Angel's Tip

Starred review from July 21, 2008
Near the start of Burke’s gripping second procedural to feature NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher (after Dead Connection
), Ellie happens on the mutilated body of college student Chelsea Hart in East River Park while on her morning jog. Friends of the victim point the cops toward posh nightclub Pulse, located in the trendy Meatpacking district, where Ellie and partner J.J. Rogan are able to match a VIP’s credit card receipt to young and arrogant investment banker Jake Meyers, with whom Chelsea was last reported seen. But pinning the case on him doesn’t feel right when Ellie discovers similarities between Chelsea’s murder and two others from years past. Meanwhile, local media keep getting hold of unreleased facts of the case, making Ellie’s superiors suspicious of her romantic relationship with Daily Post
crime reporter Peter Morse. Knowing the cops aren’t on the right track lends a sense of dread to the plot. Burke leaves her principle characters little time to sleep; readers will relate. Author tour.

August 1, 2008
Like many college coeds, Chelsea Hart came to New York City on spring break to have a good time. Little did she know her days spent partying with gal pals would be her last. Newly minted homicide detective Ellie Hatcher and her brother, Jess, are out for an early morning jog through Manhattan when they come upon Harts strangled body at a construction site near Central Park. Detective Hatcher is eager to prove that her quick promotion from police work was legit. With the help of her partner, she arrests haughty Jake Myers, Chelseas dance partner at a tony Meatpacking District club, and the last to see her alive. But then careful study of some cold cases has Hatcher convinced theyve nabbed the wrong man. Worse still, she fears the perpetrator may be linked to the serial killer case that cost her father his life. While Burke, the daughter of James Lee Burke, has an engaging writing style, her Ellie Hatcher character is considerably less compelling than the protagonist of her debut series, cool Oregon lawyer Samantha Kincaid.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

July 15, 2008
New York City rookie police detective Ellie Hatcher, first introduced in "Dead Connection", is out on her morning run when she discovers the corpse of a teenage girl who's been strangled, stabbed, and shorn of her blond hair. The 19-year-old had been visiting the Big Apple with friends and hitting all the clubs while on break from college. Her murder creates a whirlwind of bad publicity for the city, but the NYPD breaks the case very quicklyor have they? Turns out there are weird similarities to some cold cases that Hatcher's deceased partner had been checking out, and she is unconvinced they have the right perp. When another young woman is killed in a similar fashion, even the hunky district attorney has to admit the case has problems. Hatcher, meanwhile, is getting an uneasy feeling that somehow it's personal. Lots of suspense and plot twists galore keep the pages turning, but the story lines about Hatcher, her boyfriend, her brother, and her partner deserve the credit for making this novel a winner. Highly recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 5/15/08.]Stacy Alesi, Boca Raton, FL

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.