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Alexandra Cooper #16
Terminal City
In Terminal City, Fairstein turns her attention to one of New York's most iconic structures—Grand Central Terminal.
Grand Central Terminal is the very center of the city. It’s also the sixth most visited tourist attraction in the world. From the world’s largest Tiffany clock decorating the Forty-Second Street entrance to using electric trains since the early 1900s, Grand Central has been a symbol of beauty and innovation in New York City for more than one hundred years.
But "the world’s loveliest station” is hiding more than just an underground train system, and in Terminal City Alex Cooper and Mike Chapman must contend with Grand Central’s dark secrets as well as their own changing relationship.
Grand Central Terminal is the very center of the city. It’s also the sixth most visited tourist attraction in the world. From the world’s largest Tiffany clock decorating the Forty-Second Street entrance to using electric trains since the early 1900s, Grand Central has been a symbol of beauty and innovation in New York City for more than one hundred years.
But "the world’s loveliest station” is hiding more than just an underground train system, and in Terminal City Alex Cooper and Mike Chapman must contend with Grand Central’s dark secrets as well as their own changing relationship.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
155 people are currently reading
1481 people want to read
About the author
Linda Fairstein
101 books1,606 followersLinda Fairstein (born 1947) is one of America's foremost legal experts on crimes of violence against women and children. She served as head of the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's office from 1976 until 2002 and is the author of a series of novels featuring Manhattan prosecutor Alexandra Cooper.
Like Fairstein, Alex ('Coop') Cooper is in charge of the Special Victims Unit of the Office. She works closely with NYPD detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace. The 17th book in her best-selling series - DEVIL'S BRIDGE - launches in paperback in June, 2016. The 18th novel - KILLER LOOK - debuts on July 26th.
This year, Fairstein will debut a new series for Middle Grade readers - 8-12 years old. Her kid sleuth, Devlin Quick, appears in INTO THE LION'S DEN in November, 2016. The series is an homage to Nancy Drew, whose books inspired Linda's two careers - in crime fiction and in the law.
Ms. Fairstein is an honors graduate of Vassar College (1969) and the University of Virginia School of Law (1972). She joined the Manhattan District Attorney's office in 1972 as an Assistant District Attorney. She was promoted to the head of the sex crimes unit in 1976. During her tenure, she prosecuted several highly publicized cases, including the "Preppy Murder" case against Robert Chambers in 1986.
Linda Fairstein left the District Attorney's office in 2002, and has continued to consult, write, lecture and serve as a sex crimes expert for a wide variety of print and television media outlets, including the major networks, CNN, MSNBC among others. Ms. Fairstein is often called to provide her opinion on high profile prosecutions including: Michael Jackson's molestation charges in 2004, Kobe Bryant's sexual assault charges, and Scott Peterson's trial. She is also a frequent speaker on issues surrounding domestic abuse.
Ms. Fairstein lives in Manhattan and on Martha's Vineyard with her husband, Michael Goldberg. Her novels draw on Ms. Fairstein's legal expertise as well as her knowledge of and affection for the rich history of the city of New York.
Series:
* Alexandra Cooper Mystery
Like Fairstein, Alex ('Coop') Cooper is in charge of the Special Victims Unit of the Office. She works closely with NYPD detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace. The 17th book in her best-selling series - DEVIL'S BRIDGE - launches in paperback in June, 2016. The 18th novel - KILLER LOOK - debuts on July 26th.
This year, Fairstein will debut a new series for Middle Grade readers - 8-12 years old. Her kid sleuth, Devlin Quick, appears in INTO THE LION'S DEN in November, 2016. The series is an homage to Nancy Drew, whose books inspired Linda's two careers - in crime fiction and in the law.
Ms. Fairstein is an honors graduate of Vassar College (1969) and the University of Virginia School of Law (1972). She joined the Manhattan District Attorney's office in 1972 as an Assistant District Attorney. She was promoted to the head of the sex crimes unit in 1976. During her tenure, she prosecuted several highly publicized cases, including the "Preppy Murder" case against Robert Chambers in 1986.
Linda Fairstein left the District Attorney's office in 2002, and has continued to consult, write, lecture and serve as a sex crimes expert for a wide variety of print and television media outlets, including the major networks, CNN, MSNBC among others. Ms. Fairstein is often called to provide her opinion on high profile prosecutions including: Michael Jackson's molestation charges in 2004, Kobe Bryant's sexual assault charges, and Scott Peterson's trial. She is also a frequent speaker on issues surrounding domestic abuse.
Ms. Fairstein lives in Manhattan and on Martha's Vineyard with her husband, Michael Goldberg. Her novels draw on Ms. Fairstein's legal expertise as well as her knowledge of and affection for the rich history of the city of New York.
Series:
* Alexandra Cooper Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 521 reviews
July 2, 2014
I've been ambivalent about Ms Fairstein's books for a while. Early books had heroine Alex Cooper as a victim in need of "saving" 3-4 times per book. Making the reader wonder why the cops would take her anywhere for fear she would contaminate the scene. That stopped-yeah!
In this latest book she is back to being a victim, this time with at the hands of her latest crush, Detective Mike Chapman. Chapman spends most of the book treating Alex to verbal abuse and using her as the butt of not so funny jabs, There is no witty banter, no softening of the verbal knife thrusts. And Alex, supposedly, smart, intelligent, quick witted Alex, accepts it as her due.
There is no way she has that job and is that much a victim.
In this latest book she is back to being a victim, this time with at the hands of her latest crush, Detective Mike Chapman. Chapman spends most of the book treating Alex to verbal abuse and using her as the butt of not so funny jabs, There is no witty banter, no softening of the verbal knife thrusts. And Alex, supposedly, smart, intelligent, quick witted Alex, accepts it as her due.
There is no way she has that job and is that much a victim.
March 14, 2015
I really like this series and enjoy the well-researched information of New York that the author uses as background in her books.
This was not a great addition to the series for me.
Alexandra Cooper is one of my favourite heroine characters but I felt a bit let down with the way she handles the verbal abuse from her partner, Mike Chapman.
She just lets him get away with it.....So, that's his sense of humour!!!! No way!!!
Why don't the two get together is beyond me. They have an attraction for each other and the sexual tension hovers everytime they together.
The plot dragged a bit for me.....nothing much really happens apart from the team trying to get the bad guy, which of course they do in the end.
This was not a great addition to the series for me.
Alexandra Cooper is one of my favourite heroine characters but I felt a bit let down with the way she handles the verbal abuse from her partner, Mike Chapman.
She just lets him get away with it.....So, that's his sense of humour!!!! No way!!!
Why don't the two get together is beyond me. They have an attraction for each other and the sexual tension hovers everytime they together.
The plot dragged a bit for me.....nothing much really happens apart from the team trying to get the bad guy, which of course they do in the end.
June 27, 2014
I was hovering between giving Terminal City by Linda Fairstein 2 and 3 stars. Obviously I've settled on 3-stars.
Alexandra Cooper is back in the saddle with the Special Victims Unit because of a gruesome rape and murder of a woman in the Waldorf Astoria. What makes this case so pressing is that the POTUS is soon to be visiting that very same hotel. Cooper and company are in a race against time to ensure that motive for the crime isn't in some way political.
For those unfamiliar with Alexandra Cooper, she is an Assistant District Attorney who assists the police, in the SVU, with investigating all sexually motivated crimes. Similarly to the show Law & Order: SVU. Sidebar: I'm a huuuuuuggge fan of that show.
Anyway, Cooper narrates as they travel into the darkest, deepest, smelliest depths in order to catch the killer as the body count rises. It is here that Fairstein rises above the rest. She knows the inner-workings of New York in a way that most thriller novelists ignore. She goes into detail about "Mole People" and the history behind Grand Central Station. It is during these moments I was interested and glued to the pages. And then... that ride pulled in at its final stop.
What didn't appeal to me this time around with this author is the flatness of the characters. Cooper isn't much better. I gave her a pass on the last novel I read by her because I didn't begin the series at the first adventure. But, there was nothing more given. Cooper is either following the police around as they present better ideas or worrying about her strange relationship with Mike Anderson. That was emotionally taxing for me because I just wanted the action to continue.
Long story short, Terminal City by Linda Fairstein is a fast read, loaded with information I never even knew I was interested in: The rails and its people. But, the police procedural is not enough to make me wholeheartedly give a recommendation simply because of what it lacks: thrills, interesting characters, or an exceptional killer. Surprisingly, I do look forward to this author's next book.
Copy provided by Penguin Group via Netgalley
Alexandra Cooper is back in the saddle with the Special Victims Unit because of a gruesome rape and murder of a woman in the Waldorf Astoria. What makes this case so pressing is that the POTUS is soon to be visiting that very same hotel. Cooper and company are in a race against time to ensure that motive for the crime isn't in some way political.
For those unfamiliar with Alexandra Cooper, she is an Assistant District Attorney who assists the police, in the SVU, with investigating all sexually motivated crimes. Similarly to the show Law & Order: SVU. Sidebar: I'm a huuuuuuggge fan of that show.
Anyway, Cooper narrates as they travel into the darkest, deepest, smelliest depths in order to catch the killer as the body count rises. It is here that Fairstein rises above the rest. She knows the inner-workings of New York in a way that most thriller novelists ignore. She goes into detail about "Mole People" and the history behind Grand Central Station. It is during these moments I was interested and glued to the pages. And then... that ride pulled in at its final stop.
What didn't appeal to me this time around with this author is the flatness of the characters. Cooper isn't much better. I gave her a pass on the last novel I read by her because I didn't begin the series at the first adventure. But, there was nothing more given. Cooper is either following the police around as they present better ideas or worrying about her strange relationship with Mike Anderson. That was emotionally taxing for me because I just wanted the action to continue.
Long story short, Terminal City by Linda Fairstein is a fast read, loaded with information I never even knew I was interested in: The rails and its people. But, the police procedural is not enough to make me wholeheartedly give a recommendation simply because of what it lacks: thrills, interesting characters, or an exceptional killer. Surprisingly, I do look forward to this author's next book.
Copy provided by Penguin Group via Netgalley
July 23, 2014
Well, I "kinda" liked this novel, but it was more a 2 and a half stars for me because of the way Mike Chapman treats our main character, Alex, a formidable prosecutor at the top of her game. I agree with Susan's review, where she says:
"In this latest book she is back to being a victim, this time with at the hands of her latest crush, Detective Mike Chapman. Chapman spends most of the book treating Alex to verbal abuse and using her as the butt of not so funny jabs, There is no witty banter, no softening of the verbal knife thrusts. And Alex, supposedly, smart, intelligent, quick witted Alex, accepts it as her due."
Why do we have Chapman treating Alex this way? I just wanted to smack him, but Alex never says anything, not even "cut it out!"
The story was well plotted, except that there were too many long pauses while someone elaborates about the history of the terminal. Fairstein is a better writer than that; she should know to give us the history in smaller bites so the action doesn't come to a screeching halt. If you've read the previous books, you already know the characters and expect to rock 'n roll; this doesn't happen so well for me this time. That said, I will still probably pick up the next one, hoping it was just a bit of a fluke this time.
"In this latest book she is back to being a victim, this time with at the hands of her latest crush, Detective Mike Chapman. Chapman spends most of the book treating Alex to verbal abuse and using her as the butt of not so funny jabs, There is no witty banter, no softening of the verbal knife thrusts. And Alex, supposedly, smart, intelligent, quick witted Alex, accepts it as her due."
Why do we have Chapman treating Alex this way? I just wanted to smack him, but Alex never says anything, not even "cut it out!"
The story was well plotted, except that there were too many long pauses while someone elaborates about the history of the terminal. Fairstein is a better writer than that; she should know to give us the history in smaller bites so the action doesn't come to a screeching halt. If you've read the previous books, you already know the characters and expect to rock 'n roll; this doesn't happen so well for me this time. That said, I will still probably pick up the next one, hoping it was just a bit of a fluke this time.
June 18, 2014
In Terminal city, Linda Fairstein pens an intelligent and interesting police procedural. The writing is witty, the plot intricate and the action around the conclusion somewhat exciting.
Unfortunately as i read through the book I found myself bugged by a few criticisms: Our main character Alexandra Cooper ('Coop') feels lacking in development, aside from an apparent tendency to shower almost compulsively and to describe everyone by their height, Alex could have been anyone, there was nothing that gave me a sense of who she was at all.
The attempts at relationship drama felt awkward and forced, to be fair I'm not up to date with all the preceding Alexandra Cooper books so maybe this part of the story would resonate more with fans, SPOILERS for me it seemed odd that Alex attempted to visit her lover's mother without telling him and immediately assumed because she wasn't in hospital that he had stepped out on her. Even stranger was her response to be slightly sarcastic at their next meeting but not really discuss the issue until a rather ridiculous conclusion that he was working 'top-secret' hence the lies (did I miss an in-joke?).
Finally there just seemed to be a few too many police thriller cliches and slightly unbelievable developments to make this a memorable thriller. One scene that stands out for me (as poor) is when Alex is interviewing the roommate of a murder victim. The girl is cagey for the interview until finally admitting that her boyfriend had a criminal record 'as long as her arm.' Now I'm no detective but I assume that if someone has a violent criminal record and their girlfriend's roommate gets murdered that this is maybe investigated before the girlfriend points out his record to the police. Ok maybe the police didn't know the boyfriend was involved but it just seems a stretch.
Other cliche's include unlikable politicians not wanting the crimes in question to damage their career, homeless types who are more intellectual and redeeming than their appearance suggests and the use of subway tunnels to blow up Parliament on 4th of November, I mean kill the President of the United States (POTUS, really is that the acronym?) .
My final annoyance was that the unlikely crime pattern of viciously and randomly slaughtering young women did not really fit with a diabolical plot to carefully assassinate a national figure. This is explained away by people just being 'crazy' and not making sense, but it was just another way this book rang hollow for me.
Despite my lengthy rant Terminal City is a solid police procedural that I wouldn't delete from your reading list. Just nor would I recommend adding it if not already there.
Unfortunately as i read through the book I found myself bugged by a few criticisms: Our main character Alexandra Cooper ('Coop') feels lacking in development, aside from an apparent tendency to shower almost compulsively and to describe everyone by their height, Alex could have been anyone, there was nothing that gave me a sense of who she was at all.
The attempts at relationship drama felt awkward and forced, to be fair I'm not up to date with all the preceding Alexandra Cooper books so maybe this part of the story would resonate more with fans, SPOILERS for me it seemed odd that Alex attempted to visit her lover's mother without telling him and immediately assumed because she wasn't in hospital that he had stepped out on her. Even stranger was her response to be slightly sarcastic at their next meeting but not really discuss the issue until a rather ridiculous conclusion that he was working 'top-secret' hence the lies (did I miss an in-joke?).
Finally there just seemed to be a few too many police thriller cliches and slightly unbelievable developments to make this a memorable thriller. One scene that stands out for me (as poor) is when Alex is interviewing the roommate of a murder victim. The girl is cagey for the interview until finally admitting that her boyfriend had a criminal record 'as long as her arm.' Now I'm no detective but I assume that if someone has a violent criminal record and their girlfriend's roommate gets murdered that this is maybe investigated before the girlfriend points out his record to the police. Ok maybe the police didn't know the boyfriend was involved but it just seems a stretch.
Other cliche's include unlikable politicians not wanting the crimes in question to damage their career, homeless types who are more intellectual and redeeming than their appearance suggests and the use of subway tunnels to blow up Parliament on 4th of November, I mean kill the President of the United States (POTUS, really is that the acronym?) .
My final annoyance was that the unlikely crime pattern of viciously and randomly slaughtering young women did not really fit with a diabolical plot to carefully assassinate a national figure. This is explained away by people just being 'crazy' and not making sense, but it was just another way this book rang hollow for me.
Despite my lengthy rant Terminal City is a solid police procedural that I wouldn't delete from your reading list. Just nor would I recommend adding it if not already there.
July 25, 2014
If you want a city history/tour with a narcissist, you might like this. I found it tedious.
May 9, 2018
First of all, I must say how much I LOATHE Mike Chapman. He is a racist. He is a misogynist. His treatment towards Alex Cooper is text book verbal and emotional abuse. The fact they work together in a professional capacity also makes it sexual harassment.
I can't believe a supposedly intelligent woman like Alex Cooper would put up with it.
I can't believe Linda Fairstein, a long-time sex crimes prosecutor, would create such an offensive toad and expect us to see him as a hero. Mike Chapman is the absolute worst of the worst. Maybe because Linda is now in her 70s, she's forgotten how real men act. Mike Chapman isn't a man. He's an offensive moron with a child's mentality and an obvious case of small-dick syndrome.
Utterly hate him.
The fact that the book somewhat works in spite of him is almost a miracle. Fairstein always incorporates a mystery with New York history, and this is no exception. I found the history of Grand Central Terminal and its many underground passageways, secret tunnels and secret rooms quite fascinating. Oddly enough, it reminded me of the movie Mimic! After an initial 100 odd pages that were difficult to get into, this slowly began to build in intensity and interest.
However, the motivation of the villain was weak. This was also lacking in plot complexity in comparison to some of Fairstein's earlier work. But a rip-roaringly suspenseful climax in the roof of Grand Central Terminal helped nudge this into 3 star material.
Pity Mike Chapman can't get run over by a train or something. These books would improve ten-fold if he did.
I can't believe a supposedly intelligent woman like Alex Cooper would put up with it.
I can't believe Linda Fairstein, a long-time sex crimes prosecutor, would create such an offensive toad and expect us to see him as a hero. Mike Chapman is the absolute worst of the worst. Maybe because Linda is now in her 70s, she's forgotten how real men act. Mike Chapman isn't a man. He's an offensive moron with a child's mentality and an obvious case of small-dick syndrome.
Utterly hate him.
The fact that the book somewhat works in spite of him is almost a miracle. Fairstein always incorporates a mystery with New York history, and this is no exception. I found the history of Grand Central Terminal and its many underground passageways, secret tunnels and secret rooms quite fascinating. Oddly enough, it reminded me of the movie Mimic! After an initial 100 odd pages that were difficult to get into, this slowly began to build in intensity and interest.
However, the motivation of the villain was weak. This was also lacking in plot complexity in comparison to some of Fairstein's earlier work. But a rip-roaringly suspenseful climax in the roof of Grand Central Terminal helped nudge this into 3 star material.
Pity Mike Chapman can't get run over by a train or something. These books would improve ten-fold if he did.
October 24, 2014
I normally love the Alexander Cooper series but this is my least favorite of all them. First Alex doesn't act like herself, all whiny and insecure acting because she and Mike have finally admitted their attraction for each other. Like so many other series and TV shows I wish Linda Fairstein had not made them a romantic couple. Mike's supposed jabs at Alex just were not funny and she was always thinking about a hidden meaning, especially after finding that he had lied to her. I was so disappointed in this storyline and I hope it doesn't carry over to the next book in the series. I almost didn't finish the book and it was not all due to Alex and Mike. The storyline just did not seem plausible, too many unlikeable characters and there was way too much descriptive narrative. I had re-read 2 of Linda's books before starting this one (I am very much a fan of this author) so I was totally bummed to not be able to like this story. I won't give up on Linda but hope the next book I read is more like the first books in the series and not this lame one.
August 10, 2016
Over recent years I've found Linda Fairstein's novels very hit and miss, unfortunately this is another on the growing list of misses.
I found that Terminal City had too much historical information in it which seemed to be used purely to pad out the very basic storyline.
Alex and Mike's characters seem to have been transformed and I now find them very unlikeable and unprofessional. It now seems implausable that they would find each other attractive with Alex's new found neediness and Mike's mysoginistic comments.
I will have to think seriously about my purchase before parting money for the next Linda Fairstein novel if she continues in this vein.
I found that Terminal City had too much historical information in it which seemed to be used purely to pad out the very basic storyline.
Alex and Mike's characters seem to have been transformed and I now find them very unlikeable and unprofessional. It now seems implausable that they would find each other attractive with Alex's new found neediness and Mike's mysoginistic comments.
I will have to think seriously about my purchase before parting money for the next Linda Fairstein novel if she continues in this vein.
December 5, 2015
4.75 Stars
With the President coming into NYC, the last thing that is needed or wanted is a murder/rape in the iconic Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It IS the hotel of choice for every POTUS. Mike Chapman, Mercer Wallace, and Alex Cooper feel the pressure to solve the young woman's death before the President arrives. But the girl has no I.D. And she has strange markings on her that look like ladders or train tracks.
Soon, another body is found very near Grand Central Station with the same markings: definitely train tracks. This leads the investigation into the station and its terminal. Alex is surprised to find a whole new underground city with its own dwellers among the vast tunnels and tracks. Could it be one these "moles" is out on a killing spree, or is the real target the President? And the prior victims were just practice?
Oh, things heat up between escaped rapist Raymond Tanner and Alex. So does the budding romance between Chapman and Alex.
This is my favoriteLinda Fairstein novel in her Alexandra Cooper Series. Fairstein's history of the Waldorf Astoria and Grand Central Station was fantastic! Just blew me away. Her writing is spot on, building the suspense and mystery with each page. Just when the reader is expecting one thing, Fairstein puts a nice twist to what the reader thought was going to happen. And there is the Jeopardy obsession Mike Chapman has. Not only does those snippets provide some humour, but they also the reader to catch her/his breath in between the suspense waves.
However, I have one small beef. Does EVERY Alex Cooper Novel HAVE TO HAVE Alex trapped by herself with the killer!?! She always is trapped, the killer confesses, and she waits to be rescued. It's being a bit boring Ms. Fairstein.
With the President coming into NYC, the last thing that is needed or wanted is a murder/rape in the iconic Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It IS the hotel of choice for every POTUS. Mike Chapman, Mercer Wallace, and Alex Cooper feel the pressure to solve the young woman's death before the President arrives. But the girl has no I.D. And she has strange markings on her that look like ladders or train tracks.
Soon, another body is found very near Grand Central Station with the same markings: definitely train tracks. This leads the investigation into the station and its terminal. Alex is surprised to find a whole new underground city with its own dwellers among the vast tunnels and tracks. Could it be one these "moles" is out on a killing spree, or is the real target the President? And the prior victims were just practice?
Oh, things heat up between escaped rapist Raymond Tanner and Alex. So does the budding romance between Chapman and Alex.
This is my favoriteLinda Fairstein novel in her Alexandra Cooper Series. Fairstein's history of the Waldorf Astoria and Grand Central Station was fantastic! Just blew me away. Her writing is spot on, building the suspense and mystery with each page. Just when the reader is expecting one thing, Fairstein puts a nice twist to what the reader thought was going to happen. And there is the Jeopardy obsession Mike Chapman has. Not only does those snippets provide some humour, but they also the reader to catch her/his breath in between the suspense waves.
However, I have one small beef. Does EVERY Alex Cooper Novel HAVE TO HAVE Alex trapped by herself with the killer!?! She always is trapped, the killer confesses, and she waits to be rescued. It's being a bit boring Ms. Fairstein.
January 21, 2017
In this the 16th of the Alex Cooper series, we find ourselves caught up in a rape/murder case which is located around Grand Central Station. To complicate matters the President is due to arrive in his private train, muddying the investigation..... is this a horrible coincidence or is there a viable terrorist threat. Add into the mix an escaped rapist who is stalking Cooper and you have yet another great read from Linda Fairstein.
Fairstein doesn't get the recognition which I feel she deserves. She is one of the many 'jobbing' crime writers who produce great crime novels, with characters you care about and great plotlines, on a yearly basis. The Alex Cooper series never fails, personally I feel her novels are far better than Child, Patterson, Baldacci and Cornwell to name but a few. Worth discovering.
Fairstein doesn't get the recognition which I feel she deserves. She is one of the many 'jobbing' crime writers who produce great crime novels, with characters you care about and great plotlines, on a yearly basis. The Alex Cooper series never fails, personally I feel her novels are far better than Child, Patterson, Baldacci and Cornwell to name but a few. Worth discovering.
July 19, 2014
As long as she's writing this series, I'll probably keep reading it-- although I honestly can't figure out why. Boring history lesson? Check. Alex acting irrational and unlikable? Check. Dialogue between Alex and Mike reminiscent of middle school? Check.
Really makes me wonder if the writing has gone downhill or if I just wasn't very picky when I started reading the series.
Really makes me wonder if the writing has gone downhill or if I just wasn't very picky when I started reading the series.
July 1, 2014
The history is interesting as always, but it stretches belief to think a murder investigation would pause while the story of Grand Central Terminal is recounted to the cops. Also, the leaden banter of Det. Mike Chapman is becoming really intolerable.
June 21, 2014
A book by author Linda Fairstein is like getting two stories in one. She writes a suspenseful murder mystery in her latest release, TERMINAL CITY, but also includes a fascinating history of Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
Narrator Barbara Rosenblat once again brings protagonist Alexander ‘Alex’ Cooper to life, along with a cast of returning regulars and a nice mix of new characters. Rosenblat explores the wide range of emotions of the characters with her mannerism and cadence. Her interruption enhances the already intriguing story.
Grand Central Terminal is in the heart of New York City and is the center focus of Fairstein’s latest thriller. From the world’s largest Tiffany clock to hidden underground systems, Grand Central Terminal plays a major character in this action-packed mystery. Fairstein’s extensive research of the more than 100 year old terminal adds history and intrigue to the story. She gives listeners/readers the feel of the area through her vivid descriptions and eye for details.
A young woman’s naked body is found in the tower suite of the prestigious Waldorf Astoria. As the investigation heats up, Assistant DA Alex Cooper, along with Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace, believe there’s more to the murder. Soon a second body is discovered and then a third. The only thing connecting the three is identical markings on the bodies and they appear to be leading the investigation to the Grand Central Terminal.
With a presidential visit scheduled within days, Alex and the detectives have to work fast to find the killer before more bodies turn up. They soon discover another world exists under the terminal and finding the killer may prove more dangerous than they imaged.
TERIMINAL CITY is a fast moving thriller filled with suspense, intriguing characters, wonderful history, bits of humor and a touch of romance. Fairstein keeps listeners/readers on the edge of their seat with twists and turns in this adrenaline-fueled plot.
This is the 16th installment in the Alexander Cooper series, but can be listened to/read on its own. Returning fans will be delighted to catch up with favorite characters, while new readers won’t be left in the dark.
TERMINAL CITY provides a wonderful history lesson while also delivering nail-biting excitement for fans of masterfully written thrillers.
FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.
Narrator Barbara Rosenblat once again brings protagonist Alexander ‘Alex’ Cooper to life, along with a cast of returning regulars and a nice mix of new characters. Rosenblat explores the wide range of emotions of the characters with her mannerism and cadence. Her interruption enhances the already intriguing story.
Grand Central Terminal is in the heart of New York City and is the center focus of Fairstein’s latest thriller. From the world’s largest Tiffany clock to hidden underground systems, Grand Central Terminal plays a major character in this action-packed mystery. Fairstein’s extensive research of the more than 100 year old terminal adds history and intrigue to the story. She gives listeners/readers the feel of the area through her vivid descriptions and eye for details.
A young woman’s naked body is found in the tower suite of the prestigious Waldorf Astoria. As the investigation heats up, Assistant DA Alex Cooper, along with Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace, believe there’s more to the murder. Soon a second body is discovered and then a third. The only thing connecting the three is identical markings on the bodies and they appear to be leading the investigation to the Grand Central Terminal.
With a presidential visit scheduled within days, Alex and the detectives have to work fast to find the killer before more bodies turn up. They soon discover another world exists under the terminal and finding the killer may prove more dangerous than they imaged.
TERIMINAL CITY is a fast moving thriller filled with suspense, intriguing characters, wonderful history, bits of humor and a touch of romance. Fairstein keeps listeners/readers on the edge of their seat with twists and turns in this adrenaline-fueled plot.
This is the 16th installment in the Alexander Cooper series, but can be listened to/read on its own. Returning fans will be delighted to catch up with favorite characters, while new readers won’t be left in the dark.
TERMINAL CITY provides a wonderful history lesson while also delivering nail-biting excitement for fans of masterfully written thrillers.
FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.
January 8, 2016
GRAND CENTRAL!! What an understatement! So happens it coincides with my life right now and was totally maxed on this mystery. Murders kept getting closer and closer to Grand Central TERMINAL, as I soon learned was different than STATION! A lot to keep track of from people, to connections, to murder victims and their families/acquaintances in my overly busy state. So I found myself reading more for the train history. It helped that I had seen the movie, The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3, since I've never been to New York. Always, always something new and unexpected revealed about the city and it's history. Ms. Fairstein is tops at that. And who knew there really was a cannibal COP. She's not making this stuff up. Ewww.
Sadly I have caught up with this series and only have one newly released book to read. Then will probably start with Michael Connelly. Or Harlan Coben independent reads.
Oh and I ran across this which Ms. Fairstein covers. Warning: Not For The Squeamish!! ;)
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2016/...
Sadly I have caught up with this series and only have one newly released book to read. Then will probably start with Michael Connelly. Or Harlan Coben independent reads.
Oh and I ran across this which Ms. Fairstein covers. Warning: Not For The Squeamish!! ;)
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2016/...
March 23, 2015
This was a solid installment to the series, but it feels as if the whole series is getting a bit tired. There were just a few too many cliches and a few too many stock characters. Not a total disappointment by any means, but not a home run.
July 19, 2014
She keeps you guessing right up to the last page also a wonderful history of Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
June 18, 2023
This was an interesting book. Unfortunately it was marred by too much emphasis on the Grand Central station. While that was interesting background, too much of it took away from the story I think. The other thing that marred the book was the treatment of Alex Cooper by Detective Chapman. Supposedly they were finally in the start of some sort of a relationship, but it seemed like all he could do was belittle her and her efforts. I suspect this is not a good start for this relationship. The story was only so so.
January 29, 2026
I loved the history and all the information about Grand Central Terminal!
August 24, 2014
Terminal City is the sixteenth book in the Alexandra Cooper series by Linda Fairstein. I have to confess I have not read any of the other fifteen, but they are now firmly on my list. The book is a real page turner set almost exclusively in the few blocks around (and beneath) Grand Central Station. The story is great, but Grand Central – and its history – is actually the hero of the book. Ms Fairstein has clearly done a lot of detailed research… Did you know that at the end of the 19th Century, when the New York gentry lived at the southern tip of Manhattan, people travelled north by carriage to 42nd Street to catch trains from the newly built Grand Central Station – coal powered steam trains that weren’t allowed any further south because of the fear that sparks from their burning coals might set the smart parts of Manhattan alight…? Or that 4th Avenue was renamed Park Avenue once the open tracks north of Grand Central were electrified in 1913 and buried to surface again at 125th Street? And the covering over of the tracks released an enormous amount of prime real estate onto the market – creating the rich Mid Town of today? The avenue was one of the few two way traffic ones in New York, with plants in the central reservation above the buried tracks.
Grand Central was built and owned by the Vanderbilt family, and opened in 1871 – in the middle of very poor area surrounded by slums and slaughter houses. The area changed, and the station was totally redesigned and rebuilt between 1903 and 1913 – as ‘Terminal City’. A series of underground passages led passengers from the trains to the Yale Club and buildings such as the Biltmore, Commodore (now the Grand Hyatt), and Roosevelt Hotels. The first of the bodies in the book is found in a room at the Waldorf Astoria – opened in 1931 on the site of the Biltmore, with its own private rail track into Grand Central… a track used by Presidents and heads of government.
It is no exaggeration to say that there is a whole city beneath Grand Central – right down 10 floors to the M42 ‘not on any blueprint’ generating room that converts AC electricity into DC to power the trains. ‘Not on any blueprint’ or plan because of the fear of terrorist attack closing down the whole East Coast railroad system – years before 9/11 and recent world events. The subterranean city spreads out across many blocks both north and south of 42nd Street – and is most bizarrely ‘home’ to many otherwise homeless people known as ‘moles’ who co-exist with the other inhabitants – large rats (‘track rabbits’). They have their own ‘mayor’ and governance. A parallel world that is entered and left through gratings connecting it to the world above…
All this, as you can imagine, is the ideal – if slightly frightening and surreal – setting for a very scary novel that takes the reader deeper and deeper into the underworld and, eventually, back up onto the roof of Grand Central for its grand finale.
Grand Central run tourist tours of their facility. Very definitely on my agenda for when I am next in New York. Terminal City is a great and exciting book – and I felt I learnt a lot I did not know about a city with which I thought I was pretty familiar. An ideal book for TripFiction!
Grand Central was built and owned by the Vanderbilt family, and opened in 1871 – in the middle of very poor area surrounded by slums and slaughter houses. The area changed, and the station was totally redesigned and rebuilt between 1903 and 1913 – as ‘Terminal City’. A series of underground passages led passengers from the trains to the Yale Club and buildings such as the Biltmore, Commodore (now the Grand Hyatt), and Roosevelt Hotels. The first of the bodies in the book is found in a room at the Waldorf Astoria – opened in 1931 on the site of the Biltmore, with its own private rail track into Grand Central… a track used by Presidents and heads of government.
It is no exaggeration to say that there is a whole city beneath Grand Central – right down 10 floors to the M42 ‘not on any blueprint’ generating room that converts AC electricity into DC to power the trains. ‘Not on any blueprint’ or plan because of the fear of terrorist attack closing down the whole East Coast railroad system – years before 9/11 and recent world events. The subterranean city spreads out across many blocks both north and south of 42nd Street – and is most bizarrely ‘home’ to many otherwise homeless people known as ‘moles’ who co-exist with the other inhabitants – large rats (‘track rabbits’). They have their own ‘mayor’ and governance. A parallel world that is entered and left through gratings connecting it to the world above…
All this, as you can imagine, is the ideal – if slightly frightening and surreal – setting for a very scary novel that takes the reader deeper and deeper into the underworld and, eventually, back up onto the roof of Grand Central for its grand finale.
Grand Central run tourist tours of their facility. Very definitely on my agenda for when I am next in New York. Terminal City is a great and exciting book – and I felt I learnt a lot I did not know about a city with which I thought I was pretty familiar. An ideal book for TripFiction!
September 7, 2014
Terminal City is a rock solid crime thriller, nothing extraordinary but certainly not bad in any way, featuring Alexandra Cooper, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney for the Sex Crimes Unit. The pace of the book is quick, each chapter ending with a mini-cliff hanger that kept me enthusiastically moving from page to page to page. The story takes place in NYC with Grand Central Terminal the epicenter of activity. I absolutely loved the way Fairstein weaves the rich history of Grand Central Terminal and the city of tunnels underneath the station and the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel into the narrative - I am a sucker for history and historical fiction!
A series of grisly murders has taken place in the city, one in a room at the Waldorf, with what appears to be a depiction of railroad tracks carved into the bodies of the victims. In just a few days the President of the United States is scheduled to end his railroad whistle stop tour across the country at Grand Central in a special tunnel just below the Waldorf. Cooper, along with detectives Rocco Correlli, Mercer Wallace and Mike Chapman suspect the murders are just a prelude to a more explosive and extravagant attack on the President and the Grand Central terminal itself.
This is a fun little story; nothing deep, nothing heavy, just a very small dose of anxiety and tension. Kind of reminded me of a summer beach read or maybe the script for an action movie. Perfect as an audio book.
What was really cool is that even though this is a work of fiction, I learned some new things during this read.
What I enjoyed most was the historical references to Grand Central Terminal and the complex maze of tunnels, passages and long forgotten doors and rooms deep beneath the city, some tunnels long abandoned, and often providing safe haven for the city's homeless population. I need to do some further reading on NYC's city under the city.
I learned about string theory, the idea that the universe is made up of tiny vibrating strings as opposed to subatomic particles and we are all interconnected by these twitching strings ... makes me think of the Butterfly Effect.
Lastly, I learned the authenticity within the book was the result of Fairstein’s role as one of the country's foremost legal experts on crimes of violence against women and children. From 1976 to 2002 she served as head of the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's office. I discovered she was involved in the "Preppy Murder case" in 1986 and the "Central Park Jogger case" in 1990. Her years of experience and compassion for those victimized by sexual crimes and violence shows through in the persona of Alexandra Cooper.
Although this is the latest installment in a long series of Alexandra Cooper books, it's not necessary to have read the previous works to understand and enjoy this energetic and entertaining story. I recommend you give it a try!
A series of grisly murders has taken place in the city, one in a room at the Waldorf, with what appears to be a depiction of railroad tracks carved into the bodies of the victims. In just a few days the President of the United States is scheduled to end his railroad whistle stop tour across the country at Grand Central in a special tunnel just below the Waldorf. Cooper, along with detectives Rocco Correlli, Mercer Wallace and Mike Chapman suspect the murders are just a prelude to a more explosive and extravagant attack on the President and the Grand Central terminal itself.
This is a fun little story; nothing deep, nothing heavy, just a very small dose of anxiety and tension. Kind of reminded me of a summer beach read or maybe the script for an action movie. Perfect as an audio book.
What was really cool is that even though this is a work of fiction, I learned some new things during this read.
What I enjoyed most was the historical references to Grand Central Terminal and the complex maze of tunnels, passages and long forgotten doors and rooms deep beneath the city, some tunnels long abandoned, and often providing safe haven for the city's homeless population. I need to do some further reading on NYC's city under the city.
I learned about string theory, the idea that the universe is made up of tiny vibrating strings as opposed to subatomic particles and we are all interconnected by these twitching strings ... makes me think of the Butterfly Effect.
Lastly, I learned the authenticity within the book was the result of Fairstein’s role as one of the country's foremost legal experts on crimes of violence against women and children. From 1976 to 2002 she served as head of the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's office. I discovered she was involved in the "Preppy Murder case" in 1986 and the "Central Park Jogger case" in 1990. Her years of experience and compassion for those victimized by sexual crimes and violence shows through in the persona of Alexandra Cooper.
Although this is the latest installment in a long series of Alexandra Cooper books, it's not necessary to have read the previous works to understand and enjoy this energetic and entertaining story. I recommend you give it a try!
June 16, 2014
(originally published at http://nomadreader.blogspot.com)
The backstory: Terminal City is the sixteenth mystery in Linda Fairstein's Alexandra Cooper series. Cooper runs the Manhattan D.A.'s Special Victims Unit, a unit Fairstein herself ran for many years.
The basics: A woman is found raped and murdered at the illustrious Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Soon thereafter, another body appears outside Grand Central Terminal, and Alex, along with good friends and detectives Mercer and Mike, is drawn into the self-functioning city of people who call the ground underneath Grand Central home as they try to solve these murders.
This review will contain minor spoilers from previous Fairstein novels, particularly Death Angel.
My thoughts: I, like many long-time readers, celebrated a certain development in Alex's personal life that appeared frustratingly close to the end of Death Angel. As excited as I always am for a new Fairstein novel, this year I was most excited to see what was happening in Alex's love life. The events in Terminal City pick up shortly after the events of Death Angel, so not much has changed. The first murder brings Alex and Mike, just back from suspension and an Ireland vacation, together professionally before they've spoken personally, and the case continues to dominate their time. As a reader, I found the all-consuming nature of this case frustrating, but it is realistic.
Soon, however, I was more wrapped up in the intrigue of the case and the rich history of Grand Central. Like Alex, I put her love life out of my mind. I read this mystery compulsively, but I savored the fascinating details of New York's history as much as the developing clues in the whodunit. As is typical of Fairstein, the history is not merely a backdrop--it feeds clues to the mystery itself, which make her books entertaining and informative.
The verdict: Terminal City will delight longtime fans of the series. It has all the hallmarks of a great mystery, plus Fairstein's signature in-depth look at an icon of New York City. While you could easily enjoy this mystery if you haven't read others in the series, the personal storylines likely won't be nearly as satisfying to new readers. While the mystery at the center of this one struck me as dark by Fairstein's standards, the warmth of a certain storyline in Alex's personal life compensates and left me once again eagerly awaiting Fairstein's next mystery.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
The backstory: Terminal City is the sixteenth mystery in Linda Fairstein's Alexandra Cooper series. Cooper runs the Manhattan D.A.'s Special Victims Unit, a unit Fairstein herself ran for many years.
The basics: A woman is found raped and murdered at the illustrious Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Soon thereafter, another body appears outside Grand Central Terminal, and Alex, along with good friends and detectives Mercer and Mike, is drawn into the self-functioning city of people who call the ground underneath Grand Central home as they try to solve these murders.
This review will contain minor spoilers from previous Fairstein novels, particularly Death Angel.
My thoughts: I, like many long-time readers, celebrated a certain development in Alex's personal life that appeared frustratingly close to the end of Death Angel. As excited as I always am for a new Fairstein novel, this year I was most excited to see what was happening in Alex's love life. The events in Terminal City pick up shortly after the events of Death Angel, so not much has changed. The first murder brings Alex and Mike, just back from suspension and an Ireland vacation, together professionally before they've spoken personally, and the case continues to dominate their time. As a reader, I found the all-consuming nature of this case frustrating, but it is realistic.
Soon, however, I was more wrapped up in the intrigue of the case and the rich history of Grand Central. Like Alex, I put her love life out of my mind. I read this mystery compulsively, but I savored the fascinating details of New York's history as much as the developing clues in the whodunit. As is typical of Fairstein, the history is not merely a backdrop--it feeds clues to the mystery itself, which make her books entertaining and informative.
The verdict: Terminal City will delight longtime fans of the series. It has all the hallmarks of a great mystery, plus Fairstein's signature in-depth look at an icon of New York City. While you could easily enjoy this mystery if you haven't read others in the series, the personal storylines likely won't be nearly as satisfying to new readers. While the mystery at the center of this one struck me as dark by Fairstein's standards, the warmth of a certain storyline in Alex's personal life compensates and left me once again eagerly awaiting Fairstein's next mystery.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
June 22, 2014
In this latest Alex Cooper novel, the assistant DA and her partners, Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace, seek the killer of a young woman whose body was found in a supposedly unregistered room in New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. A second body found in a nearby alley soon after appears to have been committed by the same person because of unusual markings carved on both bodies.
The investigation quickly leads them to Grand Central Terminal where, true to Linda Fairstein’s form of visiting NYC landmarks, the reader is taken on an informative exploratory tour of the structure, from its sub-basements to the tunnels and up to highest levels. The history of the building and its surrounding area is also presented. The tunnels have become home to many homeless people and their culture is examined.
To complicate the situation, the President of the United States is due to come to NYC to address the United Nations in a two days and plans to arrive by train at the Terminal.
The teams’ familiar routines continue: Jeopardy, relationships, eating and drinking together.
The relationship of the new mayor of New York to the police department and prosecutor’s office is also discussed. The day before I read this book, the mayor announced that $40 million was being paid to the Central Park Five, five minority teenagers arrested and jailed for the rape and attack on a white jogger in Central Park ten years ago. Another person later admitted he had committed the crime without anyone else being involved. Linda Fairstein was the prosecutor for the case and in a television interview disagrees with the mayor’s actions for the reasons given in the book. (http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/363308...)
The book has some unnecessary repetition, e.g. mentioning Alex’s exact height more than once. It also has a subplot that doesn’t add to the plot.
The investigation quickly leads them to Grand Central Terminal where, true to Linda Fairstein’s form of visiting NYC landmarks, the reader is taken on an informative exploratory tour of the structure, from its sub-basements to the tunnels and up to highest levels. The history of the building and its surrounding area is also presented. The tunnels have become home to many homeless people and their culture is examined.
To complicate the situation, the President of the United States is due to come to NYC to address the United Nations in a two days and plans to arrive by train at the Terminal.
The teams’ familiar routines continue: Jeopardy, relationships, eating and drinking together.
The relationship of the new mayor of New York to the police department and prosecutor’s office is also discussed. The day before I read this book, the mayor announced that $40 million was being paid to the Central Park Five, five minority teenagers arrested and jailed for the rape and attack on a white jogger in Central Park ten years ago. Another person later admitted he had committed the crime without anyone else being involved. Linda Fairstein was the prosecutor for the case and in a television interview disagrees with the mayor’s actions for the reasons given in the book. (http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/363308...)
The book has some unnecessary repetition, e.g. mentioning Alex’s exact height more than once. It also has a subplot that doesn’t add to the plot.
December 17, 2014
Linda Fairstein is noted for the meticulous research she does for each of her mysteries which take place in a different New York City landmark. And she outdoes herself in this novel which revolves around the century-old Grand Central Terminal, both above and below ground, well along the tracks north. In fact, it is so chock full of little- or even unknown facts that it boggles the mind. Who knew, for instance, that there is an elevator connecting the below surface area to the other landmark known as the Waldorf-Astoria? Or that the elevator was large enough to carry the polio-crippled FDR and his automobile from the tracks below up to street level and to allow him to enter the lobby?
The plot begins with the discovery of a woman, nude, raped with her throat cut from ear to ear, in a suite in the Waldorf Tower. Two additional murders occur, one a man who lives in the underground byways along the tracks and another woman, murdered in the same manner as the first, found in a private railroad car parked along the tracks. The crimes seem to be associated with Grand Central Station, and complicating the situation is the expected arrival of the President in a few days by rail.
Obviously, the denouement takes place in the terminal, but not until Mike Chapman and Alex Cooper pick up where they left off at the end of the previous book in the series (after a slight detour). As in previous installments, the plot is tight, writing succinct, and characterization and dialogue superb. Obviously, the novel is recommended.
The plot begins with the discovery of a woman, nude, raped with her throat cut from ear to ear, in a suite in the Waldorf Tower. Two additional murders occur, one a man who lives in the underground byways along the tracks and another woman, murdered in the same manner as the first, found in a private railroad car parked along the tracks. The crimes seem to be associated with Grand Central Station, and complicating the situation is the expected arrival of the President in a few days by rail.
Obviously, the denouement takes place in the terminal, but not until Mike Chapman and Alex Cooper pick up where they left off at the end of the previous book in the series (after a slight detour). As in previous installments, the plot is tight, writing succinct, and characterization and dialogue superb. Obviously, the novel is recommended.
July 23, 2014
When a woman is found murdered with strange train track-like marks on her body, Detectives Mercer Wallace and Mike Chapman along with ADA Alexandra Cooper are called to the investigate. As additional bodies are found with the same markings, Mike, Mercer, and Alex race to find the murderer before he can claim any more victims.
I have read all of the books in this series and I used to love reading them, but I have struggled with the last few books. So I was really hoping this one would be better. Unfortunately I was really disappointed. The cliché-filled dialog was awkward and abrasive. The interaction between three main characters seemed to be missing its usual charm and instead the characters came off very flat and kind of got on my nerves. There were no glimpses of their personal lives and personalities outside of the case they were investigating. The immense amount o f historical detail didn’t really serve to enhance the mystery storyline—it seemed to jump back and forth between being a mystery & a history text book. Much of the time spent discussing history didn’t really have any bearin g on the case or storyline. It’s almost as if the author found so much great information in her research that she just couldn’t bear to leave anything out—and that really detracted from the book. But in spite of these things I will continue to read the future books in this series and hope the next one is better.
I have read all of the books in this series and I used to love reading them, but I have struggled with the last few books. So I was really hoping this one would be better. Unfortunately I was really disappointed. The cliché-filled dialog was awkward and abrasive. The interaction between three main characters seemed to be missing its usual charm and instead the characters came off very flat and kind of got on my nerves. There were no glimpses of their personal lives and personalities outside of the case they were investigating. The immense amount o f historical detail didn’t really serve to enhance the mystery storyline—it seemed to jump back and forth between being a mystery & a history text book. Much of the time spent discussing history didn’t really have any bearin g on the case or storyline. It’s almost as if the author found so much great information in her research that she just couldn’t bear to leave anything out—and that really detracted from the book. But in spite of these things I will continue to read the future books in this series and hope the next one is better.
September 23, 2014
Cooper and Chapman return, but their relationship is a little strained. Chapman vanished without a word, and he's obviously hiding something, but they don't have time to fix themselves: they have a killer to find. Cooper tolerates Chapman's jabs, but gets increasingly irritated by his reticence and his ability to use humor as a diversion from the elephant in the room.
This time the book's focus is on Grand Central Terminal, one of the most famous train stations. Linda Fairstein weaves history, trivia and social justice seamlessly with her plot, ensuring you'll never see it quite the same way again, but that's only half her strength as an author. The other half is how Cooper is a real character. She's strong professionally, but flawed in her personal life. She has fears, doubts, flashes of courage, times of weakness and insecurity, and anger, but most of all she has the best strength: the ability to admit her failings, and to apologize for her faults.
This time the book's focus is on Grand Central Terminal, one of the most famous train stations. Linda Fairstein weaves history, trivia and social justice seamlessly with her plot, ensuring you'll never see it quite the same way again, but that's only half her strength as an author. The other half is how Cooper is a real character. She's strong professionally, but flawed in her personal life. She has fears, doubts, flashes of courage, times of weakness and insecurity, and anger, but most of all she has the best strength: the ability to admit her failings, and to apologize for her faults.
June 23, 2016
Terminal City has all the strengths (an engaging plotline set in a well-known NYC locale) and all the weaknesses (too much space devoted to the well-known place) of a Linda Fairstein novel. All the words devoted to the description and history of Grand Central Terminal greatly slowed down what could and should have been a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat hunt for a terrorist. Cutting them also would have shortened this story by a third.
All the running around inside Grand Central Terminal Alex and the rest of Fairstein's characters did lost me completely. I didn't know (or care) where they were in the building.
The wrap-up seemed hasty and incomplete, leaving me unsure of the bad guy's motivation.
Those are the reasons I can't give this book more than a 2 star rating.
Still these novels are good enough that I’ll keep reading them. I’ll just skip all the unnecessary stuff about wherever she puts Alex, Mike, and Mercer next.
All the running around inside Grand Central Terminal Alex and the rest of Fairstein's characters did lost me completely. I didn't know (or care) where they were in the building.
The wrap-up seemed hasty and incomplete, leaving me unsure of the bad guy's motivation.
Those are the reasons I can't give this book more than a 2 star rating.
Still these novels are good enough that I’ll keep reading them. I’ll just skip all the unnecessary stuff about wherever she puts Alex, Mike, and Mercer next.
October 10, 2015
I've read all the books in this series so far, but I think this might be my last. The history of New York is fascinating, but that's not why I read mysteries. I read other books for my history fixes. This book just wasn't a good read. Too many things have changed in the writing to make this a comfortable, next step in the series read.
Alex has grown into a dumbed down version of the person she used to be. It's disappointing. The crimes all now seem to have some sort of national, international, historical importance, but she never notices that until way too late.
I don't love the way Mike treats Alex and I don't like how she can't solve a crime without him. His character has been trashed over the course of the series as well.
I still like Mercer...that counts for something, right?
Alex has grown into a dumbed down version of the person she used to be. It's disappointing. The crimes all now seem to have some sort of national, international, historical importance, but she never notices that until way too late.
I don't love the way Mike treats Alex and I don't like how she can't solve a crime without him. His character has been trashed over the course of the series as well.
I still like Mercer...that counts for something, right?
October 10, 2015
This fast-paced thriller is mostly set underground; beneath Grand Central Terminal is another city of a sort not frequented by tourists or city dwellers. It is filled with the homeless and the dregs of society, looking for a safe place where they can be themselves and answer to no one. It is vast array of tunnels and rooms, a great place to hide and an even better place for a murderer to secret himself. Alex and Mike are racing the clock to seek out the bad guy before the US president comes to town. Looking for clues and motive, they put themselves in harm’s way. A quick read, the end is pretty predictable but still enjoyable. There is much history between the characters, and if you don’t know the backstories, this novel will lose some of its punch.
April 12, 2015
Although I used to regularly read Linda Fairstein's books, somehow I had forgotten her until I stumbled upon Terminal City. I was happy to be back in the company of ADA Alex Cooper and her cop pals Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace sipping Dewars and guessing the final question on Jeopardy. I figured out why I must have moved away from her when I got into a long drawn out history lesson on Grand Central Station. It was so long and boring, in fact, that I almost forgot what case they were working. The romance between Coop and Chapman also seems a bit drawn out. The will they/won't they pull has no spark to burst into a flame.
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