Silent Mercy (Alex Cooper, Book 13)

Setting is an integral part of fiction. The bonus is learning more about NYC and religion makes the thriller richer that a simple good guys, bad guys novel. Roaming the City with Coop, Mike, and Mercer is exciting. It's especially exciting for me because my grandparents lived in Harlem when the Baptist churches were synagogues. I can learn more about my family past in Silent Mercy . Finding the killer is secondary, which is unusual for the type of reading I usually like (murders a plenty).

I accidentally read this book and liked it SO much that I read ALL of her mystery books. She is an excellent writer with a gift for great plots. Her former profession makes her an expert on the books' locales & her protagonist's profession. You will enjoy this authors suspense books cleverly set in various NYC locales.

If you liked Linda's earliest works best, you will love her latest. Excellent plot with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing but not so complicated that you feel the need to take notes. The history was quite interesting and added to the story rather than overwhelming it. The relationship between Alex and Mike was as fun as always and perhaps a bit kinder this time around, as though Mike was finally starting to admit, or at least realize what an asset Alex is to their team.I do wish we could have seen more of Mercer though, hopefully next time. All in all, this was a fun read and I would certainly reccomend it.

I am a Linda Fairstein fan to the max and really enjoyed this book. I enjoy Alexandra Cooper, but Mike Chapman and Wallace Mercer (or is it Mercer Wallace - it's been a while!) really clinch it for me. I have worked with police officers, and Det. Chapman is so right on. If you had to work in that environment, you would understand that completely.

Silent Mercy is one of Fairstein's best. This is not just about solving some murders on historic spots in NYC, here an old synagogue and a cathedral. It also connects you indirectly with the aspirations of women in the roman catholic church for an equal position. I was not aware of the fact that some of them have organized themselves and taken up the courage to no longer ask for permission from the pope. Fairstein takes a stand against the growingly intolerant response by a small conservative religious minority that is prepared to use intimidation and violence to prevend those hopeful developments. Martin

Once again, Linda Fairstein, my favorite author, knocks it out of the park! ( Book idea, Linda - Yankee Stadium as a future venue). The three main characters have incredible and believable chemistry and the use of various venues in New York City creates stories within stories. I anxiously await a new book each year having read every one of her novels since being captivated by the first one. I buy each novel when it becomes available and do not start reading until I know I have time to read it in no more that two sittings.

I've read all of the books in this series, and have been a fan from the begining. I love how the setting becomes another character in all of her books. I really appreciate all the research she puts into her work, and the backstage tour she gives us of New York. This book was no exception on the research and the back history. I gave it 3 stars because I'm finding it hard to care about the main characters as much as I used to. I pre-ordered this when it first came out, and it's been sitting on my shelf for the last couple of months because I started feeling this disappointment when I read the previous book, and didn't want to feel that way about this one., About midway through I just started skimming to get to the end. There have been about a dozen books in this series, and the characters have worked together for over 10 years, but they haven't changed at all. About the only difference I see, is that Chapman's good-natured ribbing is taking on a much snarkier edge. It would be nice to see more about the characters personally, and it would be nice to see them relating to others more. We know that Mercer's married with a son; we got a brief glimpse of them in the last book, but that was it. It's obvious that Cooper is married to her job, but I need to see she's not all about work. I thought after a dozen books, we might have seen her in situations where she would have to struggle to balance work and personal, like most women have to. She's never put anything before work, nor does it look like she ever will, and that's boring to me. And don't hold Luc up as an argument for her having a social life. All of her boyfriends have been like him, long distance, fly in, fly out, meet here, meet there, blah, blah, blah. Those aren't real relationships. A real relationship is a guy she's seeing that has to kick Mercer and Mike out of the apartment because they've had her for 12 hours that day, and he wants to be a part of her life too. A real relationship is someone she has to actually share herself with, and I don't see that happening. The characters are nicely drawn, and they don't detract from the stories, so I'll read the next book and know I'll be glad I did, but I've lowered my expectations on character growth.

Linda Fairstein laces her exciting stories with visits in the island of Manhattan to places that a real lover of New York enjoys. A lot of the scenarios occur in places that tourists cannot fully appreciate. But if you are born and raised in this wonderful town there is more to it than just the Empire State Building. Take the time to soak it all in....

I've enjoyed every one of Fairstein's novels, including this one. She's one of those authors who uses facts very well. Too well for some who suggest that they're actually unbelievable fiction. 'Old' St Pats in New York exists, as do the other places described in 'Silent Mercy'. 'Circus Trains' exist, and are used today by at least two circuses in the USA - including Ringling Bros/Barnum and Bailey (I believe one is based in Florida !). The Magisterium, the Danube Seven, the First Lateran Council, Canon Law (and the way it's used) and a host of other people, places, and events are all factual, and Fairstein skillfully includes them in the plot. It's often the case that 'fact is stranger than fiction'. For example, many practising Catholics have been excommunicated or 'silenced' after speaking out for women's rights, equality, or stating that abortion should be allowed in certain circumstances (rape victims/likely death of the mother). These, and others, are not, as one reviewer claims - 'unbelievable'. They are facts, and they are going on today. Penikese Island exists and yes, it was a leper colony during the dates given. It's now a home for 'disturbed' boys, and has been since the 70's ! There are 'male only' Pentecostal churches that claim young men can 'find Jesus' through violent martial arts. Fairstein doesn't have to make anything up ! Even the cross-examination of the Bishop is based on a verbatim transcript of a deposition given by Bishop Curry of Los Angeles before a child sex abuse trial. The deposition is actually far, far worse, and is very real (see 'The Case of the Pope', Geoffrey Robertson QC, appendix A) Okay, some people have no interest in the news, or the thousands of clerical child abuse scandals that have come to light in the last decade, with more being added almost daily. That's no reason to say that they are fiction. Yes, I've studied and researched church/religious history for many years, but I don't know how anyone can have missed last year's Irish reports, or the excommunication of the doctors who carried out an abortion on a pregnant (with twins) 9 year old in Brazil, and her devout mother (the child would have died, along with the twins, if the pregnancy had continued), but NOT the child's rapist (her father). Should religion and it's extremes be a subject for a crime thriller ? Of course it should, and in real life it's no 'coincidence' (as one reviewer states) that many Sex Crimes Units have to deal with the religious, both as victims and perpetrators, on a daily basis. Dozens of US cities and their DA's/Special Victims Teams have become involved in these cases recently. They involve thousands of abusive clergymen and tens of thousands of victims from numerous faiths and denominations. Fairstein and other authors are no longer willing to ignore these events or situations, and are including them in their novels. We should welcome this. As the author says, she wants her readers to learn something, and with this offering, like all her previous ones, you will. It might even inspire you to go out and learn more. After all, you never know what's going to come up in a pub quiz !

Received in timely basis, in good condition. Good reading.

Fast delivery, product as stated on-line, can recommend to future customers. Definitely worth the price.Amazon making shopping so easy. Thanks

J'adore Linda Fairstein et je ne suis jamais déçue par ses romans. Il y a tout ce qu'on attend d'un "thriller". Un vrai régal.

Book arrives on my Kindle instantly, it’s great!