When I saw the name James Comey attached to a mystery, I couldn’t resist reading it. I’m so glad that did. The catalyst is the apparent killing of a NY governor (think Cuomo) by his estranged wife. The murder case is being tried by attorney Nora Charleston.

Comey builds an interesting story around the investigation and trial. He brings in a strong Mafia connection. The characters are interesting and the plot is intricate and compelling. The novelist shares the fascinating techniques used by law enforcement to track suspects. I really enjoyed this novel. The only bit of disappointment was the ending which really was not believable. The author should have used the end as a potential jumping off point for future novels, or at least given the reader some logical closure.

All things considered, this is a fun read and a fine start for a political figure turned novelist. Looking forward to more Comey novels.

How could I resist reading a debut crime novel written by the former Director of the FBI, James Comey? And it turns out the story is quite good! With courtroom drama and the mob, how could it not be?

The plot: Kyra Burke, the wife of Tony Burke, the disgraced former governor of NY, is accused of murdering him in their penthouse suite. 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. Slam dunk case, right? What happens then when an informant discloses that the Mafia was involved in the hit? Federal prosecutor Nora Carleton wants to pursue that angle and involve the FBI while the DA's office continues their trial against Kyra Burke.

Lots of authentic detail and realistic characters flesh out this story. The ending wasn't what I expected or hoped for but I won't quibble about that. I would definitely enjoy reading more from newly-fledged crime novelist, James Comey.

I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks! My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Take his name off it and this would be reviewed as what it is- a pretty good legal thriller with some twists and good characters- and no one would expect anything more. This opens with the murder of the former Governor of New York and the framing of his about to be ex-wife Kyra for the crime. It turns out however that a mobster being prosecuted by smart young AUSA Nora Carleton has information critical to the case, except that he's killed before he can provide all of it. This sets off a race to figure out who the identity of the mysterious murdering woman. Nora and the team from the AUSA's office, especially investigator Benny Dugan and FBI SA Jasmine find themselves combing through photos of mob meetings, funerals and weddings until......That this turns on repeated purchases of a treat made me chuckle but it's patterns that often get the bad guy. No spoilers from me. You will undoubtedly find yourself drawing parallels to real people early on but then once you've done that you'll find the characters pretty well rounded and the insider bits (interesting info about the courthouses in NYC) relevant. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I went into this with admittedly low expectations and came out having had a good read- better than many of the genre I've read in recent years.

How could I possibly resist reading a book written by the famous former FBI director James Comey? Described as a legal and political thriller, Central Park West, is based on the world of crime, mobsters, prosecutors and politicians that Comey knows first-hand.

There are two sub plots to start off with. There is a murder, the victim, the NYS governor. It seems likely that the perpetrator is someone who knew him well, leaving his estranged wife as the number one suspect. Federal Prosecutor, Nora Carleton, is preparing to try high ranking organized crime figures in a huge case that has taken years to bring to trial. The Defendant, ”The Nose”, shakes up the proceedings by claiming he knows who killed the governor. Saying that it’s one of his associates .
What ensues is a conflict between federal investigators and the NYPD in a battle for authority and power.

I was hooked from the start. Murders, mafia and twists galore. A fascinating read with really strong characters. Given the ending, it would be fitting to turn this story into a series, considering the potential for further exploration of who is now in charge of the State of New York and how they achieved that position. I hope Central Park West is successful and develops into a series, as the entire story was unique, original, and deserving of further development.

This was a four well-earned stars for Central Park West. Thanks to NetGalley, Penzler Publishers/Mysterious Press and the Author, James Comey for this exciting read.

He’s lived it in the nonfictional real world and now he is bringing it to us in a great fictional story.

The book Is Central Park West: A Crime Novel by James Comey. I thank both Netgalley https://www.netgalley.com and Mysterious Press for the chance to read this before publication. The book will be published on May 30.

James Comey was the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), the United States deputy attorney general, and later the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Obviously, a man who knows quite a bit about our criminal justice system.

The story begins with a murder. Some evidence, very strong evidence, has convinced the Manhattan District Attorney to charge the separated wife of the deceased with murder.

We also meet a young Assistant US Attorney, who believes the murderer is not the person arrested, and learn a good bit more about the sometimes difficult relationship between SDNY and the Manhattan DA.

The book goes into the murder trial of the wife and the SDNY investigation to find the person who may be the real killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was both a look into our justice system as well as a great story. I am very happy the author decided to try his hand at fiction. I thought it was a great read and highly recommend it.

This book never got going for me. The writing was too slow and I ended up not caring about the story at all.

I am very picky about the books I read. I need them to go at a quick pace and don't care much for a ton of details and this book just bogged down.

I do appreciate how hard it is to write,

What a fast-paced ride! I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. I have given up on legal thrillers because the courtroom drama tends to drag on and gets technical. That was not a problem with this one at all. I loved Nora and found the rest of the characters believable and likeable. The story itself is fascinating and kept me interested the whole way through. Highly recommended for when you have lots of time to read because it’s hard to put down.

Yes, this is written by the Former FBI Director, but like him or not, he can write a really great mystery! This book draws on his years of being a Prosecutor and his work navigating the political world of DC. This book involves a mob trial, murder, and political intrigue. I could hardly put this one down!

If you're a fan of legal thrillers and courtroom dramas, then this book is definitely for you. However, if these genres don't typically interest you, you might find Central Park West a bit tedious since approximately 85% of it takes place in the courtroom. Considering the involvement of the FBI, the Manhattan District Attorney, and the US Attorney's Office, one would expect a bit more action and drama.

One positive aspect of the book's heavy courtroom focus is how James Comey skillfully wrote those chapters to maintain my interest in the story. Despite my continuous complaints about the book being in a courtroom, chapter after chapter, Comey managed to keep me hooked throughout the book.

The story initially takes off at a fast pace. It starts outside of the courtroom and was very entertaining. Most of the information about the crime scenes is presented in court through testimony, making it essential not to skim through chapters. If you miss even a minor detail that the prosecutors discovered during their investigation at Central Park West, you might struggle to grasp the questions posed by the prosecutors in court. Although I wished for less time spent in the courtroom, it ultimately paid off, as the final few chapters were truly enjoyable, mainly because they took place outside the courtroom.

Given the ending, it would be fitting to turn this story into a series, considering the potential for further exploration of who is now in charge of the State of New York and how they achieved that position. I hope Central Park West is successful and develops into a series, as the entire story was unique, original, and deserving of further development.

Did Not Finish--25 percent.

Just focusing on the book folks.

So, I tried with this one, but it just read like a bad facsimile of a James Patterson novel. And I haven't read James Patterson for years at this point. I really need male thriller authors to stop describing the expensive item of clothing a person has on. No one cares. It was maddening to me. I legit had to check a few times I had not stumbled into re-reading a "Women's Murder Club" book.

This book starts off with a murder (disguised as something else) and then the book follows Nora Carleton. She's a federal prosecutor that is leading a high-profile mafia case against Dominic “The Nose” D’Amico.

I will give Comey this, there's some writing that is good, but it needed tightened up a bit. That was the main reason why I ended up DNFing this one. Everything gets over explained and takes too long to get there. The flow was wrecked from the start and never improved. And I will also add that Nora and some of the other character were not well developed at all.

I did laugh at the governor stand-in who reads like Andrew Cuomo.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free advance copy of “Central Park West” by James Comey in exchange for an honest review.

Drawing on his many years of service in law enforcement at the highest levels of government, former FBI Director James Comey has written an engaging and well paced first novel. Part thriller, part legal procedural, the opening scene features the murder of former Governor Tony Burke - a “me too” yuck of a person - in his New York penthouse, but who did it, and why? From the courtroom to the US attorney’s offices to the legal team and members of the mob, the settings and characters are well written and evocative. There are even a couple of well-placed Easter eggs for those who have followed Comey’s career (read more here but not until after you read the novel:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Comey).

While one might think that the “what goes around, comes around” theme woven through the book is in part a reflection on the final years of his own career, I hope that Comey the novelist is here to stay.

A 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I not only enjoyed the book, but I learned something new.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am very happy to have received an advance copy of Central Park West from NetGalley. I really liked the book. Mr. Comey’s background as FBI Director informs the story and lends authenticity to the settings, the characters, and the action. This is part police procedural, part legal thriller. The story incorporates murder, lies, and the desire for power. It gives the reader a sense of what goes into the investigation of a complex case and what it takes to ferret out the truth. It’s instructive on how the legal system works. From a human standpoint, the story also addresses the toll these professions take on families and relationships. Central Park West is a fast-paced, well-crafted book that makes a great read.

Well written and tight. This book surprised me how good it was! Loved reading about sll the inside details! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher

James Comey, former head of the fbi, creates a lush and spectacular thriller that will have you white knuckling the entire time!

Happy Caturday😻 This week we finished former FBI director @comey’s debut fiction novel, which is an excellent crime and legal thriller. His perspective brings to life the investigations and trials of who killed the former NY governor, Tony Burke. I really enjoyed this book and the twist at the end was surprising. I look forward to more crime fiction by James Comey!

Thank you @penzlerpub @mysteriouspress and @netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

High profile death investigation

Intriguing criminal procedural mystery where the Governor of New York, Tony Burke, is found dead in his apartment supposedly killed by his wife. The doorman places Burk’s estranged wife Kyra at the scene shortly after his death.
Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District Nora Carleton is currently prosecuting a case against Dominic D’Amico of the Gambino Mafia Family. When D’Amico passes Nora a note about Tony Burke’s death and mob involvement, Nora asks for protection for D’Amico. The court refuses. D’Amico meets an untimely end.
Whilst the case against Kyra goes ahead, Nora and others strengthen their efforts to get to the truth. Kyra’s guilt is seemingly assured from the court antics. 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.”
Where does this leave the defense?
I’m blown away by what can be tracked by various agencies, including loyalty card usage. Wow!
The investigative group disappears down several rabbit holes before the evidence they need surfaces.
The ending was not surprising to me but the getting there was fascinating.

A W.W. Norton ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

James Comey, a former FBI director, delights with his debut novel, Central Park West!

I haven't read a good legal thriller in a while. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this legal and psychological thriller mix. With Comey's background, he is able to get deep into the details and explain legal jargon to those of us without a legal background.

I would highly recommend this book; I am impressed with Comey's debut novel.

I have to admit that I really wondered what I was getting into reading a book by the past FBI director, but James Comey did a great job bringing us a story of depth and intrigue. Assistant US Attorney Nora Carleton thinks she has a case against a mobster all wrapped up when the defendant passes along a note that he has information about the death of a past governor.

I really feel like I was not only entertained by this mystery but I also learned a lot about our judicial system and quite frankly, some of its downsides such as the lack of cooperation between state and federal personnel.
Comey obviously has a lot of info on the mob and how they interact which was also a big part of the story.

There were a lot of twists and turns in the search for the truth behind the death of the ex-governor during which we also became intimate with the lives of the prosecutors and investigators. The pressures of the job and home where both brought to the forefront. The ending was not wrapped up with a bow like some books and I found that refreshing in its honesty about life.

I am very impressed with Comey's first attempt at fiction. With his knowledge and past experience, I imagine he can bring us many more stories. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

James Comey's new legal thriller is reminiscent of a John Grisham classic. Comey does a great job of plotting this political legal thriller, making it easy to read and follow. Comey's experience lends itself to knowing the ins and outs of the federal prosecutor's office. I loved the team he created at the federal prosecutor's office who investigate the murder of a former governor. Of course, there are twists and turns along the way, leading to a great and satisfying ending. Comey has a future in legal thrillers and I can't wait to read more!

An excellent page-turner. Good character development and interesting investigative and court scenes. The plot was plausible, which is maybe a bit scary. I hope James Comey continues writing fiction like this.