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'...this third Samantha Kincaid mystery is gritty and gripping and shows her to be on a steep learning-curve.' (Myles McWeeney IRISH INDEPENDENT )
'Burke has good storytelling in her genes, which is not surprising since she's the daughter of James Lee Burke, the greatest crime writer alive. More please.' (Matthew Lewin THE GUARDIAN ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
'Burke has good storytelling in her genes, which is not surprising since she's the daughter of James Lee Burke, the greatest crime writer alive. More please.' (Matthew Lewin THE GUARDIAN ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Myles McWeeney, IRISH INDEPENDENT
'...this third Samantha Kincaid mystery is gritty and gripping and shows her to be on a steep learning-curve.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
This is a book by the daughter of the well-known writer, James Lee Burke. A thumbnail biography at the end of the book states that Alafair Burke graduated from Stanford Law School, is a "former district attorney in Portland, Oregon," and that she "now teaches criminal law at Hofstra Law School."
James Lee Burke's books are widely popular and of the sort that I would read after extracting every last crumb from a crumbling set of Readers' Digest and maybe a 1948-51 run of National Geographic--but only if I were REALLY hurting for a literary fix. Alafair Burke is, thank heaven, a quite different writer. She skillfully avoids her father's orotundity on the one hand and his swamp snobbery on the other. She tells a straightforward tale in an admirably lean and efficient manner, one that comes to an end, and then stops.
I have, of course, no way in which to confirm the impression, but I find her descriptions of the activities and people of the Multnomah County District Attorney's office and the Portland Police Department to be convincing to a degree not often found in mystery novels.
Burke's heroine, Deputy DA Samantha Kincaid, is refreshingly more astringent than she is likeable. She's given to occasional bouts of self-doubt and second guessing--none of which she would ever admit to anyone else. The exigencies of commercial plotting insure that Ms. Kincaid life and career may be a bit more ... intense than that of DAs in general, but I look forward both to catching up with her earlier adventures and following her new ones.
Four solid stars.
James Lee Burke's books are widely popular and of the sort that I would read after extracting every last crumb from a crumbling set of Readers' Digest and maybe a 1948-51 run of National Geographic--but only if I were REALLY hurting for a literary fix. Alafair Burke is, thank heaven, a quite different writer. She skillfully avoids her father's orotundity on the one hand and his swamp snobbery on the other. She tells a straightforward tale in an admirably lean and efficient manner, one that comes to an end, and then stops.
I have, of course, no way in which to confirm the impression, but I find her descriptions of the activities and people of the Multnomah County District Attorney's office and the Portland Police Department to be convincing to a degree not often found in mystery novels.
Burke's heroine, Deputy DA Samantha Kincaid, is refreshingly more astringent than she is likeable. She's given to occasional bouts of self-doubt and second guessing--none of which she would ever admit to anyone else. The exigencies of commercial plotting insure that Ms. Kincaid life and career may be a bit more ... intense than that of DAs in general, but I look forward both to catching up with her earlier adventures and following her new ones.
Four solid stars.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
26 reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
An ethical prosecutor makes waves.
6 July 2005
Format: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.
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
4 1/2 Stars...Standing on Her Own Merits
16 April 2006
Format: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.
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
Exciting suspense thriller...
22 Jun 2005
Format: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.
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.
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