212 (Ellie Hatcher Series #3) [NOOK Book]

( 479 )

Overview

In New York City, Nights Are Dangerous. Days Are Numbered.

When New York University sophomore Megan Gunther finds personal threats posted to a Web site specializing in campus gossip, she's taken aback by their menacing tone. Someone knows her daily routine down to the minute and is watching her—but thanks to the anonymity provided by the Internet, the police tell her there's nothing they can do. Her friends are sure it's someone's idea of a joke, but when Megan is murdered in ...

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212 (Ellie Hatcher Series #3)

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More About This Book

Overview

In New York City, Nights Are Dangerous. Days Are Numbered.

When New York University sophomore Megan Gunther finds personal threats posted to a Web site specializing in campus gossip, she's taken aback by their menacing tone. Someone knows her daily routine down to the minute and is watching her—but thanks to the anonymity provided by the Internet, the police tell her there's nothing they can do. Her friends are sure it's someone's idea of a joke, but when Megan is murdered in a vicious attack, NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher is convinced that the online threats are more than just empty words.

With smooth, straight-talking partner J. J. Rogan at her side, Ellie tries to identify Megan's enemies, but she begins to wonder if the coed's murder was more than just the culmination of a cyber obsession. Phone records reveal a link between Megan and a murdered real estate agent who was living a dangerous double life. The detectives also learn that the dead real estate agent shared a secret connection to a celebrity mogul whose bodyguard was mysteriously killed a few months earlier. And when Megan's roommate suddenly disappears, they know they have to find her before another young woman dies.

Exposing the darkness that lurks beneath the glamorous surface of New York City, 212 delivers yet another "knuckle-biting journey that'll keep you turning pages until the very end" (Faye Kellerman).

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Burke’s third white-knuckle thriller finds NYPD Det. Ellie Hatcher (after Angel’s Tip) and her partner, J.J. Rogan, investigating the murder of NYU student Megan Gunther, who’s the target of threatening posts on a college gossip Web site. The death of bodyguard Robert “Robo” Mancini, whose bullet-ridden corpse turns up in a swanky new building, the 212, built by Sam Sparks, the high-powered Manhattan real-estate developer Robo worked for, ups the ante. When Sam makes it clear that the police won’t have access to any company records, Ellie’s interest is piqued. As she and J.J. try to piece together Megan’s life, they discover a link between the student and a recently murdered real estate agent. With her usual tenacity, Ellie pursues leads that put both her career and her life at risk. Burke expertly weaves real-life headlines into her plot—particularly the Craig’s List Killer and the slew of recent political scandals—without ever sacrificing originality. (Apr.)
Library Journal
When NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher (Angel's Tip) and her partner, J.J. Rogan, suspect a connection between the murder of a college co-ed who'd recently complained about an online stalking incident and the murder of a bodyguard employed by a wealthy and well-known real estate developer, the clues lead them into the darker side of the Internet—a world of anonymous online gossip and call-girl ads. Ellie soon finds herself juggling two active cases while sitting in the crosshairs of both office politics and high-powered persons of interest who don't like the police looking into their business. VERDICT The latest installment of former district attorney and current criminal law professor Burke's Ellie Hatcher series is a fast-paced thriller featuring an appealingly current angle, dynamic characters, and a spiderweb of possibilities she manages to leave tied up neatly. Strongly recommended for public libraries, especially where thrillers are popular. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/09.]—Amy Brozio-Andrews, Albany P.L., NY
Kirkus Reviews
A novel that opens up the seamy side-is there another?-of untraceable online threats; of pay-for-sex escort services; and of murder in posh penthouses. Burke (Angel's Tip, 2008, etc.) reintroduces Ellie Hatcher, a tough and beautiful cop, to investigate the murder of Robert Mancini, whose bullet-riddled body has been found in a penthouse at 212 Lafayette in New York City. It turns out the apartment is owned by millionaire (billionaire?) real-estate tycoon Sam Sparks, whom characters often refer to as the Sam Sparks? (As in the Donald Trump?). When he arrives shortly after the murder, he seems more upset that Hatcher is making footprints on his designer carpet than that his employee Mancini has been murdered in his bed. Evidence abounds that a personal "escort" had been with Mancini, so she immediately becomes a suspect. Hatcher quickly gets into big trouble (and even cools her heels in the slammer for 24 hours) for suspecting that Sparks himself could be responsible for this murder, but another possibility exists-that the missing escort had been an unwilling witness and that she's on the lam because she fears for her life. Meanwhile, NYU student Megan Gunther has been receiving threatening messages on a smarmy website, Campus Juice ("All the Juice. Always Anonymous"). When her parents go to the police precinct to get some action on these threats, they're told that the perp can't be traced and that anyway there's nothing illegal about sending creepy messages. This story doesn't go down well with the Gunthers, even more so when less than 24 hours later Megan is murdered in her apartment-though the intended victim just might have been Megan's roommate, who we discover works for an escortservice and is using an alias. Bodies continue to pile up in various distressing guises, including one that's been tortured, but Hatcher, along with her street-smart partner J.J. Rogan, is just the one to track down the nasties. Burke's plot is more convoluted than necessary, and her prose more serviceable than memorable. Author appearances in Los Angeles, New York, Portland, Ore., Seattle
Associated Press
“The story is not merely ‘ripped from the headlines’; Burke starts with these themes and makes them her own…. Pleasingly complex, with multiple suspects and surprising twists. The characters are richly drawn, and Burke’s prose is as precise as the Glock pistol that Ellie carries…. A page-turner.
Romantic Times
“Starts the suspense on the very first page and doesn’t stop until the last sentence. . . . Hatcher and Rogan are a dream team, their relationship the ideal of what every partnership should be. It’s a wonderfully fulfilling book.”
Associated Press Staff
"The story is not merely ‘ripped from the headlines’; Burke starts with these themes and makes them her own…. Pleasingly complex, with multiple suspects and surprising twists. The characters are richly drawn, and Burke’s prose is as precise as the Glock pistol that Ellie carries…. A page-turner.
Harlan Coben
"The plot of an Alafair Burke thriller doesn’t just rip from the headlines. She’s one step ahead of them. 212 scares you and keeps you turning the pages into the wee hours."
Katherine Dunn
"Burke’s prose is clear and fast, and every move by investigators and officers of the court is the real deal. She explores genuine contemporary questions in a revealing and thoughtful way.... Her plot is always dynamic and intelligent. 212 is engineered to wring double-whammy suspense out of credible peril."
Romantic Times)
"Starts the suspense on the very first page and doesn’t stop until the last sentence. . . . Hatcher and Rogan are a dream team, their relationship the ideal of what every partnership should be. It’s a wonderfully fulfilling book."
Michele Leber
"Up-to-the-minute, action-packed crime fiction."
Library Journal
This is Burke's (www.alafairburke.com) third thriller to feature NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher, following Angel's Tip (2008), also available from Recorded Books and read by actress Eliza Foss (www.elizafoss.com). Incorporating references to current-day headlines and the issue of Internet anonymity, this smart, multilayered thriller opens with the violent murder of a real estate developer's bodyguard and continues with a deadly assault on a New York University student. Foss's narration and character rendering are flawless. An ingeniously crafted book that moves at a superfast pace; a great choice for fiction collections. [The Harper hc was described as "featuring an appealingly current angle, dynamic characters, and a spiderweb of possibilities…tied up neatly," LJ 2/1/10.—Ed.]—Kristen L. Smith, Loras Coll. Lib., Dubuque, IA
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780061986147
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 3/23/2010
  • Series: Ellie Hatcher Series , #3
  • Sold by: Harpercollins
  • Format: eBook
  • Pages: 368
  • Sales rank: 54,503
  • File size: 1,001 KB

Meet the Author

Alafair Burke

Alafair Burke is the bestselling author of eight previous novels, including the thriller Long Gone and the Ellie Hatcher series: 212, Angel's Tip, Dead Connection, and Never Tell. A former prosecutor, she now teaches criminal law and lives in Manhattan.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 479 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(142)

4 Star

(194)

3 Star

(101)

2 Star

(21)

1 Star

(21)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 479 Customer Reviews

  • Posted May 5, 2010

    212

    This book was an excellant read. I enjoyed it very much. I had a hard time putting it down and read it in 2 days.

    28 out of 32 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 2, 2012

    I Also Recommend:

    Ancient Legends Books 1-3 Discounted Offer

    I loved this book. It has a story I couldn't put down.

    I loved this book. It has a story I couldn't put down.

    20 out of 21 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted May 9, 2010

    Like Father Like Daughter

    James Lee Burke is arguably one of the best authors of all time. I opted to read his daughter's offering in hopes that she would possess some of her Dad's talent. I was not disappointed. She has a completely different style, but has the same quality of character development and plot originality. James should be proud.

    18 out of 20 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 31, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    The Silent Hour (Lincoln Perry Series #4)
    The Cold Dish (Walt Longmire Series #1)

    212 is a Perfect 10

    Ellie Hatcher is back with a vengeance. A vengeance that lands her butt squarely in jail. Smart, independent Ellie Hatcher proves to the world everyday that she's far more than a pretty face. She can "bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan." She juggles her job, her older brother Jess, Assistant District Attorney Max Donovan, even her mother back in Wichita. And while she may not be as hip as her brother would like, she still manages to do it all with panache.

    Burke's work is the epitome of art imitating life. Her plot lines are "ripped from the headlines;" the characters and dialogue are infused with pop culture; and she brings to life the New York City she so loves. 212 has no shortage of Burke's signature wit, which often comes out in her crisp, commanding dialogue. Ellie's exchanges with both her brother Jess and her partner J.J. could walk off the pages they are so believable. Burke's strengths are numerous, but her dialogue is quite possibly my favorite. It is clear, it's sharp, it's witty. When a reader believes the dialogue, he/she believes the characters delivering it. For my money, no one does this better than Alafair Burke.

    The complexity of 212's plot is carefully balanced. Burke peals back layer after layer, creating numerous unexpected twists throughout the book. But the twists never go over the top, nor do they become too numerous for belief. Instead the keep the reader gripped to the pages. I tried to slowly savor this book, but the plot simply wouldn't let me.

    In addition, the plot of 212, like each of Burke's previous novels, reflects current events. But more than that, it examines some hefty "why" questions that are floating around these current events as well. And whenever Burke addresses a "why" question in her writing, she illustrates that the answer to that question is never a basic one, like so many people want to make it out to be. Afterall, it's humanity she's addressing, and humanity is certainly never basic. In 212, Burke takes a 348 page back swing allowing her to masterfully stroke her theme straight down the fairway and sink a hole-in-one on the final page. It's a monumental ending, one that won't quickly leave your thoughts.

    I waited over a year for Ellie Hatcher to return to action, and 212 was worth every minute of that wait.

    17 out of 24 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 25, 2012

    Stop ruining the story!

    Just tells us if the book is good or bad. Don't tell us the story. Thats what we have the overview for!

    15 out of 33 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 24, 2010

    Ms Burke does it again

    Alafair Burke has once again given us great reading. Having read each of her books, I was not disappointed by this one. Am looking forward to her next book.

    12 out of 17 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 11, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    646

    Would a really good thriller based in New York telegraph the name of the killer 100 pages before his identity was actually revealed? 100 pages early I knew who the killer was. When we finally got to the resolution of the case, I was surprised at how ludicrous things were turning out to be. Alafair Burke seemed to want to throw everything in but the kitchen sink. The story, as it turned out, was so incredible that one wonders why the author didn't make an effort to be more realistic. The final pages are more of a National Enquirer index of stories than any real resolution of a crime thriller. 212 is for authentic New Yorkers, 646 for the wannabes! :)

    11 out of 18 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 27, 2010

    Great Read

    What a thrilling ride to take that kept the pages turning to see who was the killer. Three people murdered who seemingly have no connection until Ellie and Rogan worked the puzzle and the pieces fell into place. When the dust was settled, many lives were destroyed in the name of love.

    10 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 25, 2012

    Dont tell the story

    Don't tell the story. Just write your comments. Thanks.

    9 out of 18 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 27, 2012

    pretty good

    Im glad it was a free friday book. I normally dont read mysteries but this was an interesting, easy, fast paced read. Will def be checking out the seires.

    6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 25, 2012

    212

    Great read

    6 out of 14 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 28, 2012

    Good read

    This was my Memorial Day weekend read and I was not disappointed. The story had plenty of twists and turns that made me want to keep reading

    5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 21, 2012

    very good read!

    212 was a good book. it was easy to follow the characters but not to guess "whodunit" before the end. I look forward to reading more from Alafair Burke!

    4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 30, 2012

    Great read

    This was a free Friday selecton that really panned out. Well worth the time. Good character development, great plot and entertaining for any mystery/police procedure reader. Now I have to purchase the other books in the series! Highly reccommend.

    4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 28, 2012

    Couldn't put it down

    Quuck read with many twists and turns-some predictable,others not•

    4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 28, 2012

    Great read!

    Book was an easy read. Really liked and am planning on buying more from this author.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 24, 2012

    Ahhh...

    100 pages shy of finishing...not invested in story line, and not enough character development

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 24, 2012

    Fair

    A quick read. Various plot twists and turns. The characters weren't particularly memorable nor was the plot.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 30, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    excellent book. Thought I had it figured all out then she throw

    excellent book. Thought I had it figured all out then she throws in a twist. I also like the way she took current headlines in the news and used them as a spring board for the story. I will read more by Mr.Alafair Burke.

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 30, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Great beach read

    A NY-based detective thriller with more twists and turns than you can count. Fun read for the beach.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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