Member Reviews

The Coast-to-Coast Murders is a thriller novel by James Patterson and J.D. Barker. It follows the investigation of a series of murders across the United States, involving a mysterious killer who leaves behind clues related to the locations of the crimes. The novel is fast-paced, suspenseful and full of twists and turns.

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Another fantastic book from James Patterson. I always forget how much I love his books until I read one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

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Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

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Another excellent psychological murder tale from James Patterson, with the many twists to keep you guessing along the way, in fact it kept me guessing right to the very end.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy.

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When Michael, a long-distance lorry driver, arrives home, he finds the body of a young woman in his bath. His first phone call is to his sibling, Megan. The second call is to the police. Michael swears that he has never seen the woman before. But both physical and scientific evidence tells a different story. A string of murders from coast to coast begins to emerge, making his claim to innocence impossible.

This story grabs your attention and puts your mind in overdrive from the first couple of pages. The book is very long at 560 pages, but I flew through them. Some of the key characters are complex, to put it mildly, but it makes for a story within a story that is just as twisted and complex in its own right.

The case grows from local to federal as the murders cross state lines and become an FBI investigation. The story is dark and disturbing to read, with its intensity welcoming you in, to experience every feeling. It still brings me out in goosebumps.

I did find the ending a little fuzzy, something people will make their minds up about it. I have thoroughly enjoyed the story. I like the coupling of these two fabulous authors.

I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book, which I have reviewed honestly.

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Late review due to illness but I loved this book and couldn’t put it down from the first page. Well written and totally gripping from the get go. Everything you want from a thriller and more

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I love James Patterson as a rule and have read many JP books and although i felt this was not James Patterson style i thoroughly enjoyed it and actually had whiplash at one point due to the twists and turns.

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Another great thriller from James Patterson. Continual action and high tension which makes the book difficult to put down, Interesting characters who brought the story to life.

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This was awesome! It's a fast-paced psychological thriller that was easy to read in one sitting, and keeps you engaged throughout. It has some great twists and ends entirely different to what you expect.

When Michael Fitzgerald finds a dead woman in his bath, the first person he turns to is his adopted sister Megan but she can't help him this time. Michael is arrested for a crime he hasn't committed but there is so much evidence, has he just forgotten somehow? maybe he has been framed but who would want to do that and why?

This is James Patterson at best, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

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The Coast-to-Coast Murders is an exciting psychological thriller from J.D. Barker and James Patterson. It begins with Michael Fitzgerald as he discovers a body in his bathtub. After calling the police, he is surprised to be arrested, and discovers a bunch of evidence that points towards him committing the crimes. The novel follows Michael as he escapes police custody, and enlists his sister Megan in an attempt to clear his name. But as he dives deeper, he discovers some uncomfortable truths about his and his sisters past.

This novel is a fast paced thriller from start to finish, seemingly with a cliffhanger on every other chapter to keep the reader hooked. This novel felt very similar in feel to one by Chris Carter. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this and hope to read more from J.D. Barker and James Patterson soon.

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This is a fast paced story. Lots of twists and turns. I love the short chapters. I thought I had worked out what was going to happen but I was surprised right up until the last page.

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James Patterson’s books never fail to disappoint, this grips you from the getgo, a fast paced edge of your seat thriller with plenty of twists and turns and an unexpected finale.

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I found this to be a real struggle at the start with the storyline being very slow.
It gradually got going and pulled me in with a real twist at the end.
Overall this was really entertaining.

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This is a big book with an awful lot going on. Dare I say too big and too much? At times I felt like I had literally lost the plot. The start is typical JP (here writing with JD Barker) when a man finds a woman drowned in his bath tub. He declares his innocence and the police don't believe him and here starts the roller coaster ride through the convoluted investigation with multiple characters and lots of red herrings and potential clues. I did like the book, but at times I was exhausted and struggled to stay with it. I just feel it could have lost 100/150 pages and been a better novel for it.

I’m sure I’ll be in the minority as Mr Patterson is hugely loved and hugely successful but I yearn for the days when he wrote his own books and they were tightly plotted page turners.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

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The Coast-to-Coast Murders
by James Patterson
Random House UK, Cornerstone Century
Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph UK for this review copy. This is my unbiased review of the author's work and style. If you want plot lines and spoilers, please see the publisher's blurb and other reviewers' reports.
Recently I have been assiduously working my way through the reviews I owe the authors and publishers and I can only offer my sincere apology for being tardy with this excellent book.
Not that I thought I would like it from the start of the book. I have always disliked the sort of dialogue where someone rattles on ignoring the protestations of others. In real life you’d just say “Shut the fxck up and listen!" So, when the opening chapter was not only full of wittering, but a man who doesn’t automatically see a dead body in the bath I felt like giving up. I mean, I thought I was to read a thriller and here I was reading a farce.
But after the preliminaries and the rather hackneyed scenario with the police, the writing settled down in James Patterson’s l safe hands and we went on the rollercoaster ride.
I suggest anyone in doubt pick up the book and settled down just read and read. The short chapters are sometimes irritating and once or twice I skipped on the find the next chapter when the same character’s point of view was being aired but that just made a complex plot impossible and I had to go back and read in the authors’ sequence.
The beginning and the unsatisfying final chapters mean I have knocked off two stars the book a three-star rating.

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Like other reviewers found, this was not one of James Patterson’s better books. A slow storyline, compounded by an ending too complicated, left me a little bored and confused.

I remain uncertain whether this was a good collaboration for a book and question whether I would read anything by this pairing again?

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Thank-you to Netgalley for a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
There's a killer travelling around, when a body is found in the bath at Michaels' apartment (one of the main characters) it becomes a race for Micheal and his sister to prove his innocence.

I have never read a James patterson book before so wasn't sure what to expect. I started reading this ages ago but it just seemed to go on and on on I had to have a break!

At first I thought oh it's another split personality book which seems to be currently all the rage I films and books but it wasn't....... Instead it became even father fetched. There didn't seem to be any ending or any questions answered at the end either.

There was also A LOT of description in fight scenes and action scenarios and I found it really boring. If you like action you might like it but it just wasn't for me.

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The usual Patterson page turner. Edge of the seat thriller with an ending that was unexpected. Recommended.

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Absolutely brilliant book. Fast paced. Full of twists and turns that keep you guessing til the very last page. I was totally hooked.

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When Michael Fitzgerald arrives home from his job as a long-haul truck driver he never expected to find a dead woman in his apartment. He soon becomes Number One suspect and, after being arrested, he is broken out of custody with catastrophic consequences. Michael turns to the only person he trusts - his sister Megan.
The authorities soon realise this is not the only murder like this and there seems to be a trail of dead bodies from one side of the country to the other all along the route Michael drives.
A manhunt is on to stop the killer. The race is on, but can the killer be stopped? Especially as it is ramped up with false leads and twists that leaves law enforcement baffled.
James Patterson has again shown why he is the best selling author around. This is the ultimate rollercoaster story and with so many twists and turns, the reader will be dizzy with delight when they finish this quite brilliant book. I loved it.

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