If You Were Here

by Alafair Burke

Overview

From New York Times bestselling author Alafair Burke comes a suspenseful, tightly plotted story of friendship, lies, and betrayal.

Journalist McKenna Jordan is chasing the latest urban folktale—the story of an unidentified woman who heroically pulled a teenaged boy from the subway tracks, seconds before the approach of an oncoming train. When McKenna locates a video snippet that purportedly captures the incident, she thinks she has an edge on the competition scrambling to identify the mystery heroine.

McKenna is shocked to discover that the woman in the video bears a strong resemblance to Susan Hauptmann, a close friend—and a classmate of her husband’s at West Point—who vanished without a trace ten years earlier. The NYPD concluded that the nomadic Susan—forced by her father into an early military life, floundering as an adult for a fixed identity—simply started over again somewhere else.

But McKenna has always believed the truth went deeper than the police investigation ever reached. What might have been a short-lived metro story sends her on a twisting search that leads across New York City—and to dark secrets buried dangerously close to home…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062208378
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/04/2013
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	5,863
File size:	679 KB

About the Author

Alafair Burke is a New York Times bestselling author whose most recent novels include The Wife and The Ex, which was nominated for the Edgar Award for best novel. She also co-authors the bestselling Under Suspicion series with Mary Higgins Clark. A former prosecutor, she now teaches criminal law and lives in Manhattan and East Hampton.

Editorial Reviews

A woman single-handedly saves the life of a young baseball star after he falls onto a subway track, and all of New York City is talking. When journalist McKenna Jordan discovers cell phone footage of the rescue, she is shocked to see that the heroic mystery woman bears a striking resemblance to a friend who disappeared a decade earlier. McKenna's obsession with finding the subway hero uncovers memories and unanswered questions from a time in her life she'd rather forget. A string of bad luck and accusations are not enough to dissuade McKenna from finding the truth. Alone and discredited, she continues to seek answers and piece together a story that will ultimately change the past. VERDICT A break from Burke's Ellie Hatcher series (Never Tell; Angel's Tip), her new stand-alone delivers a cleverly nuanced plot that will keep the pages turning. Her smart writing is fast-paced and engaging, and this book should appeal to most mystery readers, especially those looking for compelling, intelligent story lines. Despite a somewhat drawn-out, complicated ending, the overall reading experience is a delight. [See Prepub Alert, 12/14/12.]—Vicki Briner, City Coll. Lib., Fort Lauderdale, FL

Library Journal

You know you are in good hands with her, and can relax without wondering if things are going to fall apart midway through. ...Burke’s female characters are always very involving, with big, strong voices.” — Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl, in O, the Oprah Magazine

“Outstanding….Burke’s accuracy in legal and judicial technicalities is impressive although most readers will find simpler pleasures in her sharp writing, well-constructed plot, and dimensional characters.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Captivating…. Burke excels in writing compelling character-driven stories mixed with baffling mysteries.” — Associated Press

“If You Were Here is a winner: a suspenseful, tightly plotted story of friendship, lies, and betrayal. Alafair Burke writes deftly about secrets buried close to home. An accomplished novel by an assured author.” — Meg Gardiner, author of The Shadow Tracer

“After finishing If You Were Here, I don’t feel I can trust anyone ever again, except Alafair Burke to provide a cracking good read.” — Linwood Barclay, author of Trust Your Eyes

“Delivers a cleverly nuanced plot that will keep the pages turning. [Burke’s] smart writing is fast-paced and engaging, and this book should appeal to most mystery readers, especially those looking for compelling, intelligent story lines. . . .. a delight.” — Library Journal

“The plot complexity of this richly populated book keeps the action pumping, but it is the delicate shifts in perception that intrigue…keeps readers edgily engaged.” — Houston Chronicle

“Exciting....Lawyer turned-journalist McKenna finds her life turned upside down when she recognizes a friend from her college years who disappeared without a trace a decade before on a video of a near-tragedy on the subway….Will engage [Burke’s] growing audience.” — Booklist

“One of the more-talented crime writers working today.” — Pittsburgh Tribune

“Fast-paced nail-biter.” — National Examiner

“Burke’s first class adventure has murder and mayhem wrapped up in an intricate, innovative plot. Gripping from the first page....Will keep readers guessing until the end.” — RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars

“Nicely crafted, plenty of suspense to go around, a couple of unanticipated twists - what’s not to like?” — BookPage

“If You Were Here veers from one realistic twist to another with aplomb. Years of betrayal, lies and distrust rise to the surface as the suspenseful plot never falters.… Outstanding.” — Sacramento Bee

From the Publisher

The plot complexity of this richly populated book keeps the action pumping, but it is the delicate shifts in perception that intrigue…keeps readers edgily engaged.

Houston Chronicle

One of the more-talented crime writers working today.

Pittsburgh Tribune

You know you are in good hands with her, and can relax without wondering if things are going to fall apart midway through. ...Burke’s female characters are always very involving, with big, strong voices.

Gillian Flynn

Captivating…. Burke excels in writing compelling character-driven stories mixed with baffling mysteries.

Associated Press

If You Were Here is a winner: a suspenseful, tightly plotted story of friendship, lies, and betrayal. Alafair Burke writes deftly about secrets buried close to home. An accomplished novel by an assured author.

Meg Gardiner

Exciting....Lawyer turned-journalist McKenna finds her life turned upside down when she recognizes a friend from her college years who disappeared without a trace a decade before on a video of a near-tragedy on the subway….Will engage [Burke’s] growing audience.

Booklist

Fast-paced nail-biter.

National Examiner

After finishing If You Were Here, I don’t feel I can trust anyone ever again, except Alafair Burke to provide a cracking good read.

Linwood Barclay

If You Were Here veers from one realistic twist to another with aplomb. Years of betrayal, lies and distrust rise to the surface as the suspenseful plot never falters.… Outstanding.

Sacramento Bee

Burke’s first class adventure has murder and mayhem wrapped up in an intricate, innovative plot. Gripping from the first page....Will keep readers guessing until the end.

RT Book Reviews

Nicely crafted, plenty of suspense to go around, a couple of unanticipated twists - what’s not to like?

BookPage

Exciting....Lawyer turned-journalist McKenna finds her life turned upside down when she recognizes a friend from her college years who disappeared without a trace a decade before on a video of a near-tragedy on the subway….Will engage [Burke’s] growing audience.

Booklist

Captivating…. Burke excels in writing compelling character-driven stories mixed with baffling mysteries.

Associated Press Staff