Hitte

by James Patterson

Nina Bloom leidt een zorgeloos leventje in Key West, ze is getrouwd met een knappe agent en is in verwachting van hem. Haar wereld stort echter in elkaar wanneer een vreselijk geheim uit haar verleden opduikt. Halsoverkop ontvlucht ze haar huidige bestaan en neemt een andere identiteit aan. Jaren later is Nina een succesvolle advocate en moeder in New York en ze leeft nog steeds met haar geheim. Maar wanneer een onschuldige man verdacht wordt van moord, kan ze dat niet laten gebeuren en keert ze terug naar Florida om de confrontatie aan te gaan met het kwaad dat ze angstvallig verborgen hield.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Audiobook

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 27, 2011

About the author

Official US Site
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JIMMY Patterson Books
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James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Dan Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sure it’s thrilling and a page turner but I like my stories to be believable. Below are some challenges I faced when reading this book.

What I can almost believe:
- After seemingly avoiding men for 17 years, stunningly beautiful Jeanine/Nina quickly falls in love with a slovenly drunkard who when he sobers up is dapper and has a heart of gold
- Justin’s stay of execution is little too last-last-minute
- Our evil antagonist is not only a corrupt cop who rises effortlessly through the ranks but in his free time he also kidnaps, sells, and kills beautiful women
- The ~20 murdered women disappear without a trace even though they are apparently dropped into the ocean once they are no longer useful
- Our ruthless murderers kill without a thought but does not put a bullet into Charlie before pushing him off the boat - how come he doesn’t disappear in the ocean too?
- That a cop with a bad record (okay, maybe he was just unliked) could so easily move from one police force to another?
- That Jeanine could so easily change her identity
- That Peter could so quickly find Jeanine in NYC.

What makes the story unbelievable:
- In exonerating Justin, Jeanine is the first person who uncovers evidence of his picture in the paper
- When returning to Florida, Jeanine doesn’t try to find the Jump Killer
- That Jeanine never calls the FBI, even the contact who gives her his business card
- That the FBI, after watching Peter for seventeen years, has not arrested him for his crimes. (They gave Jeanine the clues on his first wife’s murder.)

I may be a little over-critical when reading novels but no one in this story seems real and the plot is overly contrived and dramatic. In conclusion, however, I do consider this book one of Patterson’s better efforts.

[Caro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fast-paced thriller with the recurring elements that characterize James Patterson's books: plot driven, poor characterization, ghostwritten, and predictable.

I expected to dislike it but it found it entertaining. Most likely because a large portion of the story takes place in Key West and the events took place at locations I am familiar with.

I had to read this book for my book club meeting and if any of my book club friends are reading this know that despite my initial reluctance I read it, and read it for you.

Overall it was ok. I know a lot of people that love James Patterson's books so I recommend it to those who are fans of his work.

[Cynthia Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never read anything by James Patterson before, but it didn't take long before I understood why he's so wildly popular. The action in "Now You See Her" is jet-propelled, right from the get-go. The story has more than a corkscrew, and I never anticipated any of them. Sure, I was thinking ahead, but he was always two, three, fours steps ahead of my thought process. That only added to my enjoyment of the story, which ranged from white-knuckling my Kindle to laughing out loud. The storyline got way out there, but it always managed to walk the line of plausibility. It was a thoroughly fun and satisfying read. The question now is which one of his novels should I read next?

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now You See Her
By James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

Attention all beach-minded readers---this is the one!

Well, actually, you’ll not even know where you are once you dive into this baby, and maybe, in all honesty and considering the dangers of too much sun, skip the beach altogether because once you start reading this, you’re a goner. Take it from me, I was so immersed in this story that I sunburned the tops of my feet and had to hobble around shoe-less for several days.

The beginning is actually the middle of the story and then, when you leap off into it, the story jumps back to the past and boy is this a story to remember. Then, both of these stories meet in Key West and all hell breaks loose.

Nina Bloom, alias Jeanine, has a major skeleton in her designer closet and, of course, it’s about to make an appearance and this is the last thing New York lawyer Nina needs, wants or has the clothes for.

Fifteen years ago on college spring break, Jeanine, her boyfriend Alex, and two gal-pals headed off to Key West to do some serious partying. In the process, Jeanine’s best girlfriend sleeps with her boyfriend and in a weird sort of retaliation; Jeanine zooms off in Alex’s hot-rod. Only problem is, she ends up crashing into a local hoodlum and kills the guy. Oops.

Enter drop-dead handsome Police officer Peter Fournier and you’d think Jeanine’s life is pretty much over. Think again.

“I’m making a judgment call here,” he said as he undid my cuffs. “Get back in your car and get out of here. Go back to school, Jeanine. This never happened.”

Right. What does our heroine do? She stays in Key West and marries the cop. The cop; seems like a nice enough guy, life unfolds down in the keys and then, naturally, along comes a bit of a complication. Our good ol’ boy cop isn’t exactly what he seemed and suddenly Jeanine’s idyllic life is shattered. He basically wants to kill her for knowing too much of what a corrupted cop he is.

It’s now fifteen years later and Jeanine has morphed into Nina Bloom, after faking her death. Her life in New York is once again pretty normal-seeming. Well, that’s no fun. Several things are tossed into her path and off to Key West she once again must return. This time it’s to save a man on death row and of course, bad-boy Peter is right in the middle of it all.

Not to give away too much of the really good stuff, (trust me, there’s tons) but Peter is really pretty red-hot angry when he realizes his wife is far from dead. So while trying to right that rotten wrong, he confesses something rather surprising while trying to kill her for good.

“Don’t go yet, Jeanine. Time for one last round of truth or dare. Remember Ramon Pena? That night on the beach? Yeah, well, you didn’t actually kill him. That was all me.”

Honestly, you think that’s the end of this crazy story.

Hardly.

Trust me on this; murder is so darn messy.

[Gor93ous · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhere between 2 - 2.5 stars

I really, REALLY wanted to like this book.

I tried. I even read it till its very last page with very little skimming. But the thing is, I couldn't like it.

It is fast paced, alright. (It even felt a little jumpy and a tad choppy at the beginning due to the shortness of its chapters.)

There was some very good suspense installed in the beginning and near-the-end of the book. But, it's lacking this crime thriller vibe, because the voice of Jeanina clearly dominated the story and it felt more like an over-the-top drama chick flick sprinkled by some half-hearted actions and sauteed with a gallon of pretentious, nightmarish events, rather than a mystery/crime thriller awesomeness.

Besides its unbelievability, the story also fell short for its predictability too. But, perhaps, I'm just born intuitive, so I couldn't blame the writers for it.

Last but not least, I would like to comment on the gory parts slapped near-the-end of the book. I generally love gore. Seriously. But, this gory parts in this book, felt somehow out of place. It's like finding a blob of blueberry jam on your crisp white pressed shirt from the laundry.

[Raza Syed · Rating 1 out of 5]

A bad bad book !

Weak Plot, Poorly written and just plain bad. This makes Patterson's Alex Cross Series look Almost Shakespearean in comparison.

Spoilers !
The entire story was unrealistic. It could have been a mini series on Lifetime or Oxygen !

Let me save you the pain and give you the entire book in about quarter of a page.
College Girl wrecks cheating boyfriend's car; killing someone in process. Cop helps her cover it up and dumps the body, Girl marries cop, Cop is a bad man, Girl tries to escape, gets almost killed by serial killer (who ofcourse works for the bad cop), girl runs away and restarts with baby (of course), created new identity, lives like a hermit, raises daughter while avoiding men, fast forward 18 years, becomes a 'beautiful' lawyer, finds out wrong man is about to executed for Serial Killer Crimes (mentioned above), runs back to save him, falls in love with his current drunk lawyer, fights off ex husband and his cronies twice, Girl, her daughter and the Now Sober Lawyer Live Happily Ever After....

I just saved you guys 5-6 hours that you would have wasted on this drivel !

Avoid this 'book' !

[Lorrea - WhatChaReadin'? · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nina Bloom is a successful attorney in New York City. She has a beautiful daughter who has just turned 17 and is the most important thing in her life. But Nina has a past that no one knows about. Both of her parents are dead and she was an only child. During her senior year in college, she took a trip to Key West for Spring Break that changed her life forever. Now with a new case being presented to her, she has to face the demons from her past. Will she be able to get through this case and come out on the other end alive? Will she still be able to protect her daughter from the dangers that she has been hiding for so long?

James Patterson has long been one of my favorite authors. I love how quickly I can get through his books and how enthralling the story usually is. I plan on listening to all of JP's standalone books through audio this year. I've gotten caught up with all the Women's Murder Club books and hope to continue to stay on top of those.

What really struck me about this book was Nina's ability to keep the secret for so long. For 17 years no one knew about her past or that she was even hiding in the first place. Her firm decides to take on some pro bono work with other firms in the city in a effort to exonerate people on death row. The first case she is assigned is quite personal as she is quite sure that the person who is in jail for the crime should not be. I wondered the whole time if she would be able to get through the case without having to reveal her true identity or if the past she left behind was going to come back and haunt her and her daughter forever. I great listen for this James Patterson book.

Up next,

[Brooke · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt like I was reading a book from a class critique instead of a published book. There were errors and the plot was TOTALLY unbelievable! He should consider getting a new editor. First of all, when a book is written in past tense, isn't it incorrect to say something along the lines of "my boss gave me tickets and looking down I noticed they were for tonight"? Doesn't that imply the tickets are for the night you are telling the story, not the night that you were given the tickets? And last I checked, when your husband is shot, they don't take you to the scene of the crime but rather to the hospital where they took him. If the EMTs in Key West are so slow that you are still being strapped to a gurney while your wife has had time to be picked up and brought to said crime scene, I never want to be in an accident in Key West.

Also lots of swearing.

Imagine my shock that his publisher is the same as Stephanie Meyers!!! So unprofessional!!!

[Alla S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “Now you see her,” James Patterson tells the story of a mysterious woman named Nina, who’s running away from her old life and secrets which can ruin her life in the present. The story starts off when Nina, a single mom, shows a video recording to her sixteen-year-old daughter of her father wishing her a happy birthday. Only it’s not her father, but an actor hired by Nina. For whatever reason, Nina does not want her daughter to know the truth.

Flashback to nearly twenty years ago: Nina is Jeanine, a college senior who travels down to Keywest, Florida for her spring break. As she, her boyfriend Alex, and fellow friends get a little drunk—things began to spiral out of control. Jeanine catches Alex cheating on her with her boyfriend. She steals his car, and runs over a man. A police officer who witnesses the scene offers Nina a choice. Nina feels guilty, even as she falls in love with this police officer. There are a lot of things that she doesn’t know about. Until she meets an FBI agent, who finally opens her eyes. But by then, it’s too late.

Meanwhile, a serial killer by the name of the Jump Killer is terrorizing the Key West. And Nina is about to get herself into more trouble…

Half of the book reveals Nina’s past. The other half of the book flash forwards to Nina’s present, as the demons from her past begin to catch up to her.

Overall, I thought “Now you see her” was one of Patterson’s and Ledwidge’s better efforts. The plot is fast and clear. The lead character is interesting. And the writing is done in its usual easy-to-read, keep-them-coming-back-for-more short chapters.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying that I never read James Patterson Novels. It's not that I don't like his books, it's just that "suspense thrillers" are not my genre of choice. My main reason for reading "Now You See Her" was to bond with my boyfriend. His whole library is filled with suspense thrillers.

Well I have to say, I liked it! It's easy reading, short chapters (a page and a half, two if it's a long chapter), and quite the page turner. For me it was a change of pace, fun read. So Mr. Patterson, I now know why everyone reads your books.

The main character is Nina Broom (AKA, Janine Fournier), a successful lawyer and single mother who is hiding many dark secrets. Revealing them, might ruin the suspense for a new reader, therefore, I'll let Nina's secrets remain secret.

The story is full of numerous twist & turns. It has a bunch of unrealistic coincidences and at times it's predictable. Half way through my read, I thought: "Nina needs a love interest," and sure enough, enter: Lawyer Charlie Baylor. There were times when I was at the edge of my seat wondering what to expect next. All of this thrown together, made for me a fun read!

I would definitely recommend it (as a matter of fact, I already have). I gave "Now You See Her" three stars. I totally enjoyed it; OK I'll make that three and a half stars.

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initially this story grabbed me, and I was hooked until the events in the main character's life became too incredulous. I continued to read out of curiosity, and it just got worse with each episode in the sordid life of the main character. I prefer fiction that is life-like. And, above all, the most disappointing thing about the book was the continued negative references and stereotypes about people of color, from the beginning of the book with the reference to the drummer on the street. I found each reference to people of color to be distasteful and that turned me off, because by comparison others were given positive descriptions in terms of their physical appearance.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now You See Her is about how Nina Bloom redeems herself by saving man from death row and reclaiming her self-respect. Single Mum and successful lawyer Nina Bloom had a lovely life in New York. However, one day she realises a man was on death row who was the incident of murdering the women in Florida.The readers of Now You See Her will go on a rollercoaster ride to see if Nine Bloom will risk everything to save him.

I enjoyed reading Now You See Her. I loved James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge portrayal of their characters especially Nina Bloome. Now You See Her is one of the best of James Patterson for a long time. I love that James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge took me on a rollercoaster ride to the last page of this book. I like the way, James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge, describes the day of the execution of Justin Harris. James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge keep me guessing until the end who the real criminals were.

Readers of Now You See Her will start to realise that you can never keep a secret about a crime it will always come back to haunt you. Also, the readers of Now You See Her will see that you can achieve your dreams if you work at it. I am impressed with James Patterson who likes to encourage people to participate in the wonderful world of reading. Now You See You see this highlights this with the short chapters and clear type font.

I recommend this book.

[Best Crime Books & More · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first have to explain that I am a HUGE Patterson fan, but also a HUGE Patterson critic when it comes to his co-written books. There has been much speculation over the years about how much input Patterson has with these books and in my opinion some of his most recent work was diabolical, leaving me to wonder if he even glanced at them, let alone co-written them.

Michael Ledwidge started writing the Michael Bennett series with JP a while back and I am now a die-hard Bennett fan. I do however wonder if more of this book is Michael Ledwidge's doing with a smattering of the Patterson touch? Maybe that is the secret to this pairing?

This book I was wary of, just because it was a stand alone co-written book and I wasn't sure whether this would be as awful as the other recent ones, but I needn't have worried. This book had me hook, line and sinker from chapter one.

It starts in the current day with Nina Bloom in New York with her daughter. After the first introductions are made, we are transported back to the early days in Nina's life when she met her husband Peter. The book starts off with a bang and the disastrous events that start Nina's life spiralling. Following the shocking events you can literally feel every emotion of this woman rolling off the page.

We then follow Nina's life and how everything got her to where she is today. Nina's husband Peter is a truly despicable character who I loathed from the moment I read about him, but for all the loathing it made for a special read due to the intense feelings I had to the characters in the book.

As Nina's journey is made you feel the tension and fear build up in her life and then we are catapulted into her journey to try to save both herself and her daughter. There are other more minor characters making appearances but the whole crux of the story centres around Nina and her husband Peter.

I read this in a matter of hours and when the ending was finally reached I felt satisfied that this was the best Patterson book I had read in a while. Actually, I correct myself; I think this was the best Ledwidge book I had read in a while!

The book was everything you would expect, fast, edgy and full of suspense. The perfect book in every way and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was one of those books that made me think it would make a great film! Highly recommended!

[Linette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! James Patterson did it again!

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh My Goodness! James Patterson has done it again with his book Now You See Her. If you are a murder mystery thriller buff, this book is a must read! This book is action packed with so many plots, schemes, twists and turns, that it will hold you captive from beginning to end. I haven't read a really good mystery book in a long time, and this book didn't take long to grab me and have me engrossed in it. As I sat on the couch reading each chapter, I found my heart pounding and giving myself a good scare, yet I just couldn't put the book down until I had finished it. I do not want to provide any spoiler information, but as the Amazon.com book description above can attest to, the storyline with the great characters and changing events will keep you riveted and not leave you disappointed. Now You See Her is definitely one of my favorite books that I have read so far this year, and I highly recommend it to all mystery thriller fans!

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable, but an easy entertaining book. Character development is weak and the main character (jeanine/nina) does not grasp your emotions, you do not feel connected to her, lacks something. Over all a decent book; no need to re-read.

[James Rathburn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hackneyed schlock that relies on completely unbelievable hand-of-God style rescues that don't simply require a suspension of reality, but its complete and utter annihilation. A waste of a decent story idea.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was entertaining enough as an audiobook….I could have done without the music that randomly sneaked into the audio, but that’s just me. I did roll my eyes a couple of times at the ludicrousness of the plot, particularly at the end, but it was fine. Probably wouldn’t recommend.

[Yigal Zur · Rating 3 out of 5]

light read, good plot. the guy is a master but i would not say that it leaves any impact. just good read for an hour or so. which is fine too

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read for me, which I enjoyed, as much as I can a non-series Patterson novel. It started off in quite the cookie-cutter faux drama silly conversation fashion, but got better as I kept reading. While the fast-paced nature is nurtured by its short chapters, the story kept me hooked and I admit that I did enjoy it.

I like and dislike the Patterson-esque short chapters in his books> It is a good way to "read just one more" and end up enthralled with the story, not wanting to put it down. It does, however, lead to many silly faux cliffhangers and sometimes some less than realistic conversation exchanges. I sometimes feel that the fast-paced descriptions echo his 'teens' series and that is not as interesting for me, the adult reader. That said, in this case, the story kept me interested, the characters were believable, and save for the predictable end, it was a good story worthy of reading or listening to.

Kudos to Patterson, who churns out more books than, well... I will let you fill in that blank!

[Ms BooksAholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the beginning til the end I thoroughly enjoyed this book. You just know by the first few pages how a book will be. You get that wonderful feeling that it's going to be a wonderful book. Now You See Her was full of suspense! From beginning to end it was a complete story! Through the book there was about two main characters and it felt as if you knew them in real life. I love the way the store began and the way it ended. There were no lose ends! I love the style of James Patterson's writing. I think I've found another favorite author! I would definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a suspenseful thriller!

Happy Reading! :-)

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars here.

James Patterson finally redeemed himself for me... I used to love his books but the last 3-4 I've read have been horribly disappointing. This one reminded me of why I keep coming back.

Don't want to spoil the story here, so I'll keep it general. This was one story where I just HAD to keep reading to figure out what was going on. So many twists and turns, and just when I thought I had it all figured out... Surprise! Part of the intrigue was easy to suss out, but tying it all together was tricky and I think this one was very well done.

Did a fist pump at the end of the story and had a big smile on my face after reading the epilog. First time in a while for a JP book.

Read while on vacation. Short chapters make for a quick read. The changing POVs was a bit awkward (he writes most of the story in 1st from the main character POV, then throws in a a few chapters in 3rd from a different character, just so we know what's going on), but this is typical of a JP book, so I've come to expect it.

If you're looking for a bit of intrigue, give this one a go.

[Koren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Er-mer-gerd. Thank goodness THAT'S over. I notice that I'm not the only one who likes the book she's reading to be at least semi-plausible... This story is so ludicrous and obvious throughout that I was embarrassed to be seen reading it. I can suspend my disbelief a little bit, but come on, James Patterson, give me something into which I can sink my teeth!

[Erica Chaillot · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Second book, I’ve read by Patterson. He is a master of suspense and twists. I gave it half a star less, due to a little too much graphic elements at the end of the story. I will definitely read him again.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was ok. Would have been better if it had written from a male's perspective, Patterson failed in writing from a woman's perspective in my opinion.

Two stars.

[Magpie67 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving it a five because I love James Patterson. I didn't think Nina/Jeanine had enough motive to run from Peter at the beginning. But circumstantial evidence of his first dead wife, would make anyone nervous., Plus, I think if she had gone to the gentleman who gave her the card to look up Peter's past... she might have gotten off her mishap in the Key West on spring break and or they might have discovered that the victim had been shot. She could have turned in Peter then.... Alas, there would not have been such a riveting story had she been sensible like that.

So Peter was a regular jack wagon beyond all means. He hated women, really hated women and didn't want children. Why he hooked up with Jeanine in the first place is the hundred million dollar question. He was obviously doing well without a chick in his life to complicate it... karma had a hand in the pot and 17 years later delivered with a vengeance.

I love the short chapters, the stories with twists.... as I didn't expect something to happen towards the end and once again, an awesome voice to deliver the audio experience. I might get caught up with Mr. Patterson's titles via audio. I'm so behind....

[Jessica RiffeKincaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very suspensful with every turn of the page! A woman on vacation during Spring Break accompanied with her boyfriend and best friend, finds herself in the largest nightmare imaginable. While drinking and partying with her boyfriend and best friend she finds herself waking up, still intoxicated to her first nightmare. He boyfriends and best friends are sleepin together behind her back! During her madness and still drunk she steals the keys to his sports car and takes off thru the Flordia streets only to come upon a dog before she can stop and it's owner running out in front of her. She hits the man, killing him. She has almost decided to leave the scene when a cop pulls up and she knows it is too late to leave with out being caught now. Facing the problem, the cop falls instantly in love with her and decides to help her out by desposing of the body and providing her with comfort which turns into a marriage. During this marriage, and after finding herself pregnant with his child, she discovers all the lies and secrets her cop husband has been keeping from her. He has been dealing drugs and is life deep in the hidden, corupt world, that is making him silently rich. She decides to run for her protection and that of her un-born child because with her husbands past carries death of all his other wives. She puts together a plan and leaves and with it she is chased and almost killed by a frightening serial killer, only to escape to New York. There she raises her daughter in secret and lies used for their protection. She manages to work her way up in the world and becomes a high profile lawyer, and just when she was feeling that she would never have to look over her shoulders again, that was when her world came crashing down around her. Leaving her daughter behind, she travels back to Flordia for the last time in her life to combat her past full on, so that she may help to free the man that is accused of being the serial killer that supposedly took her life and having been there she knows the man is innocent. So, now she faces her worse fears, her husband, his corupt police department, and worse of all her past and the truth.

This was a thrilling page turner from the first page. A non-stop thrill ride to the end! This book was very hard for me to put down and upon waking in the middle of the night I would find myself picking up the novel just to read another chapter to find out what happens next just to help me go back to sleep and even after I would still have my mind turning with the excitement of what was going to happen next!

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nina Bloom would seem to have a dream life. She has a successful career as a lawyer. She has a teenaged girl getting ready to head off to college with a good chance of getting into Brown University. Everyone would want to have her life. In fact, she was just one such person wishing for a better life.

When Nina was in college, her name was Jeanine, and she had gone down to Key West on Spring Break with a group of friends and her boyfriends. Things went terribly wrong, and it all started when she walked in to find her best friend sleeping with her boyfriend. She was drink and wanted revenge so she decided to take his car and go for a ride. Before she knew it, she was on a beach-side road with a body behind the car and a police officer asking questions.

That police officer was Peter Fournier, a successful transplant from the Boston area. After hearing the sad story of being an orphan and the events leading up to her hitting the man, who turned out to be the local drunk/druggie and a hoodlum. He took her in and helped her hide the body. The two ended up married, and Jeanine and Peter became a dream couple: him with a successful career in the police force and helping the FBI deal with drug runners, and she working with a friend who was a caterer.

As Jeanine and Peter were building their lives together, a serial killer dubbed the Jump Killer was attacking young women throughout Florida. The trail was slowly making its way south.

Secrets can ruin everything. The problem was that Jeanine's secrets were not the only ones that would affect what was happening. As Jeanine learns more about her husband's past, she realizes that she needs to get away and the Jump Killer could be the perfect way of getting away, if only she could duplicate the pattern.

The problem is you can't runaway from your problems for ever. It may have been more than 15 years, but Nina is going to have to face the past if she is going to save herself, her daughter ... and an African American man falsely accused of being the Jump Killer. She can only do it by coming out of the shadows, risking everything she has built up, and telling the truth of what she knows.

Ledwidge has quickly become one of my favorite co-authours with Patterson. Each of their collaborations has proved to be filled with interesting characters, good plotlines, and an on-the-edge-of-your-seat feelnigs. As more details become clear, the pacing of each book quickens, racing toward and action-packed conclusion. This new volume does not disappoint.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nina Bloom has a secret that is nineteen years old, that is when she escaped from a previous life that had turned quite dangerous. She fled Florida and reinvented herself in New York with the help of her boss, she became a lawyer and has made a successful life for herself and her daughter.

All that is about to change when she is given a case of a man about to be executed in just a few days, but she knows he didn't commit the crime. This man is innocent and Nina knows this because she knows who the murderer really is. She has met this killer in her previous life. Can she save this man without revealing all her secrets? Can she keep herself safe as she travels back to a place she vowed never to return?


Every book James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge have teamed up to write are fantastic. True Classic Suspense. This team writes the perfect thriller with absolute ease. The short chapters are the key, you just can't stop, one more, just one more, and the next thing you know your heart in racing, you have been turned upside down and inside out and cannot put the book down until the very last page and then you are like WOW!!!

I am a big Patterson Fan but when he teams up with Ledwidge, I know I am going to enjoy the book from the front cover to the back cover. This book is a must read, and a great "escape" book for the summer with one note, this is book you will read entirely in one sitting, so plan for a late night, or pack lots of sunscreen and beverages if going to the beach.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Little Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Elizabeth Graf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will admit that I am a huge JP fan. This book follows like others, something bad happens, and in the end, the good guys--or should I say girl in this case--win.

Nina Bloom is not who she is at all. Almost 2 decades ago she was married to a cop and seemed to have an ideal life. Then she finds some things out and goes on the run from him with their unborn child from Florida.

Fast forward to present day, Nina is a successful lawyer in New York caring for her teenage daughter. Nina's past suddenly comes forward as she has to make a decision, let someone take the blame for a crime they did not commit or come forward and reveal everything that she has tried to hide for almost 20 years.

Nina does decide to do the right thing and takes the case of where someone was about to die for a crime they did not do. In the meantime, Nina is still trying to hide her true identity from her husband that she ran from years ago. Is she able to keep is a secret, can she win the case and get an innocent guy freed from crimes he did not do. Can she face her past?

Overall I did enjoy the book but, in the back of my head, I keep wondering in this day, how can someone pull off a whole new identity? And to be able to pull it off being an attorney, having to pass the bar exam and everything. Without these questions--which really have no bearing on the book at all, I really did enjoy it and I will continue to read JP books.