This book was a quick enjoyable read. I was sad that Det. Chuck moved out for good, but not surprised. Whenever there is a disagreement, a person can't r-e-p-e-a-t-e-d-l-y express fear of the other person leaving before the other person just leaves. Maybe the person leaves just to stop hearing the other person say it. Maybe Close Case refers to Samatha Kincaid's and Det. Chuck Forbes' relationship. ( )

The basics: When high-profile reporter Percy Crenshaw is murdered, the cops immediately identify a suspect and secure a somewhat suspicious confession. ADA Samantha Kincaid must try the case with the evidence given, even as she searches for alternate theories about the crime.

My thoughts: I'm a huge fan of this series, and I both adore the character of Samantha Kincaid (and the well-developed characters of her family, friends and colleagues) and the fascinating mysteries she solves. Burke does a phenomenal job of teaching the reader about the law and about Portland, Oregon:
"But in our hot spots, our most frequent calls aren't for robbery or rape. They're for stuff like loitering, graffiti, and street-level drug crimes. That's the kind of stuff that makes a neighborhood feel unsafe. And once it feels unsafe, the good guys start hiding inside and the bad guys take over. All the warm, fuzzy talk about community policing aside, our whole philosophy right now is to get our guys out there, talking to these kids on the corners, and stopping and searching them when necessary."
There are numerous elements at play in this mystery, and the city of Portland, its crime, and its racial make-up are a huge part of this novel. Burke tackles social issues as flawlessly as she does the crime, and both are improved by the strength of the other.

The verdict: Close Case is a superb installment in the Samantha Kincaid series: it's the best novel in an excellent series. The combination of current events and mystery was intriguing, thought-provoking and suspenseful. I hope Alafair Burke will return to this series and continue Samantha Kincaid's journey. ( )

ADA Samantha Kincaid and the murder of a journalist and the involvement of dishonest cops. ( )

Third mystery featuring Portland prosecutor Samantha Kincaid. The killing of high profile journalist Percy Crenshaw leads Samantha into a labyrinthine investigation involving crooked cops, drugs and racial politics. A good story but took a while to get going. ( )

http://dhamel.typepad.com/book_blog/2005/07/close_case_by_a.html ( )