Book Review: Confessions of the Dead by James Patterson/J. D. Barker

 This was not your usual James Patterson book. The story opens in a small diner in Hollows Bend, New Hampshire. A naked young woman appears in front of the diner looking dazed and confused. Then it would seem all Hell breaks loose. 

On the plus side, lots of action. The suspense builds nicely through the book. The author team does a great job keeping the reader guessing on who was the villain and what was going to happen next.

On the minus side, I've never been a fan of the split narrative the authors employ in this book. Too many characters, too many story lines, too many themes makes for a somewhat muddled story. It leaves the reader wondering just exactly what they read. Was it a mystery...thriller...sci fi or paranormal fantasy? 

Overall, I'd give the book three out of five stars.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: "Righteous Prey" by John Sandford

Righteous Prey is the latest release in the Prey series by John Sandford. Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers team up on their most challenging case to date. They are tracking "The Five", a coalition of the bored wealthy who have decided to seek the ultimate thrill of killing individuals they deem undesirable and avoiding the FBI and police who seek them. After each murder, a Bitcoin worth the going price of the day is donated anonymously to a worthwhile cause leaving the charity in a dilemma. Do they profit from murder?

U.S. Marshall Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers face one of their toughest cases yet. They have to identify the killers who have no connection to their victims. The crimes have been well planned with little in the way of clues. Will Davenport and Flowers ability to think outside the box be enough to solve be enough to apprehend "The Five" before more bodies fall. You'll have to read the book to find out.

I found this book to be a very satisfying read. There was plenty of action. It might not have been quite as gory as some of past "Prey" books given the body count. However, I found that to be a welcome change. 

I would rate this as five stars.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.