Angel's Tip (Ellie Hatcher Series #2)

Chip off the Old Block

ANGEL'S TIP by Alafair Burke A first rate police procedural from the daughter of James Lee Burke. In this second Elli Hatcher outing, the newly assigned NYPD homicide detective is first on the scene at the discovery of the mutilated body of a college student. She and partner J.J. Rogan have an abundance of suspects that come into and then out of the picture as more evidence is unearthed that finally leads to a manhunt for a serial killer. Very nicely done and suspenseful to the end. Lets hope we continue to see more of Ms. Hatcher in the months and years ahead. Completely different from, but potentially as enduring as her dad's Dave Robicheaux.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Gripping book...real page turner.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Could not put it down. This is one that is easy to get into and makes you want to find out what happened. I'm not very good at writing reviews, but I am great at reading books and at knowing good books. This one keeps your interest, is a bit off-beat, and takes a few turns.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

GREAT BOOK

This is a great lady cop story. I like this style of writing, very easy to read. I also feel the character development is good. Kept me guessing till the end. Karen in Indiana

A fun, well writen crime story

I have not had a chance to read a good crime novel in a long while, and from the description this book seemed like a good one to read. It took a while for the story to develop, and since I was not familiar with the main character from the previous novels by Alfair Burke, it took about hundred pages or so before I could care enough to be fully gripped by the story. However, once I had the full interest in the happenings, the book was hard to put down. Burke has a very well developed style that is precise and technically impeccable. The story has a feel of a combination of the "Law and Order" and "Silence of the Lambs." So if you are into either one of those two genres, this will be an interesting book to read.

Every author needs a great opening line for their book synopsis. I love this one: In a city full of victims . . . it's hard to choose just one.

WHAT I LIKED: The main character, Ellie Hatcher, is a likeable and believable character. She's a straight shooter who can do things the easy way or the hard way. Regardless, she'll get results. She's smart, tough, aggressive, calculated, and pretty darn hot. But she also likes to drink Margaritas with friends and relax. I liked the chemistry with her brother Jess and new partner JJ Rogan. I appreciated the balance as its no fun to have a completely wound up protagonist. The minor characters were engaging and fun to watch develop. The victims were humanized and not treated as a prop to further the plot.

Angel's Tip is a classic whodunit. Could the killer be someone from within the police force or one of the affluent young party boys in the elite Manhattan night club called the Pulse? Burke skillfully hides clues and integrates red herrings along the way to keep the reader guessing until the end of the book. The story took numerous twists and turns, as one by one the characters looked as if they could very well be the serial killer, until finally there was one man left standing.

I like to write down the names of the characters, who they are, and what they do, then try to identify the killer as I progress through the book. Sometimes I can correctly identify the killer halfway through. Not this time. Although there were only two actual murders in Angels Tips, Burke did a wonderful job recalling three similar murders from the past and intertwining them throughout the story. Ellie, of course, made the connections and concluded there had to be only one killer responsible for all five killings.

Alafair Burke's background as a deputy district attorney and as a teacher of criminal law is demonstrated in her ability to weave inner workings of a criminal mind, how the justice system works, the investigative process, and what works and what doesn't work into her story.

Angel's Tip is based on real life murders of young women after a late night of partying in New York City and developed into a "What if" scenario. What if Ellie Hatcher caught cases like these and saw a connection where no one else did?

This book was very good

Really enjoyed it

Chip off the old block

She learned well at her father's knee. Great

Couldn't put it down

I loved this book! I read it without realizing that it was the 2nd book in the Ellie Hatcher series (so I hadn't read the first), but I still couldn't put it down and immediately ordered Dead Connection as well as all of the Samantha Kincaid series. I love this writer and am definately looking forward to more books by her!

Okay Suspense Novel

Alafair Burke keeps her serial-killer story moving along well, though it bogs down in the sections involving the love/personal life of NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher, a likeable enough protagonist. For me, though, the minor characters were more interesting and well-drawn. The book is based on a real-life incident of a young woman killed after partying late (and alone) at a popular dance club, and as such does a decent job with the fictionalized version.

Excellent reading. She's getting better than her dad.

Very well written-suspenseful. One of those books you don't want to
put down.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Burke rebounds with second Ellie Hatcher mystery

Alafair Burke's Det. Ellie Hatcher returns after last year's disappointing 'Dead Connection.' Thankfully, 'Angel's Tip' is much better, maybe even one of the best crime novels of the year, so far. On a morning jog, Hatcher discovers the body of murdered college student Chelsea Hart, and the investigation soon leads to the trendy New York City club scene, where Hart was last seen with investment banker Jake Meyers, who immediately becomes the prime suspect. But Hatcher quickly discovers striking similarities to several cold cases, leading her to believe a serial killer is on the loose. And she also wonders why police brass dismissed the serial killer theory a few years ago, when those old cases were first being investigated. Meanwhile, leaked details about the current murder keep appearing in the local newspaper, complicating Hatcher's relationship with her tabloid reporter boyfriend, as well as her professional life when he's accused of being the source. Things really get interesting when a new victim is found, her hair style eerily similar to one Hatcher wore in an old school picture, with Hatcher's initials cut into her forehead. In addition to the suspenseful plot (which has a doozy of a twist near the end), all of the characters are interesting and believable - qualities that are sometimes missing from a lot of crime fiction. Highly recommended. Also recommended: 'A Stranger Lies There' - winner of the Malice Domestic Award for best first mystery, its plot also leads to the New York City club scene.

Another Hatcher Homerun!

Chelsea Hart is an Indiana University student in New York City on spring break. She and her friends are out at a trendy night club on their last night in town. It's late and her friends are trying to pry her away from the club. Chelsea, however, doesn't want to leave yet so she talks her friends into returning to the hotel without her. It's a deadly decision. Chelsea isn't seen alive again. Ellie Hatcher is one of the first to find Chelsea when she and her brother Jess are out for a morning run. Ellie is back in NYC and back with the homicide department, this time as an official detective IN the department. She calls her new partner J.J. Rogan and tells him to get to the crime scene, they've just snagged a murder investigation. All seems great in NYC when a suspect is arrested and an air-tight case appears to be in order. But in the process of the investigation, Ellie discovers three cold cases her old partner Flann McIlroy had been looking into. Cases he believed were connected...and cases that look eerily similar to the Chelsea Hart case. Alafair Burke is back in prime form! She hit another Ellie Hatcher homerun with ANGEL'S TIP, the follow-up to Hatcher's debut in DEAD CONNECTION. Like Harlan Coben, Burke is a master of 'imitating life.' I love the pop culture allusions that weave throughout the plot. The nightlife, club scene in ANGEL'S TIP is one that is very foreign to me. BUT, Burke had me connecting with Ellie because that wasn't her scene either. I could FEEL her discomfort at wearing clothes that just weren't HER. The introduction of J.J. Rogan was a fantastic addition to the series. J.J. is a fun and rich character - and I'm not talking about his inheritance either. It's refreshing to have two relatively young, intelligent professionals working together - of opposite genders - who have great chemistry that doesn't necessitate jumping in the sack. Both Ellie and J.J. have such a realistic passion about their jobs as police detectives. The way Burke illustrates this passion you would think she was a New York City detective herself. Another point of realism that reminded me of how 'unreal' television can portray police work came when Ellie took off running after a suspect. J.J. was screaming for her to stop. She didn't have a protective vest on she didn't know if the suspect was armed they didn't have back-up - that wasn't correct procedure. Yet, we see that every night on the crime dramas and we expect it. But the 'correct procedure' sure does make a lot of sense. I always feel like I've learned something after reading a book by Alafair Burke. This point also reminded me why I like Ellie so much - she's human. She makes mistakes in the heat of the moment rookie mistakes, if you will. But she's also accountable for her mistakes. She doesn't need some Superman to come save her. There's even a point where the young ADA is with Ellie and she tells him she doesn't need a protector, he can go home. He informs her that he's there for HER to protect HIM! Priceless! All of this excellent character development and realism sets the scaffolding for a fantastic plot. There are twists and turns at every chapter. While at one point in the novel I suspected the culprit, Burke threw in so many twists that I ended up constantly oscillating trying to guess who the real killer was, 'well, it can't be HIM because...' 'hmmm, maybe it's HIM...' 'then again, it could be...'. Thrillers like ANGEL'S TIP are the only roller coaster rides I enjoy. I'd line up again and again to experience Alafair Burke's kind of thrill! Outstanding!!

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