Enjoyed listening to this one in the car. The narrator does a great job with nice sound effects. Not sure if I should follow the character in sequence.

First one I've read in the series and was a quick read and interesting story.

I have falling in love with this series. there's still so much mystery about the life of Mike Bennett and his huge family. The cases he investigates are truly different there's usually some really good action scenes. looking forward to reading the next book...

The plot was fast paced and I loved the scenes with the Bennett family and nanny. But I was totally annoyed at the sub-standard investigative skills and resources (they seemed to be mostly running around with little analysis). Then there is an illogical leap of forensic science that was able to find traces of explosives in an ash cross on one of the victims foreheads -- REALLY??

Not Patterson’s best but it’s not bad.

This is a pretty solid suspense/mystery novel. I didn't realize it was a series when I checked it out at the library, but I like it well enough that I will probably go back and read the previous two.

This is the 3rd book in the series featuring NYPD Detective Michael Bennett. He and his wife had adopted 10 children of various ethnic origins during their marriage and in the first book of this series Step On A Crack, she dies after a battle with cancer. Now he has his grandfather, who is an actual Father (a minister) and a nanny his wife's family sent to help after her death to keep things in order on the home front, but things are always out of control for Bennett at work.

The case in this edition is a tough one, someone is kidnapping children of high profile parents but he doesn't want money, he wants to teach a lesson. He gives each kidnap victim a test they can't pass and the grade for failing is death. With each death more pressure is put on the NYPD from the press, the mayor and the public. FBI agent Emily Parker, a top Abduction Specialist is brought in the help close the case, but the mastermind behind the kidnapping changes his routine and asks for money. This changes everything and all of New York could be at risk.


I read all three books in the series last week, albeit in the wrong order, (read book 2 before book 1) but it didn't matter, these books are thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat, with loving family moments interspersed, and a little romantic tension thrown in. I often wonder how two writers collaborate together, but in this series I feel one must be writing the crime part and the other the family chapters, and they are blended seamlessly together. James Patterson is one of my favorite authors and he never disappoints. I can't believe I let the first two books sit in my To-Be-Read pile so long, that was a "crime".


FTC Disclosure: All three books were from by personal collection.

I don't expect very much from James Patterson anymore... I'd never buy one of his books, but this was at the library so I picked it up. An okay mystery but nothing more than that.

This is part of my personal challenge to catch up on James Patterson and I am really enjoying this series. I was really hoping Michael was going to pick Emily but oh well. I love all the references about "yankee" culture and of course Yankee Stadium lol

this typical fast paced James Patterson is one of the Mark Bennett series. A serial kidnapper/killer with a social conscience is on the loose. NYPD detective Mark Bennett and FBI agent Parker track him down. A formula book with an interesting action, but no suprises.