From the dust jacket:
NYC’s number one detective, Michael Bennett, has a huge problem - someone is recreating the crimes of infamous killers from New York’s history. The city has never been more terrified.
A rash of horrifying crimes tears through the city, throwing it into complete chaos and terrorising everyone living there. Immediately, it becomes clear that they are not the work of an amateur, but of a calculating, efficient, and deadly mastermind.
The city calls on Detective Michael Bennett, pulling him away from a seaside retreat with his ten adopted children, his grandfather, and their beloved nanny, Mary Catherine. Not only does it tear apart their first vacation since Michael’s wife Maeve died - it leaves the entire family open to attack.
Bennett enlists the help of a former colleague, FBI Agent Emily Parker. As his affection for Emily grows into something stronger, his relationship with Mary Catherine takes an unexpected turn. All too soon, another appalling crime leads Bennett to a shocking discovery that exposes the killer’s pattern and the earth-shattering enormity of his plan.
I’ve read a few of Patterson’s books and this one did not disappoint. The rapid-fire, short chapters make it an easy read, and that tried-and-tested Patterson formula kept me hooked throughout. His work is always written in such a way that it is often compared to watching a tightly-edited, snappy Hollywood action film, and I again experienced the feeling whilst reading this work.
The character development is on-target. I have not read any of the other Michael Bennett series, but this did not hinder my understanding of who everyone was in this novel. Patterson did a sterling job as usual, re-playing backstories to ensure no gaps in continuity exist. The result is a wholesome story which could easily pass through as a standalone.
There are multiple narratives all going on at the same time, and then suddenly…bang! A totally unexpected twist around about the middle of the book. An unusual place to have “the twist” but it was masterfully placed, as it kept me reading into the small hours to find out what happens next.
Overall, a very readable crime thriller with a fast-paced plot involving multiple threads, but not in an overly complicated way. I enjoyed this one, as it kept me glued from start to finish.