Delusional

Michael Bennett #18

by James Patterson, James O. Born

Detective Michael Bennett and army-sniper-turned-NYPD-officer Rob Trilling travel to Montana to investigate a case that crosses state borders and family lines in this thriller from the world's bestselling author.

In New York City, a series of deadly bombs explodes. Across the river, a military base is burglarized for munitions. In Montana, violence and arson rock a small town outside of Bozeman. Are the incidents related?

Bennett, Trilling, and the ATF investigate. A single-minded group angry with the government keep turning up in unexpected places, insisting that they’re only trying to make the world a better place. To law enforcement, their claims seem delusional.

Will words or gunpowder light the next fuse?

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

374 pages, Hardcover

First published August 18, 2026

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site

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, Michael Crichton, and Viola Davis, 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

[Donne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a dedicated Michael Bennett fangirl and read everything put out on the series. This was another action-packed, fast-paced story of Michael and his law enforcement friends and coworkers saving the day and making the world a better place.

The book summary introduces the two different storylines of Michael’s partner, Rob, getting called back to his hometown in MT because of some Albanian gangster trying to pass himself off as an LA real estate developer that is harassing his family into selling their family car lot that has been in the family for decades. This has Michael partnering up with ATF Agent, Maggie Chin in the investigation of the bombings. While investigating the bombings, Michael gets a call from Rob for help, which sends Michael out to MT to help Rob and his family get rid of Arnold Marks (the Albanian gangster/LA developer), who has now become violent.

Most of the story flips back and forth between MT and NYC, where the bombings continue. It’s deep into the second half that it gets pretty scary and intense in both MT and NYC that has Michael dealing with criminals and kind of making things worse. LOVED the ending!!! Whoo hoo!!!

The continuing character development of Michael, Rob and one of the bombers, Owens was well done. Additionally, the addition of Maggie made for some entertaining passages. The charaOnce again, the pacing was paced and action-packed, which is par for the series. I really enjoyed the storyline of Rob going back home to help his family, which was all part of the continuing character development of Rob. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.1 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #LittleBrownandCompany #Delusional

[R L HERSKOWITZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Patterson’s Delusional is co-authored by James O. Born.

This is a Michael Bennett thriller, lucky number 18.
It’s action packed and fast paced.
Michael Bennett is a NYPD homicide detective.
He has 10 adopted kids with his late wife and a baby on the way with his current wife, Mary Catherine.

This book takes place in New York & briefly in Montana.
It’s a good story!

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Patterson has several bestselling series, each carrying different levels of readership popularity. Detective Alex Cross is his coveted franchise and most successful series, followed by the Women’s Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett, NYPD Red, and the Private novels.

The Detective Michael Bennett series is one of Patterson’s better feel-good characters. Bennett is a successful Detective working special crimes in New York City. His home life and (very large) family are really the center of his world and provide the primary reason for the readers to cheer him on. Bennett’s first wife, Maeve, died after fighting a losing battle with cancer, leaving him with their 10 adopted children to raise, along with his sour grandfather and catholic priest, Seamus. During most of the books, Bennett has moved on by falling in love and getting married - to his wonderful housekeeper and currently pregnant with their first child, Mary Catherine - in-between solving crimes and stopping serial killers along the way.

I cannot speak for other readers, but I can say for me that I enjoy getting to see what the Bennett clan are up to each year, watching Mike’s relationship with Mary Catherine grow into a strong committed partnership, and seeing how each of the children are developing as they grow older. The strong family focus is the secret sauce that drives this series and puts a nice smile on my face and keeps me coming back for more.

For example, in this one I excited to see how Mary Catherin’s pregnancy was going, as well as how Juliana’s potential relationship with Michael’s partner, Rob Trilling, was developing. A side bar incident involving Juliana helping Rob’s Pakistani refugee roommates defend themselves was pretty memorable and ironic. These family-based activities were some of the best parts, and to be honest, there wasn’t as much of them in this book as I was hoping for.

On the flip side, I have found the primary mysteries and villains in this series to be fairly hit and miss from book to book. Some have strong protagonists that have challenged and pushed Bennett to the extreme, like the Russian assassin from several books ago; while others have been serial killers, bombers, and other psychotic fueled baddies that were superficial, weak, and even a few that came across like cliches. Once in a while Patterson and Born will create a compelling mystery that maintains my interest, but needless to say the criminal storylines have not been a consistent strength of this series.

Unfortunately, they can tend to be almost formulaic, following a structure of having a primary A storyline (mystery, investigation, etc.) and a secondary storyline (another mystery or conflict that needs to be resolved) that run parallel throughout the novel.

In “Delusional” the primary A plot involved Bennett being called in to help investigate a series of bombings in New York City. One of the bombs took the life of a NYPD patrol Sargeant in Queens when it went off. Another bomb was detonated in the Office of Technology and Innovation building. Following their analysis, the bomb investigators let Bennett know that the bomber is learning and getting better with each bomb that goes off. Michael even gets an extra partner, Special ATF Agent Margaret Chin, to work with on the investigation.

The secondary B plot involved Bennett’s young partner, Rob Trilling, being called home to Montana by his older brother seeking his help. The Trilling’s own a car lot that has been in the family for generations and has been successful enough to provide for their means. But they’re in trouble. A California developer is buying up the land in their small, incorporated town outside of Bozeman and the Trilling’s are refusing to sell the land in which their family business is located on. The developer seems to have criminal connections and when threats don’t work, Rob finds himself facing physical attacks and acts of arson intending to change his family’s minds.

Michael Bennett, Rob Trilling, and both of their families are forced to deal with adversaries that appear to be downright delusional when it comes to the law…

For me, and this is just me, the personal family related storylines overshadowed the primary bombing investigation, which came with two impossible-to-ignore weaknesses. The first was that it felt like a typical and predictable Patterson formula that didn’t provide any tension or compelling interest for the reader. At least for me, it was rather predictable in how it unfolded. The second was that the bad guys and bad lady were really weak villains, providing no sense of conflict or challenge to Bennett and Chin. For me, they were some of the poorest and uninteresting villains I have ever seen in a Patterson novel; they couldn’t even act as a unified team in any way and spent all of their time fighting. Unfortunately, it was easy to see that they were going to fall apart on their own even before law enforcement found them. Rather disappointing.

Having shared my constructive feedback, that doesn’t mean that I am saying to avoid reading this one. A lot of readers love this series, and I want them to enjoy the book more than I did, so I conclude with the following thought.

The strength of this series has always been the balance between Bennett facing down the evilness of the world (serial killers, psycho and deranged killers, bad people seeking power, etc.) and the strength of his family. The love and support of his family is his heart. They provide him with the strength, drive, and perseverance that he needs to successfully hunt down and deal with evil killers and villains. It’s a sharp two-edged sword, but Michael does a good job of shuffling between both worlds, maintaining both his core identity and humanity.

As long as you are okay with trading off the strength of those personal family storylines for weaker, less engaging and less-entertaining police investigations that disappoint more than it delivers, you will probably be better prepared for the experience.

For me, this was 2.5 out of 5 stars rating (which is rounded up on Goodreads). And I am feeling like that is rather generous, so you can thank the strong family focus and uplifting ending for that rounding up to 3-stars.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just LOVE the Michael Bennett series! His humor, his wonderful family, and the way he approaches each case make these books so much fun to read. You’re often sitting on the edge of your seat, but somehow there’s always enough humor to keep things entertaining.

As always with this series, you have to suspend reality a little (okay, sometimes a lot 😂), but honestly, that’s part of the fun. These books are pure entertainment, and I’m here for it!

I definitely think reading the whole series adds to the experience, especially because you get to know Bennett and his family along the way. That said, this one could still work as a standalone if you’re jumping in here.

Fast-paced, entertaining, funny, and exactly the kind of book I needed!

Thank you to Net Galley and Little, Brown and Company for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 18 in the Michael Bennett series.. how has it been that many already!? One of my favourite James Patterson characters, Mike is one of the hardest working detectives in the NYPD as well as being a loving father to 10 adopted children, and now a baby on the way. He seems to be in the go all the time, and finds himself in dangerous situations regularly. I could read about him and his family forever… just so you know Mr Patterson.

In Delusional, Bennett and his partner Rob Trilling are hunting a serial bomber in the city. The similarities to the infamous Ted Kaczynski are scary. People are dying and there have been no demands from the bomber. Of course, things are never straightforward Ted gets a call that sends him home to Montana to help his family who are danger

We also get the point of view of the bomber which makes the story even more intriguing. As always we have short, sharp chapters and a fast paced story that is relentless in action and twists. Easy to binge read, just remember to breathe.

Thanks again to Little, Brown and Company for allowing me access to one of my all time favourite authors books so early. Such a thrill!

[LiteraryMarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

"You don't ever mess with family." ~ 86%

Delusional is the 18th book in the Michael Bennett series by James Patterson and James O. Born. NYPD Detective Michael Bennett and his new-ish partner Rob Trilling investigate a case that crosses state borders. In New York, there is a series of deadly bombs. In New Jersey, a military base is burglarized for explosives. In Montana, violence and arson take over a small town. There is also an anti-government group that keeps popping up in unexpected places. Oh, and Mary Catherine is expecting their 11th child! Whew—there is a lot going on in this new installment.

Why does it feel like I've read this before? I could easily guess the detectives and killers next steps. I could predict what would happen in the Bennett household, even with ten kids running around and a pregnant wife. The entire time reading Delusional felt like déjà vu. Am I over this series?

"Do you know how hard it is to get people to listen to hard truths?" ~ 91%

Maybe it is time for Patterson to wrap this series up. It is not thrilling as it used to be. Or perhaps it was too many cases to fully develop each storyline so they all lacked in interest. If you are a follower of the Michael Bennett series, then read it for continuity purposes. But if you are new to these authors and this once great character, I recommend you do not start with this one.

Happy Early Pub Day to James Patterson and James O. Born! Delusional will be available August 27, 2026.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

[LindaPf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coincidentally, James Patterson’s January 2026 thriller, “The Invisible Woman” (with Susan DiLallo) has a new lead law enforcement character who reminds me so much of Michael Bennett — serious thriller case, but still a lighthearted wise-cracking personality, although it’s a woman. Not ready to replace our beloved New York detective yet. This is Michael Bennett #18, the ninth co-authored with James O. Born, and there is a seismic change in this one — it’s not entirely set in New York City. There’s still family drama, but Bennett actually gets to travel to Montana for a while where his partner's family has the drama. Partner Rob Trilling (who is also Bennett’s daughter’s boyfriend) gets called away to Bozeman, Montana, when an insidious California real estate developer is trying to pressure the family into selling their car lot dealership. When someone dies, Trilling reaches out to Bennett.

There are two plot lines: the problems in Bozeman and an unsolved case of multiple bombings in NYC. Bennett is caught between both cases, but his incredible loyalty to friends is no question when he goes to Rob’s aid. In New York, he’s paired with a smart, clever ATF agent named Maggie Chin.

If you’ve come to love this Patterson series, you won’t be disappointed. More traditional detective work goes into the bombings, and the two cases are entwined at the end. And again, I’ll recommend the latest Michael Bennett as I await #20. 4.5 stars!

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

[Adah Udechukwu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first in the Michael Bennett series and I loved it

I have a great streak of picking 5 star thrillers to read and this didn't disappoint

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. More detailed Review to come

[Judy Odom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delusional will leave you knowing that Michael Bennett is simply the best.

No delusions there.

A serail boomer who is emulating Ted Kaczynski is creating havoc in NYC, bodies are piling up and the city is on edge.

Michael Bennett along with his partner Rob Trilling are working hard along with Maggie to stop this kililng spree.

We know who the bomber is but he is one step ahead of him.

Adding to the tension Rob has to head home for a family emergency and Michael is right at his side.

Delusional is gripping from start to finish complete with jaw dropping twists and action that will have you in a chokehold.

Jamed Patterson and James O. Born have once again teamed up as a formidable team that will keep the midnight oil burning.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the privilege of reading and reviewing Delusional.

[Ray Palen · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Patterson may have made a name for himself with his legendary series featuring Alex Cross but, in my opinion, a close second to that series is the one featuring NYPD Detective Michael Bennett.

This gritty series, which has been co-written with Florida writer James O. Born for the past several years, welcomes its’ latest release DELUSIONAL. In this fast-paced novel, Bennett teams up with former army sniper turned NYPD Officer Rob Trilling to investigate a series of deadly explosions that will find them investigating in both NYC and all the way out to Montana in pursuit of an anti-government group of domestic terrorists.

At the start of the novel, Bennett and Trilling are working with the NYPD bomb squad to investigate a series of bomb attacks around the New York City area. The most recent in Queens claimed the life of a fellow officer, Patrol Sergeant Rose Vega. There is not much evidence except for the fingerprint smudge that tells them the person who physically set the device was missing the middle and index fingers on their left hand.

Not long after this event, Trilling tells Bennett he needs to take a bit of personal time to head back to his home in Montana where his family is going through a crisis. His brother Gary, who runs the family business --- a car lot outside of Bozeman, is dealing with a wealthy outsider who is buying up a lot of property in the area. While Gary has no intention of selling, persuasion has come in the form of violent attacks and burnings that have influenced local business owners to sell. Trilling wants to not only support his brother but also take a peek into who might be behind these attacks and threats.

Meanwhile, a madman in the making in the form of a man named Tom Owens is introduced to the plot. He has come into the possession of a good deal of explosive equipment and is so intrigued by the bombings in NYC that he feels compelled to get involved and possibly do it better. His network is part of the wider threat of domestic terrorism that seems to be growing across the U.S.

Bennett is introduced to the best new character in the novel, Maggie Chin who is an ATF special agent and will prove to be a great colleague in his on-going investigation. In Montana, things have taken a dangerous and deadly turn with the Trilling family situation when Gary’s business office is fire-bombed, and the body of a young woman is found in the wreckage by Rob. It is at this point that Trilling realizes he is out of his element taking this one solo and places a call to Bennett, asking him to fly out to Montana and provide some support and expertise in the situation. It will not be long before the two partners, working together again, begin to piece together the threat that may be tied to a much larger problem involving everything they have been investigating.

The plot moves quickly as different characters and events begin to string together. The trouble is that the alleged group behind all of this is not being taken seriously by law enforcement or the government and Bennet, Trilling, and Maggie Chin are all soon caught in the middle of a situation where they seem to be crying wolf about a villainous enterprise that only they seem to be able to recognize as a group that needs to be taken very seriously or thousands of people could die.

DELUSIONAL is an exciting read and one that forces the reader to feel for the efforts being made by the protagonists who are fighting both evil enemies with a deadly agenda but also public and social sentiment that dares them to break away from the restrictions of their roles to do the right thing, or else.

Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter

[Andrea- The Shelf Life Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

What starts as a series of deadly bombings in New York quickly escalates into a much larger conflict. As Michael Bennett juggles multiple investigations, he travels to Montana to assist his partner, Rob Trilling, whose family is being targeted by a series of violent attacks. The transition between New York and Montana keeps the narrative fresh, while seemingly unrelated criminal enterprises gradually reveal deeper connections. Patterson and Born masterfully manage the dual storylines, creating a sense of momentum that never falters.

The story begins with Michael and his partner, Rob Trilling, responding to a bombing scene. This is the second such incident recently, the other involving the death of a fellow police officer. The only concrete clues are that the bomber apparently had two missing fingers and the recent theft of explosives at a New Jersey arsenal.

As the investigation unfolds, Rob faces a potentially serious family matter. His brother, who owns a car dealership in Bozeman, Montana, is being threatened because he refuses to sell the property to a developer who is relentless in his pursuit. Michael advises Rob to go West, and when the situation takes a turn for the worse, Michael decides to join him in Montana to help.

My many thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher, Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Delusional.

[Charles A. CALLARI III · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Patterson and James O. Born absolutely knocked Delusional out of the park.

I’m a big Michael Bennett fan, and this was one of the stronger books in the series for me. The story moves fast, the twists kept me guessing, and there really wasn’t a point where I felt like it slowed down. The case takes Bennett from the bombings in New York to the violence in Montana, which gave this one a different feel from some of the other Bennett books.

But what really sealed the five stars for me was the ending. I loved the way everything came together. It was exciting, satisfying, and actually delivered after all the buildup—which isn’t always the case with thrillers.

I tore through this book and enjoyed pretty much everything about it. Patterson and Born gave me exactly what I want from a Michael Bennett novel: a great case, plenty of twists, nonstop pacing, and an ending that made the whole ride worthwhile.

[Lonnie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Book factory

It seems Patterson name is just a book factory. No originality! Two plots to make it a book rather than a magazine.

Do not waste you money on this "book". Unfortunately I already did.

[Pamela Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Michael Bennett is one of my favorite Patterson characters. I couldn't wait to get to this book. Sadly, it was very disappointing. As one other reviewer stated, it might be time to end this series. I found myself wanting it to be over. I felt the Montana part was very clumsy and unnecessary. It didn't work. I also missed the family time parts. So little family in this story.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 18th Michael Bennett book, and it kept up the reputation of a fabulous series. Bombings in Manhattan and Michael goes to Montana to help out his partner, then returns to New York to help solve the bombers.

[Natalie M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apt title!

The Micheal Bennett series is usually pretty good but this one felt so watered down there was little to it. At times it felt like a jumble of short stories and none of them developed into very much.

Book 18 could easily be skipped!

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couple of stories going on. Gets all tied up at the end. but I must say it was not his best. Still will keep you interested
Thanks NetGally for the advance copy. 3.5 stars

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Bennett returns with his partner Rob Trilling and the action is non-stop in a dual setting for the two of them. Bennett is working with a feisty ATF agent in NYC tracking down the people who are setting explosives in various places and killing innocent people. Rob travels to Montana to try to help out his family with a group apparently determined to take over the land the family car lot occupies. Trilling encounters a group of anti-government people who are violent and who could be related to the bombings in NYC. The chapters are short and intense, with interest ramping up throughout the book as the two partners constantly encounter danger and narrowly escape death themselves. I enjoyed the different settings and the fact that Montana was no more peaceful than NYC and had their own problems to overcome. I especially enjoyed getting to know more about Rob since he has been almost a supporting character until this novel. In this case, he is one of the stars of the book and shines in his role as a hero and a man who is determined to investigate and control the situation. I also enjoyed meeting the new character, the ATF agent with a sense of humor to rival Bennett’s and a lot of courage in the face of constant danger and difficult odds. This is a fast-paced and well-written book that kept me engaged with the compelling and realistic story of rebels out to destroy and the peacemakers who must stop them before they do so.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from Little Brown and Company via Netgalley as well as a hardcopy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Davina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75*

[Lois · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Bennett series was the best of James Patterson. This was so disappointing.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting quick read of a police thriller. This is the first Michael Bennett book I've read. When I get through my TBR pile I may pick some others in this series.

[Pam Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, I enjoyed all of it. Love the Michael Bennett character, and his family. I plan on reading more. This is the first one that I’ve read with Michael Bennett.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great case for Michael Bennet!

[Dominique Hubbard · Rating 1 out of 5]

I refuse to read this since the author decided to feature this book in a commercial consistently entirely of AI-generated “people” “reading” this book. That also makes me wonder how much of his books are now written by AI!

[Silvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as his usual book. Just ok to me.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Bennett has ten adopted kids, a pregnant wife, a serial bomber in New York, and somehow still finds time to fly to Montana because his partner’s family car dealership is being terrorized. Sir, I need you to discover the phrase “I have enough going on.”

I accidentally wandered into book EIGHTEEN of the Michael Bennett series with Delusional, which feels less like starting a series late and more like showing up to someone’s family reunion, grabbing a plate, and hoping nobody asks how I know Uncle Mike. Fortunately, Michael Bennett is pretty easy to figure out. He’s an NYPD detective, his home life has enough people to qualify for group rates, and he has the exact personality type that hears “this is extremely dangerous and possibly not your jurisdiction” as “sounds like I should grab my coat.”

Back in New York, somebody is setting off bombs, people are dying, explosives have gone missing from a military facility in New Jersey, and Bennett is working with ATF agent Maggie Chin, whom I immediately liked because she walks into all this testosterone and conspiracy nonsense with the energy of a woman who has actual work to do. The bomber situation has serious Unabomber echoes, except now there’s an entire collection of people who have convinced themselves that violence is simply community outreach with explosives. They keep insisting they’re trying to make the world better, and meanwhile everyone else is like, could we maybe workshop your methods?

Then Bennett’s partner Rob Trilling gets called home to Bozeman because his family’s car dealership is being targeted by a developer who wants their property and apparently heard “no” as the opening offer in a negotiation conducted through intimidation and arson. Rob is former Army, former sniper, current cop, and also dating Bennett’s daughter, because apparently Michael’s personal and professional lives looked at boundaries and said absolutely not. Rob heads west to help his family, things get ugly, and naturally Michael eventually joins him because this man cannot watch someone he cares about walk toward trouble without immediately putting on shoes.

And I actually really liked Rob. There’s something deeply satisfying about watching a guy with his particular résumé go home and become somebody’s brother again. He can handle himself, but this is his family, which means all that professional distance goes straight out the window. Michael showing up for him also tells you basically everything you need to know about Bennett without requiring seventeen previous books. I may have arrived ridiculously late to this relationship, but I understood it.

Meanwhile the book keeps bouncing us between New York and Montana, cops and bombers, family problems and people whose personal manifestos desperately need an editor. We know more about the people behind the bombings before Bennett does, so I wasn’t sitting there playing traditional whodunit. I was watching law enforcement slowly close the distance while the people responsible became increasingly convinced that their horrifying decisions were actually very reasonable. Nothing makes me nervous quite like a person committing atrocities while believing they are the only adult in the room.

Also, Michael’s family life kept cracking me up simply because of the scale. Ten adopted children. Mary Catherine is pregnant with number eleven. Rob is dating one of the daughters. Grandpa is a priest. Michael is chasing bombers across state lines. I came into Delusional knowing NONE of these people, and every little family detail felt like someone casually mentioning another season of a show I apparently missed. “Oh, that’s his daughter’s boyfriend.” EXCUSE ME? “They already have ten children.” I’m sorry, TEN? At some point the serial bomber became the easiest part of Michael Bennett’s calendar to understand.

Under all the explosions, though, the part that landed for me was the loyalty. Rob goes home because family needs him. Michael follows because Rob needs him. And for a guy surrounded by actual violent extremists, Bennett never gets confused about what matters. There’s something comforting about a character whose entire operating system appears to be cops, kids, family, repeat. I didn’t need seventeen books of history to feel that.

By the time everything started converging, I was fully in popcorn-thriller mode. Short chapters kept convincing me that one more was a completely reasonable life choice, the two cases finally started looking less like separate tabs I had accidentally left open, and I had stopped worrying about being the new girl at the Michael Bennett family reunion. Delusional gets 4 stars from me. Apparently book eighteen is a perfectly acceptable place to begin if you enjoy making irresponsible literary decisions and then refusing to apologize for them.

Whodunity Award: For Making a Serial Bomber, a Montana Car Dealership, Ten Children, One Pregnancy, the ATF, and Your Daughter’s Boyfriend Somehow Feel Like a Manageable Tuesday

Huge thanks to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the ARC. You handed me book eighteen with absolutely no adult supervision, and I responded by walking directly into the Bennett family like I’d been invited years ago. At this point somebody give me a folding chair and tell me which kid I’m supposed to pick up from practice.

[January · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delusional by James Patterson and James O. Born (2026)
Michael Bennett #18
366-page Kindle Ebook

Genre: Mystery Thriller, Crime Thriller, Police Procedural

Movie Rating Equivalent: R for adult content including violence

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½💣👮‍♂️🚓🗽

Featuring: Series Bibliography, Millwood, New York; Violence, Bombs, FBI, Terrorists, Unabomber - Ted Kaczynski, NYPD, Police Homicide Detective, Bozeman, Montana; ATF, New York City, New York; Detective, Large Family, Adoption, Pregnancy, Adult Children, Summer, Law Enforcement Politics

Live Status Updates: 📓 - I had months to give this book a deep dive so of course after I get it is when I look it up and discover it's book 18 in a series.
🔖36% 116 of 320 Chapter 35 - This feel very generic but it is interesting. I want to know why but I'm not interested in most of the characters.

Final Thoughts: ​​I was very excited to read Delusional, as James Patterson was the first adult novel I read as a teenager for leisure, and he has a pretty good track record with me. I was not familiar with James O. Born or the Michael Bennett series. I did not know this was Book 18 in a series, so I think I would have had a different experience if I had been more familiar with the characters.
​The story was okay. It was no different than turning on an episode of a police procedural and not being as familiar with the characters, but being given enough information that you can thoroughly enjoy the show. And that was my problem with this story: it really did feel like I was watching an episode of some TV show. It was a lot of copy-paste. The action was great, and it pretty much felt like a movie, but I wasn't really emotionally connected to the characters. It was just a lot of action happening throughout the story, which kept it interesting, but I wasn't dying to know what was happening. I was just waiting for things to get connected, and it was a bit predictable because I knew exactly how it was going to go after the climax of the secondary storyline.

​Recommend to others: I definitely recommend this story if you're a fan of the series or if you like popcorn action movies.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Michael Bennett
1 Step on a Crack (2007) (with Michael Ledwidge)
2 Run for Your Life (2009) (with Michael Ledwidge)
3 Worst Case (2010) (with Michael Ledwidge)
4 Tick Tock (2011) (with Michael Ledwidge)
5 I, Michael Bennett (2012) (with Michael Ledwidge)
6 Gone (2011) (with Michael Ledwidge)
7 Burn (2014) (with Michael Ledwidge)
8 Alert (2015) (with Michael Ledwidge)
9 Bullseye (2016) (with Michael Ledwidge)
9.5 Chase (2016) (with Michael Ledwidge)
10 Haunted (2017) (with James O Born)
10.5 Manhunt (2017) (with James O Born)
11 Ambush (2018) (with James O Born)
12 Blindside (2020) (with James O Born)
13 The Russian (2021) (with James O Born)
14 Shattered (2022) (with James O Born)
15 Obsessed (2023) (with James O Born)
16 Crosshairs (2024) (with James O Born)
17 Paranoia (2025) (with James O Born)
18 Delusional (2026) (with James O Born)


Songs for the Soundtrack: "Green Acres Theme" by Vic Mizzy

Books and Authors Mentioned: Green Acres by Jay Sommers and Dick Chevillat, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams, Rain Man by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass, Michael Connelly, The Mummy by John L. Balderston, Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Patterson may have made a name for himself with his legendary Alex Cross thrillers, but a close second are his books featuring NYPD Detective Michael Bennett. This gritty series, which he has written with James O. Born since 2017, welcomes its latest release, DELUSIONAL.

At the start of this fast-paced novel, Bennett and former army sniper turned NYPD officer Rob Trilling are working with the bomb squad to investigate a series of attacks around the New York City area. The most recent in Queens claimed the life of fellow officer Rose Vega. There is not much evidence except for the fingerprint smudge that tells them the person who set the explosive device is missing the middle and index fingers on their left hand.

Not long after this event, Trilling informs Bennett that he needs to take some personal time to head back to Montana where his family is going through a crisis. His brother Gary, who runs the family business --- a car lot outside of Bozeman --- is dealing with a wealthy outsider who is buying up a lot of property in the area. While Gary has no intention of selling, violent attacks and burnings have influenced local business owners to sell. Along with supporting his brother, Trilling wants to figure out who might be behind all of this.

A madman in the making enters the picture. Tom Owens has acquired a good deal of explosive equipment and is so intrigued by the NYC bombings that he feels compelled to get involved and possibly do it better. His network is part of the wider threat of domestic terrorism that seems to be growing across the US.

Meanwhile, Bennett is introduced to the best new character in the novel, Maggie Chin, an ATF special agent who will prove to be a great colleague in his ongoing investigation.

In Montana, things have taken a dangerous and deadly turn when Gary’s office is firebombed, and the body of a young woman is found in the wreckage. At this point, Trilling realizes that he is out of his element taking this one solo and places a call to Bennett, asking him to fly out to Montana to provide some support and expertise. It will not be long before the two partners, working alongside each other again, start piecing together the threat that may be tied to a much larger problem involving everything they have been investigating.

Unfortunately, the group allegedly behind all of this is not being taken seriously by law enforcement or the government. Bennett, Trilling and Chin are soon caught in the middle of a situation where they appear to be crying wolf about a villainous enterprise that only they seem to be able to recognize must be stopped --- before it's too late.

DELUSIONAL is an exciting novel that compels readers to feel for the efforts being made by the protagonists who are fighting enemies with a deadly agenda, as well as public sentiment that dares them to break away from the restrictions of their roles to do the right thing. Or else.

Reviewed by Ray Palen

[thewanderingjew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delusional: A Michael Bennett Thriller-James Patterson, James O. Born, authors; Peter Giles, Will Collyer, Zach Villa, narrators.
Tom Owens is a wannabe Theodore John Kaczynski, the Unabomber. Owens was displeased with the world. He wanted to make a statement to bring about change.  He had no concept of the pain that violence incurred, so he encouraged it. The consequences seemed necessary to the cause. Owens was socially inept and disturbed, but he was highly intelligent. He became involved with three people who also wanted to make a statement. They wanted to set off better bombs.  They had already murdered an innocent policewoman with a rudimentary device. They had read Tom’s social media posts and sought him out to make a better bomb for them. They encouraged this emotionally immature and damaged man to make devices for them.
Michael Bennett was assigned to work the case of the bombing with his partner, Rob Trilling, but Trilling’s. family was having personal problems, and he asked for some time off. Someone named Arnold Marks wanted to buy the family business, but the family did not want to sell it. Suddenly, they were dealing with violence. Arnold Marks seemed to have connections and avoided any guilt or consequences associated with the crimes he was committing. Bennett flew out to Trilling’s family home and met the man who was threatening them. He humiliated him which set Marks on a path to get revenge. Michael Bennett was unaware of the danger he was going to face.
In addition to these issues, Trilling’s “roommates”, a group of illegal immigrant women he was protecting, were involved in a violent episode. A man accosted one of them and they attacked the man. Juliana Bennett, involved with Trilling romantically, was with them, so her dad showed up. Soon, the attacker accused Bennett of police brutality, ignoring his own crime and lying about Bennett’s involvement.
All these issues are resolved in the end, but many questions remained. Why was Marks so determined to buy the Trilling property and the property that surrounded it? Who was protecting him from the consequences of his threatening behavior?  Why was he being protected? There are implications that the police are biased and inept and even corrupt.
Michael Bennett’s family is beginning to feel too perfect. Everyone is loving and well behaved. It feels Utopian. They all do the right thing. His grandfather, a man of the cloth, seems to be willing to break the rules when necessary and is admired for it. The ultimate fate of some of the people who manipulated Owens remains fuzzy. There seemed to be a lot of holes in the story that I couldn’t sew together. In addition, while the book was somewhat interesting, it seemed simplistic and fanciful. I am not sure that it fits with the real world of today.