Scan barcode
A review by canada_matt
Burn by James Patterson, Michael Ledwidge
4.0
The Bennett family is back in Patterson's latest addition to the series. After surviving a harrowing period in witness protection on the West Coast, Detective Michael Bennett and his brood of ten (plus two) are back in NYC for more adventure. When summoned to meet with the Chief of Detectives, Bennett learns that he is being reassigned, demoted in a way, to head up a squad in Harlem as part of the mayor's ombudsmen plan of community liaising. While trying to reorganise the squad, they are called to investigate the scene of an odd cannibalism group seen to be preying on young women in abandoned warehouses. Just as he gets things clicking with his new team, Bennett is assigned back to Major Cases, where a string of diamond heists have jewellers cowering in fear. As only Bennett can do (while balancing a personal life with ten children of his own), he keeps himself involved in both cases, hoping to tie everything off. What story would be complete without some personal drama to spice things up? Patterson has found his groove and Bennett explodes off the page in this thrilling tale.
This is the third recent Patterson novel I've read of late, all of which show that James Patterson may have shed the dust from his writing and found a new ability to captivate readers and critics alike. The story is fast-paced and the narrative is equally exciting. A noticeable smaller portion of the narrative dedicated to the evil-doers, from their own perspective, but that might be more Ledwidge than Patterson's regular doing. Perhaps some of the personal drama was handled a little too swiftly and gave the reader the sense that it was only there to offer a change of perspective, but it did home and pull on the heartstrings just enough to pique interest. Thoughtfully laid out and offering a wonderful set of new characters, even if they do not appear again.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Ledwidge for your wonderful story and interesting addition to the series.
This is the third recent Patterson novel I've read of late, all of which show that James Patterson may have shed the dust from his writing and found a new ability to captivate readers and critics alike. The story is fast-paced and the narrative is equally exciting. A noticeable smaller portion of the narrative dedicated to the evil-doers, from their own perspective, but that might be more Ledwidge than Patterson's regular doing. Perhaps some of the personal drama was handled a little too swiftly and gave the reader the sense that it was only there to offer a change of perspective, but it did home and pull on the heartstrings just enough to pique interest. Thoughtfully laid out and offering a wonderful set of new characters, even if they do not appear again.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Ledwidge for your wonderful story and interesting addition to the series.