Private Gold

Private #13.5

by James Patterson, Jassy Mackenzie

Private Johannesburg is closing down…

After the tragic suicide of his partner, Khosi, Joey Montague is packing up the branch of Private they'd set up in Johannesburg with US owner Jack Morgan. The investigation agency will be scaled down until Joey can recover from this devastating loss.

As he’s loading the removal van, Joey receives a call from an American woman who has just landed in the city and needs his help. But what at first seems to be a simple protection job soon becomes a matter of life and death – not just for his client, but for Joey himself.

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

134 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 2, 2017

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

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed the quick reading I can accomplish with the BookShot collection, developed a few years ago by James Patterson. What had me even more excited was to see that Patterson chose Jassy Mackenzie to help expand his series, tapping into another aspect of the Private collection with this accomplished South African author. With Private Johannesburg circling the drain, there is little for Joey Montague to do but close up shop after his partner’s untimely suicide. When Joey receives a call from Isobel Collins, seeking to hire Private to act as a bodyguard, he cannot decline, especially since this poor American has decided to situate herself in the roughest neighbourhood in the city. Joey rushes to meet her and they appear to hit it off immediately, though someone is lurking in the shadows, their eyes firmly focussed on Isobel. Joey soon learns that Isobel is in possession of a set of coordinates that have her truly baffled, though she is sure it ties into something having to do with her husband’s business. They trek out of town, heading in the direction of an abandoned gold mine, long since decommissioned by the government. What they discover there shocks them, both in its bone-chilling reality and potential monetary value. It also goes to substantiate something that Isobel has been wondering, based on other figures she and a friend have intercepted. Before they can alert the authorities, the shadowy figure strikes and nothing is guaranteed. Might Joey’s partner have a message from beyond the grave? Patterson and Mackenzie have shown that they are a force with whom to be reckoned as the Private series expands onto new continents. Fans of Bookshots and the Private collection may appreciate this a great deal, though anyone wanting a quick thrill ride may also find it well worth their time.

I have a love/hate relationship with James Patterson, though I can respect that he is also saddled with many writing projects, pairing up with countless co-authors. The BookShots are always hit and miss stories, for I find that it is a delicate writing chemistry that will either produce something I highly enjoy or a piece that falls flat. Jassy Mackenzie has never let me down and I am so happy to see that James Patterson took a gamble to work alongside her. The characters in this piece have little time to develop themselves, but what is offered up permits the reader to lay a solid foundation. The reader can attach themselves to Joey and Isobel with ease, as well as the less savoury person lurking in the shadows, whose mission is quite clear. The premise of the piece is also quite good and I hope to see more by this pair, as the narrative flowed well and utilised the short chapter formula that has worked so well for Patterson in the past. As this was a BookShot, developing the South African flavour was not possible and those who are not familiar with the geographic region will not be able to feel its richness in such a short time. I can only hope that readers will look into Jassy Mackenzie as a solo author and discover this wonderfully unique setting, or that Patterson will return and perhaps allow Mackenzie to utilise her skills in a full-length novel alongside his tight framework.

Kudos, Mr. Patterson and Madam Mackenzie, for such a wonderfully written short piece. I enjoyed it and would surely love to see you both team up together once again in the near future.

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

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Suzzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really starting to love these little BookShots. The Johannesburg Private characters were pretty interesting to read about and I do look forward to reading about them in the future, especially if we get a full length novel surrounding them. I think reading about South Africa has always been interesting in most of the genres I have read. I don’t know why but that part of the world would has always held my interest.

My quick and simple overall: great characters and a very twisty turny plot.

[Tiffany PSquared · Rating 2 out of 5]

I downloaded this audiobook and thought the story was just picking up steam, when suddenly... it ended! I know it was a BookShot, but man!

I could be really upset about that, but the story wasn't good enough for me to remember it a week from now anyway.

[Jennifer (Jaye) (Comments frustration) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Betrayal*

**3.5 Stars**

This is a short story it is labelled as James Patterson’s BookShots - these are short, fast-paced, high-impact entertainment.

This is only 135 pages in total, and I found it quite easy to follow. This instalment finds us in Johannesburg. The Private offices in Johannesburg are closing down.

We meet Joey who is in charge of this branch. He is very capable of looking after himself but he is devastated by the suicide of his partner Khosi who was also a very capable man.

Joey suspects that his friend’s death is suspicious. He receives a call from Isobel. She has arrived from the USA and needs help.

Upon her arrival at her accommodation she is met by someone about to take her life. She manages to outwit the gunman and it does not help that she is running in a red rain coat, this makes her an easy target.

Joey is trying to contact her to no avail and he happens to spot her running full pelt. He gets her to jump in the car.

Isobel knows there are some issues with her husband Dave’s South African business. He brushed off any suggestions she confronted him with so, here she is in Johannesburg.

With the help of Joey, they make a start at trying to piece together what is going on. Well, Joey realises that this case is anything but straightforward, it soon becomes far worse than they could ever think……

What is going on? Why is someone trying to silence her? Joey gets a feeling that they are not far from the deadly truth as the man behind it all shows his face…

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a BookShots book. I had never heard of a BookShots book until it was donated to my Little Free Library Shed. I love the idea of it, in that, authors have the opportunity to write a story-driven quick book with 150 or less pages. Which allows readers to be introduced to the characters early, get to the point of the plot right away, and literally grab our attention all the way to the last page. The question is, did it work with this story?

Joey’s partner, Khosi has died by suicide. Or has he? Readers will know the answer almost immediately, but what will it take for Joey to find out what was going on with his partner, and why? Also, when Joey takes a job as a Private Bodyguard for Isobel, will he be able to find out who is after her and why before it is too late?

This is an easy-to-read, fast-paced, action-packed, page-turner that readers will most likely connect to from the first page. The characters are well-developed and the plot is well-crafted. And, the book can be read in one sitting. But because it is short it also feels too predictable, at times, which takes a little away from this story being the absolute perfect mystery.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gold

I have to give this book two and a half stars even though I hated to do it. I always enjoy the "Private" novels but this story was just too rushed. The past couple of bookshot books seem to be written so fast and missing a lot of the story that would make it so much better.

[Katherine "Kj" Joslin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 a good addition to the Private series. Hoping to see some of these characters again.

2023 - This was a re-read for me and I liked it even more the second time. I think it was nice to revisit the series rather than reading them back to back as I was doing last year. While Joey Montague and Private Johannesberg are a new location to us in the series, we come in at a time that may mean the end of this site. Joey's partner recently passed away leaving Joey with lots of questions. I enjoyed the independent female MC that partnered with Joey and while a short novella, it was packed with excitement

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

After losing his partner to what seemed to be a suicide, Joey is thrown into the middle of illegal happenings and he has to figure out what's going on. Especially when his life is in danger as well. And now the lady who hired him is too. This was one good short. Full of action and suspense. I like this series.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patterson. Quick. Easy. Mystery. Win-win!

[Klare · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read

[Kim Faustini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quick read!

[Stacey Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying these short reads. The story flows smoothly. You are drawn into the fast paced of the book with the action and easy to follow characters. These bookshots are definitely a great way to get a new comer to read the full novel. You won't get a boring story out of James Patterson and his co-writers.

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new private office is opened in Johannesburg. One partner is killed, but made to look like suicide. The other partner is lost and about to shutter the business. He takes on one last job as a body guard. It turns into a web of deceit as he helps his employer track down some shady dealings in her husband’s company. The bookshot was ok, not great. If you have read the other books in the private series, pick it up. If not, skip it.

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Private has a new location - Private Johannesburg. An American woman visiting Johannesburg hires Private to protect her. Joey is the one on the job, but he's got his hands full with his business partner's apparent suicide, so he's hoping for an easy job. Things get complicated before he even gets started.

A novella in James Patterson's Private series. This story falls between books 13 and 14 in the series. A quick read that introduces new characters.

The BookShots stories tend to be action-packed, and this one is no different. A fun, fast read good for fans of this series.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

As my first "go" with a Bookshot, my expectations weren't that high. Good thing. It was all action and very little character development. There seemed to have been details just cut out to keep it short (for example, the desk thing in the beginning was sketchy - where was the mover all of the time?). It was pretty predictable. If you want an ok book you can read quickly and not really have to think about, fine. I have found the other Private books (full-length) to be much more enjoyable.

[Carolyn Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Private Gold

A very good book. It needed to last longer.
Love all of James Patterson books. Haven't found any that I haven't enjoyed.

[Melenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short Private book and hope that there are more to come.

[David Blyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers:

Another very good bookshot - Private set in Johannesburg in South Africa. Joey Montague - closing down Private's Office after death of his partner Khosi finds a USB memory stick when the large desk they are carrying drops. He is hired as a bodyguard by an American lady Isobel Collins. She has done research and they head for a certain geographical location - a closed down mine which Private had at one stage provided security for. The narrative is fast paced - car chases - illegal miners - human trafficking etc. the ending has a feel good factor - Joey and Isobel business partners in the relaunched Private and engaged.
Jassy Mackenzie is a new co-author
The ending leaves room for sequels.
As the Private novels and Bookshots increase there is room for stories set in any part of the world.
I look forward to the next

[Rob Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this Book Shot edition of Patterson's Private series. Like the previous Book Shot I read, it is not bogged down with pointless sub plots but equally could do with a bit more fleshing out. It was refreshing having a Private office that is more like the old school PI rather than an all bells and whistles CSI branch.
I hope Patterson and co. revisit Johannesburg in a future novel.

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another boring book in the Private series? Yup, that's what this was. I really want to like these books, but it's too exhausting to even try. I felt like this one was too rushed. I listened to it for a book club (I had to get through it in one day so maybe that's why it felt rushed?) and had to re-listen to parts because it droned on and I lost focus. Maybe the next will be interesting?

[Susan Claxon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read : one story line : very short read.
The Private series have all been good. This was one of James Patterson’s book shots, which is 150 pages or less. I don’t prefer these shorter books but still good.

[Monica Gearhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did not catch me like most other James Patterson books. I hope the next one is better.

[Madhu N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read.

My first book of this series. Like the new setting and plan to read the other cities in this mystery.

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise but I felt like it was a bit unreal. Maybe because I am mechanically challenged but sometimes with Patterson's books, I just can't quite grasp how certain things can be possible. I reread the part in this book about an SUV being stuck in a rainstorm in mud. The hero sees some planks laying around and uses duct tape to put them on the wheels so the car functions like a tank? Supposedly the planks stayed attached somehow and they made it through. Totally confused me! I get that he is telling a story in under 150 pages but still how everything wraps up with a happy ending is not for me.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a Private fan. I have read all but one “Private” however, I like the stories best when they center around Jack Morgan. Otherwise they are just another story. However this was better than I expected!

[Bryce McEnrue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a nice and quick story. I liked that it took place in Southern Africa, it was nice to read a book that took place somewhere that wasn't the U.S. or Britain. Good Action scenes, and definitely had some thrills!

[JC Roadman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good little bookshot in the private series. Enjoyed this one better than the other bookshot in the series. Onto the last private novel.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not a favorite BookShots of mine. It was an okay read but did not make me want to continue reading for any length of time. I was looking forward to the ending so I could finally finish it.

[Book_Worm_Jim.83 · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I’ve now read several ‘BookShots’ by Patterson, they are very similar to the QuickReadswhich are short stories that can be read in one sitting.

Synopsis reads…

Private Johannesburg's Joey Montague is hoping for an easy job-but when he tries to protect an American woman, nothing is what it seems in a web of money, betrayal, and murder . . .

Hired to protect a visiting American woman, Private Johannesburg's Joey Montague is hoping for a routine job looking after a nervous tourist. After the apparent suicide of his business partner, he can't handle much more. But this case is not what it seems . . . and neither is his partner's death.

This is fir first Private Johannesburg I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. Ive said it before and I’ll say it again….

It’s hard for any author to write a well balanced short story. The plot needs to be just right to captivate the reader and to pull them in. Character development and the ability to create multiple personalities must be so hard to create in such few pages but Patterson pulls it off again in this ‘BookShots’.

I loved it and am starting to really enjoy reading Pattersons work and I’ve many more ‘BookShots’ to read over the coming weeks.

[Meeghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wouldn't normally review a bookshot, but I just couldn't let this one go. WHY would you introduce brand new characters into a book that is essentially 150 pages. We spent so much time introducing the characters that there was no book left for the plot. Which in turn meant that the plot had some serious gaping holes in it. And that isn't even taking into consideration the ridiculous ending.
James Patterson needs to actually start reading these before letting his team of writers release things under his name (because seriously, this guy releases multiple books per month - there's no way he is writing them himself).
A very disappointing read from Patterson in the Private series. Tsk, tsk.