Author: James Patterson
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: June, 2009
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: THE BEACH...
A breathtakingly beautiful supermodel disappears from a swimsuit photo shoot at the most glamorous hotel in Hawaii. Only hours after she goes missing, Kim McDaniels's parents receive a terrifying phone call. Fearing the worst, they board the first flight to Maui and begin the hunt for their daughter.
...WILL NEVER BE...
Ex-cop Ben Hawkins, now a reporter for the L.A. Times, gets the McDaniels assignment. The ineptitude of the local police force defies belief--Ben has to start his own investigation for Kim McDaniels to have a prayer. And for Ben to have the story of his life.
...THE SAME FOR YOU AGAIN.
All the while, the killer sets the stage for his next production. His audience expects the best--and they won't be disappointed. Swimsuit is a heart-pounding story of fear and desire, transporting you to a place where beauty and murder collide and unspeakable horrors are hidden within paradise.
My Thoughts: For the first time, in probably ever, I have to start a review with a warning. This book was extremely graphic and violent and it took me a couple of attempts to get through it. I love this author and have read other titles of his that have been graphic, but this one really got to me. I’m glad it didn’t stop me or I would have missed a really intriguing and interesting story. This book doesn’t pull any punches. It starts right off with the abduction, rape and gruesome murder of a young model. If you can hold your cookies through that bit, then you are made of stronger stuff than I was. Where this story really pulled me in was the way the killer plays an apparent cat and mouse game with everyone, how brazen he is in selecting his victims and ending their lives without regard, be they young models, elderly people or even children.
If that’s all this story was, then I would say, don’t waste your time. You’ve read one serial killer gruesome slice and dice, you’ve read them all. No, this story goes beyond that when the killer forces our hero, Ben, to write his tell-all memoir. Yes, you got that right. Forced…Ben has no choice, if he wants to live. Ben has to find a way to keep ahead of Mr. Psycho and figure out who he is so he can bring him down, all while letting Mr. Psycho believe he’s writing the book. Psycho dude is a master of disguise, so this whack job shows up anywhere and anytime he wants taking Ben completely by surprise. I felt like Ben doesn’t have a clear grasp of who he is dealing with and the danger he is putting himself and his girlfriend in by poking that bear. But, it makes for intense reading moments. What will happen next? How does the killer seem to know Ben’s every move?
My Final Verdict: This was definitely not my favorite by this author. There were a lot of holes in the story and the ending was very weak for me after the rollercoaster ride the book put me through. If you are seeking an intense and graphically violent story and mindless hours of entertainment, lock your doors and give this one a go.
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