyone.

This is a three-year-old mystery novel in Fairstein's Alexandra Cooper series, but it's a new series to me. I don't know how I missed these novels except that like the old saying, "So many books, so little time." Cooper is a D.A. in New York City and this book involves treachery among the sandhogs who are digging Tunnel #3 to carry water throughout the city. The old tunnels are ancient and in danger of leaking. Think of New York City with no water at all and you can see why this is important.

Sandhogs of course are the guys who dig the tunnels all over the world. One reason for the name dates from the building of the Brooklyn Bridge when caissons had to be sunk deep under the river and the major danger was being pulled down into the sand to their death. Not many people are willing to do such work for obvious reasons but intrepid Irish sandhogs are a brotherhood who continue that job through generations.

Cooper's case involves a member of one of those families. At one point she descends into the shaft to Tunnel #3 after an explosion, scared to death but persevering even though someone tries to kill her. A cold case turns out to be a part of the story as well. As Cooper was in serious danger through most of the story, I was on tenterhooks reading the book. (What are tenterhooks anyway?)

I enjoyed Bad Blood enough that I will look for more of the Cooper series. I like the courtroom drama and the involved plot with characters who are quite believable and fallibly human. I recommend this book.

This was my first encounter with this author and after less than 50, 60 pages I could already say it would be my last. A totally non-existing plot wrapped up in the most confusing story together with a cast of thousands that all turn out to be completely irrelevant to anything. Page after page filled with boring (and I mean b-o-r-i-n-g) descriptions of sceneries.

If at some point you're considering to spend money on a book by this author, donate it to a good cause in stead.

PS - The lowest rating is 1 star. I would have given it MINUS 5 stars if it would have been an option.

....or perhaps I should say UNDER the scene in the city Ms. Fairstein shows us another fascinating world. A world that most of us don't ever think about even existing. While this book was a bit slower than most of her books, it was still quite interesting and propelled the character development of our favorite folks even deeper. I have to echo the "spotlighted" review that implores, "don't go there". It would be a shame to see Mike and Alex as a couple. Their relationship (including Mercer) is why we read each of these new books time and again.

I will not read another Linda Fairstein book. This was hard to follow and not very suspenseful.