In Linda Fairstein’s outstanding new novel, the New York Public Library houses dazzling treasures—and deadly secrets.When Assistant District Attorney Alex Cooper is summoned to Tina Barr’s apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, she finds a neighbor convinced that the young woman was assaulted. But the terrified victim, a conservator of rare books and maps, refuses to cooperate with investigators. Then another woman is found murdered in that same apartment with an extremely valuable book, believed to have been stolen. As Alex pursues the murderer, she is drawn into the strange and privileged world of the Hunt family, major benefactors of the New York Public Library and passionate rare book collectors.Eventually Alex connects their internal family rivalries to a priceless edition of Alice in Wonderland, which also contains the world’s oldest map. Would one of the well-bred Hunts be willing to kill for the treasures? The search for the answer takes Alex and her team on a breathtaking chase from Manhattan’s grandest apartments to the secret tunnels and chambers of the New York Public Library, and finally to a nineteenth-century underground vault. There, in the pitch-black darkness, Alex comes face-to-face with the killer who values money more than life.Featuring a cast of elite, erudite, and downright eccentric characters, and a complex trail of clues that will have you guessing until the final pages, Lethal Legacy is Linda Fairstein’s most beguiling thriller yet.
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"8/10 Interesting to read about the behind-the-scenes work in a major library. Had an idea who the baddie was from fairly early on which is unusual for me. Was a bit distracted reading this - I had been really looking forward to it, but it didn't grab me like this series usually does. " — Karen (4 out of 5 stars)
"8/10 Interesting to read about the behind-the-scenes work in a major library. Had an idea who the baddie was from fairly early on which is unusual for me. Was a bit distracted reading this - I had been really looking forward to it, but it didn't grab me like this series usually does. "
One of the best crime writers in fiction today.
Fairstein … makes the legal issues more exciting than any high-speed chase.
A champion teller of detective tales.
Alexandra Cooper, like her creator Linda Fairstein, is a force to contend with: smart, tough, and literate to boot!
" i'm rounding up. really i would give it 3.5 stars. "
" A very complex book and I kept losing track of who was who in the villains. The idea of the map was good but other than librarians I am not sure this book will appeal to many. "
" Not one of my favorites. Too -- way too -- much detail in the form of dialogue. Had to force myself to finish it. "
" As a librarian, I loved the setting! "
" This was really fun! A recommendation from my grandmother-in-law who LOVES New York City based stories. It's a murder mystery that's connected to the New York Public Library. It reads a lot like Law & Order, and the historical information is really cool. Definitely an enjoyable read. "
" A story that takes place among books! "
" Especially interesting as a look into the world of rare books and maps as well as the New York Public Library. "
" Too much talking, not enough action plagued this story. Premise is fun - quest for books leads to death, but my husband and I agree that we won't be seeking this author again. "
" Interesting information about the New York Public Library's collection and history. "
" I give it a 3.5. Some interesting information about the New York Public Library and about old books and maps. This is a generally reliable/readable series. "
" one of my favorite authors. Sometimes the dialouge gets a bit ponderous, but the plots are always good. "
" Everything you ever wanted to know about rare books and maps and their collectors. The mystery itself was sort of lost among all the information about libraries and the rich who support them. Rather different for Fairstein but interesting story. "
" such fun! loads of book stuff and a bit of a backstage tour of one of my favourite libraries. plus a lovely tribute: For Librarians: guardian angels of the mind and soul (altho not all the librarians in this book are) "
" Good, but not the best one of hers that I have read. "
" Good crime book without out too much grit and language. "
" Didn't like this one as much as her previous ones. Not sure why. Interesting info about the NYC Public Library, but by the end I didn't really care who had "done it." (Had enjoyed meeting her at Poisoned Pen, however.) "
" I liked this book very much, especially since it took place in the NY Public Library! "
" I really liked all the stuff about the New York Public Library...but the murder mystery itself was kind of lame! "
" ok book, plot was interesting but i would read a chapter and fall asleep. at the end i was able to finish the last 150 pages or so without falling asleep. "
" Great detail of the catacombs, books, maps, and collectors. My imagination was working overtime trying to figure it out before the end. "
" Interesting murder mystery involving the NY Public Library, rare books and old maps. I found the info on the rare books and old maps fascinating. "
" A great guided tour through the NY Public Library. "
" What a tangled web. A great story involving a lot of detail about the New York Public Library.A missing technician, a murdered personal assistant, a brother and sister at war with one another, and a few odd characters. "
" Takes place in the New York City Public Library which was delicious! "
" This drug slightly in places, but was still very good. I like all the Fairstein books I have read so far. "
" Deals with New York Public Library as the Assistant DA looks into a woman's assault. The victim is a conservator of rare books & maps; The murder case that unfolds the Hunt family, major benefactors of the NY Public Library. Suspenseful...not gruesome "
" I liked the mystery but got bogged down in the limitless details of the maps. I guess it is the puzzle that interests me more than the theft. "
" Intersting stuff about the New York Public Library and rare books. "
" This was the first Linda Fairstein mystery I have read and I picked right because much of the book involved rare books and the NYPL. "
" I usually like Fairstein, but this one just wasn't for me. "
" So typical. Why do I continue to read this series?! "
" Not very engaging. Had to work to finish it. "
" Murder at the New York City Library. Rare books disappearing. If you have murder, a mystery, and books, what more can you ask for? "
" Got this on CD for the NPR fund drive weeks--- it is a great story centered on the NY public library. I haven't read any Fairstein novels previously but I am going to now. "
" This is very nicely done. The thing that I like most about Linda Fairstein's series about Alex Cooper is that shee gives the reader interesting facts about NYC or other subjects. This time the murders revolve around the world of rare books and old maps "
" I enjoyed learning about the history of the New York Public Library in this novel but I found the plot confusing and the characters to be one-dimensional and not very likeable. "
" I give this 3.5 stars and I always round up ;-) The story was good, but what I enjoyed the most was all the little interesting facts about the New York Public Library and the world of rare books and maps collectors. Very interesting stuff. "
Linda Fairstein is an author of crime fiction.
Blair Brown is an award-winning narrator and a Tony Award–winning actor. Besides earning several AudioFile Earphones Award, she received the prestigious Audie Award for Best Fiction Narration in 2020. She has appeared on Broadway, in film, and on television in numerous miniseries and TV movies and received five Emmy Award nominations for her starring role in The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd.
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