Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Alafair Burke

Alafair Burke is the author of what the Sun-Sentinel has hailed as "two powerhouse series" featuring NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher and Portland Deputy District Attorney Samantha Kincaid.

Long Gone, Burke’s first stand-alone novel, is set "in New York City’s cut-throat world of art, [where] appearances can be deceiving—especially when art world newcomer Alice Humphrey becomes a suspect in a gruesome murder at a Chelsea gallery, and is thrown into a treacherous labyrinth of intrigue, crime, and conspiracy. Now, Alice must discover the truth behind the murder before the unsolved mystery claims her as its next victim."

Not so long ago I asked the author what she was reading. Her reply:
I recently read Rosamund Lupton's novel, Sister. It's about one sister, Bee, searching for a missing sister, Tess. I'm always fascinated with the choices writers make about narrative structure. Lupton frames the entire book as a letter from Bee to Tess. She makes the move seem effortless, but other writers will see the difficulty of the challenge she set for herself with that single decision. It is both a taut and compelling thriller and a beautifully written account of love and frustration between sisters. It's a remarkable debut that deserves all the attention it is sure to garner.
Visit Alafair Burke's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue