As a reader of mostly non-fiction books, I prefer my fictional novels to have a believable premise, but "Airtight" failed in this regard. A rogue U.S. marine kidnapped the brother of a NJ poice lieutenant as payback after the marine's drug addict brother was killed by the police. The police shooting occurred during an investigation into the brutal murder of a NJ judge, and an anomomous tip identified the addict as the killer of the judge. Further investigation, after the kidnapping of the police lieutenant's brother, broadened the suspect list to include a potentially corrupt local mayor, a local businessman owning property with huge potential for extracting natural gas by fracking, and the fracking developers. Further bombings, professional hit-men, murders, citizen protests all cloud the investigation. The story was OK, but I much prefer David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series of books. ( )

I love mysteries and really good writers and I especially love really good writers who write mysteries. Airtight was the first of David Rosenfelt's books that I've read, and it was so well done that I can't imagine any sort of slippage in his other books, which means I've got a whole lot of fun ahead of me.

Airtight is smart and inevitable without being showoff-y or obvious.
And real people are witty and ironic and sarcastic and tender in just the way that Rosenfelt writes them.

That is all. ( )

I actually really liked this book, action was fast-paced, and the plot was fairly well thought out. It was like a watered-down PG version of a Jack Reacher novel. I would recommend it. ( )

meh... a little predictable. just...meh. ( )

A judge about to rule on an important environmental case is murdered in his driveway and tips and clues all lead police to the home of down-and-out drug addict Stephen Gallagher. Not really believing Stephen is guilty, but feeling he may know something police pay him a visit and are greeted by the suspect pointing a gun. Detective Luke Somers wastes not time recognizing the fact that an unstable individual is pointing a gun at him threatening to shoot and pulls his trigger first. While the rest of the world considers it a justified reaction to the situation, ex-black ops Chris Gallagher, Stephen’s brother has a different opinion. Living by his an eye for an eye credo he subsequently kidnaps Luke’s brother to force Luke to reopen the investigation in order to prove his brother innocent. Keeping Luke’s brother in an AIRTIGHT room with a seven-day supply of oxygen keeps the investigation on track and this story moving along at a satisfactory clip.

It’s a mystery/thriller so as usual the reader must suspend reality for a little bit, but overall Mr. Rosenfelt keeps the action within reasonable bounds. The sub-story is about fracking and it’s impact on the environment (the case the judge was going to rule on) so I learned a little bit about a term I had heard but did not know much about. Overall it was a good read.
( )