When a years-long case against a powerful mobster finally cracks and an unimpeachable witness takes the stand, federal prosecutor Nora Carleton is looking forward to putting the defendant away for good. The mobster, though, has other plans. As the witness's testimony concludes, a note is passed to the prosecution offering up information into the assassination of a disgraced former New York governor, murdered in his penthouse apartment just days before. It's enough to blow the case wide open, and to send Nora into a high-stakes investigation of conspiracy, corruption, and danger.
The former FBI director is no monster, nor is he a great writer. But clearly his new thriller and its attendant publicity exist because of the author’s actions outside the realm of literature ... Central Park West starts promisingly enough ... That’s a sharp plot: We’ve got two intertwined high-stakes cases, one in state court, one in federal, and Comey knows enough about those separate legal systems to whip up some turf war over jurisdiction. But for an author who worked so long to imprison horrible criminals and to serve obnoxious politicians, his novel has no stomach for evil ... Central Park West is a thriller that doesn’t want to get its hands dirty, doesn’t even want to take off its tie.
This book is sure to get a lot of attention, considering the notoriety of its author, but regardless of what potential readers might think about the former FBI director, one thing is sure: his debut novel is a fine thriller ... Two more titles are planned in the series, and for once in the world of celebrity-authored thrillers, that’s not a bad thing.
Comey makes a sturdy crime fiction debut with this twisting account of the murder of a disgraced former New York governor ... Comey draws on his vast experience in the criminal justice world to bring a sense of authenticity to the setting and plot machinations, though he’s occasionally guilty of leaning a bit too much toward education over entertainment. A sequel would be welcome.
