Private LA by James Patterson

It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Back in 2011, I was an avid reader who had somehow lost my way with reading. Between working and being a full-time student, reading for pleasure had slowly fallen by the wayside.

I wanted to change that. So I gave myself a New Year's resolution to read one book every week for a year. I started A Book A Week on January 1, 2012 as a way to hold myself accountable and share what I was reading along the way.

I didn't quite reach my goal that first year, but I kept reading. I kept reviewing. And all these years later, I'm still here, looking forward to whatever book comes next. Some years I crush my goals, some years I don't, but my love for a good book has never wavered.

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

I'm a lifelong reader with a particular soft spot for mysteries and thrillers. I've always loved the genre, and I credit those stories—the twists, suspense, and need to know what happens next—with keeping me a reader as an adult. My reading has taken me in all kinds of directions since then, but I'll always come back to a good mystery.

I love creepy horror novels. A fascinating work of nonfiction can completely pull me in, too. And I've found plenty of favorites in science fiction, literary fiction, romance, and other genres I might never have picked up when I first started the blog. That's part of the fun. I never quite know what kind of story is going to grab me next.

When I'm not reading or writing reviews, you'll usually find me at home with my husband and our pets. I'm a classically trained musician and composer, an enthusiastic home cook, and a backyard gardener. There's usually a trip to look forward to or some new project that has caught my interest, too.

At the end of the day, I just really love books. There's nothing quite like discovering a story I can't put down or finding an author I can't wait to read again. Even when a book doesn't quite work for me, I still enjoy thinking about why and putting those thoughts into words. That's what keeps me reading, reviewing, and sharing it all here on A Book A Week.

Honest reviews, always.

Some of the books I review are ones I've purchased myself. Others are provided by publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. Either way, what I write here is always what I really think.

Not every book is going to work for every reader, and that's part of the fun of talking about books. I'll tell you what worked for me, what didn't, and hopefully give you enough to decide whether a book might be right for you.

Good, bad, or somewhere in between, you'll always get my honest take.

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Thom and Jennifer Harlow are Hollywood's celebrity power couple. Good looks, talent, kind hearts. . . the couple has it all. Paying forward their critical and financial success, the two sponsor schools in impoverished nations and even adopted three children from the countries they serve. As they near the completion of their magnum opus Saigon Falls, the entire Harlow family vanishes. No one in the Harlow's inner circle seems to have any idea as to the couple's whereabouts. Even worse, none of them want to threaten their employer's project by making the disappearance public.

Enter Jack Morgan, owner and head of Private, a world-wide investigation firm. He is hired by the Harlow's lawyer to locate the couple. Jack learns that the Harlow's passion project, which they have written, directed, and star in, is so risky that most of the studios refused to invest in it. Despite the desire of the staff to maintain their client's pristine image, Jack's investigation begins to show cracks in the Harlow's picture perfect facade. Probes into the couple's well protected life bring revelations of financial troubles, fraud, and disturbing fetishes that all factor in to the shocking truth behind their disappearance.

As if Jack's plate wasn't full enough, he is contracted by the city of Los Angeles to intervene in a very public terrorist attack. A group called 'No Prisoners' has leveled a full scale strike against the citizens of the city, sending residents into complete panic. Massacres occur at random locations as the Jack and the city seek to find the people responsible for the horrific acts.

Whether you are a fan or not, there is no denying that James Patterson delivers tight, entertaining thrillers. Patterson and co-author Mark Sullivan continue the Private series of novels with the fast pace, interesting characters, and suspenseful twists that readers have come to expect. While the authors tell the reader that the Harlows are a great couple, they don't do much to actually establish sympathy for the family. Consequently, the mystery of the Harlow couple becomes overshadowed by the No Prisoners plot. Despite a few unexpected twists, both narratives come to predictable conclusions. Even so, it is Patterson's penchant for alluring protagonists and breakneck thrills that makes Private LA a gratifying experience.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(2015, 2)

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About Me

It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

Honest reviews, always.

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