Night Watch

By: Linda Fairstein

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

Linda Fairstein follows up her 13th bestselling Alexandra Cooper thriller with another taut, fascinating foray into the dark side of New York City, this time centred around the city's most glamorous and storied restaurants. With the help of NYPD's Mike Chapman, Alex is set to uncover the shocking secrets that have lurked just beneath the surface of the bustling metropolis for centuries - only to come screaming to light in the present day.

©2012 Fairstein Enterprises, LLC (P)2012 Recorded Books

Highs & Lows

Any additional comments?

I actually originally bought the ebook to read, but gave up because I was so frustrated by the French male characters at the start - both the boyfriend Luc & the police chief in Mougins. I switched to the audio version because it often helps me push through. I'm glad I did.

The storyline about preparing the prosecution of 'MGD' (Fiarstein's fictional version of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case) was Fairstein at her best. As with some of her other work, it is evident you're experiencing the situation as only an insider could tell it.

The other storyline about the murders associated with the restaurant industry eventually picked up and stopped feeling like such an uphill effort to get through. That said, Alex's response to her relationship with Luc is unspeakably aggravating. I take comfort from the fact that Fairstein is clearly working her way towards getting rid of him.

With respect to Rosenblat's reading, I can't say I'm crazy for the way she does the two male cops (Mike & Mercer), but she is to be commended for her talent in reading and portraying a story packed with varying accents. I particularly enjoyed her rendition of the maid/accuser in the MGD case.

Slow

Struggled to finish. Though I enjoyed the language at first, the story eventually drowned in all the details.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great new slant on American detective work.

Where does Night Watch rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I first listened to Terminal City, I was captivated by the interactivity between the caractures. So I have chosen on other book by Linda Fairstein. The caractures are still as interactive and believable. I love the way Mike has this thing about Jepordy and his historic quotes while discussing a case. Alex clearly has this love hate relationship with Mike and it works so well.

Have you listened to any of Barbara Rosenblat’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Only with the last book I listened to. Her presentation of the caractures is just great, I love the way she portrays Mike you can just imagine that there is a person just like that out there.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Misleading publisher's summary

Very well narrated by Barbara Rosenblat: good accents and good distinction between voices. Her men's voices were impressive and believable.

This was not really the sort of book I normally go for, and, going back to the publisher's description of it, I can see why. I was expecting to read about some very strange things hidden in New York, but in fact it was a police investigation into crimes by drug smugglers. The 'shocking secrets that have lurked just beneath the surface of the bustling metropolis' must refer to the wine cellars with secret doors with clever hidden mechanisms, leading to rooms where drinkers could hide during Prohibition, and where cocaine can be hidden now – not very shocking really!

Nevertheless I quite enjoyed the story. It hinged on our heroes not knowing how well their friends should be trusted, with Alexandra Cooper being torn in half by her love for Luke but her uncertainty about whether he still loved his wife, and whether he was involved with drugs. Luke had some new business partners but we don't know if they are goodies or baddies, and a rape case involving a senior French-domiciled politician was thrown in to create confusion.