Private

James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
Little, Brown and Company (2010)
ISBN 9780316096157
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (06/10)


Jack Morgan is a busy man.  He is in the process of revitalizing Private - an investigative office previously run by his father.  Shortly after taking over, three big cases come his way.  The murder of his friend’s wife gets things started.  Then, his firm investigates the killings of several teenage girls which are probably the work of a serial killer, except there are no other similarities in the cases.  Their third case involves the possibility that professional football games are being fixed, thereby affecting the gambling industry.  In addition to these stresses, Morgan is also dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his tour of duty in Afghanistan, as well as an anonymous caller who constantly threatens to kill him.

“Private” is a fast-paced book with short chapters to keep the reader wanting more.  I found the three cases handled by Private interesting but I thought they were underdeveloped.  Each of the cases could have been developed into a full-length novel if the author had chosen to do so.  I liked reading about the incredible technology available at Private that helped them solve their cases.  I do not know if such technology actually exists or if it was just created by the authors, but it was awesome.

Jack Morgan is really the only well-developed character in the story.  His past is well-documented which allows the reader to empathize with him.  His rough childhood explains why he has so much trouble with relationships.  The repeated nightmares he has of being unable to save his comrades who died in Afghanistan offer insight into what drives him to succeed.  The pressure put on him by his father to always be the “good twin” (as opposed to his misguided twin brother Tommy) drives Jack to want to be everybody’s savior.  His inability to save everybody leads to guilt and self-derision.  The supporting characters, namely Jack’s investigative team, are likable and quirky but the reader is not given that much personal information about them.

This book will appeal to teenagers and adults.  There is something for everyone in this story - murder, mystery, and even the mafia.  “Private” is another solid book by James Patterson, with Maxine Paetro, that keeps the reader entwined in the plot.

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