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Airtight
Judge Daniel Brennan is only days away from achieving a seat on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals bench when he's brutally stabbed to death in his garage. An army of media and law enforcement descend on the case, and thousands of tips pour in from the public. When one tip leads New Jersey policeman Luke Somers to Steven Gallagher, things quickly go wrong, but Luke is instantly glorified for solving the case.
But to one man, Luke is no hero. Chris Gallagher raised his brother, Steven, almost single-handedly, and, certain that Steven is innocent, he won't rest until he sets the record straight. Thanks to Luke's newfound fame, he's an easy man to find, and Chris quickly makes it clear that Luke's own brother will die if Luke refuses to help clear Steven's name. So begins Luke's desperate attempt to find another suspect—any other suspect—in Judge Brennan's death. But Luke's investigation might open the door to powerful forces even more dangerous than Chris Gallagher.
From David Rosenfelt, author of the beloved Andy Carpenter series, comes Airtight, a high-octane thriller of murder, revenge, and family loyalty.
But to one man, Luke is no hero. Chris Gallagher raised his brother, Steven, almost single-handedly, and, certain that Steven is innocent, he won't rest until he sets the record straight. Thanks to Luke's newfound fame, he's an easy man to find, and Chris quickly makes it clear that Luke's own brother will die if Luke refuses to help clear Steven's name. So begins Luke's desperate attempt to find another suspect—any other suspect—in Judge Brennan's death. But Luke's investigation might open the door to powerful forces even more dangerous than Chris Gallagher.
From David Rosenfelt, author of the beloved Andy Carpenter series, comes Airtight, a high-octane thriller of murder, revenge, and family loyalty.
295 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2012
194 people are currently reading
970 people want to read
About the author
David Rosenfelt
74 books2,926 followersI am a novelist with 27 dogs.
I have gotten to this dubious position with absolutely no planning, and at no stage in my life could I have predicted it. But here I am.
My childhood was relentlessly normal. The middle of three brothers, loving parents, a middle-class home in Paterson, New Jersey. We played sports, studied sporadically. laughed around the dinner table, and generally had a good time. By comparison, "Ozzie and Harriet's" clan seemed bizarre.
I graduated NYU, then decided to go into the movie business. I was stunningly brilliant at a job interview with my uncle, who was President of United Artists, and was immediately hired. It set me off on a climb up the executive ladder, culminating in my becoming President of Marketing for Tri-Star Pictures. The movie landscape is filled with the movies I buried; for every "Rambo", "The Natural" and "Rocky", there are countless disasters.
I did manage to find the time to marry and have two children, both of whom are doing very well, and fortunately neither have inherited my eccentricities.
A number of years ago, I left the movie marketing business, to the sustained applause of hundreds of disgruntled producers and directors. I decided to try my hand at writing. I wrote and sold a bunch of feature films, none of which ever came close to being actually filmed, and then a bunch of TV movies, some of which actually made it to the small screen. It's safe to say that their impact on the American cultural scene has been minimal.
About fourteen years ago, my wife and I started the Tara Foundation, named in honor of the greatest Golden Retriever the world has ever known. We rescued almost 4,000 dogs, many of them Goldens, and found them loving homes. Our own home quickly became a sanctuary for those dogs that we rescued that were too old or sickly to be wanted by others. They surround me as I write this. It's total lunacy, but it works, and they are a happy, safe group.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidr...
I have gotten to this dubious position with absolutely no planning, and at no stage in my life could I have predicted it. But here I am.
My childhood was relentlessly normal. The middle of three brothers, loving parents, a middle-class home in Paterson, New Jersey. We played sports, studied sporadically. laughed around the dinner table, and generally had a good time. By comparison, "Ozzie and Harriet's" clan seemed bizarre.
I graduated NYU, then decided to go into the movie business. I was stunningly brilliant at a job interview with my uncle, who was President of United Artists, and was immediately hired. It set me off on a climb up the executive ladder, culminating in my becoming President of Marketing for Tri-Star Pictures. The movie landscape is filled with the movies I buried; for every "Rambo", "The Natural" and "Rocky", there are countless disasters.
I did manage to find the time to marry and have two children, both of whom are doing very well, and fortunately neither have inherited my eccentricities.
A number of years ago, I left the movie marketing business, to the sustained applause of hundreds of disgruntled producers and directors. I decided to try my hand at writing. I wrote and sold a bunch of feature films, none of which ever came close to being actually filmed, and then a bunch of TV movies, some of which actually made it to the small screen. It's safe to say that their impact on the American cultural scene has been minimal.
About fourteen years ago, my wife and I started the Tara Foundation, named in honor of the greatest Golden Retriever the world has ever known. We rescued almost 4,000 dogs, many of them Goldens, and found them loving homes. Our own home quickly became a sanctuary for those dogs that we rescued that were too old or sickly to be wanted by others. They surround me as I write this. It's total lunacy, but it works, and they are a happy, safe group.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidr...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
October 16, 2024
This is my final “old” stand-alone read from this author, that is not connected to his Andy Carpenter series.
The story opens with the death of a Judge. Who and why would anyone want him dead? Is it related to any of his open or closed cases?
And, thus, the author sets things in motion with his police officer Luke Somers immediately on the case to track down the Judge’s supposed killer, Steven Gallagher. But did they get the right person?
And, what happens when Steve’s brother, Chris doesn’t believe his brother was the killer, and decides to force Luke to reopen the investigation? What is he holding over Luke to make him comply? (No spoilers from me.)
The clock is ticking as readers wonder, was Steven Gallagher the killer or not? And, if not, will there be justice in the end?
And, what will it take to protect the person they love?
Another tense, page-turner from this author, with a lot of explosions and some unnecessary distractions, that will still find its way to keeping readers engaged.
The story opens with the death of a Judge. Who and why would anyone want him dead? Is it related to any of his open or closed cases?
And, thus, the author sets things in motion with his police officer Luke Somers immediately on the case to track down the Judge’s supposed killer, Steven Gallagher. But did they get the right person?
And, what happens when Steve’s brother, Chris doesn’t believe his brother was the killer, and decides to force Luke to reopen the investigation? What is he holding over Luke to make him comply? (No spoilers from me.)
The clock is ticking as readers wonder, was Steven Gallagher the killer or not? And, if not, will there be justice in the end?
And, what will it take to protect the person they love?
Another tense, page-turner from this author, with a lot of explosions and some unnecessary distractions, that will still find its way to keeping readers engaged.
October 22, 2014
I didn't like this as well as his Andy Carpenter books for a couple of reasons. The first was the reader.Jeff Steitzer isn't Grover Gardner, the guy that read the entire AC series. They have a very similar, pleasant voice for most, but Steitzer tends to emphasize words that I wouldn't, so it's discordant for me. Worse, Rosenfelt tends to be somewhat repetitious about certain points, so Steitzer's emphasis makes the repetitions stand out even more. Not good. Worst of all, his other voices suck; bad or tough guys all have a bass whisper, women squeak. Ugh. Still, it wasn't that bad overall, just in comparison to the wonderful job that Gardner does.
I only gave this 2 stars for the story, too. Rosenfelt doesn't do real tough guys very well, although they're fine as secondary characters such as Marcus in the Andy Carpenter series. In this case, the hero is a State Trooper & the other main player is a Recon Marine & Rosenfelt never made them feel real & that didn't do the main plot twist any good. This was quite a twisty tale with a lot of mystery & drama, plus more murders than then entire Andy Carpenter series combined, I think. They almost became redundant & lost their horror. Overall, the twists were great as were the motivations.
Another ding was the computer stuff. I do this for a living so several points were just ridiculous, but I'll only list two.
So, overall I wasn't thrilled. Some of this was a let down, but it just wasn't a great story. Still, it wasn't a waste of time. It had its moments & was interesting, even engaging at times.
I only gave this 2 stars for the story, too. Rosenfelt doesn't do real tough guys very well, although they're fine as secondary characters such as Marcus in the Andy Carpenter series. In this case, the hero is a State Trooper & the other main player is a Recon Marine & Rosenfelt never made them feel real & that didn't do the main plot twist any good. This was quite a twisty tale with a lot of mystery & drama, plus more murders than then entire Andy Carpenter series combined, I think. They almost became redundant & lost their horror. Overall, the twists were great as were the motivations.
Another ding was the computer stuff. I do this for a living so several points were just ridiculous, but I'll only list two.
So, overall I wasn't thrilled. Some of this was a let down, but it just wasn't a great story. Still, it wasn't a waste of time. It had its moments & was interesting, even engaging at times.
February 19, 2013
David Rosenfelt is one of the very best, and very underrated, authors of suspense today. His novels of suspense are written with a light touch, but in a way that keeps you on edge to see what is going to happen on the next page. He has a recurring main character of Andy Carpenter; and his series of 10 books featuring Andy, are a delight to read. His most current book, "Airtight," is a stand-alone novel. But one that I can certainly see as a very popular multi-book series in the future. The main character is Luke Somers, an N.Y.C. detective. A Circuit Court of Appeals judge is murdered and Luke receives a tip on who did it. As he enters the alledged killers home, the man draws a gun, and Detective Somers is forced to kill him. What follows is just plain a most excellent read. Do yourself a favor--buy it, read it, and enjoy the heck out of it.
March 4, 2013
This is my first thriller by David Rosenfelt, but it certainly won't be my last!! What a page turner! After a bit of a slow start, the action never let up. It was good to the last page! Excellent plot development, excellent character portrayal and development, excellent pacing.
How refreshing to read a novel with none of the current "must-haves". There were no 4-letter words, no social issues, no graphic sex, no chases, no gore, no graphic violence. However, there was plenty of action - Murders, explosions, shoot-outs, etc.
Also, there was no filler in the book to make it longer. This is one of those things which, apparently, has become a "must have." Most current novels I read are 350-400 pages with at least 100 pages of just "filler" which has nothing to do with the plot. This book is 282 pages and there is substance on every page.
The situation fomenting the murders, etc., was fracking - which is a very real concern right now. I appreciate the light he shed on all aspects of this current practice.
The protagonist was not a superman with superhuman powers (nor a super-human computer). It was all very credible. It was extremely well written and completely enjoyable. The suspense went right down to the last page and all issues were tied up (and tidyed up) neatly. At the end the good guys and the bad guys were well delineated.
How refreshing to read a novel with none of the current "must-haves". There were no 4-letter words, no social issues, no graphic sex, no chases, no gore, no graphic violence. However, there was plenty of action - Murders, explosions, shoot-outs, etc.
Also, there was no filler in the book to make it longer. This is one of those things which, apparently, has become a "must have." Most current novels I read are 350-400 pages with at least 100 pages of just "filler" which has nothing to do with the plot. This book is 282 pages and there is substance on every page.
The situation fomenting the murders, etc., was fracking - which is a very real concern right now. I appreciate the light he shed on all aspects of this current practice.
The protagonist was not a superman with superhuman powers (nor a super-human computer). It was all very credible. It was extremely well written and completely enjoyable. The suspense went right down to the last page and all issues were tied up (and tidyed up) neatly. At the end the good guys and the bad guys were well delineated.
August 16, 2017
I eagerly awaited David Rosenfelt's new release, AIRTIGHT, but was terribly disappointed. It was a laborious read. It was boringly lengthy due to the undeveloped, flat charterers, simple and disingenuous dialogue, and an implausible and confusing storyline. By the middle of the book, I didn't even care who was the antagonist. I kept reading hoping it would redeem itself, but it did not. This book was substandard compared to all of Mr. Rosenfelt's past publications. I miss the author's Andy Carpenter series!
February 20, 2013
“Airtight” by David Rosenfelt, published by Minotaur Books.
Category – Mystery/Thriller
Judge Daniel Brennan is brutally murdered. He was stabbed some thirty times. Luke Somers of the New Jersey Police Department is put on the case. His investigation leads him to Steven Gallagher, a drug addict, and kills him in self defense.
On would think that this was an open and shut case, except Steven’s brother thinks his brother is innocent. In order to clear his name he kidnaps Luke’s brother. He tells Luke that unless he clears his brother’s name in seven days his brother will die in retribution.
In trying to free his brother Luke finds that the town of Brayton has issues of its own. It seems they are sitting on shale that could be worth millions by extracting gas by a method called “fracking” which could be detrimental to the environment.
Luke, who has only seven days to save his brother’s life, finds that the fight over “fracking” may have something to do with Steven Gallagher’s death and the kidnapping of his brother.
David Rosenfelt puts together a mystery that will keep the reader “on his toes” throughout the book, and supplies a surprise ending. “Airtight” is a book that will appeal to everyone not only for it’s suspense and plot, but there is nothing that would be objectionable to any reader.
Category – Mystery/Thriller
Judge Daniel Brennan is brutally murdered. He was stabbed some thirty times. Luke Somers of the New Jersey Police Department is put on the case. His investigation leads him to Steven Gallagher, a drug addict, and kills him in self defense.
On would think that this was an open and shut case, except Steven’s brother thinks his brother is innocent. In order to clear his name he kidnaps Luke’s brother. He tells Luke that unless he clears his brother’s name in seven days his brother will die in retribution.
In trying to free his brother Luke finds that the town of Brayton has issues of its own. It seems they are sitting on shale that could be worth millions by extracting gas by a method called “fracking” which could be detrimental to the environment.
Luke, who has only seven days to save his brother’s life, finds that the fight over “fracking” may have something to do with Steven Gallagher’s death and the kidnapping of his brother.
David Rosenfelt puts together a mystery that will keep the reader “on his toes” throughout the book, and supplies a surprise ending. “Airtight” is a book that will appeal to everyone not only for it’s suspense and plot, but there is nothing that would be objectionable to any reader.
May 23, 2016
PROTAGONIST: Lieut. Luke Somers, NJ State Police
SETTING: Northern New Jersey
RATING: 4.0
The murder of a judge is always a high profile event, and that is certainly true when Daniel Brennan is killed a short time before he is scheduled to take a seat in an appeals court. Lieutenant Luke Somers of the New Jersey State Police follows one promising lead to the home of a drug addict, Steven Gallagher, who he ends up killing in self defense. Steven’s brother, Chris, is convinced that his brother could not have murdered anyone. To achieve his goal of proving Steven innocent, he kidnaps Luke’s brother, Bryan, and imprisons him in an underground room which has only a 7-day supply of air. If Luke doesn’t prove that Steven is not guilty by then, his brother will die.
Initially, Luke only half-heartedly investigates Brennan’s death—he is almost completely certain that Steven is the killer. But the further that he progresses on the case, the more he becomes convinced that he is mistaken and that somebody else is the perpetrator. The issue then becomes one of clearing Steven’s name before Bryan’s prison runs out of air. Bryan does have limited access to a computer, and he and Luke are able to communicate with one another. The ticking clock device is used with great success in AIRTIGHT. Suspense mounts as the time limit comes near. There are many complications that don’t bode well for a successful outcome.
The real strength of the book lies in its characters. Rosenfelt did a particularly good job in his depiction of Chris Gallagher. Chris was in the military and uses that background to manage the situation. Despite the fact that he has placed Luke’s brother into grave danger, he is not an evil man and at times even helps Luke in his quest. Although the plot is well constructed, there were a few areas that didn’t quite work for me. For one, it seemed improbable to expect that even a large contingent of law enforcement agents would be able to find an underground bomb shelter in northern New Jersey. Secondly, the book ends with a big twist that felt forced for effect. I wished that had been handled with a more subtle hand. Nonetheless, I enjoyed AIRTIGHT and found the pages turning quickly.
SETTING: Northern New Jersey
RATING: 4.0
The murder of a judge is always a high profile event, and that is certainly true when Daniel Brennan is killed a short time before he is scheduled to take a seat in an appeals court. Lieutenant Luke Somers of the New Jersey State Police follows one promising lead to the home of a drug addict, Steven Gallagher, who he ends up killing in self defense. Steven’s brother, Chris, is convinced that his brother could not have murdered anyone. To achieve his goal of proving Steven innocent, he kidnaps Luke’s brother, Bryan, and imprisons him in an underground room which has only a 7-day supply of air. If Luke doesn’t prove that Steven is not guilty by then, his brother will die.
Initially, Luke only half-heartedly investigates Brennan’s death—he is almost completely certain that Steven is the killer. But the further that he progresses on the case, the more he becomes convinced that he is mistaken and that somebody else is the perpetrator. The issue then becomes one of clearing Steven’s name before Bryan’s prison runs out of air. Bryan does have limited access to a computer, and he and Luke are able to communicate with one another. The ticking clock device is used with great success in AIRTIGHT. Suspense mounts as the time limit comes near. There are many complications that don’t bode well for a successful outcome.
The real strength of the book lies in its characters. Rosenfelt did a particularly good job in his depiction of Chris Gallagher. Chris was in the military and uses that background to manage the situation. Despite the fact that he has placed Luke’s brother into grave danger, he is not an evil man and at times even helps Luke in his quest. Although the plot is well constructed, there were a few areas that didn’t quite work for me. For one, it seemed improbable to expect that even a large contingent of law enforcement agents would be able to find an underground bomb shelter in northern New Jersey. Secondly, the book ends with a big twist that felt forced for effect. I wished that had been handled with a more subtle hand. Nonetheless, I enjoyed AIRTIGHT and found the pages turning quickly.
December 8, 2016
This was bare bones to the point where it almost felt like an outline someone would go back and fill in. I liked the fact that it moved quickly, and the plot was very topical and timely, in a ripped-from-the-headlines sort of way, but there wasn't a whole lot there to make me give a shit about what happened to any of these characters. Note that I don't read a lot of these kinds of books, and I've yet to find very many of them I really like. The last crime novel I read was Richard Price's the Whites, which I kinda liked, and before that, Don Winslow's Power of the Dog, which I absolutely loved.
July 24, 2016
The terrific start pulled this from a two to a three star. The characters were flat. I didn't like the dialogue. The sub plots were poor. I didn't even like the reader. His emphasis was over kill.
March 22, 2021
narrated by Jeff Steitzer
A standalone by Rosenfelt, good but not as much humor as in the Andy Carpenter series. Intensely suspenseful.
A standalone by Rosenfelt, good but not as much humor as in the Andy Carpenter series. Intensely suspenseful.
December 7, 2013
A judge about to rule on an important environmental case is murdered in his driveway and tips and clues all lead police to the home of down-and-out drug addict Stephen Gallagher. Not really believing Stephen is guilty, but feeling he may know something police pay him a visit and are greeted by the suspect pointing a gun. Detective Luke Somers wastes not time recognizing the fact that an unstable individual is pointing a gun at him threatening to shoot and pulls his trigger first. While the rest of the world considers it a justified reaction to the situation, ex-black ops Chris Gallagher, Stephen’s brother has a different opinion. Living by his an eye for an eye credo he subsequently kidnaps Luke’s brother to force Luke to reopen the investigation in order to prove his brother innocent. Keeping Luke’s brother in an AIRTIGHT room with a seven-day supply of oxygen keeps the investigation on track and this story moving along at a satisfactory clip.
It’s a mystery/thriller so as usual the reader must suspend reality for a little bit, but overall Mr. Rosenfelt keeps the action within reasonable bounds. The sub-story is about fracking and it’s impact on the environment (the case the judge was going to rule on) so I learned a little bit about a term I had heard but did not know much about. Overall it was a good read.
It’s a mystery/thriller so as usual the reader must suspend reality for a little bit, but overall Mr. Rosenfelt keeps the action within reasonable bounds. The sub-story is about fracking and it’s impact on the environment (the case the judge was going to rule on) so I learned a little bit about a term I had heard but did not know much about. Overall it was a good read.
August 6, 2013
Daniel Brennan is going to be a federal judge, succeeding Susan Dembeck, except he gets stabbed to death in his garage. Detective Lucas Somers shoots the suspected killer, Steven Gallagher, when he finds Steven sitting in his apartment holding a gun. Chris Gallagher, Steven's brother, comes back from Afghanistan to find out what happened and exact justice for what he sees as his brother's murder. Chris will do anything to avenge his brother and Luke finds out to what lengths Chris will go. Edward Holland didn't plan on ending up as mayor of a podunk town in New Jersey; he had much bigger plans than that. But first, he had to survive the federal lawsuit brought by Carlton Auto Parts. Nobody was going to walk away a winner from this.
March 1, 2015
2.5 stars but I will round up because the story was alright.
This is my second David Rosenfelt book, and I guess I'm not a fan. I struggled through this book and through the last one as well. I did the audio on this, I didn't like the reader so that may have contributed to the dislike, but I can't pin it all on him.
His stories are clean and not graphic, so that is something I appreciate. I guess my biggest complaints are dialog, character development and predictability. There are no surprises in any of those three things. Nothing new. Everyone is always on their best behavior and always tries to say the right thing. It was like a job interview.
December 20, 2014
I love mysteries and really good writers and I especially love really good writers who write mysteries. Airtight was the first of David Rosenfelt's books that I've read, and it was so well done that I can't imagine any sort of slippage in his other books, which means I've got a whole lot of fun ahead of me.
Airtight is smart and inevitable without being showoff-y or obvious.
And real people are witty and ironic and sarcastic and tender in just the way that Rosenfelt writes them.
That is all.
Airtight is smart and inevitable without being showoff-y or obvious.
And real people are witty and ironic and sarcastic and tender in just the way that Rosenfelt writes them.
That is all.
February 9, 2014
I didn't enjoy this Rosenfelt book as much as I normally do. I am a fan of Rosenfelt but had trouble getting connected to this book. I completed the book but found myself skimming paragraphs towards the end.
August 13, 2013
Only for those who enjoy a preposterous plot based on outrageous assumptions. An insult to the genre.
July 11, 2021
Luke is a police officer in New Jersey. When a judge is murdered, an anonymous tip leads Luke to Steven Gallagher's. When Luke goes to investigate, Steven pulls a gun on Luke and Luke defends himself and shoots Luke. Evidence is found in Steven's apartment confirming that he did indeed murder the judge.
When Chris, Steven's military brother finds out that his brother had been suspected of killing the judge, he doesn't believe it. And he's not too happy to find out that a police officer had killed his brother. Chris kidnaps Bryan, Luke's brother, and imprisons him in a room that only has enough air for seven days. He then tells Luke that he has seven days to find the real killer of the judge of his brother will die.
Luke feels bad about shooting Steven but feels justified in doing it and believes Steven was guilty. In order to free his brother, he has to come up with a couple other possibilities ... and as he does so, he comes to believe that Steven didn't kill the judge after all. Then it becomes a race of time to find out who did so he brother will live.
I've read many books by this author, mostly his Andy Carpenter series which I enjoy, and this is a stand alone. I like the writing style and it is written in first person perspective in Luke's voice and third person perspective when the focus is on others. I liked this story and there was any number of people who could have been the real killer.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2021/07...
When Chris, Steven's military brother finds out that his brother had been suspected of killing the judge, he doesn't believe it. And he's not too happy to find out that a police officer had killed his brother. Chris kidnaps Bryan, Luke's brother, and imprisons him in a room that only has enough air for seven days. He then tells Luke that he has seven days to find the real killer of the judge of his brother will die.
Luke feels bad about shooting Steven but feels justified in doing it and believes Steven was guilty. In order to free his brother, he has to come up with a couple other possibilities ... and as he does so, he comes to believe that Steven didn't kill the judge after all. Then it becomes a race of time to find out who did so he brother will live.
I've read many books by this author, mostly his Andy Carpenter series which I enjoy, and this is a stand alone. I like the writing style and it is written in first person perspective in Luke's voice and third person perspective when the focus is on others. I liked this story and there was any number of people who could have been the real killer.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2021/07...
June 6, 2021
What would you do if your brother was charged with a crime you are sure he didn't commit? Would you punish the arresting office by kidnapping his only brother?
This is what happens to policeman Luke Somers, who has killed the the offender, and he must find another suspect - fast - before his own brother dies. This is a fast-paced thriller that finds time to make you care about the good and bad guys.
This is what happens to policeman Luke Somers, who has killed the the offender, and he must find another suspect - fast - before his own brother dies. This is a fast-paced thriller that finds time to make you care about the good and bad guys.
April 12, 2023
This was fast paced and kept my interest, though I think it wasn’t my favorite of his stand alone books. Still really good though. I also saw a few flashes of Andy Carpenter, which is always a good thing!!!
March 13, 2015
New Jersey police officer Luke Somers kills Steven Gallagher on-duty. Gallagher was believed to have stabbed to death a Judge. And when Somers hunts down and approaches Gallagher, Gallagher raises a gun and Somers shoots him. Boom! Somers is a hero. A hero to everyone but Steven’s brother Chris. Chris kidnaps Luke’s bother and tells Luke that his brother will die unless Luke finds the real killer of the Judge. Luke is pretty sure he did find the real killer: Steven, but what can he do? As he goes through the motions to satisfy Chris, Luke soon finds himself involved in something dark and much larger than any of them. Another nail-biter plot that keeps one reading/listening.
March 13, 2013
After loving Heart of a Killer, I looked forward to Airtight with all the hype about it. I found there were too many mistakes in the writing and/or editing. For example, 90 minutes became 3 hours in the beginning.
Late in the story someone was laying face down while receiving CPR on their BACK. There were several other grammatical errors as well. Perhaps it was too quickly written. I would not really get into the characters as in the prior book. And I'll admit I surely suspected the correct antagonist from near the beginning. So this one was quite a disappointment to me overall.
Late in the story someone was laying face down while receiving CPR on their BACK. There were several other grammatical errors as well. Perhaps it was too quickly written. I would not really get into the characters as in the prior book. And I'll admit I surely suspected the correct antagonist from near the beginning. So this one was quite a disappointment to me overall.
February 18, 2013
Rosenfelt is absolutely one of my favorite writers. He never disappoints. I love the dry sense of humor that he inserts in his characters. Although I prefer his Andy Carpenter series because of the beloved goldens, this stand alone book was outstanding with many twists and turns. When a book has me gasp in surprise - it is a good one! The only way this could have been improved is if he had incorporated a dog! Guess I'll just have to wait for the next Carpenter book, which comes out this year. :)
March 7, 2013
Very good story. This one really kept me guessing. When one of the characters was killed off, it startled me so much that I actually jumped in my seat. Judge Daniel Brennan is murdered by multiple knife wounds just days before he is to become a Second Circuit Court of Appeals Judge.
This story involved "fracking" for energy, corruption, multiple explosions including cars and multiple killings. It is a rush to try to save a police officer's brother before he runs out of air in an underground bunker. Chilling.
This story involved "fracking" for energy, corruption, multiple explosions including cars and multiple killings. It is a rush to try to save a police officer's brother before he runs out of air in an underground bunker. Chilling.
March 18, 2013
Lt. Luke Somers of the New Jersey police is called to take in Steven Gallagher for the murder of a judge. When he confronts the drug addicted young man, he believes that the gun Steven has is pointed at him and shoots Steven to protect himself. He is called a hero by the media but soon finds out that things aren't what they seem. Steven's brother Chris comes home from Afghanistan to find out the truth. He takes a dangerous step to force Luke to find the real killer. A fast paced book, easy to read and a thriller.
July 11, 2013
I have read all of the Andy Carpenter novels written by Rosenfelt and enjoyed the humor along with the storyline. This is his fifth thriller and I have read all but one of them.
It truly was a thriller which kept me turning the pages and had a big surprise at one point. The chapters were short and I really didn't pick out "who dun it". I also liked the surprise ending.
Rosenfelt's novels are interesting and capture your attention without being dark. You will enjoy them.
It truly was a thriller which kept me turning the pages and had a big surprise at one point. The chapters were short and I really didn't pick out "who dun it". I also liked the surprise ending.
Rosenfelt's novels are interesting and capture your attention without being dark. You will enjoy them.
August 6, 2013
This is a Rosenfelt standalone, still in New Jersey, less humor than the Carpenter series, but what a thriller. Could not put this book down. The villian was a complete surprise, the ending also a surprise. Clues abounded but I was just reading and reading to get to the end! I wanted to go to sleep but had to finish! I think Rosenfelt is one of the best writers around, and I am not just saying that because I met him and he is just as fun to listen to as read!!
June 10, 2018
More somber and serious than his others. A depressing love triangle adds confusion, not the nuance I think the author may have wanted. Typical bad guys shooting people. This time the main character is a cop. He’s killed someone in the line of duty and the victim’s brother kidnaps the cop’s brother for revenge. You know who the true bad guy is all along; just not how the pieces connect and you cheer at the end.
June 17, 2021
Good, but not great. I agree with other reviewers —I prefer the Andy. Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt. In this book there are two story lines, and too many characters for me to keep straight with an audiobook. There are tense moments, though, and the humor that I enjoy in Rosenfelt’s books.
November 29, 2016
3 1/2 stars. Not nearly as good as the Andy Carpenter books, but a good story just the same.
September 4, 2017
If you passed on this book for whatever reason, you missed a great opportunity to read breathlessly or very nearly so. An explanation is in order:
Luke Somers is a detective in a small New Jersey town in transition. It is a company town essentially; its residents have relied largely on one company to provide the community’s jobs. But that company is in trouble, and while the citizens don’t know that, they are brutally made aware that something is horribly awry the day an appeals court nominee is murdered in his garage while eating a Fudgsicle. Soon, a local addict is fingered for the killing, since the judge sentenced the addict to prison years earlier. When Detective Somers and his associates arrive, the young man raises a gun, forcing Luke to kill him in self defense. But Chris Gallagher, a marine stationed in Afghanistan, knows his brother would never have killed a cop. He returns to New Jersey on leave, and while he intends to confront Luke Somers, it is Luke’s brother, Bryan, whom he finds outside Luke’s house that fateful night. Feeling that justice would at least be partially served, Chris kidnaps Bryan Somers, takes him to a location underground, pipes in only enough air to last seven days, gives him a laptop with email capability but no other connectivity, and notifies Luke that his brother has a week to live if Luke can’t find a way to clear the addict of the death of the judge.
The case flounders initially, and precious time is wasted looking in the wrong places for the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, you almost hear the ticking of some unseen iron-fisted clock somewhere as options run out for Bryan Gallagher.
Luke Somers is a detective in a small New Jersey town in transition. It is a company town essentially; its residents have relied largely on one company to provide the community’s jobs. But that company is in trouble, and while the citizens don’t know that, they are brutally made aware that something is horribly awry the day an appeals court nominee is murdered in his garage while eating a Fudgsicle. Soon, a local addict is fingered for the killing, since the judge sentenced the addict to prison years earlier. When Detective Somers and his associates arrive, the young man raises a gun, forcing Luke to kill him in self defense. But Chris Gallagher, a marine stationed in Afghanistan, knows his brother would never have killed a cop. He returns to New Jersey on leave, and while he intends to confront Luke Somers, it is Luke’s brother, Bryan, whom he finds outside Luke’s house that fateful night. Feeling that justice would at least be partially served, Chris kidnaps Bryan Somers, takes him to a location underground, pipes in only enough air to last seven days, gives him a laptop with email capability but no other connectivity, and notifies Luke that his brother has a week to live if Luke can’t find a way to clear the addict of the death of the judge.
The case flounders initially, and precious time is wasted looking in the wrong places for the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, you almost hear the ticking of some unseen iron-fisted clock somewhere as options run out for Bryan Gallagher.
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