The Hostage

by James Patterson, Robert Gold

James Patterson’s BookShots. Short, fast-paced, high-impact entertainment.The grand opening of the world's most exclusive forty floors of breathtaking luxury.VIPs gather in London for the ultimate preview. But one uninvited guest plans to make this a day the city will never forget.Global Head of Security, Jon Roscoe, confronts a killer with a deadly timetable.

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

144 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2016

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

[Jaidee · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 "ok for a hot summer day" stars !

I have only read one other James Patterson book when I was 15 or so -Kiss the Girls

I remember liking it a lot back then-not sure I would now. In the meantime Mr. Patterson has sold 325 million books...wowowow.....he makes about 89 million USD a year and co-writes with 25 other authors. He has built an enduring empire.

Today I read this article http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/22/bus...

I decided it's really hot out and I want to try this out. So I dove right in.

You know what...it was not half bad....the writing is simplistic, the story kept moving and there were lots of cliffhangers....sort of like a grotesque Nancy Drew Mystery!
Will I read another hotshot book?...Likely not but I'm glad I gave this new enterprise a try.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Global Head of Security for the Tribeca Luxury Hotels, Jon Roscoe, ex policeman, was keeping a close eye on the security details of their latest hotel – forty stories of decadence in London. The VIPs were arriving for the private showing before the official opening and Jon wanted everything to go smoothly. But little did he know a person with a deadly agenda was already secreted in the hotel. The first gruesome killing was soon followed by more – Jon, along with the guy in charge of the Metropolitan Police, were desperate to stop him. But could they? His well-planned timetable wouldn’t be interrupted…

The Hostage by James Patterson is the first in the Jon Roscoe Thriller series, and like all BookShots, the pace was electric. But it lacked depth while the characters are forgettable. I’ve already read #2 and #3 (not sure how that happened!) so at this stage, that’s all there is. But if more are published about Jon Roscoe, I’ll pick them up. Recommended.

[James Tivendale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick review. Pretty enjoyable book. Cool main protagonist - Jon Roscoe - ex Uk police office, now head of security at as soon to be 'hijacked' top class hotel. This book contains some pretty grim and descriptive murders. It only has about 5-6 main characters but that is to be expected with one of James Patterson's bookshot series. This is the 2nd I have read (the other one being Hotshot) and I have enjoy them both. Great set pieces. Very intricate story design. Almost like a Sherlock Holmes novel - when you get to the ending, everything that has happened before then makes sense, but until then - no idea!! Nice setting. Pretty awesome climax and resolution to the Hostage- takers motives. Recommended. This cost me £2.49. It took me about 2 hours to read but very well worth the money. Enjoy x

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This BookShot story pulls the reader into a high-octane thriller from the opening paragraph. At a private event to mark the opening of the elite Tribeca Luxury Hotel in London, VIPs come together to celebrate the company's newest addition to a profitable company. During the gathering, all eyes turn upward, where someone is hanging from an upper-storey balcony. The struggle turns deadly and the body plummets to the ground, which turns out to be the owner, Jackson Harlington. The hotel's Global Head of Security, Jon Roscoe, begins an investigation as the hotel is locked down, seeking to discover where the killer might be hiding on the premises. However, the body attracts the authorities and the London Metropolitan Police soon arrive to take charge. Roscoe comes face to face with his old nemesis on the force, leaving him pushed out of the way, though he refuses to give up searching for the killer. When a mysterious phone call comes, hinting that the killer is running the show from within the facility, Roscoe must manoeuvre around, trying to remain one step ahead. More bodies pile up, each killed in a unique way. It is only later that the thread connecting all three victims is revealed, which turns the hotel's crime scene into a shocking mystery years in the making. A story that picked up the pace with each passing chapter, Patterson and Gold know how to tell a story and keep the reader guessing.

Yet another BookShot leaves me wondering where time went as I dove in and did not surface until I had all the facts. Patterson and Gold use the short chapter format and a telling story to keep everything running at breakneck speed. With a collection of contrasting characters and a mystery simmering below the surface, the reader learns little at a time, but when the entire picture is revealed, it should have been obvious from the beginning. While there is nothing concrete to substantiate this, I had the sense that there was a series in the making from the way the Roscoe character presented himself, though time will surely tell. Patterson may be onto something with these BookShots, offering teasers into the future of possible new series with successful possibilities. Could Gold be joining the crew of faceless co-authors used to help Patterson garner added riches?

Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Gold for delivering a wonderful story to the awaiting audience. I am curious to see if this partnership will return again for more Jon Roscoe action.

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

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Patterson has essentially flooded the market with a large number of short, sharp, punchy, less than 150 page thrillers called 'Bookshots', with the intent of getting people who have abandoned books for television or movies, to re-discover them again. As Patterson himself says, "You can race through these - they are like reading movies".
To this end I wasn't disappointed. A very readable (albeit gory), streamlined, thriller plot with a nice twist, that can easily be read in a single sitting of 1-2 hours.
This is my first 'Hotshots' book, and I suspect it won't be the last.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

First outing with Jon Roscoe and it is a gory one. I really liked this one, and its what made me read the others with him in it. There is a cinematic quality to these books, and above any I’ve read, this is the one that would make the best movie. It has everything you can think of from an action/thriller, but its condensed and concentrated, so its got a lot going on!

[Yamunaah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twist on point!

[Plum-crazy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just what I've come to expect from a JP short - fast moving, action packed &, quite frankly, a ludricous resolution but it certainly kept me entertained for the 30 minutes or so that it took me to read it.

[mrsljgibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love the BookShots series of books, primarily written by James Patterson but often co-written with various other authors.
This book is the first in a three part series-The Jon Roscoe thrillers.
Jon Roscoe is an ex London policeman and now works as Head of Security for the very rich and famous Tribeca chain of hotels.
This was a very fast paced and quite gory thriller and I couldn’t stop reading it once I’d started and read it all in one sitting!
All the loose ends are tied up at the end of the book but I do hope that the next two books in the trilogy are just as good!!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good read from James Patterson in his Bookshots format.
This one isn't from any of his existing series of thrillers, but I believe there is at least one more Bookshots novella featuring the main character from this book, so maybe it will become a new series.
The action comes thick and fast in this one when a criminal interrupts the grand opening of a new hotel in London (part of a chain around the world that are dedicated to luxurious service etc) and doesn't let up over the (short) span of the book. More people are killed by the criminal and finally his motivation is revealed towards the end of the book.
I enjoyed this book for its fast pace and for the main character (John Roscoe) and hope to read more stories featuring him.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book at a book store. I enjoyed reading it. It was full of action/adventure. It had a good story to it. I like the variety of characters in it.

[William Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fast paced many twisted bloody read, loved it. The kind of book that's meant to be read as I did during breaks and 1/2 times while watching college basketball.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️

[Cláudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Jon Roscoe is an interesting character, he's different from what I'm used to see in Patterson's books. I'd like to know more about his story but I guess I have to read all the books in the collection to be fully satisfied.

[Caitlyn River · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great book-shot by my main bookman.

Well paced, entertaining, and with a twist I wasn't quite expecting in the end - had me on the edge of my seat for a vast majority of the novel. I enjoyed this one from start to finish!



Mr P is a God, worship him.

[Karsyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first BookShots book and I found it enjoyable. My kind of book, quick to read and fast paced plot. Look forward to more.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The BEST Bookshots so Far

[The Hungry Mind · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Hostage' is a part of a series of books written by James Patterson called 'Bookshots' where every book is under a 150 pages and power-packed with thrill and adventure.
The Hostage begins with the abduction of young boy in the middle of the night. 16 years later as the world awaits the opening of one the most grand hotels in the world - The London Tribeca - they are left shellshocked after the barbaric and very public murder of the hotel owner -Jackson Harlington - instead of being served gourmet hors d'oeuvres, they are served with the innards of their billionaire host.
What follows is one savage murder after another - with no visible pattern. Jon Roscoe - the head of security at the hotel and ex-policeman - is the only one that can solve the case, as the murderer is still somewhere in the humongous 40 storey building. The process is not made easier by the interference of the official detective assigned to the case - Dt. Peter Savage - a corrupt cop Roscoe never got along with.
As the murderer's diabolical plan unravels, Roscoe finds it harder and harder to understand the pattern he is following. The truth however turns out to be very close of home, something that leaves everyone shocked to the core.
James Patterson, as usual does not disappoint. The book delivers what it promised, it is meant for those that have always wanted the time and energy to cultivate the habit of reading, but never got around to it. A power-packed, mania fueled, action- thriller combined with the incentive of being a book so short, you won't be able to help but read it in a night.

#thehungrymind2798

[Kenton Yee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crime fiction with generous helpings of thriller and mystery elements. Patterson's "Bookshots" series provide excellent fast-read illustrations of crime, thriller and mystery fictions, more elaborate than short stories and shorter than novellas. Hostages is strong in plot twists and story, okay in characters (Patterson always is), weak in setting and mood, and neutral, non-stylish in voice. (What's the point of setting this story in a lavish mega luxury hotel if we don't get to experience or taste the luxury?) I did not leave this hotel feeling pampered and rested. I did not dine. 😭 There was no wine, which is why I don't partake in TV fiction either. If you like one-hour TV cop dramas, you'd probably like this. Light fiction for the beach or a domestic flight.
#Patterson #Bookshots #Crimefiction

[Vincent Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whenever I listen to James Patterson's audiobooks, I know I will like the story/book from how the story grabs my attention from the onset, even to the point of rewinding to listening to a part I do not hear well. For this book, Hostage, I listened, but I did not hear what the narrator was saying. It's hard listening to an un-listenable book, let alone getting the story. So, no hook for me here.

Here is the blurb: The grand opening of the world's most exclusive hotel: forty floors of breathtaking luxury.

VIPs gather in London for the ultimate preview. But one uninvited guest plans to make this a day the city will never forget.

Global Head of Security, Jon Roscoe, confronts a killer with a deadly timetable.