As a James Patterson fan I was expecting the usual good page turner but this is a bit different! Plenty of action, good characters, vivid descriptions, but it’s the science that makes this book. Science that makes you think. A plot that is highly improbable, but not impossible. A very intriguing, credible if somewhat disturbing story, an excellent read

I have always loved James Patterson books, but this one was totally ‘left field’, so unlike anything I had ever read of his before. I found the subject content quite harrowing and had some very disturbed nights after reading it. So much so I nearly did not complete it.
I would put it into a horror section, rather than thriller/crime which is his usual genre.

This book was really out there! I was expecting good things from these two authors and this book didn't disappoint. It's about an anomaly that wipes out entire towns as is progresses, I genuinely had no idea what was going on even when we found out! It's so bizarre but so addictive, full of surprises and with a slight horror them throughout, it's really good....right up until the last section when I became a but disappointed.....I get what the ending was, and what it was about but it fell flat and felt like an abrupt end. Still worth a read....so engrossing and different 💙

It is seldom and virtually never for a fictional work that I am forced, by the sheer quality of the plot, to offer 5 Stars and The Noise is such an exception. A 100% original plot filled with human beings who contrive to deal with The Noise. The mix of human reaction and military order(s) builds tension. Combined with the progress of The Noise problem makes a totally believable story.

Enough said, apart from buy this book and be engrossed.

When I saw a collab between JP and JDB I was so excited and NEEDED to get my hands on this! Then I did (thanks NetGalley) and I was not disappointed.

Although you can tell the majority, (if not all) the writing is JDB - there are hints of the JP we know from earlier stuff. I tend to prefer JP earlier work as it is solely him and you can see his writing style which is just so unique. But this was a great read none-the-less.

There is an explosion at a settlement and only two survivors - sisters. They have been changed by their experience, especially Sophie. Experts in multiple fields are sent into work out what the H went on and how they can stop this phenomenon spreading.

It's fast paced, it unrealistic, it's gruesome and it's thrilling. I liked that there were some really deep thoughts here and also a bit of everything, genre wise. There's, of course, thriller, but there is horror and politics here too. There are some threads that you wouldn't expect and the ending was perfect.

Well done guys, fab book.

Recommended for fans of King perhaps, or those who can suspend belief but still enjoy a good story.

For fans of action thrillers with a combination of zombie-like (but not flesh eating zombies) disease and continent-threatening disasters I think this comes recommended. It's well written and well paced and the suspense keeps building till the end. One character's arc has small horror aspects that worked really well and I wish the writers had expanded on the horror
The attention of the writer focuses on the threat, its consequences and its solution and the characters are not that fleshed out. I found myself not really caring which protagonist survives and who doesn't.
Also the conclusion seemed a bit too farfetched and it could be explained a bit better.
Still I enjoyed the book for what it attempted to be, which was suspensful and thrilling.

This book starts in Oregano where two girls from a survivalist village are out checking rabbit traps. Their is a piercing noise, like a scream that gets louder and louder. Their poppa but them in the storm basement... but when they emerge, the only survivor- aside from Sophie and Tennant- is Zeke the dog. The scene is confusing. Most of the people have disappeared but there are evidence some have been squashed or crushed. A specialist team is called in to find out what happened consisting of a range of specialists including Dr Martha Chan. When another event happens elsewhere, everyone is scared as no one knows what is going on. The bodies that are left behind are getting hotter after death but have no trace of infection... its a race against time to find out what is happening. Sophie is forever changed and saying very little aside from Anna Shimm... but who or what is Anna Shimm??

This is the first book I've read by either of these authors but really enjoyed it. Its got a good pace and I had no idea what was happening! The ending blew my mind... I first thought it was a bit complicated and unrealistic but on reflection, who is to say!! There are plenty of twists and turns to be had and I don't think this is an ending you coukd see coming. The chapters are short so I found myself zooming through the book as I'd tell myself 'just one more chapter' and before I knew it, I'd finished despite this being a fairly long read of over 400 pages.

There were a couple of things that stopped this being a 5 star read for me. I never like book with detailed description of animal suffering and the description of screaming rabbits wasn't something I liked at all. Also, Martha is a primary character and over the course of the book we find she has honesty and integrity but I don't really like gopher. I didn't get any sense of connection to any of these people. With Martha we are told a few times that she is missing her kids but it feels shoe horned in to tell the reader she is a great mom with no real evidence to back this up. But these things are minor things and don't take away from the fact this is a really great book with really interesting plot. It definitely has a Stephen King feel about it.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley with no promise of a favourable review. This book is released in August 2021.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.
I have read many of James Patterson's novels (with or without a co-author) but I found this more like James Herbert than James Patterson. Sorry I really didn't like it. I did read to the end for completion but it is definitely one I will not be returning too.
Having read some of the other reviewers comments there is no need to repeat the synopsis here just to say it is too futuristic in subject matter for my taste. Competently written, plenty of twists and turns that flow seamlessly but just not for me this time.

The Noise is an action packed thriller/ horror that I feel is more from J D Barkers contribution than James Patterson. It is similar to a Stephen King/Dean Koontz tale.
Covert government investigators including Doctors, psychologists, scientists and special forces are sent to the North Pacific area to attempt to discover what is causing a mass exodus of people after hearing a sound that is so loud it causes untold damage.
Told in short chapters each attributed to different characters in the story.
It’s difficult to give a full synopsis as too many spoilers would occur.Although exciting and well written, it is at times pretty confusing and completely unbelievable.
I personally was disappointed in the ending, leaving too many things unanswered, I felt like the noise victims, constantly running but getting nowhere. That said I actually enjoyed the book.
My thanks to net galley and publishers for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

I'm a huge James Patterson fan so was looking forward to reading his new book. It's different.....not necessarily in a bad way, but in my opinion not at all like is usual writing or my preferred genre. I did enjoy it, took me a little while to get into but once I did the short chapters swept me along.

This is not my usual type of read but I found myself drawn in and engrossed, I read it in a day as couldn't put it down.
Tennant and her sister Sophie who live in a settlement in Oregon are startled one day by a loud noise, Tennant seems largely unaffected but her sister becomes a stranger and all their village have disappeared. The US government fly in a team of specialists to find out what has caused the devestation but it is clear nothing is straightforward.
The noise begins to affect everyone it comes in contact with making them run and nothing will get in their way
Can Martha and Harden help to stop the destruction or is it too late.
I think it was very well written, action packed, fast paced, lots to think about!
Would make a great movie

Wow,what a thrill ride.
Loved every page,from the beginning where you think what is happening to the subtle way you gain knowledge of secret experiments and all that entails.
Totally gripping,a compelling tale,I could not wait to read the next chapter.
Excellent!

Perfect beach read!

In a scenario straight out of “The Andromeda Strain”, a team of scientists is assembled and sent to Oregon on the Pacific Northwest to investigate a tornado-like disaster, and the disappearance of hundreds of people. They discover only two young girls have survived - Sophie and Tennant Riggin, both suffering from some sort of mania.

And with that we’re straight into a fast-moving, highly-charged rollercoaster, following Dr Martha Chan, a psychologist and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Fraser, a career soldier, as they try to discover the cause of the disaster. We’ve got a mixed bag of characters, including scientists, CIA-like spooks, the Vatican, and survivalists. None are fully three-dimensional, and several are discarded along the way, but in this book, it doesn’t matter. The paces never lets up, as the team uncover mystery upon mystery, and learn what they are up against.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to admit I have an on-off relationship with James Patterson. I was introduced to him through the Alex Cross books, which I love. Not so much the Womens Murder Club. Several of his stand-alone novels are on my regular re-read list, including “Zoo” but I’ve never picked up one of his collaboration books, so I went into “The Noise” with an amount of trepidation.

I shouldn’t have worried. This is a fine thriller, with all the pace, surprise and red-herrings you need for a beach read. Whether this has to do with JD Barker’s input (check out “The Fourth Monkey”), I’m not sure, but regardless, this is something good. The text is descriptive, dark and graphic in places. The narrative moves along well enough, and the tense relationship that exists between Chan and Fraser fairly fizzles, although some of the other characters could do with further development. The final dénouement was, actually, not what I expected, which is good.

For fans of Michael Crichton, early Dean Koontz and James Rollins. Definitely recommend.

James Patterson is an author that I have recently got into and I’m liking his style. Thrillers are one of my favourite genres and he has become a favourite author. I will definitely recommend his latest instalment.

Tennant and Sophie Riggin are fourth generation survivalists in the Oregon Woods near Mount Hood, all are totally unconcerned about the outside world. Suddenly, out of nowhere apparently, there are terrible piercing screams and later an unbearable noise. Their parents rush to put the girls in a storm shelter for safety. When the noise subsides they leave the shelter, their village is destroyed, there’s no one alive save them and Zeke the dog. Sophie in particular will never ever be the same again. A group of experts from a wide range of specialist fields are gathered in Oregon at Zigzag Station, these include Dr Martha Chan and Sanford Harbin, tasked with trying to decipher what causes the shocking and spreading anomaly.

Wow.... this is a wow for me from start to finish. You are in a state of suspense from the startling beginning to the finale as you desperately try to figure out what on earth is going on, just as Martha et al are! It’s exciting, frightening, jet black dark, twisty, twisted, tragic, a rollercoaster and utterly gripping. I think I probably read this entire thing open mouthed which is hardly a pretty sight! Although the plot is probably ‘out there’ who knows? Who knows what lurks in some dark minds of some agencies or scientists? The fact is, we don’t! The way it is written makes it feel like it’s possible so I just go with the rapid flow. The pace is fast, in places it’s so fast your poor brain struggles to keep up but you can’t stop reading as events become more and more dangerous and complex. It grips you fast, hooks you as you try to figure out the who, what, where, when, hows and whys of it all. There are some atmospheric descriptions and stunning images (some graphic) which are probably burned onto my brain forever as the team race against time to stop the spreading phenomenon. It’s spooky, creepy, spine tingling, chilling, makes your eyes bleed and you want to run miles and miles in the opposite direction. I really like the ending, it’s horrifying but it matches the events, anything neatly tied up won’t work and would be an unrealistic cop out. It’s a great mash of genres, it’s an excellent thriller, it has science and medical elements and it certainly has a political slant. I like the short, sharp, speedy chapters that match the high octane action. Be prepared for a big sit down with this one as your eyes will not wish to be drawn from the pages.

Overall, it’s five star all the way for me!!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

My first time reading a Patterson, and from what I know this partnership with JD Barker isn't typical of him - but damn it's a blast! A real page turner, that really grips and holds your attention. It's a real thriller with slight horror undertone and it speeds along - a great book.

Oh! The last book I read, written by these 2 authors was a cracker. Unfortunately, this one didn't really grab me in the same way and at times, I found myself switching off.

It's an interesting concept that started well, with 2 sisters experiencing an horrific event that leaves them as the only survivors in their village. What caused it? The army, various doctors and scientists arrive as the story develops into one where a horror is sweeping the US.

Overall, as with all James Patterson books, it sweeps you along and has very short chapters; it's just that having loved the last collaboration of these 2 authors, this one just didn't engage me.

I'm grateful to NetGalley and the publishers Random House UK and Cornerstone for the opportunity to preview.

Decent 3*

Being an avid James Patterson reader this book is the complete opposite to what I’d expect to read but the book had me hooked and needing to find out more and more.
For me a first read of JD Barker, I would love to read other books he has released. I’d love this book to be made into a film.
Fantastic!

One of my favourite authors but this book was way different than his normal books and I’m really not sure what to say about it i think my mind is still processing what I’ve just read.
Compelling storyline, if a little confusing, but as always I would recommend it to all open minded readers.

As someone who suffers tinnitus, I will now, forever, be haunted by The Noise.

Imagine a sound, a thrum, a hum so powerful you don’t just hear it, but feel it. You feel it deep in your body as though your very cells are generating the sound. That sound is compelling you to do something, something that could kill you or kill everybody you care about.

This novel reminded me of a Stephen King story. Very creepy and at times you feel empty at the pit of your stomach as you begin to develop and understanding of what happens to those who hear the noise. It is very much reminiscent of Stephen King's The Cell. That being said it is its own book and can stand on its own feet without the King comparison.

I was particularly drawn to the characters of Martha the civilian and her military foil Fraser. I would have very much liked to see this book from solely their POV as their relationship amped up the novels tension for me. Can they find a way to solve the problem when they cant work together? can the military and the scientists put aside differences like freedom of information vs rigid structure of 'need to know' to save the country?
I also enjoyed the character of Tennant, although, I don't think her POV was utilized in a way that added anything interesting or exciting for me as a reader. I felt her purpose was to connect me with her sister Sophie which fell a little flat, I felt for Sophie without needing to know how much her sister wanted to take care of her.

The Noise is a very fun and fast paced thriller. I honestly could not put it down and finished it over two days. Patterson and Barker have written an unputdownable book that will keep thriller audiences enthralled from the opening chapter.