Political thriller? International thriller? Financial thriller? Whatever you call it, The Ascendant is smart, edgy, fast-paced storytelling at its be…

- Alafair Burke

The best crime novels are all based on people keeping secrets. All lying - you may think a lie is harmless, but you put them all together and there's…

- Alafair Burke

In our system, we leave questions of fact to a jury. But to render a verdict, a jury must know the law. For this, we rely upon jury instructions. Ins…

- Alafair Burke

According to FBI statistics for 2008, only 22 percent of murder victims were killed by strangers. More than 30 percent were slain by family members, …

- Alafair Burke

Nothing worse than reading a love scene written by your father.

- Alafair Burke

Playing well with others isn't all it's cracked up to be.

- Alafair Burke

Anyone who's had a shower and hasn't ingested illegal narcotics within a couple of days stands out on a bench in the courthouse.

- Alafair Burke

Apparently, an undocumented side effect of dope is a gross overestimation of one's own intelligence. Dopers become convinced they've hidden their sta…

- Alafair Burke

No Time For Goodbye is a deliciously smart thriller, full of surprises and perfect pacing. I'm jealous I didn't write it.

- Alafair Burke