This was a great read! I feel like James Comey did a great job drawing from his experience from his real-life job and that gave this book such an authentic feel. I did not see that last twist coming and that is my fave! I can't wait to see what Nora and the gang get up to in the next installment of this series!

#CentralParkWest
#NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC audiobook.

Central Park West is a gripping crime novel that explores the dark side of politics and the mafia in New York City. Former FBI director James Comey, who has a wealth of experience in law enforcement and national security, delivers a fast-paced and realistic story that keeps the listener on the edge of their seat.

The protagonist is Nora Carleton, a federal prosecutor who has been working on a case against a powerful mobster for years. She finally has a star witness: an insider who can testify against the defendant and put him away for good. But before she can make her move, she receives a shocking revelation: someone has killed a disgraced former governor, who was involved in a scandal with the mobster. The murder seems unrelated to the trial, but Nora soon discovers that there is more to it than meets the eye.

Nora decides to investigate the connection between the governor's death and her own case, hoping to find out who is behind it and why. She uncovers a web of conspiracy, corruption, and danger that reaches high levels of government and involves powerful allies and enemies. She also faces personal challenges as she tries to balance her career with her family life.

Central Park West is not only a thrilling legal thriller, but also a compelling psychological drama that explores themes such as justice, loyalty, morality, and truth. Comey draws from his own experiences as an FBI director and a mob prosecutor to create authentic and vivid characters that are both relatable and complex. He also uses real-life details and events to make his story more realistic and relevant.

The audiobook is narrated by Cassandra Campbell, who does an excellent job of bringing Nora's voice to life. She conveys Nora's emotions, thoughts, and motivations with skill and nuance. She also captures the tone and atmosphere of New York City with her voice acting.

Central Park West is a debut novel by James Comey that announces him as one of the most promising new voices in crime fiction. It is an audiobook that will keep you hooked from start to finish with its fast-paced plot twists, realistic dialogue, and compelling characters. If you are looking for an audiobook that will keep you entertained and informed at the same time, look no further than Central Park West by James Comey.

I enjoyed listening to Central Park West, there were some unexpected twists throughout the book. I found the book engaging with gripping parts that really pulled me into the story. I liked that different story lines were pulled together resulting in a nice little twist. This book has a thorough base of lawyers and investigators with a crossover between mafia and politics. I did find there were a lot of characters to keep track of in the story which was sometimes confusing but it seemed to all get tied together nicely in the end. I found it very detailed and realistic throughout the book but how can it not be realistic as its written by the former Director of the FBI.

The audiobook is fantastically narrated by Cassandra Campbell. I found the voices fit the characters and they were easy to define.

Thank you RB Media and Netgalley for my advance listening copy
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5556302141

It was good and I would recommend to a friend, especially my friends that love “The Sopranos.” While I enjoyed it, I feel like I’ve read at least two other books just like it. It is a basic plot, but a plot that I enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Solid legal mystery. Enjoyed the legal procedures.

Cassandra Campbell did an excellent job narrating.

This is my first exposure to this author and I was not disappointed. The author has delivered a fast paced and deliciously wicked tale. The characters are well rounded and come across as believable, whether you love them or hate them. This is a taut, character-driven psychological thriller, filled with suspicion and tension.

Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

When I was perusing the book titles on Netgalley and spotted a book by James Comey, I thought to myself, it couldn't be THE James Comey. When I found out he was one and the same, I requested the book out of curiosity. After finishing Comey's page-turner, I can confirm that he is a gifted storyteller. He gives the reader a birds-eye view of the inner workings of the Justice Department. The characters are richly drawn, and I felt that I knew a couple of them personally. Comey did a great job explaining the legal jargon in the book. I highly recommend this legal thriller, and I look forward to reading many more books by James Comey.

CENTRAL PARK WEST by James Comey is a debut crime novel from the former director of the FBI. Comey succeeds in building suspense in a thriller which features multiple prosecutions and plenty of courtroom drama as well as behind the scenes investigating. One case, being prosecuted by Nora Carleton (Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York), involves the mob and another seeks to convict the ex-wife of New York's former Governor for his murder. It all gets upended when allegations are made about a rival mafia family having perpetrated the murder. The action is exciting and intertwined with plenty of twists. All is well-supported by clever details about law enforcement procedures (e.g., tracking the murderer through her app purchases) and infighting between organizations like NYPD and DOJ. The audiobook is just over ten hours long and Cassandra Campbell does an excellent job.

Nora Carleton is an AUSA in the vaulted Manhattan Office. As the book begins, Nora is prosecuting a mobster who she hopes to put in prison but he gets whacked for offering to cooperate with the Feds before a verdict is handed down. At the same time as she’s trying to prosecute a mobster, the separated second wife of the former NYS governor is arrested for his murder and put on trial by the Manhattan DA.. The former governor is a Harvey Weinstein type character whose years of sexually abusive behavior finally came to light and he’s a pariah. Did the wife really kill the former governor? The evidence certainly suggests that she did but Nora’s mafia defendant suggests that he was bumped off by the mob. What’s the truth? This captivating peek into the world of state and federal prosecutors, the FBI, mobsters, and politicians is feels real and relevant.

In the book Central Park West, author James Comey writes about federal prosecutor Nora Carleton who is prosecuting a powerful mobster when the trial takes a strange twist. A disgraced former New York governor is murdered and his ex-wife is the prime suspect. But when Nora’s mobster passes a note saying he knows the governor was killed in a mob hit, everything goes haywire.
This an ok story. It was clear this was the first mystery book by Comey. The ending was predictable and the characters were hard to connect with. I’m not sure I would recommend this book. The audio-book narration was not great. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I chose this book due to the narrator, she’s awesome. I thought it looked interesting and I wanted to see how the author did as a writer. Turns out, he is a great writer! I was captivated from the very beginning and it kept my interest the entire time. Highly recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Central Park West
By: James Comey
Pub Date: 5/30/23
Publisher: HighBridge Audio

The mob and politicians really do go hand in hand. Nora Carleton is a high-profile DA. While working a case against a long time mob boss, the defendant passes along a information on a local case.
When the former mayor of NYC is murdered the prosecution naturally goes after his ex-wife but when new evidence comes about. She and her team work hard to put away a mob hit woman who not only killed the governor but has a long list of hits.
I was really curious about what kind of thriller the former director of the FBI would tell, knowing he definitely has the background.
I think his first foray in to the fiction world was definitely a success.

You had me at James Comey, and this did not disappoint. I would categorize this as a legal thriller, and his extensive knowledge and expertise shines through. Added bonus: strong, intelligent female characters.

Great listen. Terrific narrator. Good story, was more of a legal thriller than I expected but I enjoy that genre so found it fascinating and engaging.

A New York governor has been murdered. His estranged wife has been accused and is now on trial for this crime. But, did she do it? Through a separate investigation, new evidence is discovered. And this murder might not be as cut and dried as the prosecution believes. The death of the governor might actually be a mob hit and part of a unique stream of murders across the USA.

To say this book surprised me is an understatement. I was excited to be asked to read it but I really did not expect it to be as good as it was. This book is smart, intricate and down right unpredictable. And I enjoyed every minute of it! I really believe the author pulled so much from his life experiences and this is what made this novel so real and authentic. And these characters!

I received this novel from the publisher (thank you Riley!) but I also asked for it from HighBridge Audio. I can listen faster than I can read.

The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, is fantastic with all the accents. I love her accent for one of the attorneys! I could just picture him and his antics.

Need a good legal thriller with mob ties…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Colleen Chi-Girl
Rating: 4 stars ****
Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
Bookshelves: Audiobook, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary Fiction, NetGalley

This is the debut novel by the former Director of the FBI, James B. Comey, who we all got to "know" during Trump's presidency. Comey's special knowledge and abundant experience is evident in his writing. The beginning half of the novel is the best as it was fast paced and interesting....the characters are set up, we learn about the murder of a promiscuous governor and his accused ex-wife, Kyra Burke, now on trial, as well as a mob boss and other shady, unscrupulous people.

Enter U.S. federal prosecutor, Nora Carleton, who needs to figure out the truth within a murky group of people from criminals to federal agents to the police to politicians and many others. The ex-governor is a seedy guy who resembles other men now exposed from the Me-Too-Movement.

My only con is that it became overly wordy and drawn out about half or 3/4 of the way through the book. Too much info and redundancy. However, the intelligence of the author and his sophistication in today's world of crime and legalities make this novel a big yes.

My thanks to the author, publisher, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my unbiased, honest review.

I enjoyed listening to your book. Started from the beginning and kept going for me. This is the first book I've listened/read of his work and will be checking out more.

Probably in my top 5 of crime novels. I was reeled in from the first chapter. The characters were exciting and the story was exactly what I needed to get out of my reading slump. It’s a 9/10 for me!

It's such a great book. I didn't see the twists coming. I swear I knew who the killer was only to be wrong. Then, the ending twist was insane. I absolutely loved the characters they were amazing. The FBI team was definitely something that I could see in a work relationship. The actual case itself was also very interesting to follow. Great book and well written hope to read more from this author.

James Comey’s highly anticipated fiction debut draws on his background as a former prosecutor in the Southern District of New York and as America’s “Top Cop”. Drawing on his extensive experience prosecuting members of New York’s Mafia family, Comey’s narrative involves a series of intertwined high profile trials involving the mob. The story is told from the point of view of Nora Carleton, the well-drawn and believable federal prosecutor who is supported by other hard working (primarily) female staff. We learn more about the witness protection program, interesting details about how the FBI can use data on our phones to track our every movement and the intricacies of federal agencies working together to bring the bad guys to justice (sometimes). The ending was surprisingly unpredictable and the reader can judge if it works for them. This book was read in audiobook format by an outstanding narrator who provided all the necessary “New York” flavor to a range of characters. Hopefully Mr. Comey is now working on his next work of crime fiction.