What You Wish For (Otto Penzler Books)

NYPD captain, Julia Brennan, commanding officer of the district attorney's sex crime unit, knew the crime scene would be bad. The very rich and elderly, Adeline Rose, was found stabbed, slashed and bloody in her upper east side bedroom; at first glance, a burglary gone very wrong. But, Julia realizes almost immediately that this was no burglary. The motive for the crime was money, plain and simple, and within twenty-four hours she has three good suspects pinned down. At the same time, her lover and ex-undercover cop, Peter Foley, is following a new and important lead of his own. He has spent the last five years trying to find his kidnapped daughter, Patti, in the seedy and desperate underworld of pedophiles and child pornography. It looks like he's finally found the proof he's been looking for... that Patti, now eleven, is still alive, and possibly close by..... David Cray brings back two of his most engaging characters, as he weaves these two intriguing and seemingly unrelated story lines toward their stunning conclusion, in this compelling and satisfying sequel to last year's Little Girl Blue. This is a thriller that has it all... a tight, tense, and suspenseful story line filled with vivid and riveting scenes, crisp and entertaining writing, and brilliant characterizations. But it's Mr Cray's indepth research and great attention to detail that really adds credibility to the story, and by the time you've finished the first chapter, you'll be hooked for sure. For those new to master storyteller, David Cray, make sure you go back and read his earlier novels, Bad Lawyer and Little Girl Blue. For those who are already fans, What You Wish For is about to keep you up reading all night.

David Cray's latest novel, "What You Wish For," focuses on two investigations. Julia Brennan, a captain in the New York City Police Department, is looking for the person who brutally murdered an elderly and wealthy widow, Adeline Rose. At the same time, Julia's lover, an ex-cop named Peter Foley, is searching for his daughter, Patti, who was snatched from a day care center five years earlier. Peter has spent a great deal of time infiltrating pedophile networks in an effort to get a lead on Patti's whereabouts. Julia is a rising star in the police department. By tying herself to Peter, Julia may be placing her own career in jeopardy. Peter is known as a loose cannon who will do anything to reclaim his daughter from the monster who kidnapped her. Although Julia wants to rise high in the ranks of the NYPD, she refuses to abandon Peter, and she empathizes with his desperation to find his little girl. Cray's book is sharp, fast-moving and, at times, harsh. The criminals in "What You Wish For" display some of the most reprehensible traits that humans are prone to, including betrayal, lust, greed, violence and hatred. However, Cray tempers this negative view of humanity with his depiction of the enormous love that Julia and Peter have for one another and for their children. It is this strong bond that has enabled the couple to weather some very difficult times. "What You Wish For" is a realistic and gripping thriller. It will have you turning pages quickly to find out how the two investigations play out. Peter Foley and Julia Brennan are vivid and intense characters, and the secondary characters are equally well drawn. Cray's dialogue and plotting are crisp and intelligent, and he maintains a high level of suspense throughout this well-written and highly recommended novel.

Not only is David Cray a master at plotting and procedure, but he knows how to get under the skin of his readers with real-life, believable characters. There is not one false note in this book, and it puzzles me why David Cray is not a number one bestseller. Perhaps his publisher should listen to his readers and put some money into a marketing campaign so more people would know about the exceptionally honest skill of David Cray. I can't wait for the next book!

Here's what I wish for in a crime novel - a compelling story, characters that come to life and that I care about and a page-turning pace. What You Wish For has this and more. Cray's street-smart characters and gripping style make this book a great read.

This book, along with LITTEL GIRL BLUE, are the most extraordinary crime novels I have read. I am in law enforcement and the accuracy of procedures, personalities of characters, police politics, and the judicial system are so accurate its uncanny. These two books look past the plot into the depth of the characters. I have never been more entertained. Please continue to keep the lives of Julia and Peter coming to us through your wonderful writing.