The Ex

THE EX by Alafair Burke

March, 2017

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Born October, 1969, in Fort Lauderdale, FL; daughter of James Lee (a novelist) and Pearl (an artist) Burke; cation: Reed College, B.A., 1991; Stanford University Law School, J.D. (with distinction), 1994. Addresses: Home: New York, NY. Office: Hofstra University School of Law, 121 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549. E-mail: alafair@alafairburke.com; alafair.s.burke@hofstra.edu.

CAREER:

Writer, attorney, educator.  

AWARDS:

Stessin Prize for Outstanding Scholarship, Hofstra University, 2003, 2004, university distinguished faculty lecturer, 2006; Teacher of the Year, Hofstra Law School, 2009.

WRITINGS:

• Long Gone: A Novel of Suspense, (2011)
• If You Were Here: A Novel of Suspense, (2013)
• Inherit the Dead (2013)
• The ex ( 2016)
• "She's not quite as messed up as some of the women we've gotten used to reading about in crime fiction in the last few years," says best-selling crime novelist Alafair Burke of the heroine of her latest stand-alone thriller, The Ex. "But she's definitely messed up."

"SAMANTHA KINCAID" MYSTERIES

• Judgment Calls, ( 2003)
• Missing Justice, (2004)
• Close Case, (2005)

"ELLIE HATCHER" MYSTERIES

• Dead Connection, (2007)
• Angel's Tip, (2008)
• 212, (2010)
• Never Tell: A Novel of Suspense, (2012)
• All Day and a Night, (2014)

UNDER SUSPICION SERIES (with Mary Higgins Clark)

• The Cinderella Murder (#2, 2014)
• All dressed in white (#3, 2015)
• The sleeping beauty killer (#4, 2016)

Burke's father, James Lee Burke, also writes mysteries, although of a very different style from his daughter's. As the younger Burke often points out in interviews, she was the family's original mystery writer, borrowing her father's typewriter to compose mysteries such as "Murder at the Roller Disco" as a child, at a time when her father was still writing in other genres. "What I really think I inherited from my family more than any particular writing style ... is a narrative tradition,"

READ-ALIKES

Rough justice  by Lisa Scottoline

Reason: Both books are intense, absorbing, and fun to read, with complex plotting and a pinch of edgy humor. Bold and charismatic female legal professionals drive the action and add a compelling humanity to the stories. -- Jen Baker

Jury rig  by Korey Kaul

Reason: Both immerse readers in legal mysteries with many plot strands and strong, sassy female protagonists. The unusual nature of the clients and their situations enhance drama and readability, while also adding a touch of witty humor. -- Jen Baker

Guilt by degrees  by Marcia Clark

Reason: When the mouthy attorneys in these legal thrillers discover unsettling personal connections to the crimes and suspects in their cases, the moral high ground is harder to find and life gets complicated. Well-developed characters and intricate plots make riveting reading. -- Jen Baker

Linda A. Fairstein  Reason: Alafair Burke and Linda Fairstein write legal thrillers featuring strong women attorneys. The women are feisty and not afraid to get personally involved in their cases. The fast-paced, suspenseful stories are filled with intertwining subplots that produce twists and turns, and deal with with violent themes in a graphic manner. -- Merle Jacob

Nancy Grace Reason: Both Nancy Grace and Alafair Burke are former prosecuting attorneys who've turned to writing legal thrillers. Their suspenseful work reflects their years spent as lawyers, while their fast- paced, compelling styles are certain to leave readers wanting more. -- Mike Nilsson