Sunday, August 17, 2008

Angel's Tip


Angel's Tip by Alafair Burke (ARC) ~~


In a city full of victims . . . it's hard to choose just one.


Fresh-faced Indiana college student Chelsea Hart is so excited to spend the final hours of her spring break in the VIP room of an elite New York City club that she remains behind when her girlfriends call it a night. The next morning, as her concerned friends anxiously pace their hotel lobby, joggers find Chelsea's body in East River Park, her wavy blond hair brutally hacked off.


NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher catches the case and homes in on the group of privileged men who were last seen plying Chelsea with free-flowing alcohol. But before she can even gather the preliminary evidence, the gruesome murder is grabbing headlines and drawing unwanted media attention to the department. So when Ellie builds a tight case against Jake Myers, a young hedge fund manager, the department brass and the district attorney's office are elated: the case will soon be cleared, the media will tout the department's quick work, and Ellie will be a dream witness at the trial against Myers.


But Ellie has her doubts. Chelsea's murder is eerily similar to three other deaths that occurred nearly a decade ago: the victims were young, female, and in each case, the killer had taken her hair as a souvenir.


Ellie's investigation pulls her into a late-night world of exclusive clubs, conspicuous wealth, and hedonistic consumption. And her search for the truth not only pits her against her fellow cops but also places her under the watchful eye of a psychopath eager to add the prideful young female detective to his list.


Wrenching and suspenseful, Angel's Tip is an electric thriller that offers a voyeuristic glimpse into the glamorous but dangerous world of New York nightlife. This stunning whodunit proves yet again that Alafair Burke "knows when and how to drop clues to keep readers at her mercy"

Ellie Hatcher is back and is now a brand new homicide detective with a new partner to boot. While on a morning jog with her brother, Ellie comes across the body of a dead girl. Ellie quickly claims the case as her own, and with the help of partner arrests the murdered. But was it as easy as that? It seems as if the evidence was too easy to come across, and when Ellie hears from a man whose daughter was killed in a similar way - she steps outside the bounds to figure out what is going on. And why does there seem to be some connection to her? This was a fast paced book that will keep you turning the pages. While we do find out who the killer is, it's never fully explained as to why he/she has committed these gruesome acts, leaving the reader wanting more. I do hope this isn't the last we'll see of Ellie and her partner JJ. I think there is a lot of room for her to continue to grow.

1 comment:

Tracey said...

Indiana? I must read this book;)