Come and Get Us

by James Patterson

James Patterson’s BookShots. Short, fast-paced, high-impact entertainment.

What is her husband's secret?

Miranda Cooper's life takes a terrifying turn when an SUV deliberately runs her and her husband off a desolate Arizona road. With her husband badly wounded, she must run for help alone as his cryptic parting words echo in her head: 'Be careful who you trust.'

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook, Crime, Short Stories, Mystery Thriller

160 pages, Paperback

First published December 6, 2016

About the author

Official 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.

Reviews

[jv poore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I re-read this short story not because it is so outstanding but because it was at the end of Patterson's THREE WOMEN DISAPPPEAR.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

In their second BookShot collaboration, Patterson and Serafin deliver another winner, as unique as it is adventurous. Travelling along the canyons between Arizona and Utah, Miranda Cooper has husband, Aaron, and four year-old, Sierra, along for the ride. After an impatient driver forces them off the road, their van careens into a ravine. Hurt, scared, and out of cell range, the family must regroup and Miranda takes charge. Miranda guides Aaron and Sierra away from the elements, but with a significant injury, hoping she can return with help before it's too late.

Miranda begins traversing rocky terrain in order to find any sign of life, coming across the group of men who pushed her off the road. With gunshots ringing throughout the ravine and working alone, Miranda must find safety and contact the authorities before she's killed, thereby leaving Aaron and Sierra to perish, alone and forgotten. In a quick-paced story that has as much social justice as it does action, Patterson and Serafin present a polished product that is sure to lure in many BookShot fans, as well as those who need a short break from the everyday.

While there is never a guarantee when it comes to a BookShot, Serafin has brought two winners in his efforts to combine talents with James Patterson. The story is unique and offers readers something different, even amongst the BookShot collection. There are also some believable characters placed in somewhat realistic situations, which keeps readers visualising events as they transpire. As the story progresses, the reader finds themselves somewhat drawn to Miranda and her success at trying to find a solution for the family, even as she realises that nothing may be as it seems. Her gumption and the pace at which the authors push the story keep the reader hooked and seeking to learn a little more. With a little social commentary buried within the narrative, Patterson and Serafin open a dialogue that requires the reader to ponder a little, though nothing is as it appears on the surface. Crisp, concise, and truly imaginative. This is the sort of story perfect for the BookShots idea.

Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Serafin for another successful collaboration. I am eager to see what else you two have planned for readers.

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

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I have discovered a new addiction - James Patterson's Bookshots. I found a whole shelf of them in the library and grabbed a couple to see what they are like. It says inside the cover "Each and every [Bookshot] is fast paced, 100% story driven: a shot of pure entertainment guaranteed to satisfy.

That description absolutely applies to Come and Get Us. In fact 'fast paced' is an understatement. In 160 pages Miranda Cooper, her husband Aaron and daughter Sierra, are forced off the road by another vehicle, roll their car, are shot at and pursued and escape in various ways only to get back into trouble each time. The drama is relentless right up to the final page. I loved it!

The book is probably written entirely by Shan Serafin and if so kudos to him too. It passed the Patterson test for publication and it passed mine for entertainment value.

[Suzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really like reading Patterson’s “BookShots”. They are quick reads - much like his full length novels - in a small package!

Miranda, her husband Aaron and their daughter Sierra are run off the road and over a cliff while on a family vacation. Who did it and why? The story kinda resembles the movie Erin Brockovich with a bit more action thrown in.

I really loved Miranda’s character. I’ll always give props to the main character being a tough woman who kicks butt!

The books are short, so they tend to hold my attention. However, this one wasn’t super awesome and I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending.

I do recommend reading these little gems!

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish this book was longer!

[Dominique · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off really good but after the first three chapters I wasn't too interested. These bookshots are really like a hit or miss.

[(NurseLisa) Square Granny from Ohio · Rating 4 out of 5]

may be the best Bookshot, at least top 3, I've read so far...made me long for an entire novel with more details and character development! color me pleasantly surprised. :-))

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Almost DNF this one. Unbelievable plot.
Bonus from Three Women Disappear: With Bonus Novel Come and Get Us

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come and Get Us

I have come to enjoy James Patterson's Bookshots very much but now that I have read a couple of these stories I'm beginning to think that some of these should have been full length books instead of short stories and this was one of them. Good plot but too short.

[Christine (KizzieReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was action packed and intense, but a little like an unbelievable movie. LOL If you like kick ass females, and Erin Brokovich, you will definitely love this quick, but oh so good read!

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is possible this was my favourite one. A car is rammed ff the road and it becomes a race for survival as an unseen force tries to stop Miranda at every turn. There is more to this than meets the eye, and I was intrigued to see how it would play out. The wilderness, tension and characters made this one really good. I read the whole thing really quickly just to see where JP was going. Definitely the best of the Book Shots I’ve read.

[Dawn Mahony]

The biggest load of drivel I have read in a long time. Not even worthy of one star. Could have been good but failed miserably. The dying husband unable to move well or far who can barely utter a single word every so often can complete full sentences, passionately kiss his wife, climb rocky slopes out of a canyon and throw dynamite at an oil well! The wife who climbs up and down and round about said canyon whilst evading bullets from bad guys, who is able to wrestle and kill 6 foot, 100kg men whilst underwater in a raging torrent then is unable to think clearly and logically! The 4 year old daughter who takes care of ‘dying’ daddy alone in a cave all night and emerges unscathed in any way! The whole family having ‘in’ jokes whilst dodging bullets, car ramming and various other deadly pursuits! Puh-lease.
I finished the book because it was only 104 pages long and I kept hoping for salvation in the story - it didn’t arrive.

[Lauren Revers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess it was an exciting adventure, but it was so unrealistic and ridiculous which for me outweighed most of the good. First of all, there’s no way they would have fallen off a cliff in a car and all just been fine enough to be hiking around and climbing up cliffs and killing villains. There is no way the husband would have been able to do so much when in the beginning he couldn’t even form sentences. There is no way the 4 year old daughter would have been so well behaved and just quietly sitting in the background almost the entire book (has the author ever met a 4 year old?). There is no way that so many people would have shot so many bullets at Miranda and missed. The villains were all caricatures of bad guys. The main character just happened to be a great rock climber. The perfectly timed mob listening to everyone’s side of the story…the out of the blue job offer at the end…There were so many ridiculous parts that I couldn’t even really enjoy the book.

[Margaret Devaux · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a short book. It's not worth the read. It skimmed the surface about the reason they were being killed and is not that interesting.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense!!! Action packed with a great cast of characters. Lots of suspense and thrills. I couldn't put this book down.

[Book_Worm_Jim.83 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was gripping from the get go. It was interesting and full of plot twists. I read this in one go as I could just not put it down. The pace was just right and the characters were well written.

[Nise' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miranda and her husband Aaron and daughter Sierra are taking a weekend trip. When they are forced off a cliff and survive she has to go for help. Before Aaron passes out he tells her to be careful who she trusts.While climbing up the cliff someone shots at her. She realizes that this was no accident. With break neck speed Miranda has to get help. When she outwits those coming for her and gets her family to their destination, she discovers their lives are still in danger. With quick thinking she figures out a way to save her family. January LaVoy does a great job with Miranda's fierce determination to save her family. An enjoyable listen.

[Jennifer Daniel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Striking out with Patterson this week. This was just too damn ridiculous, even for fiction, to be taken seriously. I rolled my eyes so many times I nearly had a seizure. A suburban mom suddenly has the fighting and survival skills of Rambo? A man on the verge of death from a head injury scales a cliff, fights of attackers then gives a rousing speech? Go home Patterson, you're drunk.

[Rebamom7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quick read.

[Stephanie ((Strazzybooks)) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5. Suspend disbelief and go on the adrenaline ride. It was like reading an action movie and pretty entertaining. Miranda was a bad-ass lead character.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off good. Okay read

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked how the plot moved quickly and the brevity of the book was appealing. However, I found myself getting confused at times and did not really understand the whole oil business and what was going on with the conflict. I did like how Miranda was a strong and capable female character. The moments in which she showed her maternal instincts really made her more appealing.

James Patterson has definitely written better. I would say that die-hard James Patterson fans should give this a read just because it is so short. But I would say that if you are a well-versed thriller reader who does not particularly like James Pattersons's writing style, then this is a skip.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely be careful who you trust. Big wig oil company sends bad guys out to take out someone and their family because he was going to testify against them. They have to make it to safety before they die

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars. This was another really strong story in a BookShot. I guess I missed a bunch of the better stories here. For a while many of the BookShots were pretty tough for me but this is the second one recently that I’ve really enjoyed. I wished this story was longer because I liked the characters and the plot was interesting. Miranda was really strong and I liked the woman being the one to have to tough through the wilderness to save her husband and daughter instead of the reverse. The background story would’ve been really interesting to dive more into in a longer book, but it was also enough to work in this shorter story.

[David Blyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers!!

Another fast paced thriller from James Patterson and his writing team - this time Shan Serafin who I've never heard of. Like all of Patterson's work thus is short chapters.
Told in the first person by the character Miranda Cooper, wife of Aaron who is a lawyer for Drake Oil. Travelling with their young daughter, Sierra they are forced off the road by an SUV and fall hundreds of feet into a Canyon River. The storyline tells of Miranda's search for help for her injured husband, her encounters with near death as she battles with Drake Oil employees and corrupt judges who are trying to cover up poisoning from Drake Oil fracking projects.
Aaron has been secretly working alongside villagers who are being poisoned.
The story ends in Victory for the oppressed. It leaves open the possibility of a sequel

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miranda was trying to outrun the black SUV that was on her bumper but she was unable to and the huge vehicle pushed her van over the cliff. As it tumbled over and over, she heard her daughter screaming. She helped her injured husband and daughter out of the car and into a small cave she found. She was leaving to get help when her husband told her to be careful of who she could trust. She got the feeling that he knew more about what had happened to them but knows she has to get help so she starts walking.

[Crissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The family was on a drive enjoying themselves and the sights on the way to a work meeting. In the blink of an eye the minivan is airborne and then the fight to survive is on. Usually you see the husband taking charge but his injuries were too much so he was left behind with the child while mom went looking for help.
Story moved quickly even for a BookShot. I had guessed from dad's comments before passing out that he knew what was going on. The little girl was a bit advanced for what I see the average four year old doing in today's world.

[Elizabeth Perez · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a disappointment considering I thought the synopsis was exciting. This book for it's length had way to much back story and no character development.

For those that say you can't expect too much from a novella I have to argue with that. Most of my favorite books are novellas like Metamorphosis by Kafka and Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury. Now I certainly was not expecting a classic masterpiece but I was hoping for a little more.

[Mick Scrimshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, fast-paced and exciting. A bit unbelievable in places, but this is supposed to be entertaining not high art. These short “Bookshots” are also a great concept. Just the sort of thing needed for a bus journey or sitting around in a doctors waiting room. A great introduction to the author. I’ve never read any James Pattterson before. I think I was subconsciously put off by his popularity (weird eh?) but after this brief introduction I will go out of my way to give him a proper try.

[Codi Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY CRAP!
From the first chapter, I was freaked, invested, and hanging off the edge of my seat. This book is fast, intense, and will literally have you flipping the pages as fast as you can. I recommend this book to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and survival stories. So freaking good!