Alafair Burke's latest is one of her best

Alafair Burke tells a compelling tale that combines a police procedural and a legal thriller in “All Day and a Night.”

Anthony Amaro, convicted of killing six women 18 years ago, has always claimed he is innocent and that he was coerced to confess. Now the murder of a psychotherapist puts his convictions in doubt, and a hotshot attorney named Linda Moreland sees the case as a way to further her career. She hires a woman named Carrie Blank who works with federal appeals in a prestigious law firm to assist her. Carrie, whose sister was one of Amaro's victims, is eager to help find the killer.

NYPD Detectives Ellie Hatcher and JJ Rogan are assigned to give the case a fresh eye, even though it's out of their jurisdiction. Ellie is dating the lead prosecutor in the case, and she's forced to question whether she earned the job or it's preferential treatment. There isn't much time to ponder why she and Rogan got the assignment because the investigation of the psychotherapist's death appears to prove Amaro's innocence.

Burke's talent as a writer continues to grow along with Ellie's character. Although this is the fifth book in the Ellie Hatcher series, there isn't a better starting point than “All Day and a Night,” which will keep the reader up all night.