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The 13-Minute Murder
Sometimes it only takes a few minutes for the perfect murder to take place. Here are two fast-paced thrillers that will have you reading for just a minute longer.
13-MINUTE MURDER: He can kill anybody in just minutes–from the first approach to the clean escape. His skills have served him well, and he has a grand plan: to get out alive and spend his earnings with his beloved wife, Maria.
An anonymous client offers Ryan a rich payout to assassinate a target in Harvard Yard. It’s exactly the last big job he needs to complete his plan. The precision strike starts perfectly, then somehow explodes into a horrifying spectacle. Ryan has to run and Maria goes missing. Now the world’s fastest hit man sets out for one last score: Revenge. And every minute counts.
113 MINUTES: Molly Rourke’s son has been murdered–and she knows who’s responsible. Now she’s taking the law into her own hands. Never underestimate a mother’s love.
13-MINUTE MURDER: He can kill anybody in just minutes–from the first approach to the clean escape. His skills have served him well, and he has a grand plan: to get out alive and spend his earnings with his beloved wife, Maria.
An anonymous client offers Ryan a rich payout to assassinate a target in Harvard Yard. It’s exactly the last big job he needs to complete his plan. The precision strike starts perfectly, then somehow explodes into a horrifying spectacle. Ryan has to run and Maria goes missing. Now the world’s fastest hit man sets out for one last score: Revenge. And every minute counts.
113 MINUTES: Molly Rourke’s son has been murdered–and she knows who’s responsible. Now she’s taking the law into her own hands. Never underestimate a mother’s love.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published April 16, 2019
3215 people are currently reading
3762 people want to read
About the author
James Patterson
955 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 526 reviews
July 28, 2019
Much to my surprise, these are three solid short stories. 9 of 10 stars
April 18, 2019
Note: This is a review solely of this short story, not the collection of three BookShots found in the published work bearing the same name. Please see the link for each of the other two stories individually, as they were read and reviewed previously, also independently.
Dead Man Running
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
113 Minutes
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
13-Minute Murder
It is always nice to curl up with a BookShot to pass an hour or so, watching James Patterson and his collaborator try to sell the reader on their latest short story, with limited space for character and plot development. In this piece, Patterson invites Shan Serafin to join him on a journey into he world of hit men. When Mike Ryan and his associate are given a hit, it could net a payout that allows them to hang up their guns and live an honourable life. They find themselves on the campus of Harvard University, plotting the takedown of the son of a Croatian mob boss. Weighing all the factors, Ryan gives the green light, but things go horrible backwards, forcing him to scramble and try to make sense of what’s going wrong. This spirals into a manhunt for the person who ordered the hit, something that will cause much bloodshed as the body count mounts. When things get personal, Ryan finds himself willing to risk it all to find answers he never thought important before. Racing around Boston, Mike Ryan will cross paths with some of the more ruthless men to get answers, risking life and limb with little regard for anyone. An interesting story that develops in short order, but is not as gripping as I would have liked. BookShot fans may like this one, though the collaboration is far from Patterson’s best work.
I find myself drawn to BookShots, more because they are quick to digest than their stellar writing or plot development. James Patterson can be hit or miss with them, as he tends to be with all his writing, leaving the reader unsure what to expect when they start. This was a strong mediocre piece, with some interesting character presentation and a somewhat plausible plot, but I had hoped for something more gripping, with the premise laid out before me. Mike Ryan has been in the business of killing people for over a decade and has it down to an art. He sketches out the kill, the escape, and the blow-back fairly well, developing a great plan while also promising his wife that he will make an honest man out of himself before long. When faced with this last kill, things go wrong and the reader can see how he handles the unknown, while rubbing elbows with mob men who have no heart when it comes to killing those who cross them. Other characters are peppered throughout the piece and they move the story in somewhat of a forward direction, though some of the grittiest characters lack the sharp edges one would expect. It could be the limited space or the need to limit the plot, but I was left wanting much more from many of these characters. The plot had possibilities, especially when dealing with the criminal underbelly, but there was an noticeable lack of grit and action, as Mike Ryan sought retribution and tried to make this final kill one that would mean something. Shan Serafin does well to complement the Patterson juggernaut, though I was not entirely sold on their collaborative effort.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Serafin, for a decent output. I can see a lot of potential between you two, though I was not sold on the end product here.
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/...
Dead Man Running
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
113 Minutes
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
13-Minute Murder
It is always nice to curl up with a BookShot to pass an hour or so, watching James Patterson and his collaborator try to sell the reader on their latest short story, with limited space for character and plot development. In this piece, Patterson invites Shan Serafin to join him on a journey into he world of hit men. When Mike Ryan and his associate are given a hit, it could net a payout that allows them to hang up their guns and live an honourable life. They find themselves on the campus of Harvard University, plotting the takedown of the son of a Croatian mob boss. Weighing all the factors, Ryan gives the green light, but things go horrible backwards, forcing him to scramble and try to make sense of what’s going wrong. This spirals into a manhunt for the person who ordered the hit, something that will cause much bloodshed as the body count mounts. When things get personal, Ryan finds himself willing to risk it all to find answers he never thought important before. Racing around Boston, Mike Ryan will cross paths with some of the more ruthless men to get answers, risking life and limb with little regard for anyone. An interesting story that develops in short order, but is not as gripping as I would have liked. BookShot fans may like this one, though the collaboration is far from Patterson’s best work.
I find myself drawn to BookShots, more because they are quick to digest than their stellar writing or plot development. James Patterson can be hit or miss with them, as he tends to be with all his writing, leaving the reader unsure what to expect when they start. This was a strong mediocre piece, with some interesting character presentation and a somewhat plausible plot, but I had hoped for something more gripping, with the premise laid out before me. Mike Ryan has been in the business of killing people for over a decade and has it down to an art. He sketches out the kill, the escape, and the blow-back fairly well, developing a great plan while also promising his wife that he will make an honest man out of himself before long. When faced with this last kill, things go wrong and the reader can see how he handles the unknown, while rubbing elbows with mob men who have no heart when it comes to killing those who cross them. Other characters are peppered throughout the piece and they move the story in somewhat of a forward direction, though some of the grittiest characters lack the sharp edges one would expect. It could be the limited space or the need to limit the plot, but I was left wanting much more from many of these characters. The plot had possibilities, especially when dealing with the criminal underbelly, but there was an noticeable lack of grit and action, as Mike Ryan sought retribution and tried to make this final kill one that would mean something. Shan Serafin does well to complement the Patterson juggernaut, though I was not entirely sold on their collaborative effort.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Serafin, for a decent output. I can see a lot of potential between you two, though I was not sold on the end product here.
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 19, 2019
Beware this is three bookshots and not a standalone book.
DEAD MAN RUNNING ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ First story was very good. Could've been a full length book. Main character and suspense were good.
113 MINUTES ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I was going to give the second story 3 stars. The story didn't make sense, but the twist was good and explained it all.
13-MINUTE MURDER ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Didn't like the story as much as the first two, but I liked the character, some humor...and I'm a sucker for dogs. A darker story.
DEAD MAN RUNNING ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ First story was very good. Could've been a full length book. Main character and suspense were good.
113 MINUTES ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I was going to give the second story 3 stars. The story didn't make sense, but the twist was good and explained it all.
13-MINUTE MURDER ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Didn't like the story as much as the first two, but I liked the character, some humor...and I'm a sucker for dogs. A darker story.
April 18, 2019
First off, I’m going to start everyone with a warning for this book. It’s actually 3 bookshots in one. Unfortunately I didn’t know this when I pre-ordered it. And unfortunately I had already read 2 of these as bookshots. So I overpaid immensely for one bookshot that wasn’t even a good one. There should be a disclaimer on the front of these books that clearly states that it includes formally published BOOKSHOTS. *rant over
June 28, 2019
Once again, I see that I am in the minority on my review. Most folks seem to have liked this book. I gave this 1 star because 0 just isn't an option. I had high expectations. James Patterson is the best selling author of all time, right? I just don't get it. First, I didn't realize that this book was actually 3 short stories that were co-written with James Patterson. The first one was okay, but I felt that it stopped pretty short of a satisfactory ending or even a satisfactory read. My opinion--very poor character development and no twist whatsoever. I saw an ad on TV where Mr. Patterson alludes to a twist that you just won't see coming. Nope, no twist at all. And here's the thing--the first story was the best of the 3. The second story was just ridiculous and by the time the 3rd one was done, I had sworn off any other books co-written with Mr. Patterson. I think that at this point sales are riding on his name and reputation alone. I just can't figure out why.
April 26, 2019
Read the first story, skip the second and speed read the third. I am not a fan of Patterson’s Bookshots but the first story in this grouping was really good. I could have totally lived without the other two. If you have other books to enjoy, this is one Patterson volume worth skipping.
April 26, 2019
Kind of disappointing. It was 3 Bookshots, 2 of which I had already read.
February 5, 2020
DNF. I listened to this audiobook. The story was stupid and the narrator was horrible. That’s about it.
May 9, 2019
This books provided me with a valuable lesson that I need to read the reviews and not just to grab a James Patterson book off the shelf and purchase it because I love his books. Had I read the reviews I would have know NOT to purchase it because I would have known that this is actually 3 bookshots in one. Unfortunately I had already read 2 of the book shots and was not thrilled at the last which is the name of the book. Very sneaky , Mr. James Patterson!
April 7, 2021
Well, I have to agree with other reviewers. Two out of three books is not bad. Unfortunately the first two books were good, but the final was kinda of a dud. All that violence. And for what? I didn’t see the point.
May 9, 2019
This is a collection of 3 short stories, previously released as part of the Bookshots series. All had good plots and were action-packed so ideal for a quick read.
April 23, 2020
Another walk-the-dog audiobook. This was three stories and all were fun to lsiten to and very entertaining. The endings all had inniovative twists. Recommend this if you're going on a road trip.
January 14, 2025
I really like these books that have 2 or 3 shorter reads. Just as with every Patrerson book a pleasure to read.
August 19, 2024
So this one was a collection of 3 novellas, which I didn't realize when I bought it. (I bought it used, so no big deal). As a collection, it was....meh. Decent reads, but certainly nothing I'd recommend. Actually, it was good that they were novellas, because any longer and it may have become torture to read a couple of the stories.
Story #1 - Dead Man Running was about a psychiatrist who treats those with PTSD. He takes on a new patient and after the session, watches his patient get murdered on the street outside the office. This then unleashes a chain of events leading to the discovery of an assassination plot of a Presidential candidate. All this happens while our protagonist suffers from a brain tumor. This story started out so well, and then dove into the deep-end of the absurdity pool. I don't want to share too much to avoid spoilers, but lets just say the Secret Service in this story seemed about as inept as our current Secret Service. And the "evil plot" just seemed soooooo implausible, I was actually looking for a quick ending. I gave this one 2.5 stars.
Story #2 - 113 Minutes begins with a mother grieving the loss of her son due to a drug overdose, then dealing with the potential loss of the family farm to the bank. I had a pretty good idea where the story was going when the bank robbery planning started and I was correct. Totally saw the ending coming a mile a way. This one was entertaining, but again lacked that "special sauce" that ties the whole story together with the characters. Frankly, I didn't really care much for any of the characters. They were just bland. Another 2.5 stars.
Story #3 - 13 Minute Murder tells the story of a hitman and his partner coordinating the assassination of a Croatian Mob Boss's son. Though they go through the plan with meticulous detail, things of course go awry and the hit is a complete S#!t show. The Mike the Hitman spends the rest of the story trying to figure out who ordered the hit and has some crazy encounters as he works through the underworld looking for answers. (Again, trying to avoid spoilers). This one I found fun, travelling through the layers of the mob, as he leaves a trail of bodies. While it seems most reviewers disliked this story more than the other two, I rather enjoyed it. So this one gets 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4, just because I like all-things Mafia.
As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on these collaborations with Patterson. I enjoy HIS books, but have found many of the collaborations rather lackluster. So, with that, I gave this collection 3 very generous stars. Not horrible, but not great. Just my 2 cents. :)
Story #1 - Dead Man Running was about a psychiatrist who treats those with PTSD. He takes on a new patient and after the session, watches his patient get murdered on the street outside the office. This then unleashes a chain of events leading to the discovery of an assassination plot of a Presidential candidate. All this happens while our protagonist suffers from a brain tumor. This story started out so well, and then dove into the deep-end of the absurdity pool. I don't want to share too much to avoid spoilers, but lets just say the Secret Service in this story seemed about as inept as our current Secret Service. And the "evil plot" just seemed soooooo implausible, I was actually looking for a quick ending. I gave this one 2.5 stars.
Story #2 - 113 Minutes begins with a mother grieving the loss of her son due to a drug overdose, then dealing with the potential loss of the family farm to the bank. I had a pretty good idea where the story was going when the bank robbery planning started and I was correct. Totally saw the ending coming a mile a way. This one was entertaining, but again lacked that "special sauce" that ties the whole story together with the characters. Frankly, I didn't really care much for any of the characters. They were just bland. Another 2.5 stars.
Story #3 - 13 Minute Murder tells the story of a hitman and his partner coordinating the assassination of a Croatian Mob Boss's son. Though they go through the plan with meticulous detail, things of course go awry and the hit is a complete S#!t show. The Mike the Hitman spends the rest of the story trying to figure out who ordered the hit and has some crazy encounters as he works through the underworld looking for answers. (Again, trying to avoid spoilers). This one I found fun, travelling through the layers of the mob, as he leaves a trail of bodies. While it seems most reviewers disliked this story more than the other two, I rather enjoyed it. So this one gets 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4, just because I like all-things Mafia.
As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on these collaborations with Patterson. I enjoy HIS books, but have found many of the collaborations rather lackluster. So, with that, I gave this collection 3 very generous stars. Not horrible, but not great. Just my 2 cents. :)
January 16, 2020
This book was actually three different stories in one.
The first is Dead Man Running:
This book featured Dr. Randall Beck who is a psychiatrist who is also dying of brain cancer. Most of his patients are dealing with some type of traumatic event that he is helping them work through. When a new client shows up at his office and then is gunned down right after the appointment, Dr. Beck has lots of questions, but he's not getting the answers. In order to get the answers, he will have to risk his own life and the life of others in order to find out what is going on.
Next Was 113 Minutes:
When Molly Rourke gets the call that her son has had an overdose at school, the first thing she does is call her brothers because she knows she can't handle this news on her own. They spend the next few months trying to figure out who was behind his death and getting their revenge. There are a lot of surprises in this story.
Finally 13-Minute Murder:
Michael Ryan is given a job to kill a coed in the middle of Harvard. When the job is done, he is determined to find out who ordered the hit. His partner doesn't want to say, but when Ryan uncovers the truth, it's almost too good to be true. He can execute the perfect murder in 13 minutes, but it may take more than that to bring down all the players involved in this.
I didn't know when I downloaded the book that it was 3 different Book Shout books. I could have upped my Challenge Count if I did. These stories were not the best. I think 113 Minutes was my favorite out of the three. It had a twist in it that I didn't see coming. So if you want to read any of these, this is the one I recommend the most. Next would be Dead Man Running. 13 Minute Murder just ended up kind of weird for me.
Overall the book was alright. Three different murder stories that have you wondering What the Heck?? James Patterson is one of my favorite authors and no matter how hard I try, I don't think I will ever finish reading all of his books.
The first is Dead Man Running:
This book featured Dr. Randall Beck who is a psychiatrist who is also dying of brain cancer. Most of his patients are dealing with some type of traumatic event that he is helping them work through. When a new client shows up at his office and then is gunned down right after the appointment, Dr. Beck has lots of questions, but he's not getting the answers. In order to get the answers, he will have to risk his own life and the life of others in order to find out what is going on.
Next Was 113 Minutes:
When Molly Rourke gets the call that her son has had an overdose at school, the first thing she does is call her brothers because she knows she can't handle this news on her own. They spend the next few months trying to figure out who was behind his death and getting their revenge. There are a lot of surprises in this story.
Finally 13-Minute Murder:
Michael Ryan is given a job to kill a coed in the middle of Harvard. When the job is done, he is determined to find out who ordered the hit. His partner doesn't want to say, but when Ryan uncovers the truth, it's almost too good to be true. He can execute the perfect murder in 13 minutes, but it may take more than that to bring down all the players involved in this.
I didn't know when I downloaded the book that it was 3 different Book Shout books. I could have upped my Challenge Count if I did. These stories were not the best. I think 113 Minutes was my favorite out of the three. It had a twist in it that I didn't see coming. So if you want to read any of these, this is the one I recommend the most. Next would be Dead Man Running. 13 Minute Murder just ended up kind of weird for me.
Overall the book was alright. Three different murder stories that have you wondering What the Heck?? James Patterson is one of my favorite authors and no matter how hard I try, I don't think I will ever finish reading all of his books.
January 27, 2020
This is the kind of book you pick up at the drugstore when you are going to be sitting in a waiting room for a while and you realize you left your book at home...and the only other options are cheesy romances, Christian non-fiction, and a slew of gun and car magazines. Anyway, that's my story. I paid for it, so I had to read it.
Three bookshots, James Patterson's fancy word for novellas. His name may be the first thing you see on the cover, but none of the stories are by him and I think it is a bit disingenuous of Mr Patterson and the publisher to not include the names of the no doubt primary authors on the cover.
Dead Man Running which isn't even mentioned in the blurb is probably the best of the 3 bookshots. A dying psychiatrist becomes involved in a plot to kill the president when one of his patients is killed outside his office. It could easily have been fleshed out and turned into a full length novel. 4 stars
113 Minutes, the second bookshot, totally different style and had a literary vibe. A woman with the help of her family plots the ultimate revenge for the death of her son. First I hated it, then I liked it, then I was a little bored with it, then the plot twist. Ok then, points for surprising me and pulling it out of a downward spiral. 3 Stars
The 13-Minute Murder Hit man has botched last job that puts him on the run and out for revenge. My least favorite of the three. It was a big miss for me. It might have benefited from a lot more story and character development. At this level, I am very glad it was a quick read and I didn't have a lot of time invested in the story. 2 stars
Three bookshots, James Patterson's fancy word for novellas. His name may be the first thing you see on the cover, but none of the stories are by him and I think it is a bit disingenuous of Mr Patterson and the publisher to not include the names of the no doubt primary authors on the cover.
Dead Man Running which isn't even mentioned in the blurb is probably the best of the 3 bookshots. A dying psychiatrist becomes involved in a plot to kill the president when one of his patients is killed outside his office. It could easily have been fleshed out and turned into a full length novel. 4 stars
113 Minutes, the second bookshot, totally different style and had a literary vibe. A woman with the help of her family plots the ultimate revenge for the death of her son. First I hated it, then I liked it, then I was a little bored with it, then the plot twist. Ok then, points for surprising me and pulling it out of a downward spiral. 3 Stars
The 13-Minute Murder Hit man has botched last job that puts him on the run and out for revenge. My least favorite of the three. It was a big miss for me. It might have benefited from a lot more story and character development. At this level, I am very glad it was a quick read and I didn't have a lot of time invested in the story. 2 stars
August 23, 2019
1...I couldn't get passed the awful attempt at a knockoff version of Gregory House!!! Sorry folks...there is only one...A psychiatrist...Sorry, Next!!
November 6, 2019
The only story I liked is Dead Man Running in this book of short stories. It had action & a really good storyline.
March 18, 2020
Good if you are in the mood for an exaggerated and unbelievable action packed adventure story....or three. Perfect if you want to wind down and not have to think.
August 6, 2020
This book had 3 stories. Loved them all.
May 2, 2019
THE 13-MINUTE MURDER is an interesting concept. The book contains three separate short thrillers (including the title story), each written by James Patterson and a different author. It’s an entertaining presentation, and a convenient one, giving readers a compact volume with varied selections to enjoy either while waiting for whatever appointment one might encounter or during scheduled reading time. Anything that encourages and facilitates the act of reading is to be praised, and Patterson is a master at this, as he demonstrates here.
The first piece, “Dead Man Running,” is co-written with Christopher Farnsworth, with whose work I had been generally unfamiliar. I will attempt to rectify that after reading this story, which is full of explosions, twists and turns. The immediately sympathetic protagonist is a psychiatrist named Randall Beck, who is in a race against time with himself. Randall has an inoperable brain tumor but is determined to live out his final days helping others through therapy. It is while doing this that he inadvertently uncovers a plot to assassinate a presidential candidate. By virtue of his attempt to stop the act from occurring, Randall is thrust into the middle of it, accidentally taking fellow psychiatrist Susan Carpenter with him. That Randall and Susan are romantically (and secretly) interested in each other makes for a nice, if bittersweet, subplot. The entire story is a unique twist on the theme of a person who has nothing to lose by his or her actions and thus is difficult to stop.
Max DiLallo should be well known to Patterson fans as one of his go-to collaborators on such books as ZOO 2 and THE CHEF. DiLallo’s contribution, “113 Minutes,” is both a caper story and a revenge novel, but is primarily about a mother’s love. Molly Rourke is experiencing an otherwise typical day when she receives the worst news that any parent could get: her son, Alex, has died as the result of a drug overdose. She knows who provided him with the deadly substance, but there isn’t much she can do about it. Or so it seems. With the help of her brothers, who have some extensive skill sets, and a capable family friend, Molly sets a plan in motion to see that justice is done. However, it appears possible that, if justice is to be served, it may entrap her as well. This is a fast-moving story that has a couple of surprising twists that you might see coming, though not in the way you would expect.
The title story’s co-author is Shan Serafin, who also is arguably best known for his collaborative work with Patterson. This novella introduces Michael Ryan, an obsessive-compulsive assassin for hire who plots his hits down to the last detail. It opens with Ryan and an associate plotting to take down a Harvard student who is the son of a Croatian crime boss. Everything that can go wrong does, and Ryan soon finds he is a target himself. As one might expect, he does not go down easily, leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake. As an added bonus, Ryan is a bit (how can I say it?) unusual. He is not really a sympathetic character, but one cannot help cheering him on…or, at the least, not finding fault with his selection of targets. Similarities to a fictitious film character do not exactly abound but are present in some numbers. Still, “The 13-Minute Murder” will hold you until the third installment in the referenced movie franchise appears.
Kudos to Patterson and his contributors for producing yet another format to bring folks to the bookshelves. More volumes of this sort are on the way, providing a method of exposing prospective readers to new and different authors. Good on them.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
The first piece, “Dead Man Running,” is co-written with Christopher Farnsworth, with whose work I had been generally unfamiliar. I will attempt to rectify that after reading this story, which is full of explosions, twists and turns. The immediately sympathetic protagonist is a psychiatrist named Randall Beck, who is in a race against time with himself. Randall has an inoperable brain tumor but is determined to live out his final days helping others through therapy. It is while doing this that he inadvertently uncovers a plot to assassinate a presidential candidate. By virtue of his attempt to stop the act from occurring, Randall is thrust into the middle of it, accidentally taking fellow psychiatrist Susan Carpenter with him. That Randall and Susan are romantically (and secretly) interested in each other makes for a nice, if bittersweet, subplot. The entire story is a unique twist on the theme of a person who has nothing to lose by his or her actions and thus is difficult to stop.
Max DiLallo should be well known to Patterson fans as one of his go-to collaborators on such books as ZOO 2 and THE CHEF. DiLallo’s contribution, “113 Minutes,” is both a caper story and a revenge novel, but is primarily about a mother’s love. Molly Rourke is experiencing an otherwise typical day when she receives the worst news that any parent could get: her son, Alex, has died as the result of a drug overdose. She knows who provided him with the deadly substance, but there isn’t much she can do about it. Or so it seems. With the help of her brothers, who have some extensive skill sets, and a capable family friend, Molly sets a plan in motion to see that justice is done. However, it appears possible that, if justice is to be served, it may entrap her as well. This is a fast-moving story that has a couple of surprising twists that you might see coming, though not in the way you would expect.
The title story’s co-author is Shan Serafin, who also is arguably best known for his collaborative work with Patterson. This novella introduces Michael Ryan, an obsessive-compulsive assassin for hire who plots his hits down to the last detail. It opens with Ryan and an associate plotting to take down a Harvard student who is the son of a Croatian crime boss. Everything that can go wrong does, and Ryan soon finds he is a target himself. As one might expect, he does not go down easily, leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake. As an added bonus, Ryan is a bit (how can I say it?) unusual. He is not really a sympathetic character, but one cannot help cheering him on…or, at the least, not finding fault with his selection of targets. Similarities to a fictitious film character do not exactly abound but are present in some numbers. Still, “The 13-Minute Murder” will hold you until the third installment in the referenced movie franchise appears.
Kudos to Patterson and his contributors for producing yet another format to bring folks to the bookshelves. More volumes of this sort are on the way, providing a method of exposing prospective readers to new and different authors. Good on them.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
April 26, 2019
A trilogy of murderous mayhem . . . .
“Dead Man Running” pits psychiatrist Randall Beck against a clandestine group plotting murder at a political debate. They’re determined to eliminate their candidate’s opposition, a woman who just happens to be the President of the United States.
“113 Minutes” follows a grieving mother who takes the law into her own hands as she sets out to expose her teenaged son’s murderer.
“The 13-Minute Murder” finds Michael Ryan, reputed to be the world’s fastest hit man, in a desperate race for revenge.
Murder is the commonality in these three tales.
Both “Dead Man Running” and “113 Minutes,” previously published as BookShots, offer sketchy characterization in favor of jumping right into the action. “Dead Man Running,” the strongest of the three stories in this volume, builds tension as unexpected events ramp up the suspense. “113 Minutes,” however, tends to strain the reader’s believability factor with its implausible plot twists. Nevertheless, both are enjoyable quick reads. The final story, “The 13-Minute Murder,” enmeshes readers in a gruesome tale filled with far more violence than many will find palatable.
“Dead Man Running” pits psychiatrist Randall Beck against a clandestine group plotting murder at a political debate. They’re determined to eliminate their candidate’s opposition, a woman who just happens to be the President of the United States.
“113 Minutes” follows a grieving mother who takes the law into her own hands as she sets out to expose her teenaged son’s murderer.
“The 13-Minute Murder” finds Michael Ryan, reputed to be the world’s fastest hit man, in a desperate race for revenge.
Murder is the commonality in these three tales.
Both “Dead Man Running” and “113 Minutes,” previously published as BookShots, offer sketchy characterization in favor of jumping right into the action. “Dead Man Running,” the strongest of the three stories in this volume, builds tension as unexpected events ramp up the suspense. “113 Minutes,” however, tends to strain the reader’s believability factor with its implausible plot twists. Nevertheless, both are enjoyable quick reads. The final story, “The 13-Minute Murder,” enmeshes readers in a gruesome tale filled with far more violence than many will find palatable.
June 8, 2019
There are 3 short stories in this book. I would call them novellas but author Patterson usually calls them bookshots.
Dead Man Running: Psychiatrist Randall Beck witnesses the shooting of one of his patients. Then someone tries to kill him as he uncovers a plot at the highest level of government. The book is full of action and had a nice ending. I rate it 3 stars.
113 Minutes: Molly Rourke's 15 year old son dies from crystal meth. She knows who sold him the drugs and plots revenge with her brothers and friends. So how do they start? Rob a bank, of course. They pull off more heists. There's a nice twist in this one. I rate it 3 stars.
The 13 Minute Murder: A hit man is paid to murder someone on the Harvard campus. This story escalated to being bizarre and I never saw the point. I can't rate this one more than 2 stars.
Dead Man Running: Psychiatrist Randall Beck witnesses the shooting of one of his patients. Then someone tries to kill him as he uncovers a plot at the highest level of government. The book is full of action and had a nice ending. I rate it 3 stars.
113 Minutes: Molly Rourke's 15 year old son dies from crystal meth. She knows who sold him the drugs and plots revenge with her brothers and friends. So how do they start? Rob a bank, of course. They pull off more heists. There's a nice twist in this one. I rate it 3 stars.
The 13 Minute Murder: A hit man is paid to murder someone on the Harvard campus. This story escalated to being bizarre and I never saw the point. I can't rate this one more than 2 stars.
April 22, 2020
The three books were okay as a whole. The first book, "Dead Man Running", was exceptional. The second was medioker after reading the first. The last was good as well but yet again it just didn't compare. I recommend "Dead Man Running." They are all good stories alone, but it belittles "113 Minutes" and "The 13 Minute Murder"
June 5, 2019
Three short stories of murder in this book. I liked “ Dead Man Running”
the best. They were a fast and easy read and predictable with the usual
short chapters with a lot of action. The stories were individual mysteries
and did not relate to each other.
the best. They were a fast and easy read and predictable with the usual
short chapters with a lot of action. The stories were individual mysteries
and did not relate to each other.
May 1, 2019
Dead Man Running was the best of the lot. The other 2 were meh.
May 28, 2019
I liked the second story the most.
July 13, 2019
O.k. but wish Patterson would just write himself instead of other authors as he was a good author by himself, better in fact!
August 7, 2019
Quick read, fast paced action novel.
September 10, 2019
Average stories. Dead Man Running felt like it dragged on forever. Not sure why I keep picking up these bookshots when they don't keep my attention enough.
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