Although there's a lot I admire about this novel, it fell a little bit short for me and I didn't love it quite as much as I'd hoped to.

Why is that? I'm honestly not sure. It's not that I thought that the writing was bad. In fact, I think that James Comey is a very talented fiction writer. Also, I think he placed this story in a perfect place, since he spent several years in New York as a lawyer. He knew what he was writing about here when he described courthouses, how trials in NYC generally work, etc., and it all added something kind of special to the book, in my opinion.

However, even though I admired the above and thought the story here was pretty good, the book took much longer to grab ahold of me than I would have liked. Even at 100 pages into it, I wasn't sure whether or not I liked it enough to keep reading.

Ultimately, I'm glad I stuck with it. While I didn't love it, I did enjoy many parts of it - especially Comey's writing style.

I liked it well enough that I'm willing to try future novels by James Comey.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The writing in this novel is great and easy to read. And having a lot of familiarity with the government and the FBI, I found Comey’s experience to really shine through. But the plot and character development was something to be desired.

James Comey, yes, the one despised by approximately half the country—and not always the same half—at any given time, has turned to writing mystery fiction, and the result is Central Park West. This legal drama involves cooperation between high-level federal prosecutors in New York and the FBI as they investigate the murder of the former NY governor and pursue justice in the courtroom. In addition to courtroom drama, there’s a procedural component to the story as we follow the investigation by experts in organized crime. The insider perspective is evident on every page, with a wealth of detail about how things really work—from interactions with opposing counsel, treatment of bad guys, and sometimes getting things done by threatening to expose bad behavior. The investigative methods involve a terrifying consolidation of data from day-to-day activities and digital footprints. (I’d quibble that savvy criminals using secondary phones are probably more careful about installing/using apps). All of this expertise is conveyed in the context of a compelling and well-paced story populated by an appealing cast. It’s hard not to love the real-seeming attitudes, the lingo, the interior monologues of the prosecutors, the very New-York-ness of it all, especially as exemplified by longtime mafia investigator Benny Dugan and the doorman in the first chapter. There’s humor, too: an offhand comment that retired FBI guys are everywhere, and some familiar tidbits innocently sprinkled in the text (a character mentioning keeping a record of everything, a judge admonishing an attorney to conduct himself as a member of the bar of this court) are good for a laugh when you think about who wrote them. Then again, a glance at previous reviews reveals that not everyone knew who the author was (what planet were these people on?), so maybe it’s true what another character says about jury selection--that there are lots of people in Manhattan who don’t read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Mysterious Press for a digital advance review copy.

Central Park West is the story of Assistant US Attorney Nora Carleton and her colleagues. Nora was slated to a mobster to justice but part way through the trial the defendant offers up someone more appealing, the real murderer of the former Governor.

The state has arrested the former Governor's soon to be ex-wife for his murder but with the new intel the Feds have, the case might be screwed. The only thing Nora has to do is prove that the intel is good.

The book is interesting and nice that the story focuses on the prosecutors instead of the cops or defense attorneys. Central Park West is filled with details that only a former US Attorney would know to even fill their novel with. For a first novel, this one is not bad and if this is the style of book you like I would suggest it.

Central Park West is one part mystery and one part crime/courtroom drama… and it WORKS.

The story opens with a high profile murder that is made to look like a suicide. Once it is clear that it’s a homicide, the reader is plunged into a world of New York politics, frame up jobs, mob hits, rookie attorneys and seasoned, hard nosed detectives.

The overall plot is cut through with the mystery of who actually done it. This keeps the story moving and helps the reader effortlessly wade through the police and legal jargon. Rather than feeling tedious, the step by step walk through of how cases are built and the firsthand view of how trials are run, was compelling and entertaining. The mob angle threatened to be a bit campy at first, but once folded into the story, it ended up feeling both nostalgic and fresh.

The cast of characters that we are introduced to are a mix of crime drama cliches, morally gray antiheroes and earnest protagonists. They work together to keep the story balanced. Comey was able to round out the characters in a way that makes the reader actually care about what’s happening in their lives outside of the main plot. Even the villains make you want to root for them at times. Just when I thought Comey was going to lean in on an overdone trope, he pulls back and opens the character up with enough space to naturally evolve.

The pacing of the story was also spot on. It wasn’t a fast-paced read necessarily, but the story never stopped moving. It never meandered. Once the ground work was laid in the beginning, the story seemed to coast on its own with very little effort. The twists and revels were fairly subtle, but they worked to propel the story forward without being jarring.

The ending was not very satisfying, but it was fairly “realistic;” so I did actually end up enjoying it. It also left enough space for Comey to build on it if he decides to make it a series.

Overall, I thought the book was well done; entertaining, informative and engaging in all the right ways.

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.
Well written by someone who knows how this really works. Comeys insider knowledge shines through here and has me hoping for another thriller soon! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

I liked this! So, three stars. In all honesty, I did not have much expectation going in. I never viewed Comey as an author, but when I read this book's description, I decided that I just have to give it a go. Needless to say, I'm glad that I did. I will definitely be recommending Central Park West to readers who especially like books by the likes of James Patterson.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: May 30, 2023

I had a difficult time getting into this despite the premise being right up my alley. There were so many characters haphazardly thrown in with endless anecdotal tangents within the first 15% of the book. I found it too disruptive to the reading flow for for me to continue. I was bummed because I really wanted to like this—Comey’s knowledge about mob bosses intrigues me and I was hoping to devour this one!

While reading this book, I wondered if it could become a series since I enjoyed the people, investigation, politics, and courtroom atmosphere. I don’t know if James Comey will continue down this crime fiction path, but he has a flare for this genre.

After reading other reviews, I must disagree with those who compared him to James Patterson. The two authors have a similar way of storytelling, but Comey takes it a few steps further. Central Park West has more meat and atmosphere, which goes a long way for a reader who likes to settle in and not feel that they have picked up a brain candy beach read.

The story has a few graphic moments, but that’s what you get when mafia stories are told, but there is also balance, with the people fighting in the courts and the people they go home to.

People will judge James Comey by his politics, but as an author, I enjoy his work and think people who read crime fiction will find that this book touches all the parts that make this genre enjoyable.

A legal thriller that begins with the murder of a former governor, but quickly becomes convoluted as the mafia may be involved. The book partly takes place in the courtroom as the wife of the former governor is on trial as his murderer, but also within the FBI as they try and determine if the actual perpetrator was related to the mafia. Comey uses a lot of descriptions when describing his characters and with the legal processes used both by the FBI and in the courtroom which made the pacing drag a little. Overall, a decent debut that was a little cliché but kept the reader trying to figure out who the ultimate mastermind was behind everything and their motives.

I like a good legal thriller. I was surprised at how well written this was and how much I enjoyed the characters. I think this is a all around novel for anyone. You have strong women characters, good legal story and mafia backdrop.

It would be hard to find someone more qualified to write a legal thriller than James Comey. Comey was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; a U.S. Attorney in charge of the Southern District of New York; a Deputy Attorney General in the Department of Justice; and a Director of the FBI.

After leaving the FBI, Comey wrote several non-fiction books, then decided to try his hand at novels. In an interview with NPR, Comey acknowledged, "An editor of non-fiction nudged me to, and at first I resisted. And the farther I got from the work, the easier it became to think about giving it a shot. And so I decided to try, and found it addictive. And now I want this to be my job. It's not a hobby for me. I need to have a job. And I found this harder than nonfiction, but a lot more fun." Luckily, Comey's first novel, Central Park West. is fun for the reader as well.

*****

The Story

As an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Nora Carleton has her dream job. Nora is six-feet-tall, with a chin-length auburn bob, and what her dad calls BBB eyes - Big, Brown, and Beautiful. Nora also has a 5-year-old daughter named Sophie, and amicably shares custody with Sophie's dad Nick.

After Nora drops Sophie off at school, she hurries to her office at Manhattan's St. Andrew's Plaza, where she's preparing to prosecute Dominic "The Nose" D'Amico, a recently made member of the Mafia's Gambino Crime Family. The key witness against D'Amico is a thief nicknamed Frenchie, who stole high-end artworks for The Nose. Frenchie is scheduled to testify today, after which he'll enter the witness protection (WITSEC) program.

Meanwhile, in another Manhattan courtroom, a woman named Kyra Burke will be tried for murdering her estranged husband Antonio "Tony" Burke, the former governor of New York. Tony was a sexual predator who was rumored to do favors for 'bad people', and Nora is on CCTV entering Tony's building right before he was killed.

In the Mafia trial, when it appears that Frenchie's evidence will convict D'Amico, the mobster secretly passes a note to the prosecution team, in an effort to make a deal. The missive says D'Amico has information about who REALLY killed former governor Tony Burke.....and it's not Tony's wife Kyra but rather a Mafia assassin. Unfortunately D'Amico is shot before he can spill the beans, and he's found with a dead canary in his mouth - a warning to those who might cooperate with law enforcement.

Thus, Kyra Burke is put on trial for murdering her politician husband Tony Burke. However, prosecutor Nora Carleton and her team proceed to investigate the former governor's homicide anyway, in an attempt to identify 'the real killer', presumably a mob hitter. Nora's colleagues include: Benny Dugan - a six-foot-five, 250 pound detective who's been investigating the Mafia for 30 years; FBI Special Agent Jessica Watson - a fresh-out-of-Quantico agent with smooth dark skin and a short afro; and Carmen Garcia - the chief of Violent and Organized Crime at St. Andrew's Plaza.

In addition to showing some of the the inner workings of the Southern District of New York, Comey's novel highlights the rivalry between the Manhattan D.A. and the U.S. Attorney's Office, who compete to prosecute the same high profile cases, for the credit and the glory. In an interview with NPR, Comey puts it as follows, "I used to describe it to people as blood sworn enemies, except when they're living together and having a baby. So there was a lot that we did together and a lot we fought over. I used to try and take the D.A. [Robert] Morgenthau to lunch on a regular basis to try and build, repair, whatever damage was done." Comey also observed, "From my upbringing and my professional experience [the] FBI and NYPD are Godzilla and King Kong. They're like siblings — sometimes they play really well together, sometimes not so much."

Besides all the squabbling among the D.A., U.S. Attorney, and FBI, real world law enforcement isn't as neat and clean as seen on television series. 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. Our job is to lock up bad people to protect good people....Sometimes that means we gotta use other bad people to do it. Sometimes that means people we know are motherless fucks are gonna get away....so [all the people sleeping soundly] can stay that way."

Along with a wealth of colorful characters and fascinating police procedural details (Hint to the criminally inclined: Be careful about ordering from Starbucks], the book has great courtroom scenes. I enjoyed the novel and look forward to more books in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley, James Comey, and Mysterious Press for a copy of the manuscript.

I went into this one a little apprehensive. Let's be honest... there's just too much controversy with all the politics that surround the author. I prayed it wasn't going to be overly politicized. I was pleasantly surprised that my fears were pointless.

I'm just going to throw it out there. This book was a little cliche, a little cheesey in a sense. And way overly descriptive. However, overall, the story worked for me.

I enjoyed the book as a whole. The plot flowed well. The characters were developed pretty well. I wasn't disappointed with reading this book.

What a ride!!! Loved this book written by James Comey who uses his behind-the-scenes knowledge to weave a masterful story!!!

Well written, with great characters, and intriguing look behind the scenes of an FBI investigation. I felt like the pacing lagged a bit at times, but overall I enjoyed it. Strongly recommended

Dude can write. Damn.

Thanks to the wonderful folk at NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced reader's copy. I literally couldn't put it down.

The evidence is clear that former FBI director turned bestselling nonfiction author, James Comey, has what it takes to deliver an impressive, captivating legal thriller.

In his debut novel, Central Park West, Comey not only shows the reader the inside workings of the Justice Department but with a can’t-put-it-down story of murder, political corruption and the mob as told through the eyes of those working to bring them down.

With his long career, Comey’s sense of technical realism is understandable. During his tenure with the US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, he served as lead prosecutor in the six-month mafia racketeering and murder trial of John Gambino in 1993. His chops as a fascinating storyteller, layering in all that detail with rich, well-drawn characters is outstanding - an exciting surprise. I can’t wait to read his next offering.

Let the record show that I highly recommend Central Park West beyond a reasonable doubt.

I received this advance reader copy from Mysterious Press, courtesy of NetGalley. This review is fair and impartial.

Thank you NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for offering the ARC of Central Park West to early reviewers. I have had this book on my TBR shelf for a few months and now that it’s within days of publication I simply inhaled it in one day. It was that good!

James Comey has brought to fiction much of his knowledge from a lifelong career in the law and law enforcement, but has made it understandable and enjoyable to lay readers. That really is too simple a statement! What he has done is crafted an intricate story, but with characters that prompt the reader to feel things. To me the ability to evoke emotion, positive or negative, is the mark of a good storyteller. Comey has proven to me he is just that!

From the opening we begin to feel a strong sense of sympathy at what we perceive is injustice being done to Kyra Burke when she is put on trial for the murder of her almost ex-husband, the former governor of New York. It wasn’t just sympathy, but outrage I felt and was glad when I read on to see that the DOJ was investigating another suspect in Governor Burke’s and others deaths. That’s when I began to shout, “yeah, that’s right, get the right guy”. But was it the right guy? You just have to read this book to see how it all comes together.

Full of great character sketches and more twists than you’d ever see coming, this is definitely a book you won’t want to miss. I’m hoping Director Comey has some more fiction up his sleeve. I can’t help but think he does after all he has had a lifelong career to draw on for inspiration. Let us in on a little more of that!

A debut crime thriller from the former head of the FBI...yes please, sign me up. Unfortunately for me it was just average and didn't really live up to the hype. It had an interesting plot and was enjoyable enough to finish but was lacking in suspense. The courtroom drama was decent and there were a couple of twists I didn't see coming but I probably wouldn't recommend it just because it wasn't my cup of tea. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

Central Park West is the first novel written by former FBI director James Comey. As expected, Mr Comey brings a lot to the table in this book. His knowledge of law enforcement and the inner workings of the bureau add many more layers to this story. it is comprised of two storylines – a single mother who is also a US attorney and a Mafia family that is under investigation by multiple agencies.

Using his vast experiences, the author has attempted to weave together these two different elements to create a crime thriller. For the most part, he has accomplished this goal. However, I still found the book to be a little disjointed, with the story jumping from one thing to another. There also seems to be a cast of thousands. I managed to keep most of the characters straight, but in more than one instance a character is introduced with a fair amount of explanation as to who they are and a backstory as well. Then, come to find out, this character is in and out of the plot. The extra information wasn’t necessary and actually muddied the story itself. I consider this a rookie error and if Mr Comey continues his writing career, I wouldn’t expect this to happen as often.

Central Park West definitely has its moments and those I enjoyed. For a first novel, it was a good attempt and I would be interested in reading future books by Mr Comey. Meanwhile, I will give Central Park West 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.