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    Night Watch
    Night Watch
    Night Watch
    Audiobook12 hours

    Night Watch

    Written by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen

    Narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The #1 New York Times bestselling author and the Edgar Award winning author are back with a new a new novel featuring Kendra Michaels-hired gun for both the CIA and FBI. Born blind, Kendra Michaels spent the first twenty years of her life living in the darkness. Then, thanks to a revolutionary medical procedure developed by England's Night Watch Project, she was given the gift of sight. Her highly-developed senses (honed during her years in the dark), combined with her new found vision, have made her a remarkable investigator, sought after by law-enforcement agencies all over the country. But her newest case finds her uncovering a deadly truth about the shadowy organization that has given her so much. Kendra is surprised when she is visited by Dr. Charles Waldridge, the researcher who gave her sight. But all is not well with the brilliant surgeon; he's troubled by something he can't discuss with Kendra. When Waldridge disappears that very night, Kendra is on the case, recruiting government agent-for-hire Adam Lynch to join her on a trail that leads to the snow-packed California mountains. There they make a gruesome discovery: the corpse of one of Dr. Waldridge's associates, brutally murdered in the freezing snow. But it's only the first casualty in a white-knuckle confrontation with a deadly enemy who will push Kendra to the limits of her abilities. Soon she must fight for her very survival as she tries to stop the killing. and unearth the deadly secret of Night Watch.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateOct 25, 2016
    ISBN9781501930218
    Night Watch
    Author

    Iris Johansen

    Iris Johansen is the author of over twenty novels - including Final Target, Body of Lies, No One to Trust, Dead Aim and Fatal Tide - and consistently hits the top end of the bestseller lists in America. She lives in Georgia, USA, where she is at work on a new novel.

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    Reviews for Night Watch

    3.5/5

    129 ratings24 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Loved this, very exciting and tense, a page turner for sure
    • 2/5

      I normally enjoy reading Linda Fairstein, but this one didn't do much for me.

      There was a multiple story line: Alexandra's romance w/ Luc (the French 3 Star restaurateur); the murder of one of Luc's former employees, one of his newest employees & drugs; and an "allegedly" raped hotel maid by a well known wealthy Ivory Coast businessman.

      The "allegedly" raped hotel maid turns out to be a liar, while Alexandra's rival (who was assigned the case prior to her returning from France and knows nothing of rape victim protocol) and his "girlfriend" (who he assigned to handle the victim) have botched the case.

      Luc whose dream is to reopen his father's famous restaurant Lutec, has problems from his past, which he doesn't share w/ Alexandra. His business partners are a bit shady..... and then there is the discovery of the dead employees, drugs and Luc's former wife being an addict.

      Somewhere, bones & skulls from the catacombs are placed at the front door of Luc's home, and there is a brief discussion from Jeopardy on the Night Watch by Rembrandt.

      There was too much going on, too many distractions, and a few loose ends.
    • 2/5
      I look forward to new additions to the series but this was a big disappointment. Alex whined through the entire book. She was so annoying that I considered not finishing it. She has always been such a strong female character - I don't know why Fairstein wrote her personality this way in Night Watch.
    • 3/5
      Night Watch (a title shared with my favorite Terry Pratchett Discworld novel), is my least favorite Alexandra Cooper mystery so far. I didn't mind the mystery, or whether the murders in France and New York are connected. Learning about the restaurant business was not uninteresting. What I did mind is Cooper acting less like a woman in love worried about her beloved than a spoiled brat throwing tantrums. If Luc has any sense, he'll dump her.
    • 3/5
      This is the first time that I have read anything by Linda Fairstein and also it was the fourteenth book in a series so I was a little concerned that I would be lost. But the author filled me on all the main characters in the series so this could be read as a standalone.Alexandria Cooper is the prosecutor in the Manhattan District in the District Attorney’s Office in the Sex Crimes Office. She is on vacation, ready to celebrate her 30th birthday with her lover, Luc Roget. He is the proprietor of a famous restaurant in France but is in the process of opening one in Manhattan. A young woman, who used to work for Luc is found murdered. Soon, she is called back to New York to handle a high profile rape case. The victim is a Guatemalan immigrant who was working as a maid and says that the rapist is Baby Mo aka Mohammed Git Darshin. He is an African who lives in France and the head of the World Economic Bureau. In this book, I enjoyed reading about the two characters, Mercer Wallace and Mike Chapman much more than about Alex Cooper. She seemed to never want to eat, always tired and has no joy in life except when she is immersed in a tricky case. She didn’t seem like she would be fun to be around. I didn’t like that she hid some facts from the French police. When it came to her relationship with Luc, she has the strength of wet putty. I am hoping that her character will be stronger in whatever other books that I read in this series. A major problem that I had was that I kept remembering a case that was too similar, New York vs. Strauss-Kahn. That involved an attempted rape of a housekeeping maid and the accused was the Head of the Intermonetary Fund and a candidate for the President of France. There was a great deal of publicity about this at the time. If you don’t remember the case, please do not read about before reading the book. If you do, there will be spoilers for you.I am not ready to give up on this series because I enjoyed the characters of Mercer Wallace and Mike Chapman so much.
    • 4/5
      Forty-eight hours after Alexandra Cooper arrived in France to visit her boyfriend, famed restauranteur Luc Rouget, her vacation in paradise is cut short when a young woman from the village is found murdered. The only evidence discovered on the body is one of Luc's matchboxes promoting he's hew restaurant in Manhattan. But before the investigation begins, Alex is summoned back to New York to handle a high-profile case. Mohammed Gil-Darsin, the distinguished and wealthy head of the World Economic Bureau, has been arrested and accused of attacking a maid in his hotel. As the world watches in fascination to see how the scandal will unfold, Alex finds her attention torn between preparing the alleged victim to testify and a murder case with ties too close to home.
    • 3/5
      In some ways I liked this novel more than the previous ones in the series, and in other ways I liked it less.As usual there were two mysteries going on in the book. There was the story of a very powerful man who was accused by a chambermaid of rape, and at the same time Alex is trying to have a vacation over in France, near Cannes, but a dead body gets in the way. And then she's called home by her boss to help with the high profile case.What I liked about the novel was the beginning and middle of the high profile case. It was so intricate, that is, until the ending of the story line which I thought was a bit of a cop out, and too 'easy' an ending.Of course, the writing was great as usual, my problems with the book were more along the lines of how a lot of the relationships were written. For example, from the beginning I never understood the Luc/Alex relationship, it's always seemed off to me. On the other side, one of the relationships I do really like is the Mercer/Alex one. And, unlike the Luk/Alex relationship, I believe that her one with Mercer is very well written and balanced.And of course, then there's the Mike/Alex relationship. It's like in every book Mike seems to get meaner and meaner in his teasing of Alex, and then comes up with all these excuses for why Alex has to take it ('cause, it's supposed to be funny, c'mon, really?) So he saves her life sometimes and that somehow means that he can insult her too, it drives me crazy.
    • 4/5
      Enjoyed this oneBook DescriptionRelease date: April 2, 2013New York Times bestselling author Linda Fairstein returns with a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller that takes Alexandra Cooper into the dark underside of New York City’s most storied restaurants and a murder case spanning continents.While Alexandra Cooper is in France visiting her famed restaurateur boyfriend, Luc Rouget, one of his matchboxes promoting his new restaurant is found on the body of a murdered young woman. But before the investigation begins, Alex is summoned back to New York. The distinguished and wealthy Head of the World Economic Bureau has been arrested and accused of attacking a maid in his hotel. Alex prepares the alleged victim to testify, but when a second body is found with Luc’s matchbox, she begins to fear that the two cases may not be as unrelated as she thought, and that uncovering the sordid secrets of the city’s most wealthy and powerful could cost her and her loved ones everything they hold dear. 
    • 2/5
      This series has always been a comfort read for me. Alex is a grown-up Nancy Drew and because they're so formulaic, I always know what to expect and Alex has a charmed life (well aside from the occasional murdered friend) that is fun to peek in on. One aspect I do like is the NYC history info that is peppered throughout. This time though, it was info-dump overload! Restaurant regulation info. The Paris Catacombs. French drug-running. African art. Wine buying. 21's secret rooms. Wine storage. Ugh! It was too much. Way too much. And please find Alex's spine, Ms. Fairstein. I think she lost it. Maybe it's at the Vineyard or maybe in France or maybe even in the drawer of pantyhose and deodorant in her office, but wherever it is, please give it back to her. If she wasn't a stunned puppy she was blubbering or being confused and snippy. She was hysterical most of the time. Or horny. Or both. Oy. Way too much scenery, backstory and info and way too little crime and investigation. I appreciated the rape case angle and usually those are secondary plot lines, but this time that case was way more interesting than what was going on with Luc. Who is a jerk, btw. He hasn't had as much screen time prior to this novel so both we readers and Alex got to know his less romantic side and it ain't pretty. I didn't like him much before and now it's even less. There is only one book left in the series unread for me and if it isn't an improvement, I'm afraid it will be my last. A funny aside...I use a wine storage facility in CT with an eeriliy similar name to the one in the book. Unless a reader is a customer, they wouldn't catch it, but I did. Interesting name change and a bit too close for comfort I think.
    • 4/5
      Alexandra has finally taken some time for herself and flown off to France to be with her love interest - Luc Rouget - a famous restaurateur - but before she can settle for her 2 week vacation, Luc is caught up in a murder in France and she is called home because of a high profile case.In NYC Blanca Robies, a hotel housekeeper, has charged Mohammed Gil-Darsin, head of the World Economic Bureau and aspiring president of Ivory Coast, of rape, and the DNA evidence seems to prove it. The investigation started without Alex has numerous problems because of the inexperience in the area of rape victims by the other ADAs who try to take over before Alex can return from France. The issues for Luc seem to follow him when he too comes to NYC and when the two cases seem to become intertwined, Alex does a lot of soul searching to reconcile her feelings with reality.
    • 3/5
      Night Watch is the fourteenth mystery in Linda Fairstein's Alexandra Cooper series. This is a ripped from the headlines kind of book. The story not only follows Alex's exploits and her relationship with Luc Rouget, a French restaurateur, the cutthroat restaurant industry both in New York City and France, but also the fact that the powerful leader of a major financial institution (think IMF's Dominique Strauss-Kahn) is brought to his knees by charges of rape. The main reason that I like this series is that Fairstein explores the history in and around the New York CIty. This time, the reader is treated not only to a behind-the-scenes tour of some of America's finest haute cuisine restaurants, but also to the history, dating back to the Prohibition Era, of the various means used to keep the liquor flowing from their camouflaged cellars. Two things hampered my enjoyment of this novel: Luc and the MGD storyline. To be fair, I have never liked Luc and am somewhat baffled he and Alex are still together. Alex’s behavior changes when she is around him, and he tends to be very patronizing in his treatment of her. The second failing of this novel is more universal: the MGD rape case. I found the characters involved in this plot line to be unsympathetic and difficult to respond to—this included the lawyers, victim and perpetrator. Still, the novel was a fun read—3 out of 5 stars.
    • 5/5
      The latest of Linda Fairstein’s Alexandra Cooper series begins with the NYC Prosecutor escaping work for a one-week vacation in France to spend with her love interest, Luc Rouget, a famed restauranteur. Two days later, the body of a young woman is discovered in a pond. The only identification is a matchbook from the restaurant Luc is planning to open in Manhatten. Before Alex can get involved in the case, she is called back to New York by her boss to work on an alleged rape case involving the influential head of the World Economics Bureau, Mohammed Gil-Darsin who has French and Ivory Coast ties and Blanca Robles, a hotel maid from Guatemala. The story is based on the actual case from the US but is fictional. To further complicate matters, a second body is found in New York, that of a young man who also has the matchbook in his pocket but no other identification.While Alex and the other NYC Police members initially sympathize with Blanca, eventually they begin having a lot of doubts about her honesty, especially after she hires a flamboyant lawyer and institutes a civil suit seeking $50 million. They PD wants to keep Gil-Garsin incarcerated while they try to gather facts and look for previous victims.Meanwhile, Luc comes to NYC to work on his new restaurant. The time he and Alex spend together is very limited because the department doesn’t want to have their relationship interfere with the rape case since he is connected to the murders by virtue of the matchbooks and having employed the woman at one time. Alec meets some of Luc’s associates and begins to have doubts about him.One thing I’ve liked about Linda Fairstein’s books is the exploration of the sites of the crimes. This book is different: The locations that are explored are some of the most exclusive restaurants in NYC and a former bomb shelter. They are given a very brief description, mostly about the layout and, in some cases, the history, especially for 21. But there is a reason for this difference. All of the books have Alex referring people to an excellent attorney, Justin Feldman, who was her real-life husband. At one point, someone asks her about utilizing his services noting they met the previous summer in Martha’s Vineyard. She tells him that Justin died the previous autumn. This is reality. Justin Feldman had been quite ill but was able, with medical assistance, to have a final vacation on Martha’s Vineyard in the summer of 2011 and died that October. Caring for him would have kept Linda from being able to conduct her usual in-depth, on-site research. Her being able to write this book under the circumstances is a wonder.The story is fast-paced and the plot works. It is an excellent read.
    • 3/5
      Alex, Mike and Mercer ride again, but this time the trip is a bit disappointing. The main problem is Alex's pain-in-the-ass French boyfriend Luc Rouget, who gets enmeshed in murder investigations in his native Provence and in Manhattan. This makes it hard to get involved with the mystery, or to care much who did what to whom. (The real mystery is why Alex picks such awful guys, particularly when we know that Mr. Right, in the form of Mike, is RIGHT THERE.) Still, I am a Fairstein addict, so bring em on. M. Rouget looks pretty much out of the picture, so let's see what Alex picks up next -----
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed the connections between France and NYC.
    • 5/5
      Well, Ms. Linda Fairstein, has certainly done it again with her new Alexandra Cooper mystery novel, Night Watch. This is the latest in the series and it does not fail to pull you into the world of law and order in New York City, and France, since Alexandra is still in a relationship with Luc. Having read the entire series, I think this is by far her most complex and entertaining story so far. There is still a lot of history to hold your interest. This time the history is of many of the great upscale restaurants of New York, and the famous or infamous, as the case may be, that own or patronize them. The story line takes lots of twists and turns with two different story tracks unfolding at the same time. The similarity of the first story line is uncanny or "maybe not". to the well-known real story of Dominique Strauss-Kahn. However, it gives an inside look at what can happen in a case where truth seems to flit around and not always land on the most important facts. All the regulars are are still on the scene, but she leaves us with a cliff hanger at the end to make us yearn for the next book in the series. I know I am yearning. Don't look to me to give it away, I don't do spoilers.
    • 4/5
      Alexandra is on vacation in France with Luc when she gets called back to NYC for a high-profile case involving the rape of a hotel maid by an wealthy international financier. The case has ties back to France and Alex's lover, Luc, is starting to look more and more suspicious. Dead bodies bodies floating in the river, mysterious bones being left on the doorstep at Luc's home while Mike and Mercer help Luc for Alex. Meanwhile the rape case is falling apart and Alex is under an enormous amount of pressure. Love this series and am very pleased with the ending of this book.
    • 4/5
      I've not read one of Linda Fairstein's books in a good many years. Night Watch certainly makes me want to go back and read the books that I've missed.This is the 14th installment in the series featuring Alexandra Cooper, a NYC prosecutor in their Manhattan sex crimes unit.The action starts in France with Alex finding some old skulls propped up in front of the home of her Michelin 3-star chef boyfriend, Luc Rouget. That is soon followed by the discovery of a former employee of Rouget's floating dead in a nearby lake. Then Alex is called back to the States because her skills are needed in a high profile sex-scandal case where a prominent and wealthy dignitary is accused of raping a chambermaid.If this sounds familiar, it's because it is a close parallel to the real life story of Dominique Strauss-Kahn and his fall from grace following his being accused of raping a hotel maid in May of 2011. Right down to both the fictional character Gil-Darsin and the real Dominique Strauss-Kahn both being pulled off of jets at JFK while waiting to take off and go back to France.The main story here, the one involving murder and revolving around Luc Rouget---a second employee is found murdered in NYC a few days later---is a lot more interesting. The rape story is incomplete and rather implausible at times but it does give Alex a reason to return to NYC.Once in the States, the interaction with her colleagues moves the novel along as new facts are revealed, and the book ends in the most unlikeliest of spots---unless you're paying attention to those pesky Jeopardy clues! Alex's love for Luc is tested here but you'll have to read the book to find out how that goes.I think this book is quite well written with my only caveats being the somewhat spotty rape investigation and the peculiar Jeopardy quotes.
    • 5/5
      Book Title: "Night Watch”Author: Linda FairsteinPublished By: DuttonAge Recommended: 18+Reviewed By: Kitty BullardRaven Rating: 5Review: Murder, mystery and mayhem; this novel has the entire package. Linda Fairstein has a knack for pulling you so far into the story that you find yourself having to fight just to break free. Night Watch is a thrill ride from beginning to end that just doesn’t quit, a true must-read for mystery and thriller fans!
    • 4/5
      I wasn't sure what I thought about this book for most of it, and a few times I felt as if i was reading just for the sake of finishing it, and then I got hooked and dinner went cold while I finished it. I loved her overview of the restaurant scene , but I missed her time out on the islands. I don't love Luc and the French connection, but it was interesting to see how it all tied back together at the end. The poor wine! It was overall a good read, but not one of LF's best, I don't think. I felt that the MGD story line was a little too ripped from the headlines for me - yet i know Fairstein's work is the driving force behind SVU and it didn't bother me there. The good thing is this can be read as a standalone as Fairstein provides enough character info. And that might be easier - you're not comparing it to her earlier and, IMO, better stuff
    • 4/5
      This big city suspense novel starts out with old skulls and bones rolling around outside of the home of a famous restaurant owner in the French countryside...New York city prosecutor Alex Cooper no sooner lands in France to rendezvous with her very famous restaurant owner boyfriend Luc Rouged than an ex-employee of his is found murdered and in her Pocket is a matchbook promoting Luc’s new soon to be open restaurant in New York Very soon after another body is found but this time in Brooklyn New York also with a matchbook of Luc's restaurant in his pocket and a houseboat full of drugsMeanwhile Alex is busy with a high profile sex scandal case that hits a little too close to home. How do the Old bones, a sex scandal case, a houseboat full of drugs, a Ritzy not even open yet restaurant along with the city’s most Wealthy and influential people all come together for a sizzling page turner? You will just have to be on the “Night Watch” to find out….
    • 3/5
      I'm fond of Linda Fairstein. I greatly admire her pioneering work in prosecuting sexual assaults back in the day when we were all "asking for it." I know some people would like to go back to those days, but work like that done by Ms. Fairstein would make that difficult. I also like her Alexandra Cooper series. I especially like that she teaches me something unique and wonderful about New York City's history every single time I read one of her books. Like all series writers some books are better than others, but those bits of history grab me every time.I've been disappointed in the last couple of her books for one primary reason - at some point she turned Mike Chapman into a raving asshole and that just doesn't feel right to me, even in light of the death of his fiancee. Then there's the fact that Alex puts up with the emotional and verbal abuse - this doesn't ring true either. Despite these shortcomings I continue to enjoy Ms. Fairstein's books, I just wonder where she's going with this particular turn of relationship events. I'm sorry to say that Night Watch was also a disappointment - a bigger one than the last couple of books. Suddenly all of the men in Alex's life (with the exception of Mercer) have turned into raving assholes you want to smash in the face with a shovel and Alex is still waffling about, putting up with the abuse. I truly hope this thread is going somewhere soon because right now it's just obnoxious. I was also hoping for a lot more history in this, particularly since bits of the novel focus around the restaurant industry, but alas I was disappointed.Even a disappointing Linda Fairstein book is a fabulously entertaining read, so don't let me discourage you from reading her. Her books are always fun, but like all fans I want particular things from her that she may or may not deliver. Really looking forward to the next book!
    • 4/5
      Linda Fairstein's latest release, Night Watch, marks the fourteenth book in her highly successful Alex Cooper series. This has been one of my favourite crime series over the years. Alex works in the New York P.D. Sex Crimes Unit. Fairstein herself Linda Fairstein was chief of the Sex Crimes Unit of the district attorney’s office in Manhattan for more than two decades and is a legal expert on sexual assault and domestic violence. This gives her novels that unmistakable ring of truth and attention to detail - only one of the things that has kept me coming back to read the newest novel. In Night Watch, Alex has headed over to France to visit with her latest love - Luc, a Michelin three star restaurant owner. When a young woman is found murdered in the idyllic French village, the local constabulary suspects Luc - there are connections he has neglected to mention that look suspicious. Also suspicious are the old skulls and bones left on his home's doorstep. Alex has plans to stay in France for two weeks, but a desperate plea from her partners Mike and Mercer and a distinct order from her boss have her heading back to New York. A high level diplomatic and world figure is being accused of rape by a hotel maid. (yep, lots of similarities to recent headlines) Mike and Mercer are another one of the reasons I love this series. Fairstein has created a wonderful group of protagonists - each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Mike is brash, bold and fearless. Mercer is quieter, thoughtful and thinks before he acts or speaks. But the three of them together make for a team that gets results. The camaraderie between these three has grown and solidified over the course of many years. Of the two supporting characters, I prefer Mercer and would like to see him more of a larger storyline. Luc is also planning to open a high end restaurant in New York. Cleared to travel, he heads to oversee his new enterprise.....but a second body is found.....again, with ties to Luc. Is Luc really the man Alex thought he was? Is he telling the truth or is someone railroading him? Between those worries and the fact that the witness in the high stakes rape case keeps changing her tune, Alex is spreading herself awfully thin. And it shows. In Night Watch, Alex doesn't seem to have the same forceful personality I've come to love. Yes, she is still on top of her legal game. But, her relationship with Luc seems to have her making excuses and behaving out of character. Maybe part of it is that I really don't like Luc at all. He makes numerous misogynistic and racist comments in the first few opening chapters. They're quite offensive and I can't believe Coop doesn't take umbrage with them. Her mooning about their relationship and Mike's willingness to feed that neediness just plain rubbed me the wrong way. The third thing I love about Fairstein's novel is the New York history she always weaves into her novels. This time it's about the Prohibition era and the various ways that the ban was circumvented. I found the piece on 21 restaurant fascinating and went crawling the web to read more. I'm still a big fan of this series and will happily pick up the next book. While I enjoyed Night Watch, it just fell a little flat for this reader. All the right pieces were there - all that was missing was the Alex I know. My advice - dump Luc.
    • 4/5
      I haven't read any of the author's previous works. This is her thirteenth book with Alexandra Cooper, an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, in charge of the Special Victims Unit. While I found the book entertaining and the story was mostly believable, I am not tempted to now go and read the earlier books. This one just did not grab me that much.The story starts in France, where Alexandra is on vacation, visiting with her new romance, Luc, who is the owner of a high-end restaurant near Cannes. He is planning to open a new restaurant in New York City. There is a murder in France that occurs soon after Alex arrives, that appears to have some link to Luc. She is called home due to a work emergency, a high-profile rape case patterned after the ___ case. After she arrives, another murder victim is found in Brooklyn, which also appears to have some connection to Luc. He comes to NYC to talk to the detectives and attend to his new business there. Alex gets involved with the murder investigation, while wondering how much there might be that she does not really know about her new beau.
    • 3/5
      Although it wasn't exactly riveting, I found the crime fiction plot line (murders, rape, drug connection) of Linda Fairstein's Night Watch interesting enough to hold my attention. The settings (NY and France) were also fine, even though I didn't feel a profound sense of place. What bothered me most in the novel were the characters. Special Crimes Unit prosecutor, Alex Cooper, was spunky and intelligent, but her romantic interest in the book, Luc Rouget, was pretty two dimensional. Yes, we're told that he was a fabulous restauranteur who was devoted to his children, and that Alex was in love with him. In the beginning, when Alex heard word of a new rape case and Luc dismissed it as unimportant because the victim was "only a maid," I raised my eyebrows and wondered what exactly Alex saw in that man. My feelings toward him didn't change much throughout the book, although he turned out not to be as sleazy as I had imagined - just a little bland. Likewise for Alex's other potential romantic interest, Mike, a detective she worked with. We learn that he liked to bet on Jepoardy games, was full of sarcasm, and ate a lot. There just wasn't a sense of who he really was. All in all, Fairstein skimmed the surface of characters, making the book somewhat entertaining while it lasted, but easily forgettable.