Close Case [Import] [Paperback]

Alafair S. Burke (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Orion (an Imprint of The Orion P; New Ed edition (2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752877496
• ISBN-13: 978-0752877495
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,446,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alafair Burke is the author of "two power house series" (Sun-Sentinel) that have earned her a reputation for creating strong, believable, and eminently likable female characters, such as NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher and Portland Deputy District Attorney Samantha Kincaid. Alafair's novels grow out of her experience as a prosecutor in America's police precincts and criminal courtrooms, and have been featured by The Today Show, People Magazine, The New York Times, MSNBC, The Washington Post, USA Today, and The Chicago Sun-Times. Dennis Lehane has called her "one of the finest young crime writers working today."

A graduate of Stanford Law School and a former Deputy District Attorney in Portland, Oregon, Alafair is now a Professor of Law at Hofstra Law School, where she teaches criminal law and procedure.

She lives in New York City with her husband and beloved dog, Duffer. She spends too much time on Facebook and Twitter, but has no plans to quit.

Learn more about Alafair at www.alafairburke.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An ethical prosecutor makes waves., July 5, 2005

By 

E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Close Case (Samantha Kincaid Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Thirty-two year old Samantha Kincaid, the protagonist of Alafair Burke's new thriller, "Close Case," is the Deputy District Attorney for Multnomah County in Portland, Oregon, as well as the newest member of the Major Crimes Unit. Although Sam loves her job and is very good at putting bad guys behind bars, she is often conflicted about how to behave in morally ambiguous situations. "Close Case" throws Sam into plenty of hot water, and she soon gets scalded.

When black investigative reporter Percy Crenshaw is beaten to death outside his condo, Sam is asked to oversee the case. Crenshaw had been driving an S-Class Mercedes Benz just before he was murdered. Was he the victim of a carjacking gone wrong or did the killer have a personal vendetta against him? Another high profile incident involves Delores Tompkins, an unarmed African American woman who was fatally shot through the windshield of her car by a Portland patrol officer. Both cases are politically sensitive. Sam's boss, District Attorney Duncan Griffith, is wary of the fallout from the media and civil rights groups. To make matters worse for Sam, her live-in boyfriend, Detective Chuck Forbes, doesn't always agree with the way that Sam does her job.

Alafair Burke's experience as a former deputy district attorney lends authenticity to this gritty and complicated police procedural. She details the tough lives that district attorneys and cops lead, with the never-ending demands on their time, patience, and energy. Sam is an engaging character, and her desire to follow her instincts and always do the right thing brings her into inevitable conflict with her supervisor and her boyfriend.

The varied characters in the book include a courageous grass-roots activist, Selma Gooding, who knows more than she realizes about Crenshaw's death, Heidi Hatmaker, a rookie reporter who worked with Percy and would like to find his killer, and Lisa Lopez, an irritating defense attorney who gives Samantha heartburn. There are plenty of suspects and red herrings to keep the reader guessing as to whodunit and why. Burke's easygoing and often droll writing style and her deft characterizations add to the book's appeal. My one quibble is the ending, which has far too many coincidences to be believed. Still, "Close Case" is a suspenseful and engrossing thriller, and Burke gives her readers valuable insight into the workings of the criminal justice system. She also demonstrates the difficulty that people of good conscience have when they seek justice in a corrupt world.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 Stars...Standing on Her Own Merits, April 16, 2006

By 

Eric Wilson "novelist" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Close Case (Samantha Kincaid Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Alafair Burke has shrugged off comparisons to her famous mystery-writer father and shown she has a style all her own. The Samantha Kincaid series is full of legal complexity, tightly spun plots, and an engaging female lead.

Samantha is a living, breathing character. It's hard not to like this lady. Sam's a tough cookie, but she has a heart underneath her protective exterior. She also knows the ins and outs of the justice system. Once again, she is thrust into a murder mystery set in Portland, Oregon. This time, an investigative reporter has paid the ultimate price in his search for the truth. Samantha will risk her career, her friendships, and even love in an effort to get to the bottom of this violent act.

Burke's strengths can sometimes be a weakness. She is so adept at conveying the inner workings of prosecutor and police procedures that she occasionally loses my emotional connection to the story. Fortunately, this happens only once or twice, and Burke grabs me again with her ability to wind readers deeper and deeper into a mystery. Only as the last pages turn do we discover all the layers involved.

With "Close Case," Alafair Burke proves that she is a writer standing on her own merits, a writer who will be around for years to come. And I, for one, am thankful.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting suspense thriller..., June 22, 2005

By 

Laurel Johnson (Kansas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Close Case (Samantha Kincaid Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Realistic characters living and working in a fascinating mileu, skillful plotting, and an astute prose style make this book a standout.

Deputy DA Samantha Kincaid is a member of the prestigious Major Crimes Unit in Portland, Oregon. Her reputation as a savvy attorney and investigator has been earned in the trenches. Whether law enforcement peers like her or not, they respect her intelligence and instincts. She has a brisk no- nonsense personal style and the uncanny knack of winning when the chips are down. Two unrelated cases put her life and reputation in jeopardy.

The shooting of an unarmed black female civilian by a white cop has Portland's nerves on edge. Angry civilians are convinced the shooting was racially motivated. Then Portland's celebrity muckraker, Percy Crenshaw -- also black -- is bludgeoned to death just outside his apartment. Civilians are outraged by his murder; Kincaid and fellow investigators are mystified,

until one suspect confesses to the crime. But will the questionable confession stand up to scrutiny?

Disconnected leads take Samantha from one dead end to another as she investigates both crimes. As she untangles each small clue in Percy Crenshaw's notebooks, it soon becomes apparent that the killings were connected. Even members of the Portland Police Department are suspect, including her boyfriend Det. Chuck Forbes and his loose cannon partner Mike. Regardless of the outcome to her career and love life, Samantha digs for truths that might end up killing her.

Close Case is an exciting suspense thriller, rich with the legal and law enforcement details intelligent readers of the genre crave. Critical praise received for the Samantha Kincaid Series is well-deserved.