NYPD Red: A maniac killer targets Hollywood’s biggest stars (NYPD Red, 1)

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NYPD Red was formed as a special task force to protect the Hollywood elite – to keep them and the mayor happy, and to hopefully stop any trouble before it started. But the week of the Hollywood on Hudson film festival was destined to bring out the crazies, and it most certainly did that – one in particular who had written his own script.

Though I’ve been a very long time fan of Patterson’s books, both his standalones and his many series (Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, Lindsey Boxer, I’ve read them all) I made the switch from reading his physical books to listening solely on audio a couple of years ago. It kind of happened by accident, I was browsing Overdrive for a new listen and grabbed the latest Women’s Murder Club installment and realized what an amazing narrator January LaVoy is. All of that to say, having now listened to several of Patterson’s books I have to tell you guys that he has THE best narrators I’ve come across, and Ballerini is no exception. I say that because I know many people don’t enjoy audiobooks for various reasons but if you ever wanna give one a try just grab any Patterson one and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I didn't mind the story but I'm not sure I like the characters. Neither of them seemed overly sympathetic and they had a real abrasive way of talking. I think (and I may be wrong) that it's just the New York accent but I'm sure that most New Yorkers don't always sound so harsh. I wanted more variety in the speech, some emotions now and again.MARSHALL KARP co-created and co-authored the first six books in the #1 bestselling NYPD Red series with James Patterson. Starting with NYPD Red 7, Marshall will become the sole author of the series, which features Detectives Kylie MacDonald and Zach Jordan as members of an elite task force dedicated to solving crimes committed against — and sometimes by — New York City’s rich and famous. I really need to find or develop a synonymous phrase for that, because I use it too often in this post. Sorry about that. NYPD Red 7: The Murder Sorority” starts off with two murders. First, a sniper marksman takes the life of Warren Hellman, a high profile movie producer, as he leaves the court following his being found not guilty of intentionally killing a well-respected New York detective. Across town, his brother, Curtis Hellman, is found dead on a jogging pathway along 102nd street. Someone left him with his throat slashed.

It's no secret that I love James Patterson, especially his series, Alex Cross, Private and now I can firmly add this series to that list. Having read the first book in November of last year, I was a little apprehensive as to whether it would continue on in the same vein because I loved that one. This book, although falling slightly below the first book for me, was still very enjoyable and personally, I think it has shown the potential for this series in the future.With a branch of the police department designated to look after the rich and famous, it’s detectives Zach and Kylie who are entrusted to stop a crazed killing spree across the city. As if that weren’t enough for the two detectives, they are drawn into a robbery at a high-stakes, private poker game. Could one of the players be involved in the heist? And are Zach’s suspicions about one of the players valid? At the same time, as the body count rises, can Zach and Kylie find the answers they need to capture the murderer and put an end to the killings? Truth be told, if I had read this book without knowing Patterson’s named was removed, I wouldn’t have noticed any differences. It felt just like their previous six books in the series. I am not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. It just is. I am also not sure what this says about Patterson’s involvement in their writing partnership. It’s weird. Patterson steps away and I can’t tell the difference. I am going to stop talking about this now and let you form your own opinion on the matter. The book is well-written, with an entertaining police-procedural plot and a variety of characters who add interest to the story including a mafia family, detectives, politicians, a priest, a drug addict, and so on. There's also a bit of romance: Zach is conflicted because - though he has a girlfirend - he's still not completely over his love affair with Kylie (his partner) a decade before. I flew through this book and enjoyed the cat-and-mouse chase throughout, especially the finale which includes some action on the river.