By Alafair Burke

I’m delighted to report that my first co-authored novel, with Queen of Suspense Mary Higgins Clark, will be out November 18.

Mary and I had so much fun working together, and, according to early praise, we did a nice job:

“The snappy pace, layered characters, and many plot surprises will keep readers guessing in this fascinating mystery by two talented writers.”- Booklist

“The team behind Clark’s reality TV show Under Suspicion returns to dramatize—all right, solve—another cold case, with welcome help from co-author Alafair Burke…Burke brings a sharp legal eye to the proceedings. …[W]ill satisfy Clark’s legion of fans and may well win her some new ones.”- Kirkus Review

“A dynamic new author duo* adds new verve to a classic.”- Barnes & Noble

If you’re interested in purchasing a signed copy of the book, you can do so through Book Revue in Huntington.

You can also pre-order from your favorite retailer.

I can’t wait to hear what you guys think of The Cinderella Murder!

Via: Alafair Burke

By Alafair Burke

The main October distraction for Frannie and Double from the usual cycle of wrestling, sleeping, and eating was for Halloween preparations. Frannie may never forgive Double for this idea, but he was determined to have the best doggie-couple costume in New York City. May the treats be with them.

When they are not causing trouble or dressing like movie characters, Double and Frannie are always up for a good book. Here, Double (quite near sighted, isn’t he?) is reading THE CINDERELLA MURDER to Frannie, fresh off the presses. This is the first book in a series co-authored with “Queen of Suspense” Mary Higgins Clark. The star of the series is Laurie Moran, the producer of “Under Suspicion,” a television show that reinvestigates cold cases. If Double had thumbs that could turn pages, he’d tell you it was a real page turner!

Via: Alafair Burke

By Alafair Burke

My friend Michael Connelly challenged Michael Lister, Michael Koryta, and me (even though I’m not named Michael) to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. I happily donated to the ALS Association and then, not so happily, did this, with a little help from a friend.

Via: Alafair Burke

By Alafair Burke

A short note from book tour. Here I am chattin’ it up on Portland’s AM Northwest. (Highlight: Double and Frannie get airtime!)

By Alafair Burke

My tenth novel, ALL DAY AND A NIGHT, will be out on June 10 (July 3 in the UK). That means it’s time for me to beg, scold, and bribe you to place your pre-orders before the hordes of rioting readers gather outside your favorite bookstore and take all the copies away.

“But how do I know I’ll even like ALL DAY AND A NIGHT?”

ALL DAY AND A NIGHT is the fifth book in the Ellie Hatcher series. And if you don’t trust me that it’s good, maybe you’ll trust these people:

“I’ve been a fan of Alafair Burke from the very beginning and, ten books in, she just keeps surprising me.” –Michael Connelly

“All Day and a Night is Burke at her finest: razor-sharp twists, stunning surprises and artfully drawn characters. The insider’s view of criminal prosecution is masterfully wrought and as usual, Burke makes you feel like you’re riding along with the detectives in the back of their unmarked car. You won’t want to miss this one.” -Karin Slaughter

“A masterfully plotted, psychologically complex thriller, Alafair Burke’s All Day and a Night raises larger questions about the choices we make, the mistakes we can’t undo. Whip-smart and emotionally deft, it delivers all the way through its final pages.” –Megan Abbott

“Spring loaded and razor sharp, All Day and a Night is a surprising and compelling thriller. But Alafair Burke has given us something more gripping than just a crime novel. Her story is about women, their drive, their compassion, and their public and private battles for success and acceptance.” –Ivy Pochoda

“This isn’t just another oops-maybe-he’s-not the-real-killer novel; Burke deftly merges Ellie’s, Carrie’s, and Amaro’s stories into a multifaceted portrait of unconditional love with thriller pacing and plenty of solid investigative detail. Perfect for Laura Lippman fans.” –Booklist

“Gripping…a propulsive thriller.” -Publishers Weekly

“Okay, it’s a Hatcher book with a bunch of good reviews. But what’s it about?”

You mean you don’t want the plot to be a surprise? Okay, here’s the short version: When the murder of a Brooklyn psychotherapist bears a signature linked to convicted serial killer Anthony Amaro, Amaro brings a wrongful conviction suit, asking to be released.

NYPD Detectives Ellie Hatcher and JJ Rogan are tapped as the “fresh look” team, charged with reinvestigating the case against Amaro.

Representing Amaro is a hardcharging celebrity lawyer who enlists a young associated named Carrie Blank to assist. Carrie has a reason to be interested. Her older sister, Donna, was one of Amaro’s victims. Determined to force the government to catch Donna’s real killer, Carrie joins Amaro’s wrongful conviction team with her own agenda.

As the NYPD and Amaro’s lawyers search for certainty among conflicting evidence, their investigations take them back to Carrie’s hometown, where secrets buried long ago lead to a brutal attack—one that makes it terrifyingly clear that someone has gotten too close to the truth.

Sounds pretty intriguing, right?

Nope, I want to know more. Can’t I read some of it before I commit?

Wow, you’re really going to make me work for this, aren’t you? Yes, you can read the beginning of ALL DAY AND A NIGHT for free, online, right now. Just click here.

Fine. I do want to read ALL DAY AND A NIGHT, but why should I pre-order?

Pre-orders build momentum by signaling to both retailers and the publisher the level of an author’s support from readers. Pre-orders also count toward the all-important first week of sales, which can affect placement in stores and coverage by media. I wouldn’t ask (beg, scold, bribe) if it didn’t matter!

Did you say bribe?

You betcha. I’ll be giving cool loot to three lucky pre-orderers. See the details here.

So where exactly do I pre-order a copy?

You can find many of your favorite booksellers here. And I love signing copies for readers, so to order a signed copy, please see details here.

Fine, enough about the book already. I hear you got a new dog!

Yes! We welcomed this beautiful babe into our home this spring. Her name is Frannie, and she and Double are best buddies. Sign up for the newsletter; the next edition will be devoted to the tale of how she went from living on a beach in Anguilla to being a part of our family.

By Alafair Burke

Mark your calendars: the new Ellie Hatcher novel, ALL DAY AND A NIGHT, will be out June 10 in the US and July 3 in the UK.

What’s it about, you ask?

When psychotherapist Helen Brunswick is murdered in her Park Slope office, the entire city suspects her estranged husband – until the District Attorney’s Office receives an anonymous letter. The letter’s author knows a detail that police have kept secret: the victim’s body carried a signature used twenty years earlier by Anthony Amaro, a serial killer serving a life sentence. Now, Amaro is asking to be released from prison, arguing that he was wrongly convicted, and that the true killer is still on the loose.

Ellie Hatcher and her partner JJ Rogan are tapped as the ‘fresh look’ team to reassess the original investigation that led to Amaro’s conviction. The case pits them against both their fellow officers and a hard-charging celebrity defence lawyer with a young associate named Carrie Blank, who has a personal connection to the case. As both the NYPD and Amaro’s legal team search for certainty in years of conflicting evidence, their investigations take them back to Carrie’s hometown, and to deadly secrets left behind.

I won’t tell you how it ends, but I will tell you that on the back of the book, you’ll see these nice words,written by some people you may have heard of:

“I’ve been a fan of Alafair Burke from the very beginning and, ten books in, she just keeps surprising me.” —Michael Connelly

“Spring loaded and razor sharp, All Day and a Night is a surprising and compelling thriller. But Alafair Burke has given us something more gripping than just a crime novel. Her story is about women, their drive, their compassion, and their public and private battles for success and acceptance.” —Ivy Pochoda, author of Visitation Street

“A masterfully plotted, psychologically complex thriller, Alafair Burke’s All Day and a Night raises larger questions about the choices we make, the mistakes we can’t undo. Whip-smart and emotionally deft, it delivers all the way through its final pages.” —Megan Abbot, author of Dare Me

Please help me get the book off to a good start by pre-ordering your copy now. Your early support is so appreciated.

Via: Alafair Burke

By Alafair Burke

Yesterday I opened an email from my editor informing me that Amazon had selected my novel, IF YOU WERE HERE, as one of the twenty best crime novels of 2013. My immediate reaction was, “Wheeee! That’s awesome.”

But the moment the happy dance ended, I thought, “Wait, it’s November? It’s almost the end of the year? Girl, you better get back to work!”

As thankful as I was — and am — for the tremendous support Amazon and others have shown IF YOU WERE HERE, the realization that it is almost 2014 made the celebration short lived. Why? Because I never want to be a writer who thinks my best work is in the past. I don’t want to be that writer who’s out on the speaking circuit, taking paid gigs to talk about a book written years earlier. I want to be the writer who writes everyday and is always thinking about the next story.

So thank you so very, very much Amazon for including my work on this incredible list, next to some of my favorite authors. (See the full list here; it really is a terrific collection.) But what I’m really looking forward to is sending you a copy of ALL DAY AND A NIGHT, the next Ellie Hatcher novel, which I’m polishing up right now. I hope you think it’s even better.

Via: Alafair Burke

By Alafair Burke

The wonderfully talented Michael Connelly not only writes tremendous crime fiction, but also throws a wicked baseball. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch at this week’s Yankees/Angels match-up. The city of Harry Bosch might not approve, but the Yankees won!

I was lucky enough to be there to celebrate the occasion with some other writers you might recognize. I hear they’re pretty good

Via: Alafair Burke

By Alafair Burke

“After five years of playing other roles in each other’s lives, boasting that marriage was only a piece of paper, McKenna and Patrick had pulled the trigger. As a lawyer, she should have realized earlier that papers mattered. Papers created rights and responsibilities. Papers defined families.” – p. 26, IF YOU WERE HERE

“Responsibilities, as well as rights, enhance the dignity and integrity of the person” – United States v. Windsor

Today we are one step closer to rights, responsibilities, dignity, and integrity for all.

Via: Alafair Burke

By Alafair Burke

I had a terrific time talking about IF YOU WERE HERE, standalones v. series, lawyers and journalists, Gillian Flynn and Lisa Unger, the Amazing Race, marriage, and a bunch of other cool stuff with the wonderful Book Show at WABC. You can listen to the entire interview here. (It’s 25 minutes, so it would make a good companion during a dog walk, workout, chores, or car ride. Let me know where you listen to it!)

Via: Alafair Burke