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Alexandra Cooper #11
Lethal Legacy
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.
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.
560 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2009
156 people are currently reading
1622 people want to read
About the author
Linda Fairstein
101 books1,603 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 447 reviews
June 4, 2019
#whentheyseeus
June 25, 2010
I'm normally a Fairstein fan, but this book disappointed me. The subjects--rare books and the New York Public Library--interested me, but I just didn't find the mystery here compelling. The book is very long, 450+ pages, and the payoff only comes in the last 80 pages. The camaraderie between Alex Cooper and her police buddies Mike and Mercer falls a bit flat here. I've enjoyed the authenticity of Fairstein's writing, since she actually worked as a NYC district attorney, but I wonder if the subject she's tackled is too much of a departure from her area of expertise in sex crimes.
May 30, 2010
PROTAGONIST: Alexandra (Alex) Cooper, Assistant District Attorney
SETTING: Manhattan, New York
RATING: 2.0
There are many authors whose books are not only associated with a specific protagonist but also a particular setting. George Pelecanos writes of the Washington, DC, area; Michael Connelly of Los Angeles. Linda Fairstein focuses on New York City and includes many little known facts in her books featuring Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Alexandra ("Alex") Cooper.
The latest case that Alex is looking at along with her usual homicide detective colleagues Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace is quite unusual. A man disguises himself as a firefighter and sets a small fire outside a woman's apartment so that he can gain access to her home. Once inside, he sexually assaults the victim, Tina Barr. Tina is very reticent about revealing any of the details of the attack. Only days later, another woman turns up dead in her apartment. Karla Vastasi is at first mistaken for a wealthy heiress named Minerva Hunt. Tina is a respected conservator at the New York Public Library; and as it turns out, Minerva Hunt's family has a lot of ties with the NYPL. When Tina goes missing, the focus of the investigation turns to the library.
Fairstein takes us deep into the world of NYPL, its physical plant, its collections of rare books and maps and its secrets. One of the major faults of the book is the fact that she takes us too deeply into this world—there are far too many arcane details about the maps, the buildings and the history of the library and surrounding area. I felt like I was attending a group of research lectures. For every topic that comes up, there's a character who is an expert who blathers on and on and on about it. The sections dealing with the rare maps were especially trying—it is hard to follow a description of a complicated map without seeing it. There was an excessive amount of dialog and not enough action.
The characters in Lethal Legacy never came to life for me. I wondered why Alex was so deeply involved in the actual homicide investigation, appearing at the scenes with the detectives. Perhaps I'm misguided, but I don't believe that an Assistant DA would serve the role of secondary homicide detective. I've never cared for the character of Mike Chapman. His habit of referring to Alex as "Blondie" and to females as "broads" drives me to distraction. On the other hand, Mercer had no distinct personality. I would be hard pressed to provide a minimal description of him. Finally, there is Luc Rouget, Alex's French lover and chef—there is absolutely no chemistry there, and the relationship feels forced. There are little hints that Alex and Mike should be together which boggles my mind.
I didn't care for Lethal Legacy at all. I was never engaged by the characters, and the investigation is almost an afterthought. Although there were some interesting tidbits provided in the various research lectures, the overwhelming amount of information presented on each topic bored me to tears. I know that this is a very popular series; but frankly, I don't see the appeal.
SETTING: Manhattan, New York
RATING: 2.0
There are many authors whose books are not only associated with a specific protagonist but also a particular setting. George Pelecanos writes of the Washington, DC, area; Michael Connelly of Los Angeles. Linda Fairstein focuses on New York City and includes many little known facts in her books featuring Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Alexandra ("Alex") Cooper.
The latest case that Alex is looking at along with her usual homicide detective colleagues Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace is quite unusual. A man disguises himself as a firefighter and sets a small fire outside a woman's apartment so that he can gain access to her home. Once inside, he sexually assaults the victim, Tina Barr. Tina is very reticent about revealing any of the details of the attack. Only days later, another woman turns up dead in her apartment. Karla Vastasi is at first mistaken for a wealthy heiress named Minerva Hunt. Tina is a respected conservator at the New York Public Library; and as it turns out, Minerva Hunt's family has a lot of ties with the NYPL. When Tina goes missing, the focus of the investigation turns to the library.
Fairstein takes us deep into the world of NYPL, its physical plant, its collections of rare books and maps and its secrets. One of the major faults of the book is the fact that she takes us too deeply into this world—there are far too many arcane details about the maps, the buildings and the history of the library and surrounding area. I felt like I was attending a group of research lectures. For every topic that comes up, there's a character who is an expert who blathers on and on and on about it. The sections dealing with the rare maps were especially trying—it is hard to follow a description of a complicated map without seeing it. There was an excessive amount of dialog and not enough action.
The characters in Lethal Legacy never came to life for me. I wondered why Alex was so deeply involved in the actual homicide investigation, appearing at the scenes with the detectives. Perhaps I'm misguided, but I don't believe that an Assistant DA would serve the role of secondary homicide detective. I've never cared for the character of Mike Chapman. His habit of referring to Alex as "Blondie" and to females as "broads" drives me to distraction. On the other hand, Mercer had no distinct personality. I would be hard pressed to provide a minimal description of him. Finally, there is Luc Rouget, Alex's French lover and chef—there is absolutely no chemistry there, and the relationship feels forced. There are little hints that Alex and Mike should be together which boggles my mind.
I didn't care for Lethal Legacy at all. I was never engaged by the characters, and the investigation is almost an afterthought. Although there were some interesting tidbits provided in the various research lectures, the overwhelming amount of information presented on each topic bored me to tears. I know that this is a very popular series; but frankly, I don't see the appeal.
April 14, 2014
This book could have benefited from some serious editing. Cut out 200 pages and you get a decent fast moving "who done it" which you can't put down. The way it is I was sooooo bored toward the end I didn't really care who killed who and what for I just wanted the book to end.
The reader (I had the audio version of the book) did not do the book justice either.
I do not want to be age-ist here, but the voice of the reader ought be in sync with the character they
portray. In this case, the character is about 30 something and the reader sounds 60-70-something.
That old a voice does not gel well in a lovemaking scene. It sounds unrealistic.
Also what is it with authors always making lovers eat meals that are totally garlic laden. Don't they get that for good love making the garlic ought be left out of the meal?
It does not make your kiss any more attractive let alone your morning breath. And you become a pain to anyone you share your life with the next day, from the poor sod sitting next to you on the bus, to your co-workers, to anyone unfortunate to get trapped with you in the elevator.
When in doubt leave the garlic out!
The reader (I had the audio version of the book) did not do the book justice either.
I do not want to be age-ist here, but the voice of the reader ought be in sync with the character they
portray. In this case, the character is about 30 something and the reader sounds 60-70-something.
That old a voice does not gel well in a lovemaking scene. It sounds unrealistic.
Also what is it with authors always making lovers eat meals that are totally garlic laden. Don't they get that for good love making the garlic ought be left out of the meal?
It does not make your kiss any more attractive let alone your morning breath. And you become a pain to anyone you share your life with the next day, from the poor sod sitting next to you on the bus, to your co-workers, to anyone unfortunate to get trapped with you in the elevator.
When in doubt leave the garlic out!
September 28, 2014
I love books and I love New York!! So what could be more exciting than reading Linda Fairstein’s 11th book in her Alexander Cooper Series.
Combining NYC’S landmarks and history, as we have come to expect from this author’s novels, we are pulled right into this fast-paced, suspenseful and well-researched mystery set in the world of rare books
and maps
Initially investigating what seems like a sex crime, Alexandra Cooper and her two detective colleagues, Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace soon discover that it’s connected to some crimes that are linked to the New York City Public Library
What could make a book lover happier than going on a present and past journey through this fantastic place, where we see what happens behind the scenes of the library? Delving into the atmospheric life of such an iconic building was a real treat. Fascinating and informative and interesting, the luxurious homes of the rich and privileged and a dangerous climax in the remnants of a burial ground inside the library.
Familiar and engaging main characters, bizarre and weird secondary characters, a one-arm book collector who lives in a converted hospital chapel, dysfunctional families, deception, thieves, a plot filled with twists and turns and unexpected revelations……..this story has it all!!
Fast paced, packed with action and atmosphere it’s an entertaining and engrossing read.
Combining NYC’S landmarks and history, as we have come to expect from this author’s novels, we are pulled right into this fast-paced, suspenseful and well-researched mystery set in the world of rare books
and maps
Initially investigating what seems like a sex crime, Alexandra Cooper and her two detective colleagues, Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace soon discover that it’s connected to some crimes that are linked to the New York City Public Library
and wealthy book collectors.
What could make a book lover happier than going on a present and past journey through this fantastic place, where we see what happens behind the scenes of the library? Delving into the atmospheric life of such an iconic building was a real treat. Fascinating and informative and interesting, the luxurious homes of the rich and privileged and a dangerous climax in the remnants of a burial ground inside the library.
Familiar and engaging main characters, bizarre and weird secondary characters, a one-arm book collector who lives in a converted hospital chapel, dysfunctional families, deception, thieves, a plot filled with twists and turns and unexpected revelations……..this story has it all!!
Fast paced, packed with action and atmosphere it’s an entertaining and engrossing read.
October 12, 2014
I was intrigued by the information this book gave about the New York Public Library. Linda Fairstein wove not only a most intriguing web of mystery. But also left this reader with some knowledge which most novels don't do. This was my first book by this author. I hope her other book not only entertain but also educate me as this book has.
May 20, 2023
Wieder sehr abschweifend, aber immer noch den Bogen zum Opfer und zum Fall schlagend. Das Trio ist wieder da und ich liebe die drei einfach. Wobei Luc endlich gehen könnte, der ist mir zu aalglatt. Freue mich auf die anderen Teile, die muss ich mir aber leider erst besorgen.
July 18, 2009
If I have to rate the plot of this book, I give it two stars. However, if I am rating my interest in the setting and the information that I gained about the world of research libraries, rare maps, and the race to obtain historical artifacts, I would raise the rating to three stars. Unfortunately, the story and the characters intervened. This is the 11th offering in the Alexandra Cooper series. She is an assistant district attorney in New York City, which is, apparently, a much more exciting job than we are led to believe. This book devolves into an Indiana Jones type adventure but located in and around the New York Public Library. "What!", you remark. It's true. Very thin story line underlined by some excellent information about the history and operation of the New York Public Library, wonderful descriptions about the vaults, passageways, and catacombs beneath the wonderful structure, and conveying a good analysis of how historical books and maps can cast their spell on certain individuals and make them act in distinctive odd ways.
December 27, 2015
A very good book, but I didn't like some of the secondary characters, many of whom were greedy and villainous, which made parts of the book less enjoyable. Ms. Fairstein has penned another intriguing story that keeps Alex, Mike, and Mercer on their toes, trying to unravel a series of murders and thefts.
March 14, 2009
Loved my free copy -- which I'll now donate to the library! Great story, especially with the rare books and even more fascinating rare maps theme. Wishing I'd read others in series [Alex(andra) Cooper Crime Series:] first so I'd be more familiar with the characters, that'll come next.
June 2, 2024
2.5 stars the star of this book is the New York public library a lot of historical information that was interesting. However the plot, story line, was very slow. I had no connection with the characters. I enjoyed the history of the library and the collection of rare books and maps.
August 10, 2022
DNF at page 236. Too boring to even care about who murdered who even with all the interesting facts and tid bits about the library.
April 10, 2018
I'm a big fan of the SVU edition of the famed Law & Order television drama franchise, which is inspired by the real-life sex crimes unit of the NYPD that Fairstein was heavily involved with in her former role as a Manhattan prosecutor of crimes against women and children. I'm also a fan of legal thrillers, and the New York setting, so you'd think that Fairstein's series starring ADA Alex Cooper would tick boxes for me across the board. In subject matter, yes, in execution, sadly not so much.
Fairstein undoubtedly brings a great deal of authenticity and expertise to her novel writing; she's lived such cases in a far deeper way than most of her contemporaries, getting an inside view over and over for decades. She's seen beyond the headlines to the nitty gritty and grey areas of the job. But for whatever reason, that doesn't quite translate to being a home run on page, for me at least. Which is a real shame. It's like all the great ingredients are there, right on hand, but the baking isn't quite right.
Reading LETHAL LEGACY, the 11th of 19 books in Fairstein's long-running series starring Manhattan prosecutor Alexandra Cooper and her police colleagues Mercer and Chapman, I was reminded of what I both like and am frustrated by with Fairstein's writing.
Despite her real-life background in the prosecution of sex crimes, Fairstein's greatest authorial talent seems to lie in the way she digs out and brings lesser-known aspects of New York to vivid life on the page, rather than her crime plotlines. In LETHAL LEGACY readers are taken into the behind-the-scenes world of the New York Public Library and rare book collectors. This provides some nice texture and interest to the tale, though at times Fairstein seems to revel too much in her research.
Unfortunately, the crime plotlines and characterisation feel weak in comparison. Fairstein's prose is fairly straightforward, without a distinctive style or strong narrative voice. She sets the hook well at the beginning, cajoling us to keep turning the pages to find out why the woman with the rare book was murdered in someone else's apartment, and wondering what is going on.
But things peter out as the pages turn. I think the biggest issue for me is that as much as I should find Cooper, Mercer, and Chapman engaging on the surface, and as much as I've really loved similar characters on television or from other authors, their interplay and Cooper's personality, in particular, just gets a bit tiresome. The characterisation feels 'thin' overall, lacking somewhat. And this effects my overall enjoyment of the tale. I'm curious to find out what happens, but I'm not really deeply engaged by the world or the characters. It's more of a mild intellectual curiosity, bolstered at times by the look into lesser-known aspects of New York and the books world, but never really grabbing me.
I would note that a lot of people really like Linda Fairstein's novels. She is a very popular and successful author, and there are things in her books I enjoy myself. But for me, for whatever reasons, it just doesn't quite 'click'. LETHAL LEGACY felt like a good opportunity, somewhat unfulfilled.
Fairstein undoubtedly brings a great deal of authenticity and expertise to her novel writing; she's lived such cases in a far deeper way than most of her contemporaries, getting an inside view over and over for decades. She's seen beyond the headlines to the nitty gritty and grey areas of the job. But for whatever reason, that doesn't quite translate to being a home run on page, for me at least. Which is a real shame. It's like all the great ingredients are there, right on hand, but the baking isn't quite right.
Reading LETHAL LEGACY, the 11th of 19 books in Fairstein's long-running series starring Manhattan prosecutor Alexandra Cooper and her police colleagues Mercer and Chapman, I was reminded of what I both like and am frustrated by with Fairstein's writing.
Despite her real-life background in the prosecution of sex crimes, Fairstein's greatest authorial talent seems to lie in the way she digs out and brings lesser-known aspects of New York to vivid life on the page, rather than her crime plotlines. In LETHAL LEGACY readers are taken into the behind-the-scenes world of the New York Public Library and rare book collectors. This provides some nice texture and interest to the tale, though at times Fairstein seems to revel too much in her research.
Unfortunately, the crime plotlines and characterisation feel weak in comparison. Fairstein's prose is fairly straightforward, without a distinctive style or strong narrative voice. She sets the hook well at the beginning, cajoling us to keep turning the pages to find out why the woman with the rare book was murdered in someone else's apartment, and wondering what is going on.
But things peter out as the pages turn. I think the biggest issue for me is that as much as I should find Cooper, Mercer, and Chapman engaging on the surface, and as much as I've really loved similar characters on television or from other authors, their interplay and Cooper's personality, in particular, just gets a bit tiresome. The characterisation feels 'thin' overall, lacking somewhat. And this effects my overall enjoyment of the tale. I'm curious to find out what happens, but I'm not really deeply engaged by the world or the characters. It's more of a mild intellectual curiosity, bolstered at times by the look into lesser-known aspects of New York and the books world, but never really grabbing me.
I would note that a lot of people really like Linda Fairstein's novels. She is a very popular and successful author, and there are things in her books I enjoy myself. But for me, for whatever reasons, it just doesn't quite 'click'. LETHAL LEGACY felt like a good opportunity, somewhat unfulfilled.
January 7, 2009
Tina Barr, a conservator of rare books and maps, is discovered bound and drugged in her apartment with the suspect fleeing the scene in a fireman's gas mask. Assistant District Attorney Alex Cooper is called to the scene to discover if Tina was sexually assaulted in the attack. And when Tina refuses to cooperate and disappears, Alex is directed by District Attorney Paul Battaglia to find her. Alex does find Tina. She finds her dead in Bryant Park.
The search for Tina's murderer and the man who assaulted her in her apartment leads Alex, Mike and Mercer to the halls, tunnels, and secret rooms of the New York Public Library where they find "bibliomaniacs" willing to kill for their books. The only question is, "which one killed Tina?"
Reading a Linda Fairstein thriller is like taking an intimate look into a section of New York City. Every book focuses on an intriguing element of the city, and Fairstein takes you into the depths of that element to see it as you've never seen it before. LETHAL LEGACY is no different. In this Alex Cooper novel, Fairstein takes you not only in the New York City Library structure but into the history of the library as well. Being a bibliophile myself - not quite a cut-throat bibliomaniac, I don't think - I was absolutely mesmerized by this amazing institution. I finished the book feeling as though I'd not only been entertained but educated as well.
I was astounded to learn that books have been bound in human skin, anthropodermic binding. I had to look up some information on that subject after Wallace Mercer picked up Johan Krauss's inquest record that had been bound in the skin of the murderer from that very inquest. As Mike Chapman so acutely describes it, "It doesn't get much creepier than that."
I was also tickled to learn about Patience and Fortitude, to delve into the actual library history with the likes of John Jacob Astor and James Lenox. The entire institution is amazing and beautiful and in LETHAL LEGACY, quite deadly.
The characters in this series have always been among my favorites. In LETHAL LEGACY, a new character is introduced into the fold, one who would make a great addition to the regular crew. Shalik Samson is a twelve-year old street kid whose sarcasm and attitude fit perfectly with Mike Chapman's. And of course, Fairstein is true to form with the extensive, intriguing suspect list.
Who knew a place as quiet and distinguished as a library could house enough murder and mayhem to be the perfect setting for a thriller novel? Linda Fairstein definitely outdid herself in LETHAL LEGACY. It was the perfect kick-off read for me in 2009. I highly recommend it!
The search for Tina's murderer and the man who assaulted her in her apartment leads Alex, Mike and Mercer to the halls, tunnels, and secret rooms of the New York Public Library where they find "bibliomaniacs" willing to kill for their books. The only question is, "which one killed Tina?"
Reading a Linda Fairstein thriller is like taking an intimate look into a section of New York City. Every book focuses on an intriguing element of the city, and Fairstein takes you into the depths of that element to see it as you've never seen it before. LETHAL LEGACY is no different. In this Alex Cooper novel, Fairstein takes you not only in the New York City Library structure but into the history of the library as well. Being a bibliophile myself - not quite a cut-throat bibliomaniac, I don't think - I was absolutely mesmerized by this amazing institution. I finished the book feeling as though I'd not only been entertained but educated as well.
I was astounded to learn that books have been bound in human skin, anthropodermic binding. I had to look up some information on that subject after Wallace Mercer picked up Johan Krauss's inquest record that had been bound in the skin of the murderer from that very inquest. As Mike Chapman so acutely describes it, "It doesn't get much creepier than that."
I was also tickled to learn about Patience and Fortitude, to delve into the actual library history with the likes of John Jacob Astor and James Lenox. The entire institution is amazing and beautiful and in LETHAL LEGACY, quite deadly.
The characters in this series have always been among my favorites. In LETHAL LEGACY, a new character is introduced into the fold, one who would make a great addition to the regular crew. Shalik Samson is a twelve-year old street kid whose sarcasm and attitude fit perfectly with Mike Chapman's. And of course, Fairstein is true to form with the extensive, intriguing suspect list.
Who knew a place as quiet and distinguished as a library could house enough murder and mayhem to be the perfect setting for a thriller novel? Linda Fairstein definitely outdid herself in LETHAL LEGACY. It was the perfect kick-off read for me in 2009. I highly recommend it!
September 14, 2009
i'd start listing all the ways in which this book is objectionable if it hadn't kept me out of my book funk for a good three-four days. for this, it gets stars. and a hug. but here are the good parts: lots about old books, old maps, the new york public library, and the way in which beautiful ancient documents are preserved and come to be part of our cultural patrimony. wish fairstein had managed to keep the cute & helpless female trope to a minimum, but if i started complaining about that i'd complain about all sorts of other thing and then i'd be listing what i resolved not to list.
January 17, 2016
Centering around the New York Public Library one not only gets a good mystery but learns much about the library's history. Greed for rare books and maps are at the root of murders taking place to people connected with the library.
October 6, 2013
This woman railroaded The Central Park Five and she is just able to walk away and have a successful career as an author (I use that term loosely)? She also will delete anything you post on her FB page asking about her part in this outrageous miscarriage of justice. Reader beware.
May 8, 2017
Linda Fairstein is one of the best at writing conversation dialogue! In this installation of the adventures of Assistant DA Alex Cooper, Mike Chapman, and Mercer, team up to find the library killer.
May 1, 2009
I thought it would be interesting, being a murder mystery combined with the history of the new york public library and its contents. But I couldn't get past the boring and awkward writin.
June 8, 2016
A quick and entertaining read, with some intrigue. Certainly more interesting and better developed than other genre writing I've seen.
August 31, 2016
Bibliophiles will love this one. Well narrated. Recommended.
October 11, 2016
Interesting background information about NYPL. I always enjoy the characters who surround Alex in her work.
April 14, 2020
The thing I love most about Linda Fairstein’s books are the bits of history woven throughout a compelling story. Each time I read her, I learn more and more about the mysteries of Manhattan and the deep secrets that only history can tell!
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.
The thing I love about Linda Fairstein’s books are the bits of history woven throughout a compelling 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.
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.
The thing I love about Linda Fairstein’s books are the bits of history woven throughout a compelling 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.
July 31, 2019
Review: Lethal Legacy by Linda Fairstein.
I was intrigued by this well written book. Fairstein did some researching and filled the novel with plenty of great depth information and facts about legacies, history, rare books, rare maps and book binding done in the New York Public Library. Plus, she added insight of other numerous cultural institutions.
The story starts out with Tina Barr; a conservator of rare books and maps who is attacked in her apartment by someone she thought was a fireman. Neighbors heard the commotion and called the police. However, after the attack she locks herself in her apartment and wouldn’t even allow the police or any other agency to help her. Soon Alexandra Cooper, an assistant district attorney talks her way into the apartment and calls for an ambulance for medical assistance to take Tina to the hospital where she sneaks out and disappears. Alex Cooper is assigned by District Attorney Paul Battaglia to search for Tina Barr and that did not take long, Tina’s dead body is found in Bryant Park.
Then not long after a second murdered body was found in Tina Barr’s apartment. The woman was a staff member of the privileged Hunt family. As Alex and her partner Detective Mike Chapman investigates the two murders they wind up meeting the Hunt family who are major benefactors of New York’s Public Library, other passionate rare book collectors and where Tina Barr once worked.
Fairstein introduces the rare maps that are attached to the Hunt family legacy with secrets of their own and seeking the rare twelve panel atlas which they claim they once owned. This book will not let the reader get bored because there is something interesting always waiting to be read too the very end. There is a new character added to Fairstein’s characters, one who will stand out throughout the story. He is Shalik Samson, a twelve year old boy, street wise and who has an attitude and is very sarcastic but captured my heart…
I was intrigued by this well written book. Fairstein did some researching and filled the novel with plenty of great depth information and facts about legacies, history, rare books, rare maps and book binding done in the New York Public Library. Plus, she added insight of other numerous cultural institutions.
The story starts out with Tina Barr; a conservator of rare books and maps who is attacked in her apartment by someone she thought was a fireman. Neighbors heard the commotion and called the police. However, after the attack she locks herself in her apartment and wouldn’t even allow the police or any other agency to help her. Soon Alexandra Cooper, an assistant district attorney talks her way into the apartment and calls for an ambulance for medical assistance to take Tina to the hospital where she sneaks out and disappears. Alex Cooper is assigned by District Attorney Paul Battaglia to search for Tina Barr and that did not take long, Tina’s dead body is found in Bryant Park.
Then not long after a second murdered body was found in Tina Barr’s apartment. The woman was a staff member of the privileged Hunt family. As Alex and her partner Detective Mike Chapman investigates the two murders they wind up meeting the Hunt family who are major benefactors of New York’s Public Library, other passionate rare book collectors and where Tina Barr once worked.
Fairstein introduces the rare maps that are attached to the Hunt family legacy with secrets of their own and seeking the rare twelve panel atlas which they claim they once owned. This book will not let the reader get bored because there is something interesting always waiting to be read too the very end. There is a new character added to Fairstein’s characters, one who will stand out throughout the story. He is Shalik Samson, a twelve year old boy, street wise and who has an attitude and is very sarcastic but captured my heart…
August 15, 2017
What a wild romp through the NYPL map collections, the research libraries, and bibliomania. As a librarian who teaches about rare books and worked at NYPL (a long time ago), I couldn't put this book done. I had to stay up late to find out what wonderful twists and turns Fairstein put into this thriller.
I wasn't disappointed! Fairstein mentions all the important collectors and thieves including E Smiley Forbes, aka Eddy, and the Waldseemuller map, all 12 parts of it, the rarest map in the world https://www.loc.gov/rr/geogmap/waldex...
Since I've been reading through the series and know that Det. Mike Chapman is labeled the historian, I was surprised that Fairstein portrays him as never having been to the main NYPL research libraries and that he didn't know the names of the stately lions (Patience and Fortitude for those who don't know). Chapman didn't seem to know how research libraries work. If he graduated Fordham, then he should know. That was the only unbelievable part of the entire book.
Nevertheless, book and map lovers will love this book as much as those who are intrigued with NYPL and the history of Manhattan. Oh my, my reading list just grew longer.
On to #12!
I wasn't disappointed! Fairstein mentions all the important collectors and thieves including E Smiley Forbes, aka Eddy, and the Waldseemuller map, all 12 parts of it, the rarest map in the world https://www.loc.gov/rr/geogmap/waldex...
Since I've been reading through the series and know that Det. Mike Chapman is labeled the historian, I was surprised that Fairstein portrays him as never having been to the main NYPL research libraries and that he didn't know the names of the stately lions (Patience and Fortitude for those who don't know). Chapman didn't seem to know how research libraries work. If he graduated Fordham, then he should know. That was the only unbelievable part of the entire book.
Nevertheless, book and map lovers will love this book as much as those who are intrigued with NYPL and the history of Manhattan. Oh my, my reading list just grew longer.
On to #12!
August 22, 2020
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 internal family rivalries to a priceless edition of Alice in Wonderland, which also contains the world’s oldest map. 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.
Linda Fairstein again writes and well constructed mystery. I have read all the previous books in this series and believe this is the best one yet. Of course, as a retired librarian, I was fascinated by the inside look at the fabulous New York Public Library.
Linda Fairstein again writes and well constructed mystery. I have read all the previous books in this series and believe this is the best one yet. Of course, as a retired librarian, I was fascinated by the inside look at the fabulous New York Public Library.
December 5, 2021
Lethal Legacy (Alexandra Cooper #11)
by Linda Fairstein
I enjoyed the story, a murder of a Conservator from the New York Library, There is a mystery around why this murder and a darkness around the way the murder was executed.
Tina Barr is attacked in her basement flat by a masked man, she is chloroformed and waking from this forced sleep she is faced with a phalanx of police and detectives at her door wanting to get in.
Alex Cooper called to the scene is given more information 'A man in a fireman's suit and a gas mask has been seen by one of the other tenants in the building and he calls 911, Tina however is very reluctant to let anyone into her apartment.
The murder and the story and the issues raised in the story leading the detectives to the library are very good but there is a whole section 100 pages long explaining how the library works, who has donated collections of books and maps to the library and the significant of each collection. Whilst the information is interesting and would be great in a book about the library but in a murder story a fiction book I feel its too much.
Once we get back to the story it is again a well written book.
by Linda Fairstein
I enjoyed the story, a murder of a Conservator from the New York Library, There is a mystery around why this murder and a darkness around the way the murder was executed.
Tina Barr is attacked in her basement flat by a masked man, she is chloroformed and waking from this forced sleep she is faced with a phalanx of police and detectives at her door wanting to get in.
Alex Cooper called to the scene is given more information 'A man in a fireman's suit and a gas mask has been seen by one of the other tenants in the building and he calls 911, Tina however is very reluctant to let anyone into her apartment.
The murder and the story and the issues raised in the story leading the detectives to the library are very good but there is a whole section 100 pages long explaining how the library works, who has donated collections of books and maps to the library and the significant of each collection. Whilst the information is interesting and would be great in a book about the library but in a murder story a fiction book I feel its too much.
Once we get back to the story it is again a well written book.
April 4, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It focuses on a lawyer from the District Attorney's office in New York City, Alexandra Cooper. She's young and bright with two city cops that work with her to solve crimes and all three make a great team and an entertaining mystery series. This is the first one I've read but will be coming back to read more.
In this particular book, our team tries to solve murders that are connected with the rare books and maps in the New York Library. The staff and unusual but cooperative while the donors are rich and corrupt and defensive. The reader has to sort through who is the most likely to have committed the crimes and who is an unwitting pawn. I love books about old maps and map making and forgery and all. I enjoyed the background that was given, the characters and the twists that continue throughout the book.
I would recommend this to anyone who has a taste for crime fiction and a love of old books and maps, like I do.
In this particular book, our team tries to solve murders that are connected with the rare books and maps in the New York Library. The staff and unusual but cooperative while the donors are rich and corrupt and defensive. The reader has to sort through who is the most likely to have committed the crimes and who is an unwitting pawn. I love books about old maps and map making and forgery and all. I enjoyed the background that was given, the characters and the twists that continue throughout the book.
I would recommend this to anyone who has a taste for crime fiction and a love of old books and maps, like I do.
June 27, 2021
Loved this book ! ! It's a crime story but better than the story was the history of the New York City Public Library and the different rooms inside. How it evolved from its original building into subterranean additions the large reading room and rooms with glass ceilings to recreate the feeling of The Crystal Palace. So much more to learn.
The story centers around the world of rare and ancient books and maps and the wealthy people who acquire them, collect them and donate collections to the libraries. Then it goes into the New York Marble Cemetery and the New York City Marble Cemetery which then made me look them up. So much good NYC fact information and places that I now want to visit next time I'm over there.
So now I have to read a book about the history of the New York City Library! And the ten books that came before this one!
The story centers around the world of rare and ancient books and maps and the wealthy people who acquire them, collect them and donate collections to the libraries. Then it goes into the New York Marble Cemetery and the New York City Marble Cemetery which then made me look them up. So much good NYC fact information and places that I now want to visit next time I'm over there.
So now I have to read a book about the history of the New York City Library! And the ten books that came before this one!
July 6, 2017
I love Linda Fairstein and her Alexandra Cooper novels but Lethal Legacy was definitely NOT one of her better books. I won't give any spoilers here but it was very boring for the most part. The premise of the book seemed interesting at first, but Ms. Fairstein goes into too many details regarding the NY Public Library and its books and maps which are the focal point of the storyline. I really struggled to finish the book and the only reason I kept on reading was that I was curious to find out who committed the murders. If you are looking for a good Linda Fairstein book to read, I do not suggest this one but I would highly recommend her most recent book "Killer Look" which was Linda at her best.
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