On special assignment, rookie NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher joins seasoned detective Flann McIlroy in investigating the murders, which occurred exactly one year apart, of two young professional women. The only thing these women had in common was their connection to an online dating service called FirstDate.com, a fact discovered in a clue left behind by the killer.

Hatcher and McIlroy launch a full-scale investigation into FirstDate, convinced that the killer's identity is somehow tied to the company. But finding the killer proves not to be an easy task. The murderer is smart, and cleverly planted clues lead the detectives first in one direction and then in another.

As the investigation progresses, the case becomes more convoluted and complex—and more dangerous. Ellie is especially aware of the dangers she and her partner face; her own father died fifteen years earlier while tracking down a serial killer. Now, Ellie, who fits the victims' profile, may herself be the killer's next target.

Dead Connection starts out fast and picks up speed. Burke's expert plotting, subtle, intelligent humor, and insider knowledge of the criminal justice system keeps this novel firmly on the rails and guarantees excitement at every turn of a page.

The daughter of crime writer James Lee Burke, former Portland, Oregon, deputy district attorney Alafair Burke now lives in New York City. Besides writing excellent crime fiction, she teaches law at Hofstra Law School. Her three previous novels are Judgment Calls, Missing Justice, and Close Case. Visit Ms. Burke's Web site to learn more.

Review by Phil Hanson, for FSB Associates