Review: Blood Oath

Blood Oath by Linda Fairstein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is not related to the novel but whenever I read an Alexandra Cooper book I picture Olivia Benson from Law & Order SVU. I know Coop is a blonde lawyer, not a brunette cop but I can't help it. Every time Mike calls Coop "blondie," I get confused for a nano second. Anyway ...

Alexandra Cooper is back at work full-strength after her kidnapping and the shooting death of her boss, and she's dealing with a few seemingly unrelated cases: A 10-year-old cold case involving 20-something Lucy Jenner; Judge Bud Corliss and his wife's domestic abuse claims; and her friend Francie Fain who mysteriously collapses and falls into a coma.

Lucy was sexually assaulted when she a teenager by someone who is involved in law enforcement in NYC, but it takes hours and hours of interviews and persuasion before Coop can get her to give up the man's name. The fact that Lucy is a habitual liar and a runaway with a criminal record doesn't make the job any easier.

Corliss, who is just not a good guy, and no fan of Alex's, is accused by his wife of choking her and being abusive in other ways. Alex isn't sure what she should do about these allegations.

After Francie is taken by ambulance to the hospital, she disappears. When Alex and her boyfriend Mike Chapman learn where she is, that leads to even more questions about what lead to her current condition.

All three cases come together in a thrilling and riveting conclusion that had me wishing I could turn pages faster and hoping everyone made it out alive.

As always, Linda Fairstein includes some interesting and little-known facts about NYC and its history. I also love how she describes in detail where the characters are going -- like how many blocks from the courthouse or her apartment and what they pass along the way. She paints such a vivid picture it makes me feel as if I'm in New York with them.

This is one of my favorite Alexandra Cooper stories in the series.

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