James Patterson and Maxine Paetro have teamed up again for their 8th successful collaboration. Private is the first in a new series featuring former Marine Jack Morgan. Morgan inherited both money and his business from his incarcerated father. The name of the firm? Private.
With money being no object, Morgan is able to hire the best in every field. Private's forensic labs are better than many law enforcement agencies. And discretion is the word at Private, as they cater to high profile cases.
Private has three cases running at the same time in this initial outing. Jack's best friend's wife has been murdered. A look into her background uncovers she's not the woman her husband thought. The owner of an NFL team approaches the firm to investigate possible corruption at a crucial level. And last but not least, some sicko is killing young schoolgirls - 18 to date. The local police force agrees to let the Private firm assist them with this investigation. (This stretched believability a bit)
I have been listening to all of Patterson's books now. I find that they're pretty good entertainment in audio format. Nothing to tax your brain, but a story that does keep you engaged while leaving your hands free. All the prerequisites for a classic Patterson are there - suspense, killers, a personal storyline, romance/sex and short chapters with cliffhanger endings. Although the name dropping was meant to let us know that Jack moves in certain circles, I found naming celebrities more than once simply gratuitous.
I liked the Jack Morgan character and the book ended with an opening to a sequel, which I would listen to. The support team is an eclectic bunch, some with secrets of their own. I did have to laugh when one of Jack's love interests turned out to be a bonny colleen from Ireland. The same character with a different name appears in the Det. Michael Bennett series.
Peter Hermann was the reader. He has an excellent speaking voice, clear and easily understood. His voice radiates emotions easily. And he did a passable job with that Irish colleen!
All in all, a good listen. Hear for yourself. Or watch the book trailer.
Patterson and Paetro's next collaboration - 10th Anniversary - a Women's Murder Club book is due out May 2/11.
The Hachette Book Group has reissued Private in a unabridged value priced edition releasing Feb. 22.
This one wasn't my favorite - I thought it had too much going on. One plot line (maybe the NFL thing) could have been left out so the others could have been developed a little bit better. I wasn't a fan of all the name dropping either.
ReplyDelete