If You Were Here by Alafair Burke

Morning, readers! I'm on the TLC book tour today for Alafair Burke's latest, If You Were Here.

Ten years ago, McKenna Jordan's life was turned upside down when she called it quits as a lawyer after a particularly scandalous (i.e. career ruining) case. Around the same time, her best friend Susan went missing without a trace. McKenna has moved on and while thoughts of Susan have become less and less prevalent, every once in a while something brings her to mind. Since leaving her job with the DA's office, McKenna has turned her eye to writing. She had mild success with a first book and has been hired on as a writer for NYC magazine. McKenna's recent claim to fame is a ten year anniversary piece she wrote on that fateful case, which has led to a possible book deal as well as a growing fan base for her work. All in all, things seem to be going fantastically for McKenna. That is until she sees Susan. 

The story McKenna is covering is that of a teenage boy recently saved from the subway tracks. McKenna knows there's more to the story and her angle includes the woman who saved the kid in question. McKenna tracks down a witness who caught the whole thing on camera. Surprisingly, the woman in the video looks a lot like Susan. Has she returned after all this time or is it all in McKenna's imagination, brought on by rehashing the details of that old case?

Alafair Burke can always be counted on for a gripping page turner and If You Were Here is no exception. From the very beginning, when Nicky Cervantes steals a cell phone from an unsuspecting woman on the subway, the story grabs hold and never lets up. The pacing is quick and the plotting is tight - per usual Alafair Burke standards!

One of the things I really, really love about Burke's work is how unique each book is. Obviously it's something you hopes for in every new book but we all have to admit that there are some authors on our reading lists who can typically be counted on for more of the same old same old. It's not a terrible thing - at least you know you'll like it - but it's much more enjoyable to know you're going to read something fresh and new from a favorite author. And that's what you get from Alafair Burke. Even with her series books, each new case is completely different from the last. The only thing that doesn't change is the fact that I'm up all night reading with each and every new release!

Rating: 4.5/5

If you're looking for a fast paced and intense new read this summer, you really can't go wrong with Alafair Burke! In addition to If You Were Here and Long Gone (her two standalones) Burke is also the author of the Samantha Kincaid and Ellie Hatcher series. Here are the full series lists if you're interested:

Samantha Kincaid:
Judgment Calls
Missing Justice
Case Closed

Ellie Hatcher:
Dead Connection
Angel's Tip
212
Never Tell

For more stops on the tour, check out the official TLC tour page here.

For more on Alafair Burke and her books, visit her website (she has a super cool soundtrack for If You Were Here there right now). You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.