Saturday 10 July 2021

Book ~ "Airtight" (2013) David Rosenfelt

From Goodreads ~ Judge Daniel Brennan is only days away from achieving a seat on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals bench when he's brutally stabbed to death in his garage. An army of media and law enforcement descend on the case and thousands of tips pour in from the public. When one tip leads New Jersey policeman Luke Somers to Steven Gallagher, things quickly go wrong but Luke is instantly glorified for solving the case. 

But to one man, Luke is no hero. Chris Gallagher raised his brother, Steven, almost single-handedly and, certain that Steven is innocent, he won't rest until he sets the record straight. Thanks to Luke's newfound fame, he's an easy man to find, and Chris quickly makes it clear that Luke's own brother will die if Luke refuses to help clear Steven's name. So begins Luke's desperate attempt to find another suspect - any other suspect - in Judge Brennan's death. But Luke's investigation might open the door to powerful forces even more dangerous than Chris Gallagher.

Luke is a police officer in New Jersey.  When a judge is murdered, an anonymous tip leads Luke to Steven Gallagher's.  When Luke goes to investigate, Steven pulls a gun on Luke and Luke defends himself and shoots Luke.  Evidence is found in Steven's apartment confirming that he did indeed murder the judge.

When Chris, Steven's military brother finds out that his brother had been suspected of killing the judge, he doesn't believe it.  And he's not too happy to find out that a police officer had killed his brother.  Chris kidnaps Bryan, Luke's brother, and imprisons him in a room that only has enough air for seven days.  He then tells Luke that he has seven days to find the real killer of the judge or his brother will die.

Luke feels bad about shooting Steven but feels justified in doing it and believes Steven was guilty.  In order to free his brother, he has to come up with a couple other possibilities ... and as he does so, he comes to believe that Steven didn't kill the judge after all.  Then it becomes a race of time to find out who did so he brother will live.

I've read many books by this author, mostly his Andy Carpenter series which I enjoy, and this is a stand alone.  I like the writing style and it is written in first person perspective in Luke's voice and third person perspective when the focus is on others.  I liked this story and there was any number of people who could have been the real killer.

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