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The Pretender
It's not the police I'm running from.
Logan Bishop is a handsome thief living off a stash of stolen diamonds. But when his murderous ex-partner tracks him down, Logan must find a way to turn the tables--or lose the only woman who can handle the truth.
Logan Bishop is a handsome thief living off a stash of stolen diamonds. But when his murderous ex-partner tracks him down, Logan must find a way to turn the tables--or lose the only woman who can handle the truth.
2 pages, Audiobook
First published August 16, 2016
About the author
James Patterson
990 books357k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
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.
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
September 30, 2025
Mr Bourelle really needs to have more books under his belt. Quick read and it delivered!
When a retired thief is forced to face his past when his old partner resurfaces. A recent encounter with a reporter and good deed may just be his saving grace!
Solid 4.5 Stars !!!!
When a retired thief is forced to face his past when his old partner resurfaces. A recent encounter with a reporter and good deed may just be his saving grace!
Solid 4.5 Stars !!!!
September 2, 2016
Working alongside Andrew Bourelle, James Patterson assists in crafting another of his popular BookShots that keep the drama coming as the chapters flow freely. Logan Bishop has a lot in his past he would rather forget. A thief living a life constantly on the edge, he chooses to opt out after a significantly profitable diamond heist. Scamming his partner, Logan goes off the radar in the remote community of Lake Tahoe. While out one day, he encounters Hannah, a perky woman he recognises from the gym, and agrees to join her on a little adventure on the outskirts of town. While out in a water taxi, they come across a drowning girl and Logan is able to save her with some quick thinking. Little does he know, but his companion is Hannah Ryan, reporter for the Lake Tahoe Gazette. Hannah uses her 'always on duty' gumption to compose a laudatory story about the rescue adding some photos and cellphone video footage to help with recognition. No longer living a solitary life, Logan panics that his two years in hiding might be blown and awaits his partner's return to claim the diamonds. After a fallout with Hannah over blowing his cover, Logan tries to pick up the pieces, only to meet Claire, another gym fanatic and hiker. They connect on many levels and Logan is able to relax, while still looking over his shoulder. When Logan's past collides with his present life, he realises that there is nowhere to hide and his must retrieve the diamonds to save Claire's life. However, he comes to understand that once the diamonds change hands, there is no reason to keep him around. Fast thinking will have to trump heroics if Logan wants to see another day, or will it? Patterson and Bourelle pen this high-energy piece that keeps readers flipping pages until the final sentence.
While not an entirely unique theme in the genre, Patterson and Bourelle make the story work. The short space offered in a BookShot forces the reader to latch on and develop a relationship with characters quickly, which is possible with both Logan and Hannah, though for entirely different reasons. The narrative must also be crisp and keep the reader wanting to push forward, which is accomplished with a mix of first- and third-person description (the former from Logan's perspective), while keeping the story from losing its momentum as the perspective alters. Even as the characters and narrative prove effective, without a decent plot, the entire project goes nowhere. The authors offer up a decent plot and utilise an introspective theme of who is 'pretending' and who shows their real colours. This allows the reader to feel something a little deeper in a story that does have its share of cheesy moments. Patterson and Bourelle keep things fresh and highly entertaining, precisely the recipe for success in a BookShot.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Bourelle for this interesting piece. I look forward to seeing if you will team up again, either with another short piece or a full-length novel.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
While not an entirely unique theme in the genre, Patterson and Bourelle make the story work. The short space offered in a BookShot forces the reader to latch on and develop a relationship with characters quickly, which is possible with both Logan and Hannah, though for entirely different reasons. The narrative must also be crisp and keep the reader wanting to push forward, which is accomplished with a mix of first- and third-person description (the former from Logan's perspective), while keeping the story from losing its momentum as the perspective alters. Even as the characters and narrative prove effective, without a decent plot, the entire project goes nowhere. The authors offer up a decent plot and utilise an introspective theme of who is 'pretending' and who shows their real colours. This allows the reader to feel something a little deeper in a story that does have its share of cheesy moments. Patterson and Bourelle keep things fresh and highly entertaining, precisely the recipe for success in a BookShot.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Bourelle for this interesting piece. I look forward to seeing if you will team up again, either with another short piece or a full-length novel.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 28, 2025
Fairly predictable short story - former Diamond thief partners turn on one another. One plans to kill his partner after he takes the diamonds from him; the other suspects that he’s about to be double-crossed by his partner and hides the diamonds.
Cat and mouse game, and the body count will go up. Is there ever honor among thieves?
3.5 Stars (rounded down for excessive use of profanity)
Cat and mouse game, and the body count will go up. Is there ever honor among thieves?
3.5 Stars (rounded down for excessive use of profanity)
March 20, 2017
A good one but like all of the bookshots I've read, it leaves you sort of up in the air!
November 19, 2017
Good quick read with action and suspense
November 16, 2019
A thief is in hiding from his former partner and living on his stolen diamonds.
January 30, 2022
I only finished the audiobook because it was 2hours long. Possibly the most implausible story I’ve ever experienced.
July 4, 2017
Nice read, fast. Enjoyed it, just not wow
June 12, 2017
wow crazy
September 26, 2016
Another good quick read from James Patterson in the Bookshots format - not part of any of his existing series though.
This one features an ex-con who is now living near Lake Tahoe (the descriptions make this sound quite an idyllic location), living off the proceeds of a diamond robbery, but constantly looking over his shoulder - his ex-partner tried to kill him and take all the loot when he told him that that was his last job.
He instinctively saves the life of a drowning girl, causing him to become front page news on the local paper, and also a video of him in the act is posted on the website - thus alerting his former partner to his location.
From this point on, it's a race against time as his ex-partner shows up and demands all of the diamonds.
There's a bit of a twist when he is double-crossed by an unlikely source, but he is then also aided by an unlikely source, and the plot veers off into the romantic territory towards the end.
On the whole, another good short quick read which moves along at a rapid pace.
This one features an ex-con who is now living near Lake Tahoe (the descriptions make this sound quite an idyllic location), living off the proceeds of a diamond robbery, but constantly looking over his shoulder - his ex-partner tried to kill him and take all the loot when he told him that that was his last job.
He instinctively saves the life of a drowning girl, causing him to become front page news on the local paper, and also a video of him in the act is posted on the website - thus alerting his former partner to his location.
From this point on, it's a race against time as his ex-partner shows up and demands all of the diamonds.
There's a bit of a twist when he is double-crossed by an unlikely source, but he is then also aided by an unlikely source, and the plot veers off into the romantic territory towards the end.
On the whole, another good short quick read which moves along at a rapid pace.
May 15, 2024
Bookshots. Mystery novella. Quick and fun.
December 23, 2016
Have you read one of the Book Shots yet? They are fun novellas. Not a short story and not quite a novel. If you listen to them you can finish one in 3 hours.
The Pretender takes place in and around lake Tahoe, Ca.
A young man on the "lamb" from the police and his former pals in LA helps a young girl who is drowning in the lake and ends up on the front page of the newspaper and on a viral video clip. What happens next..... well... you will have to listen/read for yourselves!
The Pretender takes place in and around lake Tahoe, Ca.
A young man on the "lamb" from the police and his former pals in LA helps a young girl who is drowning in the lake and ends up on the front page of the newspaper and on a viral video clip. What happens next..... well... you will have to listen/read for yourselves!
October 14, 2016
This book is full of pretenders who are not who they appear to be at all.Everyone has secrets but these characters all are trying to hide something.In the end, they either learn to live with their secrets,get killed for their secrets or are still trying to figure out how to survive once their secret is let known.
March 8, 2017
This is one of Patterson's Bookshots. Takes a couple hours or so to read. Some call them Novella's--a short full story that are short good reads. Don't want to spoil the story as there is a lot of content in a short amount of time. Diamonds, diamond's hidden, person tracking robber, romance involved. People shot, etc. etc. etc. Enjoy!!!
March 30, 2017
Found this when I was reading Triple Threat but wanted to give my thought separately instead as one big book when it was really 3 of the BookShots.
It started off as a mystery and then slipped into a love story but then quickly picked up the mystery aspect again. Interesting take on who the Pretender was in the story.
It started off as a mystery and then slipped into a love story but then quickly picked up the mystery aspect again. Interesting take on who the Pretender was in the story.
May 26, 2017
Didn't realize it was a short book...
September 23, 2016
Another short story from James Patterson's Bookshots. Logan Bishop, a former thief is living quietly in Lake Tahoe when he rescues a drowning girl. The ensuing publicity causes problems for Logan. Quick read.
September 2, 2016
Nice twist in the end...But I really wanted to know what happened to Logan & Hannah
September 18, 2016
Not one of my favourites
October 18, 2016
short but predictable
October 25, 2016
Good little mystery, predictable, but that's okay.
November 21, 2016
What happened James? This book was so juvenile and predictable.
November 22, 2016
This was a fun read. I hope they write more about Hannah and Logan.
November 27, 2016
Predictable
December 3, 2016
Quick read.
December 6, 2016
Good short story.
December 26, 2016
Another great Bookshot deal from Patterson. Diamond heist at it's finest!
January 1, 2017
This was a short suspenseful bookshop book. It can be found on Audible.
February 18, 2017
I'm not a fan of short stories, even if they have Patterson's name on them.
July 7, 2017
Typical Patterson. Not great, but a decent afternoon read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews