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April Woo #2
L'heure du pendu
The heat is on NYPD cop April Woo and Dr. Jason Frank to stop a savage killer--and time is not on their side. It all starts at a posh boutique on Manhattan's Upper West Side, when a young salesgirl is viciously slain. In the ensuing turmoil at the police station, ambition and sexual politics collide to form an unseemly undercurrent to a barbaric crime. And behind a wall of doctor/patient confidentiality, a sister paints a harrowing picture of emotional terrorism and madness for a prominent psychoanalyst. HC: Bantam.
383 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1995
14 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Glass
49 books41 followersLESLIE GLASS's new book, the Mother Daughter Relationship Makeover is a memoir and exploration of the issues that drive mothers and daughters (and also sons) apart. Her experience as founder and editor of Reach Out Recovery, the online wellness and recovery magazine, inspired her to move beyond her beloved April Woo mystery series and focus on helping people by writing recovery books for people of all ages. Since 2011, she has produced two award winning documentaries, The Secret World of Recovery, and The Silent Majority and developed a website with followers from all over the globe wanting to know more about addiction, recovery, relationships, and health. Reach Out Recovery has more than 1500 original articles.
In her early career Leslie worked in publishing and has written for a variety of media. She was a journalist at New York magazine and a short-story and feature writer for Cosmopolitan and Woman’s Own in Great Britain. A playwright and the author of the critically acclaimed mystery series featuring NYPD Detective Sergeant April Woo, Glass is also the author of Over His Dead Body, Sleeper, The Teen Guide to Health, Find Your True Colors in 12 Steps, The 8 C's That Help Me Be All Right.
She lives in Sarasota, Florida.
Series
* April Woo Mystery
In her early career Leslie worked in publishing and has written for a variety of media. She was a journalist at New York magazine and a short-story and feature writer for Cosmopolitan and Woman’s Own in Great Britain. A playwright and the author of the critically acclaimed mystery series featuring NYPD Detective Sergeant April Woo, Glass is also the author of Over His Dead Body, Sleeper, The Teen Guide to Health, Find Your True Colors in 12 Steps, The 8 C's That Help Me Be All Right.
She lives in Sarasota, Florida.
Series
* April Woo Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 26, 2022
Mon 1er roman de cette auteure. Un peu lent à démarrer et un peu prévisible, mais tout de même un bon moment de lecture
July 29, 2019
This is the second Detective April Woo thriller from author Leslie Glass. Taking place in NYC in 1996 Woo is a new detective looking to take the upcoming sergeants exam for the NYPD. This second series thriller reads much faster with a more lively plot than book one. ("Burning Time", 1993). April works under Sgt.Joyce another women on the force who likes to put down April Woo. Partners with veteran cop Mike Sanchez whose Mexican background makes for a unique pairing of the two cops. Mike keeps pushing for April to enjoy more of his Mexican culture while April wants to stay safely Chinese-American. April's skinny dragon mother Sai Woo makes it a point throughout this read to husband hunt for April. It's early on one late summer morning that April is called out for a body found at a boutique clothing store somewhat close to the police precinct. Salesclerk Maggie Wheeler has been found hanging from a chandelier. Strangled and redressed in clothes far to big for her body. Sadly Maggie was also pregnant. Meanwhile Dr. Jason Frank has a conundrum. Jason is a shrink who is still affected by his wife Emma leaving him for Hollywood. Jason's partner in the practice (Charlie), has hired an architect to redesign his home. The sturdily built Milicia Honiger-Stanton a well respected architect, is also a very open sexpot who is now honing in on Jason. Milicia pesters Jason for a meeting and an appointment for therapy. When Jason finally relents Milicia comes to him an emotional wreck. Milicia's younger sister Camilie Honiger-Stanton is disturbed and "Crazy". Milicia thinks her sister is involved with the recent murder at the clothing boutique. Frustrated by Milicia, Jason thinks it's a good idea to alert April, and above all set a meeting with April. It was during the Emma crisis Jason found April's help comforting. Oh yes Jason seems does have a slight crush for April Woo. While Jason is trying to council Milicia about her sister a second murder in a clothing boutique pretty near the precinct is discovered. Rachel Stark has been found murdered similar to Maggie. This is when Jason finally convinces Milicia to loop the NYPD on her thoughts. In fast paced plot seems to capture several stories lines together for blending into a nice narrative. Throughout the read it was far to easy to figure sister Camilie as the killer as boyfriend Bouck seems to be the heavy. With each sister having an identical small dog and both brought up in an sexually abusive childhood the author Leslie Glass see-saws that light bulb of interrogation between the sisters craftily. Coming at just over 440 pages (Kindle), I did enjoy this yarn. However this one, (Series ?), didn't hold up against time very well. Three stars out of possible five stars for, "Hanging Time". After first two books of this series it is somewhat interesting. Check it out.
August 7, 2019
Hanging Time follows Burning Time in the April Woo series, and once again this is not a particularly good book. It's rare that I give up on a book, however this nearly made it to that exclusive club.
I'd even describe the first half as dull, it's not until the second murder and the conflicting evidence in the investigation comes that the story gets vaguely interesting. Not to the point of gripping mind you, just vaguely interesting where you somewhat question your original assumptions on who the real killer is, and yes despite the authors giant runway lights attempting to lead you in the direction of the easy open and shut answer, the true answer is right in front of you from virtually the beginning. Then just in case you didn't pick that up there's a trail of breadcrumbs throughout the entire novel that point to that answer also.
I also feel that if this book were published today a good segment of the outrage culture subscribers would be all over this as racist with it's frequent 'Asian talk' such as "rucky rife" et cetera because apparently we the readers cannot truly appreciate an Asian character without caricature dialogue.
In closing, if you're trapped on a island after a plane crash, been convicted and looking at a prison term, or will otherwise ensnared with no entertainment or distractions then this would be an option to pass time, but otherwise I'd recommend looking elsewhere for reading material.
I'd even describe the first half as dull, it's not until the second murder and the conflicting evidence in the investigation comes that the story gets vaguely interesting. Not to the point of gripping mind you, just vaguely interesting where you somewhat question your original assumptions on who the real killer is, and yes despite the authors giant runway lights attempting to lead you in the direction of the easy open and shut answer, the true answer is right in front of you from virtually the beginning. Then just in case you didn't pick that up there's a trail of breadcrumbs throughout the entire novel that point to that answer also.
I also feel that if this book were published today a good segment of the outrage culture subscribers would be all over this as racist with it's frequent 'Asian talk' such as "rucky rife" et cetera because apparently we the readers cannot truly appreciate an Asian character without caricature dialogue.
In closing, if you're trapped on a island after a plane crash, been convicted and looking at a prison term, or will otherwise ensnared with no entertainment or distractions then this would be an option to pass time, but otherwise I'd recommend looking elsewhere for reading material.
May 14, 2023
April is a cop in NYPD, and the series is named after her, but just as in the first book, BURNING TIME, the main character is psychiatrist Jason Frank, and April is just a supporting character. He does most of the leg work by questioning suspects and points April in the right direction to solve the case. In this book the first half is filled with clues about the murderer, and many readers should figure who it is, so the story line in the second half is about how April and Jason painstakingly analyze the clues to solve the crime. It is not very exciting stuff. There are some tidbits about child sexual abuse but this is not explored, so the reader is left to figure out what motivated the killer. This was a big letdown from BURNING TIME which I gave 5 stars.
June 9, 2020
I am catching up on Leslie Glass's April Woo series. I had a difficult time getting into this one, but then I couldn't put it down. The characters are not particularly likeable: they're strident, crazy, and passive. I'm sure the author created them this way on purpose. I found it hard to get past my dislike of them.
Once again, NYPD is in chaos. The department is like a shuffled deck of cards that springs loose while being shuffled and half the cards end up on the ground. All gets fixed at the end, but it's a wild ride.
Once again, NYPD is in chaos. The department is like a shuffled deck of cards that springs loose while being shuffled and half the cards end up on the ground. All gets fixed at the end, but it's a wild ride.
December 19, 2023
Aieee! Gruesome, grotesque and psychotic. #2 but as I've read out of order feel I know the characters better than I should. Interesting is repeated mention of parking - double parking where ever, triple parking around the precinct for blocks and blocks, parking in front of hydrants when heading to a scene. Police exempt from using public transit. It all makes sense in light of the crime and necessary police procedure. But coming on top of Paved Paradise, I get the alt-side and can see the public consequences and potential for abuse.
December 22, 2024
Leslie Glass stay ahead off me please!
I’m so glad I’m playing “catch up” with this series, because I am enjoying it so much! The characters are so real, the plots have twists I don’t see coming & I want more! I bought book 1 as a paperback at least a decade ago, but I’m losing vision & couldn’t read it. I just found it on kindle - yay!
I’m so glad I’m playing “catch up” with this series, because I am enjoying it so much! The characters are so real, the plots have twists I don’t see coming & I want more! I bought book 1 as a paperback at least a decade ago, but I’m losing vision & couldn’t read it. I just found it on kindle - yay!
February 6, 2019
Good story with an interesting twist. However, I didn't care for either of the lead characters. April Woo has no personality and Jason Frank is whiny. (I am really tired of characters dealing with depression!) I did like Skinny Dragon Mother - her personality is strong!
April 22, 2021
I always like finding a new detective and an engaging storyline. I especially enjoyed Dragon Mother, although she is probably a stereotypical character. Planning to read a couple more in the series before I decide if this is a keeper.
February 7, 2019
Love the April Wu character! Kept me guessing.
March 30, 2022
I did manage to get to the end, but . . . nah - disappointing
March 19, 2025
Takes a while to take off, but it gets pretty good
January 24, 2011
DAMN! I am really enjoying this series. This is the second in the “time” series and I love the way April Woo is growing. In fact the whole cast of characters are interesting. They are actually - gasp - very real. This story has two sisters who each might be the killer who attacks sales women and hangs them in their workrooms. I can’t read this thing slow. I just eat right through them and can’t wait for the next one. Hip - hip hurray!
November 3, 2008
HANGING TIME - NR
Glass, Leslie - 2nd April Woo
Investigating the murder of a woman who was hung in a fashionable boutique, her body costumed with garish makeup and frilly clothing, NYPD detective April Woo teams up with psychiatrist Jason Frank for a second difficult case.
So poorly done, I couldn't even finish this.
Glass, Leslie - 2nd April Woo
Investigating the murder of a woman who was hung in a fashionable boutique, her body costumed with garish makeup and frilly clothing, NYPD detective April Woo teams up with psychiatrist Jason Frank for a second difficult case.
So poorly done, I couldn't even finish this.
October 11, 2011
This book was alright. It almost seemed like it was less of a mystery and more of a story about April and Jason. I liked the short chapters - it helped make things move along quickly.
I will probably give the April Woo books another go. This seems like it was one of the first books in the series so let's so how Glass is later on.
I will probably give the April Woo books another go. This seems like it was one of the first books in the series so let's so how Glass is later on.
October 25, 2014
#2 in the police detective April Woo mystery series set in New York City. Two sales women are murdered and April and partner Mike Sanchez are part of the investigative team seeking to find the murderer.
Story line jumps around covering various people in the story and these story lines eventually come together as part of the murders.
Story line jumps around covering various people in the story and these story lines eventually come together as part of the murders.
March 19, 2015
The plot is not new at all, the blend of police stuff, shrink stuff and villain stuff feels odd sometimes, the writing is a funny mixture .... and a lot etcetera of odd things here and, yet, I am totally hooked on the series and, above all, the partnership of Chinese female detective and Mexican male one. I cannot give it more stars right now, yet I'm already finishing book 3.
June 17, 2015
I read this entire series years ago (before I had children) and loved them. It was stepping into a Law & Order episode. I wish I could have found the first one, but I must have loaned it out.
The story feels a little dated now, but I would still pick up the next book off the shelf the next time I'm between library books.
The story feels a little dated now, but I would still pick up the next book off the shelf the next time I'm between library books.
October 28, 2011
This book was just OK. I hadn't read the first in the series but it wasn't hard to follow. I'm usually not very good about figuring out the ending to a mystery but I had this one figured out halfway into it.
March 9, 2009
My favourite of her books.
February 17, 2012
Enjoyed this book!
August 20, 2012
Got me - I am an April Woo fan now!
August 11, 2012
Grade: C
Too predictable to rate better. Still, I enjoyed it.
Too predictable to rate better. Still, I enjoyed it.
April 18, 2014
I read this a long time ago. I think I liked it.
December 1, 2022
Highly recommend. I could not put it down for 2 days!
October 15, 2008
A predictable storyline.
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April 6, 2013aaa3333 the book is AMAZING :o
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews