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Cajun Justice
This new standalone thriller from the world's #1 bestselling author follows ex-Secret Service agent, Cain Lemaire, as he uncovers the dark secrets hidden beneath the Tokyo streets.
The Bayou is a unique place to live and it provides a grit and passion to any who hail from it, including Cain Lemaire, an ex-Secret Service agent from New Orleans. Cain had the dream job he had always wanted, protecting the President, until a single night resulted in a scandal that lost him his post. Needing a new direction for his life and with help from his sister who works in Japan, Cain takes a job in Tokyo as head of security detail for a very successful and important CEO. What he thought was a simple security post unravels a tangled web of corruption, greed, and extortion, but now Cain is on his own and without the wealth of resources he had with the Secret Service. Years of training and international missions kick in as he races to find justice that only way a born and raised Cajun can do.
The Bayou is a unique place to live and it provides a grit and passion to any who hail from it, including Cain Lemaire, an ex-Secret Service agent from New Orleans. Cain had the dream job he had always wanted, protecting the President, until a single night resulted in a scandal that lost him his post. Needing a new direction for his life and with help from his sister who works in Japan, Cain takes a job in Tokyo as head of security detail for a very successful and important CEO. What he thought was a simple security post unravels a tangled web of corruption, greed, and extortion, but now Cain is on his own and without the wealth of resources he had with the Secret Service. Years of training and international missions kick in as he races to find justice that only way a born and raised Cajun can do.
593 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2020
2610 people are currently reading
8670 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 474 reviews
July 26, 2020
Looking forward to some new collaborative efforts, I picked up this piece by James Patterson and Tucker Axum III. The story held my attention throughout and broke some of the traditional Patterson stylistic choices, which only added to the intrigue and entertainment. Secret Service Agent Cain Lemaire has a great position on the US President’s advance security team, which is how he finds himself in South America. When Lemaire tries to cover for one of his fellow agents, he ends up paying off a prostitute and lands the entire team in some hot water. Summoned back to DC, Lemaire is placed in quite the predicament and his Secret Service career is all but done, pending a review. Lemaire has little else to do, other than to return to Louisiana, where his family awaits. After some coaxing by his twin sister, Bonnie, and with an interest to turn the heat down in America, Lemaire agrees to a job in Japan. He’ll be heading up a security detail for an automobile executive who has been in some hot water of his own. When Lemaire arrives, he is not only greeted by the cultural differences, but also a sister who is very excited to see him. Lemaire and Bonnie enjoy catching up before it’s time to get down to brass tacks. Lemaire assesses the team he will lead and discovers some weaknesses that need reorganising. This is even more important when an assassination attempt rocks Lemaire and his team. While he remains ever vigilant, Lemaire agrees to some downtime, where he discovers another side of Bonnie, one that never seemed to have made it into their numerous conversations. This leads to a few fists being tossed and Lemaire soon learns that he has attacked one of the yakuza, the Asian Mafia. When Bonnie goes missing, the message is clear, forcing Lemaire to realise that this is no group worth ignoring. While he balances a massive search for his sister, Lemaire also finds solace in a colleague and reveals much about his past. Bonnie’s life is surely hanging by a thread, as the yakuza have no issue with sending their captives into the depths of despair to prove a point. Cain Lemaire will have to rely on his skills and some key assets in Japan to find his sister and clear his name in media outlets. A great book that pulls intensity out of all corners to leave the reader wanting more. Recommended to those who enjoy culture shock novels, as well as those who find pleasure in some of Patterson’s better collaborations.
I may have a love/hate relationship for books that bear James Patterson’s name on the cover, but this was a wonderful surprise and I hope others in my position take note. Working with Tucker Axum III, Patterson is able to pull on his collaborator’s experiences to craft a wonderful book that keeps the reader hooked throughout. One will presume that Cain Lemaire has some parallels to Axum, which helps add depth and intrigue to the protagonist. Forced out of the job he loves, Lemaire must reinvent himself and find solace halfway around the world. This move to Japan not only opens Lemaire’s eyes to a new culture, but helps him heal from a personal tragedy he’s kept hidden. There is both strong backstory and character development in this piece, permitting the reader to see the full gamut of Cain Lemaire and his abilities to rise above it all. Others within the book offer the reader some interesting insight into life within many circles: the Secret Service, Cajun traditionalists, as well as the Japanese. All these groups highlight different portions of the book and shine their experiences on Cain Lemaire, who traverses through them with some degree of ease. The story was quite entertaining from the outset, leaving the reader to wonder if this might be a political thriller, with POTUS in the middle of a scandal, but soon develops into a wonderful story that takes the reader through a significant culture shock. The authors present the Japanese lifestyle quite effectively here, contrasting and comparing while also developing a great story that never loses momentum. There is something for everyone with his book and is sure to keep many talking about the superior nature of the piece, while others posit about the likelihood that Cain Lemaire will be back again. I’d read more from this collaboration if they ended up being as strong, while I also applaud James Patterson for finding someone who has upped what can sometimes be mediocre publishing efforts.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Axum, for a great piece. I am eager to see what comes of your work and how others react to it.
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/...
I may have a love/hate relationship for books that bear James Patterson’s name on the cover, but this was a wonderful surprise and I hope others in my position take note. Working with Tucker Axum III, Patterson is able to pull on his collaborator’s experiences to craft a wonderful book that keeps the reader hooked throughout. One will presume that Cain Lemaire has some parallels to Axum, which helps add depth and intrigue to the protagonist. Forced out of the job he loves, Lemaire must reinvent himself and find solace halfway around the world. This move to Japan not only opens Lemaire’s eyes to a new culture, but helps him heal from a personal tragedy he’s kept hidden. There is both strong backstory and character development in this piece, permitting the reader to see the full gamut of Cain Lemaire and his abilities to rise above it all. Others within the book offer the reader some interesting insight into life within many circles: the Secret Service, Cajun traditionalists, as well as the Japanese. All these groups highlight different portions of the book and shine their experiences on Cain Lemaire, who traverses through them with some degree of ease. The story was quite entertaining from the outset, leaving the reader to wonder if this might be a political thriller, with POTUS in the middle of a scandal, but soon develops into a wonderful story that takes the reader through a significant culture shock. The authors present the Japanese lifestyle quite effectively here, contrasting and comparing while also developing a great story that never loses momentum. There is something for everyone with his book and is sure to keep many talking about the superior nature of the piece, while others posit about the likelihood that Cain Lemaire will be back again. I’d read more from this collaboration if they ended up being as strong, while I also applaud James Patterson for finding someone who has upped what can sometimes be mediocre publishing efforts.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Axum, for a great piece. I am eager to see what comes of your work and how others react to it.
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/...
November 15, 2022
-2.5 stars-This wasn't what I expected. It's my own fault for not reading the synopsis I guess. I really enjoy southern stories like the last JP books Texas Ranger series which were very good and c'mon Cajun Justice I knew it is a must read!
This book was all over the place. The story is about a Secret Service agent (inspired by the 2012 Secret Service prostitution scandal) who lost his job and went into private security... in JAPAN!
Okay, I like Japan but geez I was looking for Cajun country. I was not in the mood for this storyline and I felt sometimes it lacks common sense ie, ANA airline would not serve just octopus or eel. They would have a western and Japanese menu on top of all other diet restrictions you can think of for intercontinental inflight meals. Once landed in Japan it was a little bit of the Travel Channel and very stereotypical stuff until some action, which wasn't a lot so be prepared for a mild thriller.
Good beginning then went downhill. It is to be determined if I will read the next one.
This book was all over the place. The story is about a Secret Service agent (inspired by the 2012 Secret Service prostitution scandal) who lost his job and went into private security... in JAPAN!
Okay, I like Japan but geez I was looking for Cajun country. I was not in the mood for this storyline and I felt sometimes it lacks common sense ie, ANA airline would not serve just octopus or eel. They would have a western and Japanese menu on top of all other diet restrictions you can think of for intercontinental inflight meals. Once landed in Japan it was a little bit of the Travel Channel and very stereotypical stuff until some action, which wasn't a lot so be prepared for a mild thriller.
Good beginning then went downhill. It is to be determined if I will read the next one.
May 10, 2021
For most parts, difficult to figure what role, if any,James Patterson had in the writing of this book. Mid to end of the book, one can sense his mentoring somewhat. Overall, pretty average read...
Cain is a Secret Service agent who leaves the Service prematurely due to a colleague's indiscretion. His twin sister gets him a gig in Tokyo, protecting the CEO of large company in Japan. That's when everything goes for a toss, conspiracies, secrets and canny plots come into play....
Please read my detailed review here - https://rb.gy/acrkxk
Do read, like or comment if you so choose! Thanks for your patience and time! 🙏
Cain is a Secret Service agent who leaves the Service prematurely due to a colleague's indiscretion. His twin sister gets him a gig in Tokyo, protecting the CEO of large company in Japan. That's when everything goes for a toss, conspiracies, secrets and canny plots come into play....
Please read my detailed review here - https://rb.gy/acrkxk
Do read, like or comment if you so choose! Thanks for your patience and time! 🙏
October 9, 2020
This feels like a book in three parts and they all make one big story.
First we get the bit where the Secret Service employees do bad things besides doing their professional job, and the example of their primary protectorate could be blamed for their behaviour as they follow his suit, anyhow our hero gets the shit sandwich minus the bread.
Our hero departs to Japan for a job which his twin sister did get for him, so they can be together again. Our hero discovers Japan and its oddities for western people. Well this certainly has never been done before in a book or a movie.
Then the brother crosses the token Yakusa member who turns out to be more important than you'd expect, he never is anyway, and face has been lost so the Yakusa kidnap the sister in order to sell her to some Arabic sheiks (no clichés were missed in this book). And then of course the brother becomes the avenging angel, with his origin in Louisiana you get the title Cajun Justice explained and they make sure you understand. And of course he gets a wee bit of help from the US armed forces as they rule superiour.
A really poor thriller that has a one thing in it favor, it does make excellent train reading your brain does not get too challenged but the US superiority is kinda annoying and leaves you in no doubt which kind of reader it seeks.
Patterson does keep me amazed how he can deliver such drivel and remain a popular writer. He has gotten his mits on the Shadow rights and wants to update it which will almost certainly be the end of it.
My advise is steer clear of this book.
First we get the bit where the Secret Service employees do bad things besides doing their professional job, and the example of their primary protectorate could be blamed for their behaviour as they follow his suit, anyhow our hero gets the shit sandwich minus the bread.
Our hero departs to Japan for a job which his twin sister did get for him, so they can be together again. Our hero discovers Japan and its oddities for western people. Well this certainly has never been done before in a book or a movie.
Then the brother crosses the token Yakusa member who turns out to be more important than you'd expect, he never is anyway, and face has been lost so the Yakusa kidnap the sister in order to sell her to some Arabic sheiks (no clichés were missed in this book). And then of course the brother becomes the avenging angel, with his origin in Louisiana you get the title Cajun Justice explained and they make sure you understand. And of course he gets a wee bit of help from the US armed forces as they rule superiour.
A really poor thriller that has a one thing in it favor, it does make excellent train reading your brain does not get too challenged but the US superiority is kinda annoying and leaves you in no doubt which kind of reader it seeks.
Patterson does keep me amazed how he can deliver such drivel and remain a popular writer. He has gotten his mits on the Shadow rights and wants to update it which will almost certainly be the end of it.
My advise is steer clear of this book.
August 5, 2020
This novel seems like it was written for upper elementary age children. The story was pretty weak. The characters were not given much life. And how many times does a person have to read that the characters were "sucking air through their teeth"! It was very annoying! I definitely don't care if this is going to be a new series or not. I will easily skip over it.
July 18, 2020
Obviously NOT a James Patterson book - disappointed he is doing this so much and giving free reign to those he is supposed to be collaborating with for his style is so unique can tell the difference immediately. Very nice of him to endorse other authors but not nice for the reader when they expect a certain style of penmanship and what they are offered falls way, way, below the mark!
August 6, 2020
I can’t understand the good reviews
The story lacks depth in character, there are too many cliches, one scene can last 10 pages without adding anything to the story line. I really did try to get through this and kept coming back to give the book another chance but I wasn’t able too. Very disappointing.
The story lacks depth in character, there are too many cliches, one scene can last 10 pages without adding anything to the story line. I really did try to get through this and kept coming back to give the book another chance but I wasn’t able too. Very disappointing.
December 12, 2020
Pretty good
Pretty good, but a bit lengthy and unrealistic. The main character was well done, but the overall plot was pretty predictable.
Pretty good, but a bit lengthy and unrealistic. The main character was well done, but the overall plot was pretty predictable.
December 4, 2020
To begin let me just say that i did read the whole book but it was not that great. I was disappointed b/c based on the title, cover pic & plot summary, I thought this would be a good action mystery.
Unfortunately, it was dull. It reminded me of when we watch a really boring action movie & my dad says, "that was an action flic minus the action."
There was so much unnecessary small details about extraneous characters. And it spent the first 100+ pgs going over his background in the Secret Service. That could have been handled in a few chapters. Also, I would have liked more during his time in Louisiana.
And the stuff w/his sister in Japan. um...yeah...what now? she was only teaching English? (even i had trouble believing that.)
Also, one thing that really bugged me...the tattoos..why not ask the character you are friendly w/about them? (sorry, didn't want to give spoilers)
Most of the suspense/thrills occur in the last 1/3 of the book.
I did really like the protagonist Cain.
I also think the inspiration came from a real scandal surrounding the Secret Service in the news a few years ago. Because so many of his books now are written w/a co-author, i'm not sure how much Mr. Patterson is involved in process. I tended to think that one of the reasons it was just ok was b/c of the co-author.
That being said, I would read another book w/this character as i did like him.
Overall, i would say skip this if you're looking for a mystery thriller but if you're a fan of Patterson or Tucker Axum then you might enjoy it.
Unfortunately, it was dull. It reminded me of when we watch a really boring action movie & my dad says, "that was an action flic minus the action."
There was so much unnecessary small details about extraneous characters. And it spent the first 100+ pgs going over his background in the Secret Service. That could have been handled in a few chapters. Also, I would have liked more during his time in Louisiana.
And the stuff w/his sister in Japan. um...yeah...what now? she was only teaching English? (even i had trouble believing that.)
Also, one thing that really bugged me...the tattoos..why not ask the character you are friendly w/about them? (sorry, didn't want to give spoilers)
Most of the suspense/thrills occur in the last 1/3 of the book.
I did really like the protagonist Cain.
I also think the inspiration came from a real scandal surrounding the Secret Service in the news a few years ago. Because so many of his books now are written w/a co-author, i'm not sure how much Mr. Patterson is involved in process. I tended to think that one of the reasons it was just ok was b/c of the co-author.
That being said, I would read another book w/this character as i did like him.
Overall, i would say skip this if you're looking for a mystery thriller but if you're a fan of Patterson or Tucker Axum then you might enjoy it.
October 7, 2020
I’m surprised that I finished this one. I guess I thought it would be about New Orleans. Instead, it begins Washington, DC, then moves quickly to Japan. I am not particularly interested in Japan’s underworld, and I had a lot of trouble believing or even remotely caring about the action. I guess I would give it another half a star because I did like Tanaka. Oh well.
December 5, 2020
So I had started this one awhile back. But it was a digital loan and it expired so I had to wait for it to come back to me. It took me a bit to remember what had happened before, but when I did, it was an enjoyable story. It's not something I would read again but I'm glad I did.
September 12, 2020
I don't exactly know what I was expecting when I picked up this book. I've never read a James Patterson book before so I don't know if this is the type of book he usually writes, but this didn't exactly encourage me to read any more of his work.
My main issue with this book is that it will never surprise you. There are no plot twists, no big reveals, no interesting problem solving. The main character is an imbecile and does not come up with a single clever solution to any of his problems. The problem is that I don't think we're supposed to think the main character is a huge idiot. We're supposed to think he's a reliable man who always tells it straight. I know this not because of anything that happens in the book, but because his acquaintances keep telling him that he is a reliable man who always tells it straight.
When the protagonist arrives in Japan, it reads like a bunch American action movie tropes got dropped into the middle of a "Top 10 unusual things about Japan" clickbait article. You'll hear about vending machines and capsule hotels, honor and how everyone is so polite, etc. but don't expect more than a very shallow view of Japan as most of the characters the protagonist interacts with are conveniently huge fans of American culture. The book also somehow makes Japan feel very small, with two scenes in particular.
October 12, 2021
By the numbers espionage thriller with nothing to write home about.
Blurb that promised so much but then turned out to be a mountain-out-of-molehill situation......yawn.
Agent Cain goes abroad and finds that it's not exactly like the US despite him having travelled around before..........yawn.
Outdated stereotypes and cheap clichés of Japan...........yawn.
Every single female character described in a covertly sexualised manner.........YAWN.
Did I mention how US-centric it is........YAWN.
Also -
Page 345, quote "Cain pressed the clutch and shifted the stick into drive."
Clutch = manual / stick shift gearbox
Drive = automatic gearbox
.....so is it manual or automatic???? PLEASE ENLIGHTEN US, MR "USA! USA!"
Lastly, no-one but no-one talks in the way that any of the characters did in real life.
But hey, I'll give the author props for actually saying the makes and models of the cars - all Japanese, as one would expect to see in Japan HOORAY 👍👏(!)
Au revoir, sayonara, mike-drop OUT.
Blurb that promised so much but then turned out to be a mountain-out-of-molehill situation......yawn.
Agent Cain goes abroad and finds that it's not exactly like the US despite him having travelled around before..........yawn.
Outdated stereotypes and cheap clichés of Japan...........yawn.
Every single female character described in a covertly sexualised manner.........YAWN.
Did I mention how US-centric it is........YAWN.
Also -
Page 345, quote "Cain pressed the clutch and shifted the stick into drive."
Clutch = manual / stick shift gearbox
Drive = automatic gearbox
.....so is it manual or automatic???? PLEASE ENLIGHTEN US, MR "USA! USA!"
Lastly, no-one but no-one talks in the way that any of the characters did in real life.
But hey, I'll give the author props for actually saying the makes and models of the cars - all Japanese, as one would expect to see in Japan HOORAY 👍👏(!)
Au revoir, sayonara, mike-drop OUT.
December 6, 2020
Action-packed High School novel
Who actually did the writing- James Patterson or Tucker Axum? Dialogue writing is a gift that neither of these writers has received. Yes, James Patterson is not known for literary masterpieces but Cajun Justice is certainly not on the level of his more well-written collaborations, neither. If you are looking for a beach read to kill an hour or so, the go ahead and borrow this from your local library. Please don't waste your money on a purchase. Bad dialogue, no character development, and a series of actions designed to substitute for a plot fill the pages of this thin story. Definitely not one of Mr. Patterson's more enjoyable books.
Who actually did the writing- James Patterson or Tucker Axum? Dialogue writing is a gift that neither of these writers has received. Yes, James Patterson is not known for literary masterpieces but Cajun Justice is certainly not on the level of his more well-written collaborations, neither. If you are looking for a beach read to kill an hour or so, the go ahead and borrow this from your local library. Please don't waste your money on a purchase. Bad dialogue, no character development, and a series of actions designed to substitute for a plot fill the pages of this thin story. Definitely not one of Mr. Patterson's more enjoyable books.
July 19, 2020
Another reviewer said it best when he wrote “the book reads like a Japanese travel guide.” This is NOT a thriller and is NOT a page-turner. The action starts about ½ way through the book and even, then it’s weak. Major flaws like him being in contact with his Japanese “security team” while searching for his sister and him not being aware that the “CEO” he’s protecting is on the same boat he’s sabotaging are too great to overlook. I recommend skipping this one!
June 7, 2020
Fun audio to listen to because it took me to old stomping grounds in New Orleans and Japan. Hearing about some of the “hidden” places and dark side of Japan was both interesting and disturbing. It’s nice that this story helps breakup some of the illegal work, but in reality we know that it continues. 😡😢
September 15, 2020
This book felt very disjointed. I didn't understand the detailed characters at the beginning of the book that never showed again. It's almost like this should have been a series instead of all crammed into one book.
August 26, 2020
Now that my local library has restarted lending out book, I am catching up on my 2020 releases by James Patterson and his ever-growing stable of co-authors. This is my sixth and final one to bring me up to speed on the world’s bestselling novelist’s output for the current year.
In “Cajun Justice” Patterson (and Tucker Axum) are introducing another new action hero, Cain Lemaire, a strong family raised man from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is hard-working, ex-military, and a current Secret Service Agent responsible for protecting the President of the United States.
When the book begins, Cain finds himself thrown into a scandal with his service team due to his undying loyalty and support for his fellow team members. When the negative publicity and his stubbornness costs him his dream job he reconnects with his family and his twin sister, Bonnie, working in Japan. Months later, Lemaire joins her in Tokyo, accepting the role of head of security for the CEO for one of Japan’s biggest car manufacturers.
What seems like a simple security post in a safe city quickly turns dangerous for Cain. The company is having recent troubles and the stockholder are turning on the CEO, including receiving threats on his life. Cain has a small and inexperienced security team who are not prepared for any level of attack, and he must overcome culture and communication challenges that threaten his ability to keep the CEO safe.
When a well-planned attempt is made on the CEO’s life, Cain is barely able to keep him alive. It appears that the Yakuza - Japanese mafia - are behind the attack. It doesn’t take long for things to get worse when Cain gets into a personal entanglement with one of the Yakuza members’ harassing his sister. Cain ends up embarrassing the grandson of the Yakuza’s top leader and things become personal. The Yakuza strike back, forcibly taking Bonnie, and leaving Cain a Gaijan in a foreign country where greed and corruption is played differently than any way he is ever experienced before. But Cain is a man on a mission with the intent of delivering Cajun justice or die trying…
After reading Patterson’s new book and the potential for continuing adventures, there is surprisingly good news to share. This is the fourth book in a row of Patterson’s that was a smooth and fast-paced read. The story flowed much better than the average Patterson formula. The writing felt more descriptive, personalized, and emotionally charged than some of the basic generic and cliché style that is found in some of his books. The themes explored in the story involved serious and dramatic issues, characters with depth and flaws, and an interesting mystery taking place in a foreign country that flashed back at times to a strong back story.
For me, Cain Lemaire was a very empathetic and likable character. I loved his southern family upbringing and values, including his father and mother, brother and twin sister. The time he spent back at home was nostalgic and interesting. His flawed loyalty and refusal to let go of his wife and son’s deaths made his hubris even more conflicting. He has potential for further development, along with his family members and my personal favorite, Umiko. These characters had more depth and empathy than most of the clichéd individuals that show up in other Patterson books. I felt more drawn to them and interested in what happened to their development and outcomes in the story.
It would have been easy to make this a predictable story with all of the expected scenes and usual outcomes. However, this one was delivered at a high level with a focused plot that unfolded in a tension-filled and suspenseful manner. It reflected serious criminal issues and creatively researched ideas that made the story stronger. The pacing moved along at a high staccato pace, with several twists and turns along the way. It was methodical, tight plotline from beginning to end.
That’s not to say that there weren’t weaknesses, because there were several. When Cain was wanted for police questioning, he was able to move around the cities at will without many problems. He is a 6-and-a-half-foot-tall Caucasian in Japan. Are you kidding me? His ability to elude capture was downright miraculous, let alone how well he invaded the Yakuza troops. And two of the key elements with the ending (I want to be careful here and not give anything away) involved (1) something a side character does that contributes greatly to the outcome and yet is never explained, and (2) the major escape involved a completely lucky and unlikely scenario. These weaknesses were somewhat easy to ignore in the emotional moments of a fun read, but ultimately lowered a potential 4-star review down to 3.5 stars.
That doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the book, because by golly, I certainly did. I loved how the Japanese culture, history, and sites were incorporated into the story. I was enamored with the developing relationship between Cain and Umiko, and how it naturally developed on its own without feeling forced. It played out well. however, I hated that Tom’s outcome occurred off stage so-to-speak. That sucked, but oh well.
The truth is that I have trained myself to expect inconsistency in quality from Patterson novels, and the evidence has usually supported that, especially with several of his more established series. However, I have been quite surprised with his recent outings. I really enjoyed, “Revenge”, “Texas Outlaw”, “The Summer House”, and now, “Cajun Justice”. As tough as 2020 has been for most of us, it is turning out to be one of Patterson’s better years from a publishing perspective.
Overall, this was great introduction to a strong new leading character. One that worked in many ways, enough to overlook most of its weaknesses and deserve 3.5 out of 5 stars. If they bring back Cain Lemaire for a second outing, I got to admit… I am certainly for another one…
In “Cajun Justice” Patterson (and Tucker Axum) are introducing another new action hero, Cain Lemaire, a strong family raised man from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is hard-working, ex-military, and a current Secret Service Agent responsible for protecting the President of the United States.
When the book begins, Cain finds himself thrown into a scandal with his service team due to his undying loyalty and support for his fellow team members. When the negative publicity and his stubbornness costs him his dream job he reconnects with his family and his twin sister, Bonnie, working in Japan. Months later, Lemaire joins her in Tokyo, accepting the role of head of security for the CEO for one of Japan’s biggest car manufacturers.
What seems like a simple security post in a safe city quickly turns dangerous for Cain. The company is having recent troubles and the stockholder are turning on the CEO, including receiving threats on his life. Cain has a small and inexperienced security team who are not prepared for any level of attack, and he must overcome culture and communication challenges that threaten his ability to keep the CEO safe.
When a well-planned attempt is made on the CEO’s life, Cain is barely able to keep him alive. It appears that the Yakuza - Japanese mafia - are behind the attack. It doesn’t take long for things to get worse when Cain gets into a personal entanglement with one of the Yakuza members’ harassing his sister. Cain ends up embarrassing the grandson of the Yakuza’s top leader and things become personal. The Yakuza strike back, forcibly taking Bonnie, and leaving Cain a Gaijan in a foreign country where greed and corruption is played differently than any way he is ever experienced before. But Cain is a man on a mission with the intent of delivering Cajun justice or die trying…
After reading Patterson’s new book and the potential for continuing adventures, there is surprisingly good news to share. This is the fourth book in a row of Patterson’s that was a smooth and fast-paced read. The story flowed much better than the average Patterson formula. The writing felt more descriptive, personalized, and emotionally charged than some of the basic generic and cliché style that is found in some of his books. The themes explored in the story involved serious and dramatic issues, characters with depth and flaws, and an interesting mystery taking place in a foreign country that flashed back at times to a strong back story.
For me, Cain Lemaire was a very empathetic and likable character. I loved his southern family upbringing and values, including his father and mother, brother and twin sister. The time he spent back at home was nostalgic and interesting. His flawed loyalty and refusal to let go of his wife and son’s deaths made his hubris even more conflicting. He has potential for further development, along with his family members and my personal favorite, Umiko. These characters had more depth and empathy than most of the clichéd individuals that show up in other Patterson books. I felt more drawn to them and interested in what happened to their development and outcomes in the story.
It would have been easy to make this a predictable story with all of the expected scenes and usual outcomes. However, this one was delivered at a high level with a focused plot that unfolded in a tension-filled and suspenseful manner. It reflected serious criminal issues and creatively researched ideas that made the story stronger. The pacing moved along at a high staccato pace, with several twists and turns along the way. It was methodical, tight plotline from beginning to end.
That’s not to say that there weren’t weaknesses, because there were several. When Cain was wanted for police questioning, he was able to move around the cities at will without many problems. He is a 6-and-a-half-foot-tall Caucasian in Japan. Are you kidding me? His ability to elude capture was downright miraculous, let alone how well he invaded the Yakuza troops. And two of the key elements with the ending (I want to be careful here and not give anything away) involved (1) something a side character does that contributes greatly to the outcome and yet is never explained, and (2) the major escape involved a completely lucky and unlikely scenario. These weaknesses were somewhat easy to ignore in the emotional moments of a fun read, but ultimately lowered a potential 4-star review down to 3.5 stars.
That doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the book, because by golly, I certainly did. I loved how the Japanese culture, history, and sites were incorporated into the story. I was enamored with the developing relationship between Cain and Umiko, and how it naturally developed on its own without feeling forced. It played out well. however, I hated that Tom’s outcome occurred off stage so-to-speak. That sucked, but oh well.
The truth is that I have trained myself to expect inconsistency in quality from Patterson novels, and the evidence has usually supported that, especially with several of his more established series. However, I have been quite surprised with his recent outings. I really enjoyed, “Revenge”, “Texas Outlaw”, “The Summer House”, and now, “Cajun Justice”. As tough as 2020 has been for most of us, it is turning out to be one of Patterson’s better years from a publishing perspective.
Overall, this was great introduction to a strong new leading character. One that worked in many ways, enough to overlook most of its weaknesses and deserve 3.5 out of 5 stars. If they bring back Cain Lemaire for a second outing, I got to admit… I am certainly for another one…
July 25, 2020
It was an interesting book to read. Found some parts of it to be boring.
November 23, 2020
Decent introduction to what seems to be a new collaborative Patterson series...3-stars, but because of the author's tremendous characterizations & writing Cajun dialect, I gave it 4...Cain Lemair, a disgraced Secret Service agent, with deep Cajun roots, is hired as private security for a Japanese CEO under Yakuza threat in Japan...A lot of "fish-out-of-water" contrasts of Japanese & American cultural values, that are entertaining, as well as, plenty of exciting page-turning action, including the kidnapping of Cain's twin sister...Decent read & I'm hoping for another in the series!
July 12, 2020
A fantastic book that kept you guessing all the way through it and I thought Japan was a nice polite country not so after cain ruffles a few feathers
September 18, 2020
Liked this new character Cain from the Bayou- Secret Service agent turned civilian in Japan- he has to save his twin sister
June 13, 2021
The book summary is written like it's an exciting, edge-of-your-seat adventure, but the truth is far less thrilling. As a native Louisianian, I was looking forward to an adventure with a Cajun Jason Bourne or southern Jack Reacher, but it seems Patterson took the easy-going nature of New Orleans and infused that into this story with such relaxed focus that it puts you to sleep. Instead of a riveting adventure, this book is about 40% doe-eyed romance, 40% tourism guide, and perhaps 15-20% actual adventure.
Firstly, the "explosive scandal" that gets Cain booted from the Secret Service? One of the team members banged a hooker and refused to pay. And to make matters worse (lol), the team is photographed having a drink and playing darts while off duty. OMG! Alert the media! Seriously, that's the global scandal that hits the front page and gets plastered on international newscasts. I mean, that's like hearing that Taylor Swift's bodyguard had a prostitute. No one cares, and surely not enough to interview the hooker and create some sensationalist story that is enough to fire one of their most reputable team leaders who, by the way, had nothing to do with the hooker and even tried to calm the situation himself. Yep, fired for that. Groan.
Next, we get a 100 or so pages of tourism. Cain hitting the obvious tourist sites in New Orleans (Cafe Du Monde, the cathedral, ect.) reminiscing about his deceased wife. Then we get the tour of his family home and the day-to-day life there, like his father's cropdusting or the rooster or the garden, all of which pass by in lazy days. He goes on a date with his former high school sweetheart (aka romancing the story) and then, when the woman's ex shows up and causes a minor stir, Cain decides "welp, I'm gonna take that job in Japan now!" And does, and the little days of family life and the former sweetheart are thought of no more.
It's not until about page 150 when Cain arrives in Japan (of a 411 page book, so over 1/3rd of the way through). And when we do arrive, we get more tourism and culture lessons, hammering more fortune cookie-esque quotes than a Chinese buffet. It wouldn't be bad if it was integrated into the story, but it feels so much like a travel pitch, like the facts and culture exposition are for the readers, not the characters. On the first day of his new job Cain becomes infatuated with the bat of eyelashes of his boss' assistant, so we get another long run of flirting, daydreaming, and dates. Where's the action and adventure, you ask? Parked somewhere. There is one moment where the yakuza attack his VIP's motorcade, but then the story reverts back to his socializing and rolls onward like one of the mule-drawn carriages of the French Quarter, ambling along until it finds its next point of interest.
Oh, and on that subject, this man who is supposed to be a chief security officer, a man who worked as the head of a Secret Service security team, decides that after a brazen attack on his VIP by the yakuza, his security team for the VIP being far less experienced and trained, AND after getting in a bar fight defending his sister against a trio of yakuza (who took his sister's purse with her ID inside), it's the perfect time to take a weekend getaway with the cute assistant where no phones are allowed. Yep, very competent security man. So, of course, the sister is kidnapped while he's out. Who could've seen that coming?
And the last 100 pages is Cain running around frantically trying to find his sister. At no point does his Secret Service training come into play. No sitting back and making astute observations, no analysis of security when at a yakuza place, no methods of infiltration or combat. Instead, he marches in like a drunk idiot prowling for a bar fight in the quarter. As the story is written, he could have been a security guard at a gas station and gotten the same results. It's not his superior training, thinking, or skills that help save the day, but rather a series of assists from others - a fellow military man/friend, a sly newshound, and so on. He stumbles to victory rather than fights for it, and so the ending feels akin to celebrating the 3rd string quarterback on a superbowl winning team. Sure, he does a little, but that's about it: Little. The rest of the time he's running from place to place like a frantic helicopter parent who has lost their child in the mall.
I must also mention, his turn-around from being haunted by the death of his wife and child is as paper thin as the pages the book is printed on. Patterson tries to inject a little bit of PTSD in Cain, with the occasional mention of nightmares and the fact that Cain still wears his wedding ring, but it's all flushed away after one single meditation retreat with the new cutie. His big emotional epiphany is covered in about 3 sentences, with no build up or substance to it. I could say my sister got a new potted plant with the same emotional impact as this.
The final fight, if you can even call it that, is aboard a yakuza yacht which unfathomably has only 4 yakuza on it: two guards/crew, one lumbering bodyguard, and the head of the yakuza. That's it. All taken down in a yawn-and-you'll-miss-it few moments, along with an attempted redemption or poignant moment for his VIP - yeah, the one he was supposed to be providing security for who is mostly forgotten about in the story.
Cajun Justice is an aloof idiot who somehow got fired for the dumbest "scandal" I've ever heard and fell ass-backwards into what was supposed to be a high-level dangerous assignment that instead is nothing more than a thin sub-plot to his tourism and social life. Oh, and OF COURSE Patterson had to drop the book title in the story, spoken like a cheesy one-liner in a god-awful low-budget action movie. For me, there's just too much lackadaisical meandering, too much tourism exposition, too much flirty dating time, and far too little (by a large margin) of adventure. His cajun nature is tagged on like a well for southern fortune cookie quotes and stereotypes. It's a Hallmark Channel Monday afternoon special, a Travel Channel social feature. The best adventure was when I was able to close the cover and put it away.
Firstly, the "explosive scandal" that gets Cain booted from the Secret Service? One of the team members banged a hooker and refused to pay. And to make matters worse (lol), the team is photographed having a drink and playing darts while off duty. OMG! Alert the media! Seriously, that's the global scandal that hits the front page and gets plastered on international newscasts. I mean, that's like hearing that Taylor Swift's bodyguard had a prostitute. No one cares, and surely not enough to interview the hooker and create some sensationalist story that is enough to fire one of their most reputable team leaders who, by the way, had nothing to do with the hooker and even tried to calm the situation himself. Yep, fired for that. Groan.
Next, we get a 100 or so pages of tourism. Cain hitting the obvious tourist sites in New Orleans (Cafe Du Monde, the cathedral, ect.) reminiscing about his deceased wife. Then we get the tour of his family home and the day-to-day life there, like his father's cropdusting or the rooster or the garden, all of which pass by in lazy days. He goes on a date with his former high school sweetheart (aka romancing the story) and then, when the woman's ex shows up and causes a minor stir, Cain decides "welp, I'm gonna take that job in Japan now!" And does, and the little days of family life and the former sweetheart are thought of no more.
It's not until about page 150 when Cain arrives in Japan (of a 411 page book, so over 1/3rd of the way through). And when we do arrive, we get more tourism and culture lessons, hammering more fortune cookie-esque quotes than a Chinese buffet. It wouldn't be bad if it was integrated into the story, but it feels so much like a travel pitch, like the facts and culture exposition are for the readers, not the characters. On the first day of his new job Cain becomes infatuated with the bat of eyelashes of his boss' assistant, so we get another long run of flirting, daydreaming, and dates. Where's the action and adventure, you ask? Parked somewhere. There is one moment where the yakuza attack his VIP's motorcade, but then the story reverts back to his socializing and rolls onward like one of the mule-drawn carriages of the French Quarter, ambling along until it finds its next point of interest.
Oh, and on that subject, this man who is supposed to be a chief security officer, a man who worked as the head of a Secret Service security team, decides that after a brazen attack on his VIP by the yakuza, his security team for the VIP being far less experienced and trained, AND after getting in a bar fight defending his sister against a trio of yakuza (who took his sister's purse with her ID inside), it's the perfect time to take a weekend getaway with the cute assistant where no phones are allowed. Yep, very competent security man. So, of course, the sister is kidnapped while he's out. Who could've seen that coming?
And the last 100 pages is Cain running around frantically trying to find his sister. At no point does his Secret Service training come into play. No sitting back and making astute observations, no analysis of security when at a yakuza place, no methods of infiltration or combat. Instead, he marches in like a drunk idiot prowling for a bar fight in the quarter. As the story is written, he could have been a security guard at a gas station and gotten the same results. It's not his superior training, thinking, or skills that help save the day, but rather a series of assists from others - a fellow military man/friend, a sly newshound, and so on. He stumbles to victory rather than fights for it, and so the ending feels akin to celebrating the 3rd string quarterback on a superbowl winning team. Sure, he does a little, but that's about it: Little. The rest of the time he's running from place to place like a frantic helicopter parent who has lost their child in the mall.
I must also mention, his turn-around from being haunted by the death of his wife and child is as paper thin as the pages the book is printed on. Patterson tries to inject a little bit of PTSD in Cain, with the occasional mention of nightmares and the fact that Cain still wears his wedding ring, but it's all flushed away after one single meditation retreat with the new cutie. His big emotional epiphany is covered in about 3 sentences, with no build up or substance to it. I could say my sister got a new potted plant with the same emotional impact as this.
The final fight, if you can even call it that, is aboard a yakuza yacht which unfathomably has only 4 yakuza on it: two guards/crew, one lumbering bodyguard, and the head of the yakuza. That's it. All taken down in a yawn-and-you'll-miss-it few moments, along with an attempted redemption or poignant moment for his VIP - yeah, the one he was supposed to be providing security for who is mostly forgotten about in the story.
Cajun Justice is an aloof idiot who somehow got fired for the dumbest "scandal" I've ever heard and fell ass-backwards into what was supposed to be a high-level dangerous assignment that instead is nothing more than a thin sub-plot to his tourism and social life. Oh, and OF COURSE Patterson had to drop the book title in the story, spoken like a cheesy one-liner in a god-awful low-budget action movie. For me, there's just too much lackadaisical meandering, too much tourism exposition, too much flirty dating time, and far too little (by a large margin) of adventure. His cajun nature is tagged on like a well for southern fortune cookie quotes and stereotypes. It's a Hallmark Channel Monday afternoon special, a Travel Channel social feature. The best adventure was when I was able to close the cover and put it away.
November 13, 2023
This book....exists.
Patterson's collaborative books range from entertaining (I like the Australian series with the female investigator searching for the truth about her brother) to what even was that (the football books with the heiress/ coach/ceo). I can't rate this in terms of his other books because this didn't feel like a finished novel. It felt like a pitch for a series that got rejected, and then someone came back and said we'll take one book. It could have been excellent... but it wasn't. The beginning, with the main character getting recalled after paying the woman off and being given the option to go undercover, was a total waste. That should have been the whole book. He could have done the investigation and retired. Did he? No, he goes home. The dad and the brother and the girl he left behind.... yeah, that's a group of interesting people. Too bad it's pointless page filler. All the cool stuff in the beginning is abandoned, and it boils down to "I don't a job, so I'll go visit my sister overseas and take a job there." From then on, it's a poorly written attempt at channeling the bottom of Clive Cussler's waste bin.
Patterson's collaborative books range from entertaining (I like the Australian series with the female investigator searching for the truth about her brother) to what even was that (the football books with the heiress/ coach/ceo). I can't rate this in terms of his other books because this didn't feel like a finished novel. It felt like a pitch for a series that got rejected, and then someone came back and said we'll take one book. It could have been excellent... but it wasn't. The beginning, with the main character getting recalled after paying the woman off and being given the option to go undercover, was a total waste. That should have been the whole book. He could have done the investigation and retired. Did he? No, he goes home. The dad and the brother and the girl he left behind.... yeah, that's a group of interesting people. Too bad it's pointless page filler. All the cool stuff in the beginning is abandoned, and it boils down to "I don't a job, so I'll go visit my sister overseas and take a job there." From then on, it's a poorly written attempt at channeling the bottom of Clive Cussler's waste bin.
August 22, 2021
I personally really enjoyed this book. The plot was a little unique, but it still followed the stereotype of the lone man who saves a kidnapped family member. But it was still high energy and entertaining to read. The main character, Cain is a cliche character with a stereotypical dark secret. A fun read, recommend if you want to read a fun mystery.
January 2, 2021
I think this was a good surprise for me. A little all over the place but overall I was intrigued and could not put the book down.
June 12, 2021
I enjoyed this book alot. I liked the second half more than the first one.
February 1, 2021
A great read
July 17, 2020
WOW
I loved this story, so many twists and surprises. I think I really like Cain Lemaire, he got a dirty deal from the US, but went to Japan did what he did best, guarding those in trouble, found peace and I think Love and help take out the bad guys. Great Read. Hope to see more of the Cajun and his family!!
I loved this story, so many twists and surprises. I think I really like Cain Lemaire, he got a dirty deal from the US, but went to Japan did what he did best, guarding those in trouble, found peace and I think Love and help take out the bad guys. Great Read. Hope to see more of the Cajun and his family!!
July 18, 2020
Nice ending. Great book. I am hoping that this will be the start of a series!
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