NYPD Red 3

NYPD Red #3

by James Patterson, Marshall Karp

Businessman Hunter Alden, Jr thinks he has it all: a beautiful wife, a wonderful teenage son and billions in the bank. However his life is turned upside-down one night when he finds the severed head of his chauffeur, stuffed into a bag painted with his son's initials, in blood. But the price to get him back might be too high – even for one of the world's richest men.

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

450 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 16, 2015

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site
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

[Mike French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked it as NYPD RED but more than NYPD RED2! Kept me up to 4AM and not many books have done that. Very enjoyable and entertaining from start to finish. I am not afraid to admit I am a big JAMES Patterson and can't until the next one in this series.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

NYPD Red was an elite task force in New York City which dealt in high-profile crimes, so when Detective Zach Jordan and his partner Detective Kylie MacDonald were called in to investigate the murder of the chauffeur of billionaire businessman Hunter Alden Jr, they didn’t expect to encounter an uncooperative, arrogant man who appeared to be more concerned with his expensive car than the life of his chauffeur Peter. When it tied in with the disappearance of eighteen year old Tripp, son of Alden, facts – or the lack of them – became very murky indeed.

Delving deeply into the lives of the elite had never bothered Zach or Kylie – neither did it bother them this time with Alden. But the demeanour of the man said much of his way of life. More and more they were determined to find answers – discover a killer and locate Tripp. But was it all a smokescreen? As secrets rose to the surface, danger accompanied them. And Zach and Kylie were in the firing line…

NYPD Red 3 by James Patterson is another fast paced thriller which kept me up late into the night. A couple of extremely nasty characters had life in this book – the private lives of the two main police were a mess! And Zach is a bit of an idiot! (Hear me - "oh for goodness sake; get over yourself!") But overall NYPD Red 3 was a thoroughly enjoyable thriller which I highly recommend.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

NYPD Red 3

I'm really starting to like the NYPD Red series. I love the chemistry between Kylie and Zach. Most of James Patterson's books have been predictable lately but this one was better with a lot of twists and turns and I especially liked the way it ended. If you liked the first two books in this series than this one is worth reading.

[Suzzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

Intriguing installment with lots of twists and turns circling around a kidnapping, murder, extortion, and blackmail. There was A LOT of crime in this one. Zach and Kylie are still having issues in their personal lives, which is increasingly becoming more dramatic as the series continues. This one was seriously the most interesting of the series so far, even though the previous two were very entertaining. Will continue on in the series right away; one more until next installment comes out in March I believe.

My quick and simple overall: predictable at times but overall there is enough twists and turns to keep you there in one sitting.

[Cherise Dempsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could use a sad face emoji :(

I honestly don't know what to say. I felt like I read an epilogue and am currently waiting for the book. Maybe I'm outgrowing Mr. Patterson or maybe he's writing for a new audience, whatever it is I feel as if the writing has become shallow and I'm no longer satisfied after reading these books. Where's the beef?

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

NYPD Red 3 is as you might have worked out the third book in the NYPD Red thriller/detective series from authors James Patterson & Marshall Karp. If you haven’t read books one and two then you might want to stop reading this review and go back to the start as the books work best if they are read in order.

In this latest instalment, Detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald are on a complicated case. The body of a chauffeur for a multi-million dollar family, the Alden’s, has been found missing his head. As the family is rich and powerful the case falls to the NYPD Red team.

However, there seems to be more at play as the son of the family appears to have been kidnapped but Hunter Alden Jr, his father, tells the detectives that his son is taking some time away and certainly hasn’t been kidnapped, whereas we the readers know this is not the case.

Things become more strange as the book progresses and not everything is as it first seemed. Plus, secrets to one of the biggest atrocities in the world are being hidden by Hunter Alden Jr and the detectives may just have to take those secrets to the grave with them too.

What a fascinating storyline book three in the NYPD Red series has. I loved every minute of it. It was extremely twisty and shocking. You are never quite sure who is telling the truth, why the kidnapping is taking place, and the kidnapper turns out to be the last person you suspect.

The comradery between the detectives is as strong as ever, though there may just be a conflict of interest when it appears that Kylie MacDonald’s marriage may be about to end after the events in book one, much to the please of Zach Jordan who has loved her for decades.

With this book still pulsating through my veins and in my head, I am about to begin book four, and I can not wait. I definitely can recommend this series which just keeps on getting better and better with each book.

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m addicted to James Patterson’s books. This book was unnecessarily funny with that policeman wit and charm. It was also slightly romantic, very thrilling and just amazingly written.

Tripp Alden, Hunter Alden’s son, has been kidnapped on New Years’ eve and NYPD Red has been called in to resolve the beheading of Hunter Alden’s limo driver, Peter. Tripp’s dad, Hunter is a zealot for money, power, prestige and alcohol and not in that order. He’s overbearing, intimidating and a real narcissist. He respects no one but demands respect from all. Now one of his wicked schemes has come back to haunt him in the worst possible way and whose behind it will make you think about who you can really trust.

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Patterson's "NYPD Red" series - this is the third, as you cleverly might deduce from the title - has been a good one so far, and this one holds up its end of the tradition quite well. At the center of the action are Detective Zach Jordan and his partner (and one-time love interest) Kylie MacDonald, who are part of the elite task force that is charged with protecting the rich and famous. And it's hard to believe they come any richer than the billionaire Hunter Alden Jr.

Alden's chauffeur, who also served as a father figure to Alden's son Tripp, is murdered, putting the Alden family in a spotlight they don't want. Tripp then turns up missing, but his richer-than-God father refuses to even consider that he might have been kidnapped and tries to thwart any police investigation by throwing around his political and financial clout. Zach and Kylie, however, aren't buying it, and the chase is on to find out what happened to the kid without ruffling the family's gilded feathers (or getting themselves killed).

Throughout it all, Zach has to juggle his feelings for Kylie, who's married to a drug addict who keeps backsliding, and Cheryl, a psychologist who took Kylie's place after Zach lost her while they were training at the police academy. Yeah, that part is pretty sappy, but I'm sure the idea of keeping two beautiful women on the string will appeal to a lot of guys.

There are lots of twists and turns (both right and wrong), and I'm delighted to say one of them actually caused me to gasp and say to myself, "Wow - I didn't see that coming!" And that, my friends, doesn't happen very often. All in all, another good read. Keep 'em coming!

[Amanda McGill · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favourite novel in the NYPD Red series.

I still have the same complaint as I did in the previous novel with the relationship between Kylie, Zach and Cheryl. I don't care about their relationships and I wish the novel was just focused on them solving the mystery.

Now onto the mystery aspect. To me, the plot wasn't as intense as the previous 2 novels. There was a bit of a surprise of who the killer was, but it wasn't jaw dropping. The novel was a bit complicated with a lot of characters that made up a complex web that I don't think improved the novel.

Overall, NYPD Red 3 was a good, quick mystery read.

[Adihelin Urquia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not done yet, however.... I say this as a huge James Patterson fan, I feel as though the characters of this book belong in a children's book. The dialogue between characters is ridiculous. The story is good and there are many twists and turns but I am very disappointed in the the actual writing it's very amateurish. I feel that if anyone else would have submitted this book to be published they would have been laughed at. I hope the next one is written better.

[Sharon Mccall · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are days I wonder why I still read anything by this author and today was one of them. The book was ok hence the three stars but another promising series that is starting to feel as if its one book too many.

NYPD Red are an elite squadron of police officers who work on cases involving high profile victims - the rich and famous gracing the city of New York. In this the third instalment of the NYPD series we find detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald trying to find the person who murdered a rich man's chauffeur and disappearance of the rich man's son. Hindered at every turn by said rich man and his family, the case is also affected by the personal lives of our two cops. Kylie and her drug addict husband and Zach and his crazy triangle of feelings for the department shrink and his partner.

There are plenty of twists and turns in the book to keep Patterson's legions of fans happy and the will they / wont they sub plot of Jordan and MacDonald is continued on from previous books. For me the characters need a good slap around the head and told to get a grip. Its fine to begin with but as you get further into the story it starts to take over the plot and you get lost in the private lives rather than the police work. The headstrong female character is a good idea but MacDonald takes it to an extreme where I find her character isn't very likeable and just once in a while you would like to see her taken down a peg or two.

I won't be going out of my way to get the next book of this series. If it appears in the library then I may pick it up but it wouldn't be top of my must read list.

[Terri Wino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable entry to the series. I like these books because they're easy to get into, yet you can put them down and go a few days without getting back to them and still be involved with the story and know what's going on. I do have to say that this particular one left me a little sour as to the resolution when the big reveal was made about the crime/cover up. Touchy subject matter and I just, personally, didn't like the resolution.
I enjoy these characters and what's going on in their personal lives as much as the cases they're working on, and this is what keeps me interested in the series.

[Sherrie Gallegos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this one. Lots of suspense. Ready for number 4.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, not as good as the previous two in the series but still a good read. I tactually rank it with 3.25 stars but I rounded due to it being a Patterson print.❤️

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Patterson's NYPD Red series is one of my favourites of his, and so I was very excited about the release of book three.

There's not all that much to say about a Patterson thriller that I haven't said before. Most of them follow his tried and tested formula of the short chapters that are packed full of action and mini-cliffhangers, and the at times over the top but gripping storylines that fill those pages. NYPD Red is an elite-task force that take on New York's most high-profile crimes, essentially protecting the rich. There's something about reading about egotistical rich people, those that look down on others that really irks me, meaning I often struggle to feel any kind of sympathy towards them, and there's a number of hateful characters like that created here in NYPD Red 3. The story in NYPD Red 3 is all too believable, showcasing just how vile rich people, and those in power, can be.

One of my favourite things about this series is our main characters, Zach Jordon and Kylie MacDonald. I was wondering whether the fact Zach is in love with Kylie would start to wear a bit thin after three books, yet there were some developments regarding this that were rather interesting. The only thing I would say is that once again these characters are 'beautiful', they are great in bed, they eat great food, and are just perfect, and that makes them not all that different to a lot of the characters in Patterson's books, but once again it's that formula obviously working because Patterson's books are always at the top of my TBR.

NYPD Red 3 didn't grip me straightaway, that didn't come until almost the halfway point and then once again the last third of the book delivered on everything you want from a Patterson novel, leading up to a quite dramatic conclusion, and one that will definitely leave readers wanting more. NYPD Red 3 is definitely a book I recommend Patterson fans pick up, just don't ask me to tell you what happened in the book six months down the line.

[Edmond Gagnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't remember if it was 1 or 2 of the NYPD Red series that I read, but I enjoyed it more than this installment. Of Patterson's stable of underwriters, I like Marshall Karp and his stories. As was the last, this one is fast paced with colorful and interesting characters. The police drama and content is believable, but like a Hollywood movie, a bit over the top and too familiar at times. The plot delivers an antagonist who is easy to hate from the first sentence written about him. The banter is fun between the cop partners, and references to their personal lives giving the story it's sense of humanity. It was a good and easy read.

[Glenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Up to the last disc, I was enjoying this read and thought that this book was a worthy sequel in the series. However, the last murder was out of keeping with the plot and the characters. I believe that the authors could have constructed a good ending to the book, and even made it a dark ending if that is what they wanted, without breaking the entire arc of the story as the published ending does.

[Ms. Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The case involving a seemingly missing son and his captor's blackmail scheme left a lot to be desired and it sort of took a backseat to the relationship issues that both Kylie and Zach were dealing with.

It was missing the normal fast-paced intensity of the previous reads, but I still love the main characters and enjoy the writing style.

A good read to pass some time.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast pace with some action. I enjoyed the sarcastic humors.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting, excellent and well written. 9 of 10 stars

[Una Tiers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Som. twists and turns but mostly predictability.

[yk]

dear god i liked patterson when i was 15 but literally like what 15 year old has good taste. also, what the hell was james patterson doing in a secondary school library. on the bright side, he’s always good for a cookie cutter get-out-of-a-reading-slump crime novel, if you overlook the copaganda of it all

[Geri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am trying to read the Red series in order.
I have liked what I read so far.

[Ellie (bookmadbarlow) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and easy crime read, so many twists and turns involved that I didn't know which way was up. I do enjoy this series

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patterson and Karp return with the third instalment in the NYPD Red series, a highly trained task force assigned to protect the rich, the famous, and the connected. Detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald head up one of the investigative teams, with their own sordid past that only serves to spice things up a little more. Not long after the ball drops in Times Square on New Year's Eve, Jordan and MacDonald are called to the home of billionaire businessman Hunter Alden, Jr. His chauffeur's decapitated body is found in the garage and his son goes missing soon afterwards. Alden appears reluctant to try to find his son, leaving the detectives to wonder if there is a larger story with which they are not aware. As they try to piece together the last known whereabouts of their kidnap victim, a suspect floats into their line of sight, and a deeper mystery, called the Gutenberg Project, adds a new and sinister dimension to the investigation. Patterson and Karp keep the reader curious throughout in this latest Big Apple-based cop mystery, sure to interest fans.

The Patterson Syndrome has been something about which I have vented over the past while. His story lines are getting less exciting and his readers are forced to sit through drivel while he makes the mega-bucks. This novel sits on the fence for me, as it was not as thrilling as some of his former work, but also not completely useless. I was not pulled into the centre of the story and kept captivated, but also not left looking at my clock and wondering when the pain would end. It's a lukewarm collection of mystery, police procedural, and a little romance. Worth a look, but do not expect a stellar novel.

Decent work, Messrs. Patterson and Karp, and I might go so far as offering a loose kudos. I am eager to see what comes of this series and your co-authoring together.

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

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

NYPD Red is an elite squad of the New York City Police Department that deals with the wealthiest of the city. In this book, MacDonald and Jordan are investigating the murder of the chauffeur of one of the richest men in the city, Hunter Alden Jr. During the initial investigation, they also discover that Mr. Alden's son, Tripp is missing. The Alden's don't seem concerned and offer no assistance in finding their son or their driver's killer.

I have been reading James Patterson book for most of my life. Most of his books are a quick thrilling read and this was no exception. NYPD Red is a fairly new series for James Patterson, focusing on the Elite of New York City. With two detectives heading up this division, those needing the service are sure to get personal attention. Book three in this series focuses on the Alden family with the death of the family driver and the strange "disappearance" of their son. For detectives MacDonald and Jordan, this doesn't seem seem like a coincidence and in their investigation, they discover a lot of interesting facts and theories about this case. Determined to find the truth, they will stop at nothing until they do, even if that means upsetting the Elite Class they are assigned to protect. Another intriguing quick read from James Patterson.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

In case you'Ve missed it ... NYPD RED, NYPD RED 2, and NYPD RED 3 are a series that features a police department that solely works committed against or by the very rich and famous in New York City.

The detectives are highly trained to deal with the elite. Detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald are the best of the best.

In this, the third of the series, a headless corpse is found. The son of a very connected man is presumed to have been kidnapped, but family strongly denies this. It's a case of lies and deceit, cover ups, and greed with plenty of twists to keep you interested in seeing what's going to happen next.

Detective Jordan is the calmer of their partnership, while Detective MacDonald is the rule bender/breaker. They both love their jobs and there is nothing better than chasing the bad guys. Thank goodness they have a boss who is more circumspect in dealing with the big wigs.

There are a lot of characters ... a lot of action. The characters are quirky and witty and keep each other sane with their humor when their cases go south.

I haven't read many Patterson books for awhile ... but this is one series that I recommend. As usual, the chapters are short and easy to read.

[David Freas · Rating 2 out of 5]

A typical James Patterson & (Pick an author) book. A fast read, short chapters, lots of action, a complex plot with numerous twists.

The Zach/Kylie will they/won’t they romantic relationship is getting a little tiring. Either put them together or pair them off with other people and move on. And Zach acted like an immature jerk in scenes revolving around his relationships with both Kylie and Cheryl.

The scam that precipitated the crimes (a truly heinous one) was given short shrift and a quickie explanation that brushed it aside as no big thing. And while the guilty parties paid for their crimes, there was no real closure as the final guilty party got away.

Still these books are sort of like sorbet – something to cleanse the mental palate after reading something darker or more deeply character driven.

[Paula Dembeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunter Henderson Alden Junior is a ruthless billionaire who is returning home from a New Year’s party. He enters his garage expecting to find the new million dollar car he recently commissioned but the garage is empty except for his son’s camera case on the floor. When he opens it he finds a burner phone sealed in a ziplock bag and the decapitated head of his chauffeur Peter, with a note shoved in his mouth. Hunter had sent Peter out hours ago to pick up his son Tripp who had called with car troubles from Harlem. The note wedged between Peter’s lips contains a short message that sends a chill down Hunter’s spine. The words are quite simple: “There is money to be made”. Hunter is terrified. Someone has found out about Project Gutenberg, a secret he hoped would never see the light of day. Someone knows the one thing that could destroy his life, his legacy and his entire financial empire.

Although Hunter’s teenage son Tripp is missing he appears less concerned about his son than the note he found with Peter’s head in the garage. Tripp has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom but Hunter is keeping that information from the police as well as from his lovely wife Janelle. He will handle this mess his own way, using his own private investigator Silas David Blackstone, head of SDB Investigative Services. He and Silas have worked together in the past and have an understanding about how to handle these kinds of problems. The last people Hunter wants involved in this affair are the police.

Tripp is not like his father who spends all his time buried in the world of commerce, investments and money management. None of the trappings of wealth interest or impress him but he is excited by the creative art of film making. He and his friend Lonnie Martinez, both students at a high end private school, have had success with projects they completed with the help and support of their teacher Ryan Madison. The two are now making a video to be shown at the surprise birthday party planned for Tripp’s grandfather and are shooting footage in Harlem where he grew up. But now both teenagers are missing.

Zach and Kylie from NYPD Red pick up the case when a headless corpse is found in Central Park near Hunter Alden’s abandoned limo. They get nowhere when they interview Alden who refuses to cooperate in their investigation, lies and withholds information. The fact the headless corpse of his long time chauffeur has been discovered appears to be more of an inconvenience to Alden than a tragedy and he seems entirely unconcerned about his son’s disappearance. But Zach and Kylie finally get some traction on the case from a neighborhood busybody who saw the two teenagers abducted.

Events have continued to evolve in the personal lives of the two leading investigators of NYPD Red and in the city itself. Muriel Sykes is the new mayor. Chuck the brilliant “all business no small talk” criminologist is still totally smitten with Kylie, but stays on the sidelines admiring her from afar. Cheryl, the beautiful PhD departmental psychologist Zach is dating is preoccupied with her ex-husband Fred’s mother Mildred, who is dying. Zach has trouble understanding what is pulling her so strongly away from him to her former husband’s mother and why she would rather spend time with Mildred than with him. And Kylie is distracted by her husband Spence who survived a vicious assault during the Chamelon case in book one, but was not able to handle the pain from his wounds without increasing doses of Percocet. After over ten years of staying clean, he is once more an addict and in rehab. Kylie tells Zach that she loves Spence but if he cannot get a grip on his drug problem and kick his habit she will not stick around. That was the deal she made with him when she married him ten years ago. She’s s cop, she can’t be married to a drug addict. Zach wonders if Kylie will divorce Spence. His old feelings for her have quickly crept back because he could never completely shake them. He is good at creating drama in his head and often needs help sorting things out. Yoga, meditation and green tea take him only so far. So he gets help sorting out his life at Geri’s Diner, where Geri Gomperts has become Zach’s “go to therapist” for advice on his relationship with both Kylie and Cheryl. He gets a breakfast of eggs, bacon and muffins along with a side order of analysis. And if he has trouble taking in her message, she is not adverse to drawing pictures for him on the tabletop, reverting to salt shakers and sugar packets to make her point.

There are plenty of twists and turns in this third installment in the series, a few tricky red herrings and a pace that keeps readers turning the pages. This is a crime with many layers, great characters and a good solid satisfying conclusion.

Patterson has a stable of co-writers with whom he works. He begins a book providing the framework and key ideas and then hands it over to those he writes with to fill in the story. They then hand the book back and Patterson cleans it up and does the final edit. It is an efficient production line that allows him to pump out books at a blistering pace. It also allows other writers to develop their writing skills and get their names on books guaranteed to sell before they hit the publisher’s desk. So far it is a system that is working, although some books are less worthy than others. Still it has provided Patterson with the ability to not only support other writers but also to subsidize a number of philanthropic efforts to support writers and reading.

There are reasons Patterson holds the Guinness Book of Records for the most number one New York Times best sellers. He deserves kudos for the way he is helping recruit young readers and give other writers an opportunity to share space in the public eye.

[Mohamed · Rating 3 out of 5]

seriously, he had an insider trader's tip that 9/11 was looming and had a date and which companies were going to circle the drain and at the same time his beloved wife, the only one after his mother who can knock some sense into him, was killed the in the twin tower attack.