Cover-Up: A Novel of Suspense

by Michele Martinez

Book Overview

Beautiful and ruthless television reporter Suzanne Shepard made her name by airing brutal celebrity gossip and earned a roster of high-profile enemies in the process. But her own murder was more than a scandal . . . it was a horror show.

At first glance, the mutilated corpse lying still in the Manhattan rain bears all the earmarks of a random sex slaying. But federal prosecutor Melanie Vargas knows that too many people wanted Suzanne Shepard...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060899018
• ISBN13: 9780060899011
• Release Date: December 2007
• Publisher: Harper
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

gre

michelle martinez is a great reader this book was great the only thing was that the person who sold this book stole this book from the new york library which is sad

Excellent legal thriller

Bottom line: If you enjoy legal thrillers, I think you will love this book. It is definitely more of a legal thriller than a courtroom drama; little time in the book is spent in court and it is full of suspense as federal prosecutor Melanie Vargas works with the police and FBI to track a twisted and vicious killer. This is the first of Michele Martinez's books I read, though it is the third one in her Melanie Vargas series. It is always better to start at the beginning of a series, but I didn't feel I was at a disadvantage because I had not read the first two before I started this one. The author makes Melanie Vargas into a real 3-dimensional character. Like many working women in a demanding job, she has issues: She worries about career advancement and job burn-out, is frustrated about lack of time to spend with her daughter, and is trying to get a handle on her love affair with the FBI agent with whom she's working the case. In this book, she also has to worry about investigating the father of one of her friends and co-workers. The pacing is intense; I didn't want to stop reading until I got to the end. And when I did get to the end, I wanted to read another of the author's books. I was glad I had picked up her second book at the same time so I could start it right after I finished this one.

A classic and suspenseful whodunit

Michele Martinez initiates a very subtle change of direction in COVER-UP, her third Melanie Vargas novel. MOST WANTED and THE FINISHING SCHOOL, the first two books in the series, introduced not only Vargas but also a plethora of secondary characters that included several members of Vargas's personal family and circle of co-workers. In COVER-UP, Martinez moves a majority of the characters (Vargas's mother, sister and boss, among others) to the side --- if not off the board entirely --- giving a freshly-divorced Vargas and her blossoming relationship with Dan O'Reilly the opportunity to sparkle. COVER-UP begins with Assistant U.S. District Attorney Vargas being pulled reluctantly into the lead of the investigation of the savage murder of Suzanne Shepard, a television reporter who has a high Q rating with the viewing public but receives low marks from her prospective targets. Vargas has no shortage of suspects, who range from a celebrity personal trainer to a Park Avenue nip/tuck surgeon to --- most significantly of all --- Clyde Williams, a New York City councilman with designs on the mayor chair who also happens to be the father of one of Vargas's best friends in the office. When Vargas does not immediately bring charges against Williams, Shepard's network screams cover-up, which does not help Vargas's investigation. Meanwhile, FBI Agent O'Reilly is his usual competent self --- both on the job and between the sheets (functions that, as readers shall see, he sometimes performs simultaneously), though his increasingly frequent nighttime disappearances are giving Vargas pause. To make matters worse, it appears that the killer is now tracking Vargas to the extent that he knows her every move despite her own best efforts. Suspects are ruled in and then out, making COVER-UP a classic and suspenseful whodunit, even as Vargas races to a fateful and climactic apprehension in a noisy and dangerous Times Square video arcade. There, Vargas engages in the ultimate role-playing game, as she matches wits with a brilliant and deranged killer while time runs out for one of them. This is by far the best in an already top-notch series whose expectations have been exceeded since the publication of MOST WANTED. Martinez continues to fine-tune her character both personally and professionally, walking a fine line between the familiar and the unexpected. COVER-UP is one more reason to add, and keep, Martinez on your must-read list. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

great police procedural

New York City based TV reporter Suzanne Shepard has made enemies with the people she covers as she seeks only scandals amongst the rich and famous. She exposes celebrities to ridicule. So when she is found raped and murdered in Central Park no one is shocked nor is anyone shedding tears. Federal prosecutor Melanie Vargas and her boyfriend, FBI agent Dan O'Reilly arrive at the Central park crime scene to witness a horrific sight. Someone using a hunting knife carved "bitch" into Suzanne's stomach apparently while she was alive and felt each etch made by the sharp weapon. Whereas the media nickname the culprit the "Central Park Butcher", a joint police investigation consisting of Dan, Melanie and NYPD Homicide Detective Julian Hay begins only to find a myriad of people with motives even sharper than the murder weapon as suspects run the gamut from stalkers including one observing Melanie to celebrities to everyday service people to friends and lovers with each possible person even aficionados sharing in common a keen loathing of Suzanne. This is a great police procedural as the potential motive leads to a sizable part of Manhattan wanting the insidious intrusive reporter dead as Suzanne had no morals or concern over collateral damage when it came to obtaining a story. Melanie is terrific as the prime star though ably supported by her lover and Julian. The investigation ad its related suspense make for a razor-sharp thriller, but it is characters especially Melanie and Suzanne who turn Michele Martinez's third Vargas tale (see THE FINISHING SCHOOL and MOST WANTED) into a great read. Harriet Klausner

DISCOVER THIS BOOK!!!

Wow! I can't believe no one has reviewed this book yet! I thought it was fantastic! I loved Ms. Martinez' previous two books, Most Wanted and The Finishing School. I think she has gotten better with each book. I love mysteries and thrillers, and this book kept me turning the pages well into the night. The characters are entertaining, and I love the inside look at the "U.S. Attorney's Office". The plot was great, and I like the strong, female single mother that is depicted in this book. There are a few steamy love scenes that may turn off hard core mystery junkies, but don't let that put you off of Ms. Martinez' writing. If I worked with a guy like that....hmmmm.... I can't wait for the next one! You rock, Michele Martinez!! P.S. PLEASE!! Make this available on an audio format, so my sight impaired mom can catch up with this series!