Central Park West: the unmissable debut legal thriller of the year

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This is the problem with celebrity authors - and Comey just about falls into that - in that they take short cuts to the top. She and her team work hard to put away a mob hit woman who not only killed the governor but has a long list of hits. Carleton’s supervisor, for instance, is a Puerto Rican lesbian who is described as a “ball of energy and humor.

But, by the time I got to the last third of the book, I really didn't care too much about how it was going to turn out.

Drawing on James Comey’s thirty years in federal law enforcement, Central Park West is a fast-paced thriller, bursting with tension and authenticity – perfect for fans of John Grisham.

Uber rides, Google geolocations, that the government can sweep into a pile and collect a “pretty detailed picture of a life. The theme of family runs like a rich, deep vein through Central Park West, and Comey examines its many permutations (whether family or Family) as the story progresses. The book has fascinating characters (some of which I am sure are thinly disguised people from Comey’s own career), a fast-paced plot including lots of juicy tales of corruption, and terrific legal storytelling.

A mobster’s trial and the murder of a former New York governor reveal a possible intersection between the Mafia and politics. Comey gives us the real scoop in a scene where investigator Benny Dugan tells federal prosecutor Nora Carleton, "I worry you're aiming at the wrong target, with all this 'truth' stuff. Comey leans heavily on his long career in various areas of law enforcement to educate the reader as he entertains us: the difference between the District Attorney and the United States Attorney; the different courts and procedures that exist for different reasons; where the FBI fit into the bigger picture and how they co-exist with other organisations such as the NYPD and the USA’s office. I also liked that he used female main characters and while they were pretty badass, it also didn't feel too forced. She is in the process of divorcing him but is on camera entering and leaving the building around the time of his death and was also seen by the doorman.

The Judge is informed that “the federal authorities are actively investigating to determine who killed Tony Burke…the feds told some or all of this to the DA’s office, which has not provided anything about it to the defense.Federal prosecutor Nora Carleton has spent years building a case against a powerful New York mobster. The back-and-forths also showcase the conflict among federal and state prosecutors, none of whom seem to much enjoy sharing (again, a nod, I'm sure, to reality but something I've never quite understood; if our goals are the same, why can't we all hold hands and play nice)? It’s very well executed: the characters are richly detailed, the dialogue is impressively realistic, and the plot is genuinely suspenseful…. While working a case against a long time mob boss, the defendant passes along a information on a local case.