Missing: A Private Novel

Private #10

by James Patterson

Even for Private Investigations, the world's top detective agency, it's tough to find a man who doesn't exist . . .

Craig Gisto has promised Eliza Moss that his elite team at Private Sydney will investigate the disappearance of her father. After all, as CEO of a high-profile research company, Eric Moss shouldn't be difficult to find.

Except it's not just the man who's gone missing. Despite the most advanced technology at their disposal, they find every trace of him has vanished too.

And they aren't the only ones on the hunt. Powerful figures want Moss to stay "lost," while others just as ruthlessly want him found.

Meanwhile, a routine background check becomes a frantic race to find a stolen baby and catch a brutal killer - a killer Private may well have sent straight to the victim's door . . .

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

369 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 3, 2015

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

[Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

Private book No. 12: James 'The Pages Turn Themselves' Patterson turns out a rather tension-less second Private Down Under book, with the team looking for a missing social enterprise entrepreneur; and in a concurrent case searching for a surrogate mother fraudster. 5 out of 12, Two Stars

2016 read

[Jennifer (Jaye) (checking back in slowly) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Duplicity*

**3.5 Stars***

This instalment leads us to Sydney where we meet P.I. Craig Gisto again after visiting him previously in the book ‘Private Down Under’.

He has two cases running with his team, one is the case of a missing baby, the other a missing CEO of a research company. Both cases should be routine, but they end up to be anything but.

Why did someone attempt to break into their offices at Private and why is Craig and his team running one step behind re the case of the missing ceo?

The ceo has an adopted daughter Eliza who is wheelchair bound but very resourceful. Her disability does not define her which is how it should be. It turns out that she hardly knew her adopted father and there is no digital paper trail for him, why? Every step of the way Craig is hampered by his cousin on the force where there is no love lost, but this is a case that becomes above all of their pay grades….

The case with the missing baby turns into a terrifying chase against time to find the child. When there is a murder they are now trying to prevent another one, having possibly lead the killer to the victim’s door.

This case had all the right ingredients but somehow I felt I was going through the motions. The latter half of the book and pace made me add half a star. I would have loved to have known a bit more about Eliza as she stood out for me.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★s

When Jack Morgan, CEO of the world wide Private Investigations group, rang his top man at Private Sydney, Craig Gisto to search for Eric Moss, Craig had no idea the trouble he was about to get into. Eric Moss was CEO of the research company, Contigo Valley and according to his daughter Eliza, he was missing. But Eric’s partner insisted he had received a resignation letter from him – he was a top dog in Sydney business circles, but Lang wouldn’t do anyone any favours – the office search was futile.

As Craig and his team searched for the elusive Moss, he was beginning to think the man was a ghost; there was nothing to find about his past – it seemed he had never existed. Who was this man that Eliza called her father? With the danger intensifying the Private Sydney team were also searching for a kidnapped baby. The couple who had been to see Craig and ask for his help had vanished as well – were they connected to the missing baby? Would they find little Zoe safe and well? And could Private Sydney locate a man who was an enigma – a man who obviously didn’t want to be found…

The influence of Aussie author Kathryn Fox was obvious to me in this latest Private novel by James Patterson – references to Australian events (e.g. the Martin Place siege) and different places throughout the country was really authentic and totally enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed the fast pace of this novel, the intrigue and intense nature of the plot. It was a quick read, and one I have no hesitation in recommending highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is, I believe, the 10th book in the author James Patterson's Private series, and while it's nowhere near my favorite of the bunch, it helps cement my opinion that this is one of the best of all the ongoing series with which he's involved. For obvious reasons, I suppose, the co-author on this one is Kathryn Fox, who lives in Sydney, Australia, and is an accomplished author in her own right. If reports that co-written books are written by sending chapters back and forth between Patterson and the co-author du jour are correct, if nothing else it would account for inclusion of Australian British spellings liberally sprinkled throughout (fittingly, given the location).

If you're expecting much from elite Los Angeles-based detective agency founder Jack Morgan, though, you'll be disappointed; except for a couple of phone calls, he's pretty much nonexistent. This time, the focus is on the Sydney operation and its top dog, Craig Gisto, and his team. From the start, there are two story lines; one involves the sudden and total disappearance of high-profile Australian research company CEO Eric Moss. The request for help came via the CEO's daughter, who happens to be a close friend of Jack Morgan (one phone call down).

The other case came about when Gisto meets a couple asking that the agency do a background check on a potential surrogate mother who has agreed to bear a child for them. To be sure, it's not the sort of case Private Sydney would consider, but for purely personal reasons, Gisto agrees to take it on over the objections of his office mates. Early on, however, it turns into a case murder and kidnapping of an infant - vindicating Gisto for his decision but putting him on the wrong side of Australian law, which prohibits the sale of surrogate services.

The chase to find the missing CEO commands the lion's share of attention throughout the book (in fact, by the end it almost seemed to me as if the Babygate scheme, while interesting and well written, was concocted more to fill up pages than anything else). Efforts to conduct any investigation of the CEO's disappearance from the company headquarters quickly run into stonewalling by the new head honcho - who clearly has no love for the missing guy - and further efforts to discern his whereabouts lead only to dead ends (both figuratively and literally). Clearly, there's more to this story than meets the eye, and sticking to their investigative guns could destroy the stellar reputation of Private Sydney and jeopardize the future of the agency.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the latest addition to the Private series, James Patterson teams with Aussie crime author Kathryn Fox, introducing the reader to Craig Gisto, and his staff, in the Private Sydney agency who have two cases to investigate in this crime thriller novel.

The first involves a surrogacy scam, a murdered woman and a missing baby. Gisto's agency is accused of negligence when a couple hires Private to run a background check on a woman who has volunteered to be their surrogate. Within hours of turning over the report, the woman is murdered, an 8 week old baby in her care abducted, and the identities of the couple prove to be false. Gisto and his team have few leads and work hard to unravel the scam, determined to find the missing infant.

The second case involves the missing CEO of a billion dollar company. Stonewalled by the man's business partner, Gisto begins to suspect large scale fraud is the issue. However it soon becomes clear that whatever Eric Moss has done, he has made some dangerous enemies. Despite attempts at intimidation, Gisto refuses to back off, especially when threats are made against the missing man's daughter.

Short chapters, an economy of words, and a sense of immediacy keeps the pace moving quickly. The plot is well crafted and not entirely predictable, with some smaller subplots that fill out the pages. Studded with action, there is also a touch of romance. You don't get much more than a general sense of the characters, but it is enough to satisfy.

The Australian setting, which moves from Sydney city to the Blue Mountains, should appeal to Patterson's international and local fans.

Private Sydney was exactly what I expected, a quick, easy, entertaining read.

[Suzzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoy both the Private novels that have taken plane in Australia. Craig is such a likeable male lead and his wittiness adds a lot to both the stories. The plot in this one has a good deal of twists and turns but honestly some of them are a bit too predictable. Right around the midpoint of the book, you can pretty much gather what it seems is going to happen. However, the characters and dialogue in this book is worth overlooking the predictability.

My quick and simple overall: entertaining plot and characters. Need more of these Private books to take place in Australia.

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another typical, muddled and unfulfilling, "Private," novel, this time based in Australia. The story begins with a missing baby that transforms to a missing man. I'd say see for yourself, but I wouldn't want to wish that upon you. 0 of 10 ten stars

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Australia and I was very excited when Private Down Under was first released but when I read it, was left disappointed because I didn't get that vision or feeling of Australia. It was the same with Private London; never have I read a book set in London that felt so American. That said, the first book featuring Craig Gisto introduced some characters who definitely deserved their own continuing branch of Private and I'm glad James Patterson recruited Kathryn Fox to pen Private Sydney because it is marginally better than the previous installment.

The Private series of books often contain multiple threads within the same story and in Private Sydney Craig Gisto and his team have two cases to contend with. The first being the disappearance of a CEO of a high-profile research company. He has seemingly vanished without a trace. Quite literally as there's no evidence the man ever existed. The other case begins with Craig arriving at the Private offices to meet a couple who are looking into surrogacy and want a background check done on a potential surrogate. Hours later and the surrogate turns up dead, and the couple have vanished, and there's no trace that they ever existed either.

Private Sydney didn't grip me straightaway, and I was a little annoyed at how contrived some of the plot felt. For example the couple looking into the surrogacy arrive on a day when the reception area of the Private offices have been ransacked, and there's no CCTV. A company such as Private would not have a simple glass door as an entry point, nor would they have their main workstation which controls the CCTV etc within the reception area. That said as a mystery it definitely works as more clues are revealed to the reader, in both cases. I just think though that with the resources that Private are supposed to have, I wish that they could work on a grander scale and that the authors would make the book more of an adventure thriller than your formulaic crime novel. Private could stand out amongst Patterson's many other crime novels if there was just that little bit more to them.

One thing I did enjoy about the story though was what Kathryn Fox brought to it, especially in how authentic the whole thing felt in terms of the setting. Rather than just throwing in a few random place names you can tell that the whole thing has been very well thought-out, and real life cases and Australian history are referred to which again just adds to the authenticity. Kathryn has said in an interview that she's busy for the foreseeable future, which does leave me wondering whether this series (the Aussie side of things at least) will be continued. But for now it's a good installment in the Private series but nothing that James Patterson's readers haven't read before.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this one better then I have the last couple of private novels. Hope this trend continues.

Also nice to revisit the characters from Private Down Under. I think the Australian office is my second favourite branch after LA.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest Private novel brings well-established author Kathryn Fox into the fold to offer her Australian expertise. As Craig Gisto has come to learn, heading up Private Sydney has its difficulties. While dealing with some personal issues, Gisto receives a call from the head of Private, Jack Morgan himself. Morgan explains that Eric Moss, CEO of a high-profile Australian research firm, has resigned his position without warning and fallen off the grid without rhyme or reason. The distraught daughter, Eliza Moss, is frantic and cannot reconcile her father's behaviour. After opening up the investigation, Gisto realises that Moss seemingly has no identification footprint, as though he's never existed, though many can attest to knowing him well. Gisto is left to wonder if there is more to Moss than meets the eye. As Eliza pushes harder to find her father, she is attacked in her home, leaving Gisto to wonder who is out there trying to silence the investigation into Moss' disappearance. If that were not enough to keep Private Sydney occupied, Gisto is approached by a wealthy couple to complete a private background check on a potential surrogate, their last chance to have a child. Gisto hesitantly agrees to help, but the woman turns up dead.Could Private Sydney have paved the way for the killer to reach her,having been duped by a complex ruse? Fox and Patterson weave an interesting tale with multiple plots to keep the reader on their toes and fans of the series praising a successful addition, after a number of sub-par publications.

It is no surprise that Kathryn Fox's work on this novel helped solidify its success. Fox remains an outstanding author in her own right and has the ability to craft wonderful stories that rise to greatness. Following the 'Private formula' the novel highlights a private detective firm whose work alongside the authorities earns them much credence, but who are also capable of working independently for their clients to bring about results. Fox and Patterson use a handful of key characters and plausible scenarios to pull this novel together without weighing the story down too much. Readers will be happy to see that Fox's direction is one of succinct writing, with just enough thrill to keep the story from being predictable and should praise her for all she does to resurrect the series.Finally a Private novel worthy of praise and recommendation!

Kudos, Mr.Patterson and Madam Fox for this interesting addition to the Private collection. May you join forces again to ensure a higher quality novel falls into the hands of your fans.

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

[Rosie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read a few James Patterson novels, the best one being "The Beach House". I struggled to get through this one. I found that I didn't really engage with the characters or the storyline. I was initially drawn to this particular novel because of the Australian setting and how familiar I am with some of the places in it. Perhaps I needed to have read the novels in the series prior to this one to really appreciate it. While I personally didn't engage well with it, I can imagine others would as it is a quick read once you are into it. I would still consider picking up another James Patterson book, just maybe one that is at the beginning of a series or one of his earlier ones.

Thank you to the publisher via net galley for my copy to read and review.

[Mike French · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining and enjoyable. Stand alone from other novels. This one is located in Sydney Australia and the characters do not appear in previous books.

[William Power · Rating 2 out of 5]

Patterson novels are getting very predictable. Though this says Sydney in the title, other than a few place names, there is nothing quintessentially Australian about it. Quick read. No literary value.

[Laur · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 cases to be solved by top detective PI Agency team lead by Craig Gisto. Craig has been recently widowed and it complicates things at times with a family member in law enforcement he has to deal with.

The cases:

A beloved father who s also an extremely well liked individual, wealthy CEO of his company has vanished without a trace. Later investigation shows he has no digital footprint or paper trail of any kind. No passport, Driver’s License or Bank Account. Nothing! Now their mission -how do you find a ghost?🤔
Soon it becomes apparent that this case has a lot more to it, as the PI’s office receives a smashed door break-in, a phone tap, and more threatening challenges.
Someone else is interested in this missing person - who and why?

A murdered woman who had been babysitting is found dead, and the 8 wk old baby girl is missing! Why and who did this? Where is the baby?
Time is of the essence but there is almost nothing to go on. They must find the baby while working hard on the other case too.

Great mystery with lots of action and well placed surprises.
4 ⭐️

[Annette Chidzey · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no doubt that James Patterson is onto a winner writing in a format that keeps you wanting to read just one more chapter - especially as these chapters are often short and quick to digest.
I enjoyed this read but can already see a pattern evolving that makes the structure if not the outcomes somewhat predictable.
I did not rate this one as highly as ‘The President is Missing’ but I now know that if I need to switch off for a few hours and lose myself in a fictional world or rekindle my reading discipline, a James Patterson novel is what I should select.

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book in the series a bit more than the last. However again the details of the cases weren't pieced together throughout the book clearly. It all seemed like a muddled mess with the missing Eric Mass case. The kidnapping and murder was easier to follow. I wish that I got more background on Craig's team. I know a lot about him but there's not much depth wise on the rest of the characters. I'd like to know more about their personal lives. Otherwise this book was suspenseful and fast paced as are all the others.

[Michael Whyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, excellent read and very entertaining.

Definite 5 stars

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a big James Patterson fan, I always make it my goal to keep up to date with his numerous and wide amount of books and I often love reading some of his co-authors and certain series more than others. However, the last couple of James Patterson's books I read I wasn't too impressed with and struggled through them and I was hoping that Private Sydney wouldn't be like that as the co-author is a new one and I really enjoy the Private Series. In Private Sydney, we are reunited with some of the cast from the Private Down Under book like Craig Gisto , Darlene, Mary and Johnny. We are also introduced to Colette who is the receptionist for Private in Sydney. The book starts out with a morning filled with mishaps from broken windows, to security systems being down and a possible breach of the Private's computer systems. It is a busy morning for the Private company as they also awake to two new cases on their desks . The first is a couple that are wanting to investigate a potential surrogate mother - though the details around the surrogacy seem a little suspect and the second is a favour that Jack Morgan - head of Private Firm has pulled in. The father of an old flame of his has gone missing and no-one can find him - Eric Moss CEO of Contigo Valley. Eric Moss is a businessman and seems to be a great one at that but strange circumstances have arisen as he has seemed to vanish into thin air and the deeper that Craig and his team search - the less they are finding on Eric Moss . It looks like someone has pulled a Bourne and erased his identity completely as there are no records of Eric Moss ever existing at all and in fact his daughter Erica Moss has no record of her birth. The surrogacy storyline will also play a big part in Private Sydney, especially when the "real' Louise Simpson turns up dead and a newborn goes missing. As the book goes along, it seems that in Private Sydney a lot of things just don't add up and it looks like someone wants to claim the rights that they brought down Private Sydney as someone is sabotaging their every move.
If you are a James Patterson fan and looking for a new mystery to get stuck into , come check into the Private Sydney offices with the man himself James Patterson and new co-author Kathryn Fox.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

PRIVATE SYDNEY is a popcorn thriller that delivers on action and mystery while providing only fleeting glimpses of characterisation.

The latest installment in the Private series sees the international private detective agency focus on its Australian branch in Sydney, where a team of well trained multidisciplinary skilled individuals look into the mysterious disappearance of a well known public figure at the head of a reputable research company.

The lead private investigator, Craig Gisto, continues to be haunted by his past while at the same time having an eye to the future with the daughter of the missing CEO firmly in his sights - if she can survive the clear and present danger which has befallen her family that is. It's an interesting dynamic that adds a little depth to the case.

PRIVATE SYDNEY maintains that punchy pinch hitting chapter style of which James Patterson is renowned for, leaving little room to waste on inconsequential dialogue or introspective thought. Sure the character insight is surface level but the plot runs deep on enjoyment complemented with a touch of emotion.

Readers generally know what to expect in a James Patterson book and PRIVATE SYDNEY doesn't deviate from that tried and true formula. If you're looking for a fast paced thriller that can be easily consumed in a couple of sittings then this one is for you.

http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...

[J.A. Kahn]

This is the second in the Patterson coauthored Private series that I have listened to. Though better than Private London it is no match for any of Patterson’s real (solo) works like the Alex Cross books.

The private book series is very formulaic and quite shallow. Based on the two I’ve listened to so far, typically, these books have two unrelated parallel storylines running side by side; I guess this is just to add mystery to the plot and some intrigue to get the reader into expecting a clever tying together and an earthquake of an ending. But that is where the reader is let down. Everything settles quickly in a mad rush with an unsatisfying conclusion. Having said that, this one is better than Private London.

By contrast I’m currently reading John Connolly’s The Unquiet and so far it is worlds apart from the Private series in its depth, description and detail, and page turning power.

[Deborah (debbishdotcom) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've included an interview on my blog with Kathryn speaking about her collaboration with James Patterson - it includes some references to the novel itself.

http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...

[Deb Bodinnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!! Well done Kathryn Fox for writing a fantastic book with one of the greats.

[Conney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick read! Enjoying the Private series!

[Patricia English · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a CD that I listened to in my car. It was a really good book, I am listening to these out of order.

When the CEO of a research company disappears without a trace, Private Investigations has to catch a brutal killer-a killer headed straight to the victim's door.
Craig Gisto has promised Eliza Moss that his elite team at Private Sydney will investigate the disappearance of her father. After all, as CEO of a high-profile research company, Eric Moss shouldn't be difficult to find.

Except it's not just the man who's gone missing. Despite the most advanced technology at their disposal, they find every trace of him has vanished too.

And they aren't the only ones on the hunt. Powerful figures want Moss to stay "lost," while others just as ruthlessly want him found.

Meanwhile, a routine background check becomes a frantic race to find a stolen baby and catch a brutal killer - a killer Private may well have sent straight to the victim's door . . .


I really enjoy this series and this one is great!

[Nataliec7 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Not the best from Patterson but its still a good read. I'm used to an action packed book and this has less than normal but still a good thriller. I do like the different branches of Private and have now read quite a few from the series. Its nice to get away from Jack Morgan and get to know different characters.
Still a good read, even though not my favourite.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another quick, but enjoyable read by James Patterson. I like Craig Gisto in the Private series. His backstory really shapes the way he works his cases. I don't believe he would have risked his business with the 'adoption' if he had not lost his son.

[Susanne Leist · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories are disjointed and hard to follow. The team works on two cases. The leading case, a missing CEO, takes the spotlight until the end. The ending abruptly stops as if the author lost interest. The second case, a missing baby, is dispersed throughout the book, maybe to confuse us that both cases are related.

[Geri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I have read some of these Privates
which there are many and they take place
all over the world.
This one was just okay.

[Susan Claxon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book in the James Patterson Private series. Great mystery and good, easy read.

[:) Lil · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring and unengaging. Read like a report not a narrative