Alexandra “Coop” Cooper has seen it all during her long career as a prosecutor in New York City–or so she thought.
Coop is back for yet another high-stakes case, but this time it’s personal. Following last year’s cliffhanger ending to Killer Look, Linda Fairstein opens her new novel moments after her last one ended.
Manhattan DA Paul Battaglia, Coop’s boss, has been murdered. Exiting a fundraiser event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Coop hears her boss call out her name. She stops, but before he can get a word out, Battaglia falls into Coop’s arms and dies. Coop’s already fragile state of mind (a plot point that has arced over several previous novels) is dealt another major blow. Forced to really address things and get the help she needs, Coop is in a better mindset– having started to heal from past wounds–and ready to take on her new issues at hand.
To interview Coop, Jaxon Stern is brought over from Brooklyn, ensuring that Alex, who has headed up Manhattan’s Special Victims Unit for years, is questioned by someone whom she’s never worked with. Stern’s thinking isn’t immediately known, but once the questions start flying Coop realizes she’s being treated more like a suspect than a witness.
Receiving no special treatment, Coop is thoroughly investigated. Still on leave to deal with traumatic past events, she decides the best defense is a good offense and enlists help from Mike Chapman, a brilliant NYPD detective who also happens to be her boyfriend, and his partner, Mercer Wallace.
While Alex Cooper might be the main character, the real star of the series is the city the books take place in. Fairstein continues to pack historical facts about New York City into her stories, which is always a real treat to read. This time, the author shares details about the history of the city’s zoos, which Fairstein weaves into the plot in a meaningful and compelling way.
While searching for answers, each question takes Chapman and Coop in a different direction. As they zero in on their target, Fairstein takes readers on a thrilling ride as her characters search for justice, carefully touching on a number of current events and headline stories along the way. One really fascinating tidbit deals with poaching and secret societies, and Fairstein also offers up a juicy conspiracy about the death of a prominent real-life Supreme Court Justice.
As the pages turn, it becomes apparent that Detective Stern has an ax to grind with Coop, adding one more thing to her list of stuff to look into. It also means he’s looking to nail Coop, which means she and Chapman need answers quickly–and have precious little time to find them. The high-powered plot moves full-steam ahead on the way to an explosive, heart-thumping climax that fans of this series have come to expect.
Linda Fairstein’s brought her A-game with this one–Deadfall sizzles from beginning to end. If the latest Coop thriller isn’t on your summer reading list, it needs to be!
Book Details
Author: Linda Fairstein
Series: Alexandra Cooper #19
Pages: 400 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 110198404X
Publisher: Dutton
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Book Spy Rating: 8.5/10
Order Now!