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The House Next Door
THE WORLD'S #1 BESTSELLING WRITER - 3 pulse-pounding thrillers in 1 book!
The House Next Door (with Susan DiLallo): Married mother of three Laura Sherman was thrilled when her new neighbor invited her on some errands. But a few quick tasks became a long lunch-and now things could go too far with a man who isn't what he seems....
The Killer's Wife (with Max DiLallo): Four girls have gone missing. Detective McGrath knows the only way to find them is to get close to the suspect's wife...maybe too close
We. Are. Not. Alone (with Tim Arnold): The first message from space. It will change the world. It's first contact. Undeniable proof of alien life. Disgraced Air Force scientist Robert Barnett found it. Now he's the target of a desperate nationwide manhunt-and Earth's future hangs in the balance.
The House Next Door (with Susan DiLallo): Married mother of three Laura Sherman was thrilled when her new neighbor invited her on some errands. But a few quick tasks became a long lunch-and now things could go too far with a man who isn't what he seems....
The Killer's Wife (with Max DiLallo): Four girls have gone missing. Detective McGrath knows the only way to find them is to get close to the suspect's wife...maybe too close
We. Are. Not. Alone (with Tim Arnold): The first message from space. It will change the world. It's first contact. Undeniable proof of alien life. Disgraced Air Force scientist Robert Barnett found it. Now he's the target of a desperate nationwide manhunt-and Earth's future hangs in the balance.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2019
4554 people are currently reading
6931 people want to read
About the author
James Patterson
951 books355k 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 1,038 reviews
January 18, 2019
3.5 I enjoyed the first two stories but the last one was ridiculous 😂.
March 5, 2019
Typically, I'm not a fan of the Patterson farm. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy of stories! 10 of 10 stars
January 29, 2019
I have long enjoyed the venture James Patterson undertook, writing short stories with collaborators and calling them BookShots. While some are released as individual publications, Patterson will, at times, combine a few together, as he has done here. Working with Susan DiLallo, Max DiLallo, and Tom Arnold, Patterson has created three pieces that will force the reader to think as they discover the wonders of short pieces and how they can be just as effective as full-length novels. From a mysterious next-door neighbour to the distraught wife of a serial killer, and even communication with life outside of Earth’s atmosphere, Patterson and his collaborators provide much needed entertainment in this busy world of reading.
The House Next Door (with Susan DiLallo)
Laura Sherman lives a less than exciting life, though she has agreed to at least some of the sacrifices it takes to run a household. Her mundane housewife life is interrupted when a man and his son move into the house next door. Vince reaches out by asking that Laura help by driving young Vinny to his soccer practices on a weekly basis. From there, the connection between Laura and Vince grows at an alarming rate. Laura cannot believe that Vince is the man she has long wished her husband, Ned, could be. However, there is something off about Vince and Laura cannot seem to put a finger on it. When things begin going horribly wrong, Laura begins to wonder if she could be the root of all the problems.
The Killer’s Wife (with Max DiLallo)
Detective Andrew McGrath works in the small community of San Luis Obispo, normally quite the bucolic town. However, the disappearance of four teenage girls has rocked the community and left everyone feeling panicked. There is a suspect, local high school vice-principal Michael Pierson, though McGrath cannot act without some concrete evidence. When McGrath and his partner find Pierson luring another teenage girl into his car and catch him as the girl’s drugged body is being dumped, they are sure this is the break they need. Working some background, McGrath connects with Pierson’s wife, Ellen. She is adamant that her husband must be innocent, though McGrath is working the angle, hoping to uncover irrefutable evidence that will ensure this serial killer is put away. McGrath and Ellen soon develop a protective relationship, as she shields her from the press. It is only then that things take a turn and McGrath is able to understand a little more about what is going on, and how they will solve this case.
We. Are. Not. Alone. (with Tom Arnold)
Dr. Robert Barnett may be a washed-up astrophysicist, but he thinks that he’s stumbled onto something. Using some of his own personal technology, Barnett feels that he has recorded communications from out in space, thus proving not only that there is life amongst the stars, but that these beings wish to communicate with Earth. Little does he know, but Barnett may have stumbled upon something with National Security ramifications and he’s now being sought for questioning. Dodging officials at every turn, Barnett must ensure these recorded communications are made public, while government officials seek to detain him and obtain the recordings for themselves, citing a larger security situation. Meanwhile, someone is on a mission of their own, which could drastically change the dynamics of things in the blink of an eye.
As with many of Patterson’s short stories, they can be strong in their delivery or fall miserably flat. The collaborators in this case have helped buoy the stories and created strong pieces that will pull the readers in from the beginning. Both DiLallo pieces pose prologues that offer ‘flash forward’ reveals, though it is how the story arrives there that makes all the differences. Arnold’s piece fell flat for me, which can happen sometimes, even when riding a reading high. Call it a disinterest in space stories or the general lack of thrills, but I was left speeding my way through it, promising myself that I would read and review the collection. With characters who develop across the quick-paced narratives, these stories leave little time for character development, though there is a strong theme of connection between those who grace the pages. Patterson’s overarching theme in this collection would have to be deception, something that finds its way through each of the pieces and leaves the reader wondering what waits around each corner. Wonderfully crafted and delivered, James Patterson has chosen well with this stellar collection of three BookShots. One can hope there are more to come of this caliber.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson, DiLallo, and Arnold, as well as Madam DiLallo. What a great collection of stories to keep the reader occupied for a short time.
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/...
The House Next Door (with Susan DiLallo)
Laura Sherman lives a less than exciting life, though she has agreed to at least some of the sacrifices it takes to run a household. Her mundane housewife life is interrupted when a man and his son move into the house next door. Vince reaches out by asking that Laura help by driving young Vinny to his soccer practices on a weekly basis. From there, the connection between Laura and Vince grows at an alarming rate. Laura cannot believe that Vince is the man she has long wished her husband, Ned, could be. However, there is something off about Vince and Laura cannot seem to put a finger on it. When things begin going horribly wrong, Laura begins to wonder if she could be the root of all the problems.
The Killer’s Wife (with Max DiLallo)
Detective Andrew McGrath works in the small community of San Luis Obispo, normally quite the bucolic town. However, the disappearance of four teenage girls has rocked the community and left everyone feeling panicked. There is a suspect, local high school vice-principal Michael Pierson, though McGrath cannot act without some concrete evidence. When McGrath and his partner find Pierson luring another teenage girl into his car and catch him as the girl’s drugged body is being dumped, they are sure this is the break they need. Working some background, McGrath connects with Pierson’s wife, Ellen. She is adamant that her husband must be innocent, though McGrath is working the angle, hoping to uncover irrefutable evidence that will ensure this serial killer is put away. McGrath and Ellen soon develop a protective relationship, as she shields her from the press. It is only then that things take a turn and McGrath is able to understand a little more about what is going on, and how they will solve this case.
We. Are. Not. Alone. (with Tom Arnold)
Dr. Robert Barnett may be a washed-up astrophysicist, but he thinks that he’s stumbled onto something. Using some of his own personal technology, Barnett feels that he has recorded communications from out in space, thus proving not only that there is life amongst the stars, but that these beings wish to communicate with Earth. Little does he know, but Barnett may have stumbled upon something with National Security ramifications and he’s now being sought for questioning. Dodging officials at every turn, Barnett must ensure these recorded communications are made public, while government officials seek to detain him and obtain the recordings for themselves, citing a larger security situation. Meanwhile, someone is on a mission of their own, which could drastically change the dynamics of things in the blink of an eye.
As with many of Patterson’s short stories, they can be strong in their delivery or fall miserably flat. The collaborators in this case have helped buoy the stories and created strong pieces that will pull the readers in from the beginning. Both DiLallo pieces pose prologues that offer ‘flash forward’ reveals, though it is how the story arrives there that makes all the differences. Arnold’s piece fell flat for me, which can happen sometimes, even when riding a reading high. Call it a disinterest in space stories or the general lack of thrills, but I was left speeding my way through it, promising myself that I would read and review the collection. With characters who develop across the quick-paced narratives, these stories leave little time for character development, though there is a strong theme of connection between those who grace the pages. Patterson’s overarching theme in this collection would have to be deception, something that finds its way through each of the pieces and leaves the reader wondering what waits around each corner. Wonderfully crafted and delivered, James Patterson has chosen well with this stellar collection of three BookShots. One can hope there are more to come of this caliber.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson, DiLallo, and Arnold, as well as Madam DiLallo. What a great collection of stories to keep the reader occupied for a short time.
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/...
April 10, 2019
B grade celebrity status. That’s the best I can come up with. Didn’t complete the third short story then throw in some cheesy narration.. Enough said!
January 30, 2019
House Next Door (Susan DiLallo) 4⭐
Killer's Wife (Max DiLallo) 3.5⭐
We. Are. Not. Alone (Tim Arnold) DNF
First two stories were surprisingly good. I like the characters and mysteries in both, although the second story was predictable. Enjoyable! Can't say the same for third book.
Killer's Wife (Max DiLallo) 3.5⭐
We. Are. Not. Alone (Tim Arnold) DNF
First two stories were surprisingly good. I like the characters and mysteries in both, although the second story was predictable. Enjoyable! Can't say the same for third book.
January 19, 2019
2 Stars because I was oh, so foolish to read the entire thing.
What a pathetic collection of pseudo-writing.
The House Next Door (with Susan DiLallo) is a bad romance novel that is so shallow you couldn't use it as a birdbath. Reads like a 16 year old wrote it.
The Killer's Wife (with Max DiLallo) again, a romance novel with crime wrapped around it. You end up hating every character.
We. Are. Not. Alone (with Tim Arnold) this one could have actually been full-length novel, but it ended up as a short story. It, too, was almost predictable. The morality play was fully evident.
Overall, it tarnishes even more my opinion of James Patterson as an author and co-author. His books have declined drastically over the past 10 years. He's become a junk author.
What a pathetic collection of pseudo-writing.
The House Next Door (with Susan DiLallo) is a bad romance novel that is so shallow you couldn't use it as a birdbath. Reads like a 16 year old wrote it.
The Killer's Wife (with Max DiLallo) again, a romance novel with crime wrapped around it. You end up hating every character.
We. Are. Not. Alone (with Tim Arnold) this one could have actually been full-length novel, but it ended up as a short story. It, too, was almost predictable. The morality play was fully evident.
Overall, it tarnishes even more my opinion of James Patterson as an author and co-author. His books have declined drastically over the past 10 years. He's become a junk author.
January 30, 2019
The first story was okay. The second story was awful and the third I couldn't even finish.
August 14, 2019
3.5*
Pretty good. First story was the best. Second one was just okay. The third was good but more of a science fiction type. Overall a good, quick read.
Pretty good. First story was the best. Second one was just okay. The third was good but more of a science fiction type. Overall a good, quick read.
February 1, 2020
My favorite story from this three book collection is The Killer's Wife. I wasn't expecting that plot twist. Definitely recommend this, but then again I recommend every James Patterson book that I've read so far. Haha
January 16, 2019
fast read, highly predictable. Wasn't impressed, giving up on the Patterson books for a while, I think.
January 10, 2019
Do Not Recommend!
Save your money. I wish I'd done the same. Something keeps making me buy James Patterson novels. I guess wishful thinking, a good one will pop up. It's not here!
The House Next Door- A cross between a really bad romance, and a detective case. What planet was the main character, "Laura" living on?! A smile, and an absurd request, and she risks everything.
The Second story- equally ridiculous! A seasoned detective, acting like a first year rookie. And getting arrested for murder!
Reads like desperation!
Save your money. I wish I'd done the same. Something keeps making me buy James Patterson novels. I guess wishful thinking, a good one will pop up. It's not here!
The House Next Door- A cross between a really bad romance, and a detective case. What planet was the main character, "Laura" living on?! A smile, and an absurd request, and she risks everything.
The Second story- equally ridiculous! A seasoned detective, acting like a first year rookie. And getting arrested for murder!
Reads like desperation!
February 20, 2021
I listened to this book on audio which was so much fun and kept me entertained until the end - a collection of three novellas that will have you not quite on the edge of your seat however, there is still a slight touch of thrillery goodness.
Enjoyed all three stories although I could have bopped the female character in the first story for wanting a fling with her creepy next door neighbour and she could have done with another bopping at the end of the story.
Enjoyed all three stories although I could have bopped the female character in the first story for wanting a fling with her creepy next door neighbour and she could have done with another bopping at the end of the story.
February 10, 2019
Normally i give Patterson's books 4 or 5 stars but i just couldn't get into the 3rd short story in this book. The first story was great, the 2nd was very good but predictable, however the 3rd book was unlike anything I've ever read from James Patterson. I didn't make it past the first couple chapters.
August 2, 2021
I loved the first and third stories the very best . The first one blew me away and so did the last one . The middle story was a good but not great . I still recommend this book and don't understand why there are so many poor ratings . James Patterson is still one of the best mystery writers alive . I recommend this book . You won't regret buying it
April 7, 2019
These novellas comprise one of the worst books I've ever read. I realised after I paid for it that it was a co-written book, not really a James Patterson at all. The cover doesn't mention that though. The 1 and a half short stories I read were like a really bad midday movie. I kept trying to force myself to keep going because I paid for it and I don't have another book to read, but I do have standards and this isn't even close. I feel like trying to get my money back!
January 25, 2019
Well, once again I am reading James Patterson, and I am mildly surprised. This book is actually three mini-books. The first two (suburbs and San Luis Obispo) we’re fast-paced though forgettable. The third is outer space and definitely forgettable. But the good news is that they are quick and easy to read.
January 20, 2019
To my surprise it's actually 3 books inside one - to my dismay. I got tired of reading the Hot Shot books because there was not enough substance to them. Now I find a similar version hidden behind one title. I was disappointed in how this book was presented.
August 26, 2024
DNF three short stories written by other authors with Patterson(?) Not his usual style. Very elementary writing technique.
January 13, 2019
This is 3 books in one - likely will be published as 3 separate BookShots. All 3 are very fast reads - I read the entire book in just a few hours.
The House Next Door - 4 stars -
A man and his son move into the decrepit house next door to Laura and her family. Laura and her husband, Ned, have 3 children and are experiencing the difficulties of day to day life. When Vince reaches out to Laura, she thinks it is a bit strange, but as she gets to know him, her feelings change. Vince is exciting and dangerous. Laura thinks she may need this in her life. The story is told in a flashback, and it is a whirlwind.
The Killer's Wife - 3.5 stars
Andy and Gina are on surveillance of a man they suspect of murdering 4 teenage girls. Suddenly, they get a break in the case, but they still can't solve it. Andy starts taking an interest in Ellen, the "killer's wife". Things progress, and the case becomes murky. Things change late in the story and Andy's career is put on the line.
We.Are.Not.Alone - 3 stars
This story comes with a strong moral message about our planet. It is a science fiction story and while I agree with the message, the entire story is very far fetched, and a bit sappy.
#TheHouseNextDoor #JamesPatterson
The House Next Door - 4 stars -
A man and his son move into the decrepit house next door to Laura and her family. Laura and her husband, Ned, have 3 children and are experiencing the difficulties of day to day life. When Vince reaches out to Laura, she thinks it is a bit strange, but as she gets to know him, her feelings change. Vince is exciting and dangerous. Laura thinks she may need this in her life. The story is told in a flashback, and it is a whirlwind.
The Killer's Wife - 3.5 stars
Andy and Gina are on surveillance of a man they suspect of murdering 4 teenage girls. Suddenly, they get a break in the case, but they still can't solve it. Andy starts taking an interest in Ellen, the "killer's wife". Things progress, and the case becomes murky. Things change late in the story and Andy's career is put on the line.
We.Are.Not.Alone - 3 stars
This story comes with a strong moral message about our planet. It is a science fiction story and while I agree with the message, the entire story is very far fetched, and a bit sappy.
#TheHouseNextDoor #JamesPatterson
July 12, 2022
“Yes, this could be the big one! We. Are. Not. Alone. Like I said earlier, holy shit. But now what?”
!Spoilers!
The House Next Door is a collection of uninteresting and disappointing stories. The following review is my thoughts on all three stories.
The House Next Door
I did not enjoy this story. Infact, looking back on it, it’s hard to even think of anything I liked about it. The characters were all very cartoonish, like there is a moody teenage son, and a busy lawyer or accountant husband, and a suburban do it all mom. The plot is really overdone and predictable, a new neighbor moves in next door and the mom falls in love with him only to discover his dark past. Here’s where the story completely jumps the shark and we find out the neighbor is a national drug crime boss. There are so many corny things in the book that would never happen in real life. For example and FBI agent is watching the mom and he’s hiding behind sunglasses and a news paper. When the mom finds out her son is profiting off of the neighbor’s sale of drugs, the book, not ironically, say’s he, “lets out an evil laugh.” Really? Or when the neighbor is caught and locked up, the mom has to go back to ask him one last question, if he ever really loved her. He lets out an evil laugh here aswell! Possibly the worst of them all is right after the mom finds out her son is dealing drugs and the starnge man, who later turns out to be an FBI agent, comes to the door, she still decides she has to make it to the PTA meeting. That’s what’s important right now? A PTA meeting? The story is just ridiculous. There’s a ton of really lame mysteries that I couldn’t care less about, like the chapters will end with “it came from the one room I could never go in.” That specific one is never explained or solved by the way. And the daugher ends up with drugs on her but how the son’s drugs got in her backpack is never explained. I’m not saying everything has to be explained, but it just makes no sense. My last complaint is that the neighbor gets away with a ton of stuff that is just so unrealistic. Like he chokes people and threatens people with no consequences. Overall the story was not good, the plot was extremely predictable, it was boring, the climax was lame, it was very corny, and it all felt like it was written by a 13 or 14 year old. I strongly believe Patterson himself had very little to do with this story. A long time experienced writer should know better than to make such 2D characters or ever use the phrase “evil laugh.”
The Killer’s Wife
This is the best story of the three, but that doesn’t make it good. It’s another cheesy affair story and it jumps back and forth between first and third person. Overall I didn’t like it but it wasn’t terrible.
We Are Not Alone
This story was by far the worst one. I know I was harsh to the first story but this one was much worse. They both feel like they were written by a teenager, they’re both cheesy, they’re both so boring, and they’re both predictable. But, the last story is just ridiculous. It feels so out of place. The first two stories were about suburban crime, affairs, and small town scandals. How they went from those to We Are Not Alone, which is a sci-fi story about talking to aliens, is beyond me. Pretty much all the characters are not likable. There’s also so much that is just so anticlimactic or unrealistic. Like the main character is brought to a military base where the world’s top scientists can’t figure out an equation to which homeboy solves it in like eight seconds. The story is about how the main character, through years of dedication and research, is the first person to communicate with aliens. Then at the near end when there’s only a few pages left they just shatter that by abruptly bringing up that the government has been talking to them for months. The main character is shocked and disappointed for all of like, 2 sentences then he’s over it. His whole litteral life work is meaningless and he’s basically like, “oh no…welp whatever.” That’s not even really a twist, it’s just bad writing. The entire story is extremely predictable, it feels like every space movie ever but not as fun, the ending was terrible, the story was beyond boring, and the writing was uninteresting.
I am convinced Patterson himself didn’t have much to do with this book. A writer of his time and success is just too large to have been a big part of this. I am also convinced Patterson knew this was not gonna be one of his great memorable books, but I believe either he has deadlines or just didn’t care so he approved slapping his name on it. After the second story I was going to give this book two stars but because of that awful last story I have to give it one. This book is bad, and not a fun bad. Don’t read this, you’ll be bored from minute one.
!Spoilers!
The House Next Door is a collection of uninteresting and disappointing stories. The following review is my thoughts on all three stories.
The House Next Door
I did not enjoy this story. Infact, looking back on it, it’s hard to even think of anything I liked about it. The characters were all very cartoonish, like there is a moody teenage son, and a busy lawyer or accountant husband, and a suburban do it all mom. The plot is really overdone and predictable, a new neighbor moves in next door and the mom falls in love with him only to discover his dark past. Here’s where the story completely jumps the shark and we find out the neighbor is a national drug crime boss. There are so many corny things in the book that would never happen in real life. For example and FBI agent is watching the mom and he’s hiding behind sunglasses and a news paper. When the mom finds out her son is profiting off of the neighbor’s sale of drugs, the book, not ironically, say’s he, “lets out an evil laugh.” Really? Or when the neighbor is caught and locked up, the mom has to go back to ask him one last question, if he ever really loved her. He lets out an evil laugh here aswell! Possibly the worst of them all is right after the mom finds out her son is dealing drugs and the starnge man, who later turns out to be an FBI agent, comes to the door, she still decides she has to make it to the PTA meeting. That’s what’s important right now? A PTA meeting? The story is just ridiculous. There’s a ton of really lame mysteries that I couldn’t care less about, like the chapters will end with “it came from the one room I could never go in.” That specific one is never explained or solved by the way. And the daugher ends up with drugs on her but how the son’s drugs got in her backpack is never explained. I’m not saying everything has to be explained, but it just makes no sense. My last complaint is that the neighbor gets away with a ton of stuff that is just so unrealistic. Like he chokes people and threatens people with no consequences. Overall the story was not good, the plot was extremely predictable, it was boring, the climax was lame, it was very corny, and it all felt like it was written by a 13 or 14 year old. I strongly believe Patterson himself had very little to do with this story. A long time experienced writer should know better than to make such 2D characters or ever use the phrase “evil laugh.”
The Killer’s Wife
This is the best story of the three, but that doesn’t make it good. It’s another cheesy affair story and it jumps back and forth between first and third person. Overall I didn’t like it but it wasn’t terrible.
We Are Not Alone
This story was by far the worst one. I know I was harsh to the first story but this one was much worse. They both feel like they were written by a teenager, they’re both cheesy, they’re both so boring, and they’re both predictable. But, the last story is just ridiculous. It feels so out of place. The first two stories were about suburban crime, affairs, and small town scandals. How they went from those to We Are Not Alone, which is a sci-fi story about talking to aliens, is beyond me. Pretty much all the characters are not likable. There’s also so much that is just so anticlimactic or unrealistic. Like the main character is brought to a military base where the world’s top scientists can’t figure out an equation to which homeboy solves it in like eight seconds. The story is about how the main character, through years of dedication and research, is the first person to communicate with aliens. Then at the near end when there’s only a few pages left they just shatter that by abruptly bringing up that the government has been talking to them for months. The main character is shocked and disappointed for all of like, 2 sentences then he’s over it. His whole litteral life work is meaningless and he’s basically like, “oh no…welp whatever.” That’s not even really a twist, it’s just bad writing. The entire story is extremely predictable, it feels like every space movie ever but not as fun, the ending was terrible, the story was beyond boring, and the writing was uninteresting.
I am convinced Patterson himself didn’t have much to do with this book. A writer of his time and success is just too large to have been a big part of this. I am also convinced Patterson knew this was not gonna be one of his great memorable books, but I believe either he has deadlines or just didn’t care so he approved slapping his name on it. After the second story I was going to give this book two stars but because of that awful last story I have to give it one. This book is bad, and not a fun bad. Don’t read this, you’ll be bored from minute one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2021
james patterson is one of my least favourite authors, if i didn’t receive this book in a book exchange i probably wouldn’t have given it a second thought.
i must admit that it was one of the better books that he wrote but i think it has to do with the co-authors he worked with to write these stories.
the book was an easy enough read, it consisted of three short stories, the first one was quite compelling but the second & third stories were quite boring & it took me much longer to finish.
i personally feel like the endings in the stories were rushed & too much details were placed on things of much less importance.
this book had so much potential of being great because the storylines were interesting but it was executed poorly.
i must admit that it was one of the better books that he wrote but i think it has to do with the co-authors he worked with to write these stories.
the book was an easy enough read, it consisted of three short stories, the first one was quite compelling but the second & third stories were quite boring & it took me much longer to finish.
i personally feel like the endings in the stories were rushed & too much details were placed on things of much less importance.
this book had so much potential of being great because the storylines were interesting but it was executed poorly.
January 16, 2019
The first short story, The House Next Door, was an decent read. It was a bit predictable but was written well.
The Killer's Wife was completely predictable and I even found myself rolling my eyes. The writing was not engaging and parts of the story were unrealistic.
We Are Not Alone is the final and best story in this book. I almost gave up reading the book after the disappointing previous story. It is a great, thrilling read that I really enjoyed. I would only recommend reading this one.
The Killer's Wife was completely predictable and I even found myself rolling my eyes. The writing was not engaging and parts of the story were unrealistic.
We Are Not Alone is the final and best story in this book. I almost gave up reading the book after the disappointing previous story. It is a great, thrilling read that I really enjoyed. I would only recommend reading this one.
January 21, 2019
Consisted of three separate stories. The first one sucked me right in - had to keep turning the pages . However the ending was disappointing to me - felt a little rushed. The second story was pretty good. The third story really didn’t grab me at the start and I was sure I would be disappointed by it. Oddly enough - it got much better as I read on and I did enjoy it. Again ... all three stories were decent but I feel since they had to be “shorter” stories, I was not as much of a fan as I am of his normal length books. I would still suggest this “read” to James Patterson’s fans .... just not one of his better books in my honest opinion.
March 24, 2019
James Patterson books are quick formula escapism reads, which are usually consistent in product, so one really should know what to expect from them. Occasionally there are a few that do surpass the majority of his work. Unfortunately "The House Next Door" does not fall into this category. Sorry to say this because I don't like to be negative, but this has been the worst James Patterson book that I have every read.
April 14, 2019
Although not outstanding stories - they were different, predictable, and enjoyable.
April 24, 2019
This book had 3 different stories in it: The House Next Door, The Killer's Wife and We. Are. Not. Alone. They reminded me of his series of Hot Shot (I think) books, where each story is around 150-200 pages long. They were interesting, I had the last story figured out long before the end.
March 19, 2019
I enjoyed this. A trio of three light JP stories was just what I needed after reading some weightier books lately. The stories were all quite different but each had a bit of a twist. With the trademark short chapters Patterson is famous for, this trilogy proved to be an engaging page-turner for me that came at the right time.
April 9, 2020
A hard book to rate as it is a compilation of 3 seperate stories. I enjoyed the 1st and 2nd stories, but the 3rd story fell short.
November 11, 2024
The first two stories were ok the third one was stupid.
April 29, 2019
My library app rental expired after the first 2 stories so I had to wait for renewal in order to complete the final story.
Not worth the wait. “We Are Not Alone” should have been left alone.
Congrats to all the authors that penned these storylines. A Fun, in-between, fluff read
Not worth the wait. “We Are Not Alone” should have been left alone.
Congrats to all the authors that penned these storylines. A Fun, in-between, fluff read
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