Brooklyn Wars: An Erica Donato Mystery

Stein’s intriguing fourth Erica Donato mystery (after 2015’s Brooklyn Secrets) finds the PhD candidate under pressure from a new adviser to complete her dissertation about changing city neighborhoods. Naturally, she chafes at the “or else” attitude, in part because she’s convinced that a new chapter on the famed Brooklyn Navy Yard would be an excellent addition to the project. To prove the chapter’s merit, she attends a meeting on the fate of the former navy yard’s valuable real estate, with its prime waterfront location. When she sneaks into an off-limits area, she witnesses the fatal shooting of ruthless New York power broker Michael Conti, a speaker at the meeting, who was deeply involved in the yard’s controversial history and closure. Erica tries to stay out of the investigation, but is drawn into the case by Conti’s widow and a bevy of ex-wives, who each have a thing or two to say about the political fixer. Stein’s sure hand weaves history and mystery together for a colorful tale of love, loss, greed, and murder. (Aug.)