I was hovering between giving Terminal City by Linda Fairstein 2 and 3 stars. Obviously I've settled on 3-stars. Alexandra Cooper is back in the saddle with the Special Victims Unit because of a gruesome rape and murder of a woman in the Waldorf Astoria. Cooper and company are in a race against time to ensure that motive for the crime isn't in some way political. For those unfamiliar with Alexandra Cooper, she is an Assistant District Attorney who assists the police, in the SVU, with investigating all sexually motivated crimes.
I'm a huuuuuuggge fan of that show. Anyway, Cooper narrates as they travel into the darkest, deepest, smelliest depths in order to catch the killer as the body count rises. It is here that Fairstein rises above the rest. She knows the inner-workings of New York in a way that most thriller novelists ignore.
It is during these moments I was interested and glued to the pages. What didn't appeal to me this time around with this author is the flatness of the characters. Cooper isn't much better.
Terminal City
I gave her a pass on the last novel I read by her because I didn't begin the series at the first adventure. But, there was nothing more given. Cooper is either following the police around as they present better ideas or worrying about her strange relationship with Mike Anderson. That was emotionally taxing for me because I just wanted the action to continue. Long story short, Terminal City by Linda Fairstein is a fast read, loaded with information I never even knew I was interested in: The rails and its people.
But, the police procedural is not enough to make me wholeheartedly give a recommendation simply because of what it lacks: Surprisingly, I do look forward to this author's next book. Copy provided by Penguin Group via Netgalley Jun 18, Thomas Edmund rated it liked it.
In Terminal city, Linda Fairstein pens an intelligent and interesting police procedural. The writing is witty, the plot intricate and the action around the conclusion somewhat exciting. Unfortunately as i read through the book I found myself bugged by a few criticisms: Our main character Alexandra Cooper 'Coop' feels lacking in development, aside from an apparent tendency to shower almost compulsively and to describe everyone by their height, Alex could have been anyone, there was nothing that In Terminal city, Linda Fairstein pens an intelligent and interesting police procedural.
Our main character Alexandra Cooper 'Coop' feels lacking in development, aside from an apparent tendency to shower almost compulsively and to describe everyone by their height, Alex could have been anyone, there was nothing that gave me a sense of who she was at all. The attempts at relationship drama felt awkward and forced, to be fair I'm not up to date with all the preceding Alexandra Cooper books so maybe this part of the story would resonate more with fans, SPOILERS for me it seemed odd that Alex attempted to visit her lover's mother without telling him and immediately assumed because she wasn't in hospital that he had stepped out on her.
Even stranger was her response to be slightly sarcastic at their next meeting but not really discuss the issue until a rather ridiculous conclusion that he was working 'top-secret' hence the lies did I miss an in-joke? Finally there just seemed to be a few too many police thriller cliches and slightly unbelievable developments to make this a memorable thriller. One scene that stands out for me as poor is when Alex is interviewing the roommate of a murder victim. The girl is cagey for the interview until finally admitting that her boyfriend had a criminal record 'as long as her arm. Ok maybe the police didn't know the boyfriend was involved but it just seems a stretch.
Other cliche's include unlikable politicians not wanting the crimes in question to damage their career, homeless types who are more intellectual and redeeming than their appearance suggests and the use of subway tunnels to blow up Parliament on 4th of November, I mean kill the President of the United States POTUS, really is that the acronym? My final annoyance was that the unlikely crime pattern of viciously and randomly slaughtering young women did not really fit with a diabolical plot to carefully assassinate a national figure.
This is explained away by people just being 'crazy' and not making sense, but it was just another way this book rang hollow for me. Despite my lengthy rant Terminal City is a solid police procedural that I wouldn't delete from your reading list. Just nor would I recommend adding it if not already there. View all 5 comments. Jun 26, Carol rated it liked it. Well, I "kinda" liked this novel, but it was more a 2 and a half stars for me because of the way Mike Chapman treats our main character, Alex, a formidable prosecutor at the top of her game.
I agree with Susan's review, where she says: Chapman spends most of the book treating Alex to verbal abuse and using her as the butt of not so funny jabs, There is no witty banter, no s Well, I "kinda" liked this novel, but it was more a 2 and a half stars for me because of the way Mike Chapman treats our main character, Alex, a formidable prosecutor at the top of her game. I just wanted to smack him, but Alex never says anything, not even "cut it out!
Fairstein is a better writer than that; she should know to give us the history in smaller bites so the action doesn't come to a screeching halt. If you've read the previous books, you already know the characters and expect to rock 'n roll; this doesn't happen so well for me this time. That said, I will still probably pick up the next one, hoping it was just a bit of a fluke this time.
Jul 24, Paula rated it did not like it.
Productspecificaties
I found it tedious. Jun 28, Michelle rated it it was ok. Over recent years I've found Linda Fairstein's novels very hit and miss, unfortunately this is another on the growing list of misses. I found that Terminal City had too much historical information in it which seemed to be used purely to pad out the very basic storyline. Alex and Mike's characters seem to have been transformed and I now find them very unlikeable and unprofessional. It now seems implausable that they would find each other attractive with Alex's new found neediness and Mike's mysogin Over recent years I've found Linda Fairstein's novels very hit and miss, unfortunately this is another on the growing list of misses.
It now seems implausable that they would find each other attractive with Alex's new found neediness and Mike's mysoginistic comments. I will have to think seriously about my purchase before parting money for the next Linda Fairstein novel if she continues in this vein. May 09, Paula Brandon rated it liked it. He is a racist. He is a misogynist. His treatment towards Alex Cooper is text book verbal and emotional abuse.
The fact they work together in a professional capacity also makes it sexual harassment. I can't believe a supposedly intelligent woman like Alex Cooper would put up with it. I can't believe Linda Fairstein, a long-time sex crimes prosecutor, would create such an offensive toad and expect us to see him as a hero. Mike Chapman is the absolute worst of the worst.
Maybe because Linda is now in her 70s, she's forgotten how real men act. Mike Chapman isn't a man. He's an offensive moron with a child's mentality and an obvious case of small-dick syndrome. The fact that the book somewhat works in spite of him is almost a miracle. Fairstein always incorporates a mystery with New York history, and this is no exception.
I found the history of Grand Central Terminal and its many underground passageways, secret tunnels and secret rooms quite fascinating. Oddly enough, it reminded me of the movie Mimic! After an initial odd pages that were difficult to get into, this slowly began to build in intensity and interest. However, the motivation of the villain was weak. I expect a bit more than that! But a rip-roaringly suspenseful climax in the roof of Grand Central Terminal helped nudge this into 3 star material.
Pity Mike Chapman can't get run over by a train or something. These books would improve ten-fold if he did. Mike Chapman, Mercer Wallace, and Alex Cooper feel the pressure to solve the young woman's death before the President arrives. But the girl has no I. And she has strange markings on her that look like ladders or train tracks. Soon, another body is found very near Grand Central Station with the same markings: This leads the investigation into the station and its terminal.
Alex is surprised to find a whole new underground city with its own dwellers among the vast tunnels and tracks. Could it be one these "moles" is out on a killing spree, or is the real target the President? And the prior victims were just practice? Oh, things heat up between escaped rapist Raymond Tanner and Alex. So does the budding romance between Chapman and Alex. Just blew me away. Her writing is spot on, building the suspense and mystery with each page. Just when the reader is expecting one thing, Fairstein puts a nice twist to what the reader thought was going to happen.
And there is the Jeopardy obsession Mike Chapman has. However, I have one small beef. She always is trapped, the killer confesses, and she waits to be rescued. It's being a bit boring Ms. Oct 24, Pam rated it it was ok.
- See a Problem?;
- Night of Blood: The Minotaur Wars, Book 1: Vol 1.
- Märchenhafte Tiergeschichten: von Ostfriesland bis Australien (German Edition).
- .
- Hotel review: Waldorf Astoria, Syon Park, London | Travel | The Guardian.
- Das Amulett von Gan (German Edition)?
- The Edge: A Historical Novel.
I normally love the Alexander Cooper series but this is my least favorite of all them. First Alex doesn't act like herself, all whiny and insecure acting because she and Mike have finally admitted their attraction for each other. Mike's supposed jabs at Alex just were not funny and she was always thinking about a hidden meaning, especially after finding that he had lied to her.
Terminal City (Alexandra Cooper, #16) by Linda Fairstein
I was so disappointe I normally love the Alexander Cooper series but this is my least favorite of all them. I was so disappointed in this storyline and I hope it doesn't carry over to the next book in the series. I almost didn't finish the book and it was not all due to Alex and Mike. The storyline just did not seem plausible, too many unlikeable characters and there was way too much descriptive narrative. I had re-read 2 of Linda's books before starting this one I am very much a fan of this author so I was totally bummed to not be able to like this story.
I won't give up on Linda but hope the next book I read is more like the first books in the series and not this lame one. Jan 21, 4cats rated it really liked it Shelves: To complicate matters the President is due to arrive in his private train, muddying the investigation Add into the mix an escaped rapist who is stalking Cooper and you have yet another great read from Linda Fairstein. Fairstein doesn't get the recognition which I feel she deserves. She is one of the many 'jobbing' crime writers who produce great crime novels, with characters you care about and great plotlines, on a yearly basis.
The Alex Cooper series never fails, personally I feel her novels are far better than Child, Patterson, Baldacci and Cornwell to name but a few. Jul 01, Lynn Kearney rated it liked it. The history is interesting as always, but it stretches belief to think a murder investigation would pause while the story of Grand Central Terminal is recounted to the cops. Also, the leaden banter of Det. Mike Chapman is becoming really intolerable. A book by author Linda Fairstein is like getting two stories in one. Rosenblat explores the wide range of emotions of the characters with her mannerism and cadence.
Her interr A book by author Linda Fairstein is like getting two stories in one. Her interruption enhances the already intriguing story. Soon a second body is discovered and then a third. The latest in its portfolio is here, newly built on the Syon Park estate just across the Thames from Kew Gardens.
Syon Park is the home of the Duke of Northumberland, known for the dome on its magnificent conservatory, its Robert Adam interior and its Capability Brown park. The hotel is next to the stable-block-turned-upmarket-garden-centre, and poses no threat that I can discern to Syon House on the architectural front.
The lobby has something of the Dubai shopping mall about it.
- Medical Volunteer Abroad in Africa: Dr Charlotte Brits sole charge medical officer in bushland veldt. Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF)!
- Hotel review: Waldorf Astoria, Syon Park, London.
- Samenvatting.
- Sturmflut über Hamburg: Die Nacht, in der eine Stadt ertrank (German Edition)!
- Get A Copy.
- Launceston From Old Photographs.
- Just One Who Sees.
Glass display cabinets house sapphire-, diamond- and ruby-encrusted pieces by a Swiss jeweller. A glass butterfly house yes, really, complete with tropical plants but also rotting fruit divides seating areas of pale yellow butter-soft leather. At one end is a sundae bar serving ice-cream, coffee and crepes. Eventually you reach the martini bar, Peacock Alley. Mirrors glint, powder-blue leather bar stools hug the semi-circular bar, lime velvet sofas clash with multicoloured Warhol portraits, and a champagne trolley shimmers with ice. Things are calmer in the bedroom.
My first-floor room is reached along a glassed-in walkway with extraordinary piped-in sound effects geese, birdsong, voices and seems to owe much to the monochrome, wenge wood-obsessed s. No arguing with sheets so fine they feel like silk, a private balcony, bathroom with TV, lights on dimmers and Ferragamo toiletries. Service at tea, down in the courtyard when I arrived yesterday afternoon, was hit and miss until a man who turned out to be the sommelier took control, ran through the loose tea selection and got it delivered in half the time we waited for a menu.
Before the event gets underway though the keynote speaker is shot down in his office and Miss Tayke, Cedric and Bunty help the NYPD track down the killer. Miss Tayke and her friends are invited to spend the weekend at a haunted stately home where one of the guests is poisoned at dinner on the first night. Despite unremitting rain, gale force winds, thunder and lightning outside, and horrifying screams, maniacal laughter and ghoulish apparitions inside, Miss Tayke successfully brings the murderer to justice.
The journey only takes four hours but it seems like four days to Miss Tayke as she becomes involved with a vanishing passenger, espionage, and suspected sabotage; all orchestrated by a motley gang of criminals. Toon meer Toon minder. Overige kenmerken Extra groot lettertype Nee. Reviews Schrijf een review.