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Death of the Black Widow
She destroys the men she loves—and escapes every time. The most dangerous killer James Patterson has ever created is also his most seductive.
On his first night with Detroit PD, Officer Walter O’Brien is called to a murder scene. A terrified twenty-year-old has bludgeoned her kidnapper with skill that shocks even O’Brien’s veteran partner. The young woman is also a brilliant escape artist. Her bold flight from police custody makes the case impossible to solve—and, for Walter, even more impossible to forget.
By the time Walter’s promoted to detective, his fascination with the missing, gray-eyed woman is approaching obsession. And when Walter discovers that he’s not alone in his search, one truth is certain. This deadly string of secrets didn’t begin in his home city—but he’s going to make sure it ends there.
On his first night with Detroit PD, Officer Walter O’Brien is called to a murder scene. A terrified twenty-year-old has bludgeoned her kidnapper with skill that shocks even O’Brien’s veteran partner. The young woman is also a brilliant escape artist. Her bold flight from police custody makes the case impossible to solve—and, for Walter, even more impossible to forget.
By the time Walter’s promoted to detective, his fascination with the missing, gray-eyed woman is approaching obsession. And when Walter discovers that he’s not alone in his search, one truth is certain. This deadly string of secrets didn’t begin in his home city—but he’s going to make sure it ends there.
520 pages, Hardcover
First published April 19, 2022
2244 people are currently reading
4960 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 1,110 reviews
June 16, 2022
This book was so insanely crazy!! It was definitely non stop action from beginning to the last page. Very creepy, obsessive and I loved it. It was the kind of book that once you got started you couldn’t stop, lots of drama, mystery, and things that could make a great movie.
May 20, 2022
So lousy I had no desire to finish. For making it to misprint... 1 of 10 stars
April 24, 2022
James Patterson has worked with many authors over the years. One of my favorite collaborators of his is J. D. Barker. Their latest effort, DEATH OF THE BLACK WIDOW, blows the roof off of anything Patterson has done from a supernatural standpoint and features perhaps the most memorable villain to ever darken the pages of one of his novels. I must give a lot of the credit here to Barker, whose career started in the horror genre before venturing into dark serial killer stories and psychological thrillers.
This new book alternates between different time frames --- the present and various dates in the past. The opening chapters are set in the now and introduces readers to Officer Walter O’Brien. He is working with a handful of colleagues who are stationed outside of a nightclub in Detroit, where the individual they want to get their hands on is supposedly trapped in there. They call the club to inform them that a bomb has been planted inside, and they have two minutes to evacuate everyone. Walter does not care about his group taking such extreme actions; he knows he will be dead in an hour.
We then jump back to the year 1986. Then a 22-year-old rookie, Walter has been called into an apartment building where someone reported hearing screams coming from one of the rooms. Inside Apartment 2D is a horrific sight. He and his partner find a deceased male on a mattress soaked in blood in a room that is strewn with debris. Walter checks out the bathroom where he finds a young woman quivering and begging for help. Little does he know that he is meeting the person who will get into his head and stay there for the rest of his life.
Her name is Amy, and she claims that the dead man had tortured and sexually abused her in that apartment for what seemed like ages. As Walter is driving her to the emergency room, she suddenly feels like she’s going to be sick and asks him to pull over. She then proceeds to swiftly and expertly attack him before running down a nearby alley never to be seen again. Or so we might think.
In 1992, a more seasoned Walter gets wind of a woman named Amy Archer, who he just knows is the very same Amy who had escaped six years previously. He has come to believe that she may have been the one torturing the dead man and could be an extremely dangerous killer.
In the present day, Commander Rigby of the Detroit PD is facing down against Walter and his crew, who are still threatening to set off a bomb in the nightclub if the individual they are looking for doesn’t come out. At this point, they’re not sharing their identities or the name of the person they’re seeking, but we all know this will be forthcoming and should blow Rigby’s mind as she and the reader find out more about who this Amy/Black Widow character really is.
There are so many twists and turns along the way that I will not say anything more about the plot lest I give away spoilers. I just hope that you are as excited as I was to find out how this highly original thriller ends. Patterson and Barker have created something entirely unique --- a hybrid of many different genres that works at every turn.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
This new book alternates between different time frames --- the present and various dates in the past. The opening chapters are set in the now and introduces readers to Officer Walter O’Brien. He is working with a handful of colleagues who are stationed outside of a nightclub in Detroit, where the individual they want to get their hands on is supposedly trapped in there. They call the club to inform them that a bomb has been planted inside, and they have two minutes to evacuate everyone. Walter does not care about his group taking such extreme actions; he knows he will be dead in an hour.
We then jump back to the year 1986. Then a 22-year-old rookie, Walter has been called into an apartment building where someone reported hearing screams coming from one of the rooms. Inside Apartment 2D is a horrific sight. He and his partner find a deceased male on a mattress soaked in blood in a room that is strewn with debris. Walter checks out the bathroom where he finds a young woman quivering and begging for help. Little does he know that he is meeting the person who will get into his head and stay there for the rest of his life.
Her name is Amy, and she claims that the dead man had tortured and sexually abused her in that apartment for what seemed like ages. As Walter is driving her to the emergency room, she suddenly feels like she’s going to be sick and asks him to pull over. She then proceeds to swiftly and expertly attack him before running down a nearby alley never to be seen again. Or so we might think.
In 1992, a more seasoned Walter gets wind of a woman named Amy Archer, who he just knows is the very same Amy who had escaped six years previously. He has come to believe that she may have been the one torturing the dead man and could be an extremely dangerous killer.
In the present day, Commander Rigby of the Detroit PD is facing down against Walter and his crew, who are still threatening to set off a bomb in the nightclub if the individual they are looking for doesn’t come out. At this point, they’re not sharing their identities or the name of the person they’re seeking, but we all know this will be forthcoming and should blow Rigby’s mind as she and the reader find out more about who this Amy/Black Widow character really is.
There are so many twists and turns along the way that I will not say anything more about the plot lest I give away spoilers. I just hope that you are as excited as I was to find out how this highly original thriller ends. Patterson and Barker have created something entirely unique --- a hybrid of many different genres that works at every turn.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
March 29, 2023
Some of James Patterson’s strongest collaborations come when he works alongside J. D. Barker. Fabulous stories and sensational writing emerge, keeping the reader hooked until the final page turn. In a story that spans a few decades, the authors present a crime thriller that offers up something somewhat supernatural, while also highly intense. A killer is on the loose, but her elusive nature baffled many and has become a massive woman hunt, though no one around Detroit is safe in the meantime. Patterson and Barker prove a formidable team and have me hoping they will collaborate again soon!
During his first night on patrol, Detroit PD Officer Walter O’Brien attends a crime scene with his veteran partner. What they find is a murder that leaves them both baffled. A man lays mutilated on the ground and a 20 year-old woman pleads that she was kidnapped and did what she could to get loose. What follows is a moment of disbelief, as the woman not only plays the victim, but eludes the officers and ends up on the lam, shoving rookie O’Brien as she does. O’Brien cannot help but think that he may have been duped by the woman, who is likely a killer working her own angle. This is one case O’Brien won’t soon forget, or drop.
As the years progress, O’Brien makes detective, though his desire to find the mysterious woman has not waned. Thinking that he may have spotted her one day, O’Brien renews his search, much to the chagrin of his new partner and those working alongside him. Still, O’Brien cannot shake that this woman could be committing murders without regard for anyone but herself. As a number of bodies emerge with odd markings on them and missing fingers, O’Brien is sure this is the work of the woman. She has gone by a variety of names over the years when people spotted her and it is only recently that things appear to be falling into place. These monikers are all the names of female serial killers from earlier times, black widows who went around killing men and taking all they had. While O’Brien has yet to catch up to her, he’s hopeful and willing to take whatever method is needed to stop a killer.
O’Brien discovers the killings may not be isolated to Detroit, having found other victims as far away as Atlanta. She continues to leave victims in various states of mutilation, none with any recognisable connection to the others, save an interaction with her. O’Brien continues to age, eventually tossed from Detroit PD for his own vices, but will do anything he can to stop the killings and neutralise the killer before she can spin a larger web. This is one black widow who has little regard for her victims, but lures them in with a variety of charms. A chilling story that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat as they try to decipher what’s going on. Patterson and Barker work so well together, offering up a story that will resonate with readers as they make their way through the many twists.
I have long expressed that the work of James Patterson can be a real hit and miss, depending on the day and those who are collaborating. As I have read a number of novels J.D. Barker has published in his own right, I knew what to expect and was not disappointed. Barker appears to take the lead here, with his rich narrative and strong foundation setting. Patterson’s crime ideas emerge, though he is surely letting the master work his own magic. Characters are well-developed and never appear to wane as they engage with one another. Plot twists come early and often, providing the reader with something on which they can feast. The longer and more complex chapters are surely a Barker doing, as Patterson’s quick delivery is shelved in order to create a more impactful story. The case is on and both authors find ways to leave their own flavouring with this piece, but the reader’s greatest takeaway is a story that leaves more questions than answers.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Barker, for providing yet another winning novel that has unique and supernatural elements.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
During his first night on patrol, Detroit PD Officer Walter O’Brien attends a crime scene with his veteran partner. What they find is a murder that leaves them both baffled. A man lays mutilated on the ground and a 20 year-old woman pleads that she was kidnapped and did what she could to get loose. What follows is a moment of disbelief, as the woman not only plays the victim, but eludes the officers and ends up on the lam, shoving rookie O’Brien as she does. O’Brien cannot help but think that he may have been duped by the woman, who is likely a killer working her own angle. This is one case O’Brien won’t soon forget, or drop.
As the years progress, O’Brien makes detective, though his desire to find the mysterious woman has not waned. Thinking that he may have spotted her one day, O’Brien renews his search, much to the chagrin of his new partner and those working alongside him. Still, O’Brien cannot shake that this woman could be committing murders without regard for anyone but herself. As a number of bodies emerge with odd markings on them and missing fingers, O’Brien is sure this is the work of the woman. She has gone by a variety of names over the years when people spotted her and it is only recently that things appear to be falling into place. These monikers are all the names of female serial killers from earlier times, black widows who went around killing men and taking all they had. While O’Brien has yet to catch up to her, he’s hopeful and willing to take whatever method is needed to stop a killer.
O’Brien discovers the killings may not be isolated to Detroit, having found other victims as far away as Atlanta. She continues to leave victims in various states of mutilation, none with any recognisable connection to the others, save an interaction with her. O’Brien continues to age, eventually tossed from Detroit PD for his own vices, but will do anything he can to stop the killings and neutralise the killer before she can spin a larger web. This is one black widow who has little regard for her victims, but lures them in with a variety of charms. A chilling story that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat as they try to decipher what’s going on. Patterson and Barker work so well together, offering up a story that will resonate with readers as they make their way through the many twists.
I have long expressed that the work of James Patterson can be a real hit and miss, depending on the day and those who are collaborating. As I have read a number of novels J.D. Barker has published in his own right, I knew what to expect and was not disappointed. Barker appears to take the lead here, with his rich narrative and strong foundation setting. Patterson’s crime ideas emerge, though he is surely letting the master work his own magic. Characters are well-developed and never appear to wane as they engage with one another. Plot twists come early and often, providing the reader with something on which they can feast. The longer and more complex chapters are surely a Barker doing, as Patterson’s quick delivery is shelved in order to create a more impactful story. The case is on and both authors find ways to leave their own flavouring with this piece, but the reader’s greatest takeaway is a story that leaves more questions than answers.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Barker, for providing yet another winning novel that has unique and supernatural elements.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
May 3, 2022
Not a good book. Don’t waste your time
June 15, 2022
4.5 rounded up
I was hooked from the first few pages. Seemed I would finish in a day with non-stop excitement in the first half of the book. Then I got lost for a bit. No worries, it was just a few pages. And then Boom, I hit the groove again and just went with the flow; all the way to the end
I love J.D. Barker's storytelling and characters. He never fails to surprise me and James Patterson always provides an entertaining read. These men have been rocking my literary world!
I was hooked from the first few pages. Seemed I would finish in a day with non-stop excitement in the first half of the book. Then I got lost for a bit. No worries, it was just a few pages. And then Boom, I hit the groove again and just went with the flow; all the way to the end
I love J.D. Barker's storytelling and characters. He never fails to surprise me and James Patterson always provides an entertaining read. These men have been rocking my literary world!
September 1, 2022
The Outsider by Stephen King version 2.0 and so greatly improved upon by Patterson/Barker (P/B). So this review may sound off more about King's book than this great novel. When I first read The Outsider I was so disappointed because I felt it should have been, could have been so much more - one of his best really.
I apologize to those who have not read the Outsider but these two books are similar. First off our black widow is a similar creature to the outsider. She is referred to as a ghost. Everyone who looks at her sees someone different. It's like she appears to men as their very own sculpted goddess. Yet she is a devil of sorts. It's confirmed that she is not mortal but exactly what she is was never defined. And one of the best parts is are there more of her (thinking sequels here)? She survives by killing and consuming mostly men. She feeds off their energy so to speak. With one touch she infects your body and you quickly age and die by infection, mostly cancers. However, she can control herself and be able to touch you to various degrees from doing nothing to you (letting you live) to killing you in seconds. Now I know I may need to explain her further but I hope the just of what she is comes through here and you can appreciate what type of true evil she really is. P/B team up and do her real justice.
The story starts with our hero Walter O'Brien a rookie Detroit patrol cop and his trainer attending a loud noise disturbance in an apartment building where no one typically calls the cops unless they want to set them up and shoot and kill them. So many inner city areas are exactly like this and O'Brien and his partner are cognizant of what may be happening. Bottom line though was they encounter the Black Widow first known as Amy Archer handcuffed in a bathroom and clearly the victim of kidnapping and sexual assault. Yet she gained the upper hand and kills her kidnapper. O'Brien is directed to take her to the hospital to check on her well being. There is a weird instant strong attraction between the two yet Archer escapes from the cruiser never to be seen for years. Meanwhile back at the apartment building two more bodies are found in the downstairs freezer with what will become the signature of the widow's kill - fingers being bit off. As you read on you quickly conclude that what originally appeared to have happened here was not what it seemed.
Six years later O'Brien is promoted to homicide detective and at his initiation party he swears he sees her on a date at a local restaurant. I'll pause here and say that I loved the Detroit angle as I live across the river. It gets a bad rep but is one hell of a city especially after the bankruptcy. It has a new lease on life and living in a small town across the river I have always enjoyed the professional sports it offers as well as concert venues. In my early teens a simple tunnel bus ride over and a short walk to the concert venues aloud me to see all kinds of bands. From Queen to U2 to GNR/Metallica and so many others. The Detroit setting was just a plus to me. So O'Brien follows her and her date and gets the crap kicked out of him by her date who has no idea he is a cop.
Man I can just go on and on about this book but suffice it to say that O'Brien becomes obsessed by her. He is also the unknown laughing stock of Detroit PD because of that obsession. He feels the lead detective purposely ruined the investigation where he first encountered and then lost her. That the bolo for her was not even of her but remember that the lead detective and O'Brien and everyone who saw her that night saw a different physical person in their eyes. O'Brien and his new homicide partner Brayman quickly come upon more murders where fingers are bitten and people appear to die naturally but appear in their 80's/90's when it is known that they are in their early 20's. O'Brien is convinced that Archer is involved and he gets some real serious push back from his superiors.
Yet O'Brien and his new partner Brayman follow the leads and these murders are looking weird like something unexplainable, unbelievable is occurring. Yet O'Brien is the only one brave/stupid enough to voice his opinions. Their leads take them to a bawdy house and Brayman goes in undercover. What is subsequently found are 17 dead inside including Brayman. All natural causes, fingers bitten off and it just doesn't add up.
The book then shifts gears to O'Brien having left the Detroit PD and being at Quantico for his FBI training. Yet he is summoned to the directors office where he meets his fellow new partner Sealey who is also tracking the widow and wants O'Brien on his team. Sealey flies O'Brien out to Georgia where they believe they have a mass grave spanning over 200 years and over 200 bodies found. They also have Amy Archer in a cage handcuffed there. What eventually happens is she gets out and we discover more powers that she has including getting into people's heads and making them do what she wants.
So how do you eventually win against a force just this powerful. Can you really catch her? Well I just loved the ride I was taken on. I want to say that this book is 500 pages long and it really takes a great turn at around the 300 page mark. The book opens up in the present which is where it ends as well. O'Brien and his team are at a night club where the widow is and they have snipers trained on the club and want Archer to come out. O'Brien is so connected to her that he can identify her through any look she tries. In a way their souls are connected. I may not do a good job relaying things in a review that is likely to long already but the authors make the connection between the two and sell it very well. The time span in the story is about 45 years.
So at the beginning as in the end O'Brien and his team are not just battling the widow. They are battling Detroit PD who naturally respond to the call and think O'Brien and his team are the bad guys. Yet O'Brien was prepared for everything. He shows DPD snippets of the power the widow has via a usb drive. Naturally they don't believe what they are seeing until they see it for themselves. It's just such a great ending even though I would have made a different choice if I was O'Brien. DPD engages not only O'Brien and his team but the evil widow herself. They quickly realize that the threat is the widow and she is finally being exposed for the monster she is to the world as the media is there in full force covering this hostage situation.
So did P/B read King's Outsider and see its true potential the way I did. LMAO, I seriously doubt it. Yet there are so many books that seem similar. Again Billy Summers has way too much from Paul Cleaves 2012 book Joe Victim but I did love both those - how can't you but like them both if you like one of them? Again, as in King's book this book is written from the cops perspective. I complained about that in my Outsider review saying it would have been nice to have the creatures perspective included. P/B do that here and you do get a glimpse of what the monster here is all about. I just so loved this story yet when I clicked on the book to show I was currently reading it so I could do my review I glanced at the first review by a DNFer who thought it was stupid. To each their own I guess. When it comes to thrillers and horrors you have to have a wide berth into buying in so to speak. After all the crap I have read I don't personally think this is too far out there. These guys as King did as well sell it and I think it was one of my better reads and actually feel like rereading it right now and I have never read a book twice. I mean how many books are out there re shape shifters and the like. Something human like but oh so much more? Yeah I just can't see these three authors accused of putting something stupid together. Like Christine is a classic story and it's about a living car, lmao. Easy five stars and I highly recommend it especially if you kind of liked King's Outsider because this one is way better on a similar premise :)
I apologize to those who have not read the Outsider but these two books are similar. First off our black widow is a similar creature to the outsider. She is referred to as a ghost. Everyone who looks at her sees someone different. It's like she appears to men as their very own sculpted goddess. Yet she is a devil of sorts. It's confirmed that she is not mortal but exactly what she is was never defined. And one of the best parts is are there more of her (thinking sequels here)? She survives by killing and consuming mostly men. She feeds off their energy so to speak. With one touch she infects your body and you quickly age and die by infection, mostly cancers. However, she can control herself and be able to touch you to various degrees from doing nothing to you (letting you live) to killing you in seconds. Now I know I may need to explain her further but I hope the just of what she is comes through here and you can appreciate what type of true evil she really is. P/B team up and do her real justice.
The story starts with our hero Walter O'Brien a rookie Detroit patrol cop and his trainer attending a loud noise disturbance in an apartment building where no one typically calls the cops unless they want to set them up and shoot and kill them. So many inner city areas are exactly like this and O'Brien and his partner are cognizant of what may be happening. Bottom line though was they encounter the Black Widow first known as Amy Archer handcuffed in a bathroom and clearly the victim of kidnapping and sexual assault. Yet she gained the upper hand and kills her kidnapper. O'Brien is directed to take her to the hospital to check on her well being. There is a weird instant strong attraction between the two yet Archer escapes from the cruiser never to be seen for years. Meanwhile back at the apartment building two more bodies are found in the downstairs freezer with what will become the signature of the widow's kill - fingers being bit off. As you read on you quickly conclude that what originally appeared to have happened here was not what it seemed.
Six years later O'Brien is promoted to homicide detective and at his initiation party he swears he sees her on a date at a local restaurant. I'll pause here and say that I loved the Detroit angle as I live across the river. It gets a bad rep but is one hell of a city especially after the bankruptcy. It has a new lease on life and living in a small town across the river I have always enjoyed the professional sports it offers as well as concert venues. In my early teens a simple tunnel bus ride over and a short walk to the concert venues aloud me to see all kinds of bands. From Queen to U2 to GNR/Metallica and so many others. The Detroit setting was just a plus to me. So O'Brien follows her and her date and gets the crap kicked out of him by her date who has no idea he is a cop.
Man I can just go on and on about this book but suffice it to say that O'Brien becomes obsessed by her. He is also the unknown laughing stock of Detroit PD because of that obsession. He feels the lead detective purposely ruined the investigation where he first encountered and then lost her. That the bolo for her was not even of her but remember that the lead detective and O'Brien and everyone who saw her that night saw a different physical person in their eyes. O'Brien and his new homicide partner Brayman quickly come upon more murders where fingers are bitten and people appear to die naturally but appear in their 80's/90's when it is known that they are in their early 20's. O'Brien is convinced that Archer is involved and he gets some real serious push back from his superiors.
Yet O'Brien and his new partner Brayman follow the leads and these murders are looking weird like something unexplainable, unbelievable is occurring. Yet O'Brien is the only one brave/stupid enough to voice his opinions. Their leads take them to a bawdy house and Brayman goes in undercover. What is subsequently found are 17 dead inside including Brayman. All natural causes, fingers bitten off and it just doesn't add up.
The book then shifts gears to O'Brien having left the Detroit PD and being at Quantico for his FBI training. Yet he is summoned to the directors office where he meets his fellow new partner Sealey who is also tracking the widow and wants O'Brien on his team. Sealey flies O'Brien out to Georgia where they believe they have a mass grave spanning over 200 years and over 200 bodies found. They also have Amy Archer in a cage handcuffed there. What eventually happens is she gets out and we discover more powers that she has including getting into people's heads and making them do what she wants.
So how do you eventually win against a force just this powerful. Can you really catch her? Well I just loved the ride I was taken on. I want to say that this book is 500 pages long and it really takes a great turn at around the 300 page mark. The book opens up in the present which is where it ends as well. O'Brien and his team are at a night club where the widow is and they have snipers trained on the club and want Archer to come out. O'Brien is so connected to her that he can identify her through any look she tries. In a way their souls are connected. I may not do a good job relaying things in a review that is likely to long already but the authors make the connection between the two and sell it very well. The time span in the story is about 45 years.
So at the beginning as in the end O'Brien and his team are not just battling the widow. They are battling Detroit PD who naturally respond to the call and think O'Brien and his team are the bad guys. Yet O'Brien was prepared for everything. He shows DPD snippets of the power the widow has via a usb drive. Naturally they don't believe what they are seeing until they see it for themselves. It's just such a great ending even though I would have made a different choice if I was O'Brien. DPD engages not only O'Brien and his team but the evil widow herself. They quickly realize that the threat is the widow and she is finally being exposed for the monster she is to the world as the media is there in full force covering this hostage situation.
So did P/B read King's Outsider and see its true potential the way I did. LMAO, I seriously doubt it. Yet there are so many books that seem similar. Again Billy Summers has way too much from Paul Cleaves 2012 book Joe Victim but I did love both those - how can't you but like them both if you like one of them? Again, as in King's book this book is written from the cops perspective. I complained about that in my Outsider review saying it would have been nice to have the creatures perspective included. P/B do that here and you do get a glimpse of what the monster here is all about. I just so loved this story yet when I clicked on the book to show I was currently reading it so I could do my review I glanced at the first review by a DNFer who thought it was stupid. To each their own I guess. When it comes to thrillers and horrors you have to have a wide berth into buying in so to speak. After all the crap I have read I don't personally think this is too far out there. These guys as King did as well sell it and I think it was one of my better reads and actually feel like rereading it right now and I have never read a book twice. I mean how many books are out there re shape shifters and the like. Something human like but oh so much more? Yeah I just can't see these three authors accused of putting something stupid together. Like Christine is a classic story and it's about a living car, lmao. Easy five stars and I highly recommend it especially if you kind of liked King's Outsider because this one is way better on a similar premise :)
April 24, 2022
I'm very disappointed in this author. This is a Paranormal story which should have been mentioned in his introduction. I was enjoying this mystery til I reached about half way and realized what this was. There are people like me that would not have bought this book as I do not believe in this nonsense, don't believe in ghosts and such. But then that's the whole point of not mentioning it, right-money! Not letting your readers know ahead of time is just wrong!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2022
I has really high hopes for this book. I love both of these authors. I was sadly disappointed with their combined effort. This one wasn't what I was hoping for. for a supernatural thriller, it's boring and kind of predictable. The ending was less than satisfying. The book goes between the past and present. but it wasn't balanced. I don't recommend this one.
July 22, 2025
Not your typical James Patterson book. This one has a touch of Stephen King.
March 23, 2022
I enjoyed this story immensely! This was a recommendation from my friend and associate because she knows I love monsters. This audiobook did not disappoint. It tells the story of a femme fatale, supernatural, bad ass black widow type of monster who preys (mostly) on men for uncertain reasons. My friend thought I would enjoy how she bites off the fingers of her victims to survive and I did enjoy it! Very much so! This was a super fun ride. The narrator is a bit goofy when doing the female voices but that is always the case it seems like. Another problem I have (personally) with audiobooks is keeping track of characters names that I am not seeing spelled out on paper. I got a few of the cops mixed up because of this confusion but the main characters were where it was really at anyway. This was a good story and really easy to listen to, indulge in and escape away with. My biggest complaint is that it is just A LITTLE tiny bit too long for my liking in particular. I would love to read more supernatural stories like this one. If you have recommendations of any similar stories please do me a favor and share them with me! 🖤🖤🖤
June 23, 2022
Usually I like James Patterson's books, but not this one, I foundI was forcing myself to read it an decided it just wasn't worth finishing. The premise of the story is not believable, the characters thoroughly unlikeable and I really do not care what happens to them next or at all. i am so glad to see the last of this book.
December 13, 2023
Gdybym przeczytała tę książkę przed 'W jej sercu czai się mrok', to pewnie bardziej by mi się podobała, ale teraz po prostu wiem, że 'Śmierć czarnej wdowy' to jest dokładnie to samo, co 'W jej sercu czai się mrok', tylko sporo gorsze i z trochę inną mocą głównej baby. Serio, jeśli macie którąś wybrać, to warto sięgnąć po 'W jej sercu czai się mrok' zamiast tego, a obu nie ma sensu czytać
July 21, 2022
WOW!!! What a book!!!
November 30, 2023
First published April 19, 2022, Death of a Black Widow is the third time Barker and Patterson have teamed up to produce a thrilling masterpiece. The Noise and The Coast-to-Coast Murders were their previous tag team productions.
This is a story of the ultimate femme fatale, who lures in men into her web, bedazzling them with her looks and charm, but Barker and Patterson take it one step further. This lady is not after money or fame, but is a supernatural force to be reckoned with on par with Dracula, who Barker has also written about, and any eternal life-force sucking being that is hard or perhaps impossible to kill. But, Detroit Police Detective Walter O'Brien does not know all this at first. He just knows that he has a strange affinity for poor little Amy found in a bloody apartment with the corpse of the taxi driver who apparently held her prisoner for weeks chained in the bathroom. That is all O'Brien knows until the young girl disappears and his career which is fast-tracked to Homicide Detective in a few short years is haunted for decades by what appear to be sightings of Amy or whatever she chooses to call herself and the corpses that seem to appear in her midst, mangled, rotted, and diseased.
The story is told in alternating chapters between when O'Brien first discovers dearest Amy, various episodes over the decades, and the present when he is attacking a nightclub with sharpshooters looking for someone he cannot fully identify. It is a thrill ride to read so do not be intimidated by its length. You really as the reader feel as if you are in O'Brien's shoes, seeing what he sees and knowing that almost no one is ever going to believe what he knows in his gut to be true.
This is a story of the ultimate femme fatale, who lures in men into her web, bedazzling them with her looks and charm, but Barker and Patterson take it one step further. This lady is not after money or fame, but is a supernatural force to be reckoned with on par with Dracula, who Barker has also written about, and any eternal life-force sucking being that is hard or perhaps impossible to kill. But, Detroit Police Detective Walter O'Brien does not know all this at first. He just knows that he has a strange affinity for poor little Amy found in a bloody apartment with the corpse of the taxi driver who apparently held her prisoner for weeks chained in the bathroom. That is all O'Brien knows until the young girl disappears and his career which is fast-tracked to Homicide Detective in a few short years is haunted for decades by what appear to be sightings of Amy or whatever she chooses to call herself and the corpses that seem to appear in her midst, mangled, rotted, and diseased.
The story is told in alternating chapters between when O'Brien first discovers dearest Amy, various episodes over the decades, and the present when he is attacking a nightclub with sharpshooters looking for someone he cannot fully identify. It is a thrill ride to read so do not be intimidated by its length. You really as the reader feel as if you are in O'Brien's shoes, seeing what he sees and knowing that almost no one is ever going to believe what he knows in his gut to be true.
April 16, 2022
Well this ended up being completely different to what I was expecting.
I guess I was thinking this would be along the lines of Patterson’s Alex Cross or Michael Bennett series, but oh my gosh what a twist. I honestly don’t know if I would have read this book knowing what it was about, but the twist hooks you in and leaves you reading all day so you can see what happens.
I feel certain a movie or tv series will be made from this book.
I guess I was thinking this would be along the lines of Patterson’s Alex Cross or Michael Bennett series, but oh my gosh what a twist. I honestly don’t know if I would have read this book knowing what it was about, but the twist hooks you in and leaves you reading all day so you can see what happens.
I feel certain a movie or tv series will be made from this book.
September 7, 2022
The book was okay but a bit long winded. I wasn't that much of a fan of the back and forth in time and the slowness of the chase but it was a decent read in the end.
May 20, 2022
This is JD Barker all the way. Yes, I know Patterson's name is on the book, but it's all Barker. And oh boy! What a ride. Detroit Police Officer Walter O'Brian arrives at a murder scene his 1st night on the job encountering a 22 yo victim. His life changes forever and not in a good way. This is an action-packed story of obsession and murder. A serial killer character unlike any other and a hero cop who refuses to stop until he has resolution. 5 stars.
August 21, 2022
3.5 stars
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
I enjoyed this book however I enjoy more typical detective novels and I didn’t really enjoy the sci fi parts. I found hard to read with all the jumping back and forth through time. I was expecting more from this book
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
I enjoyed this book however I enjoy more typical detective novels and I didn’t really enjoy the sci fi parts. I found hard to read with all the jumping back and forth through time. I was expecting more from this book
October 16, 2022
3.4⭐
This is the first book I've read by either James Patterson or J.D. Barker so I can't really tell which author is responsible for which parts of the story. Given their respective CV's I'm guessing Patterson did the police procedural parts and Barker handled the supernatural elements. But who knows?
In any case the collaboration produced a fast paced thriller, a detective story mated with a sort of vampire tale, that works surprisingly well.
Suspension of belief required is moderate to serious but the pace of the book picks you up and carries you along so you don't really have time to dwell on it all. I would have liked to have more of the Black Widow's back story, to see if P and B could have come up with a new interpretation of a character who goes back to the Bible. There's more than enough to let you fill in the blanks yourself.
This is not the type of book I typically read but I was intrigued by the premise and was happy to have invested the time.
This is the first book I've read by either James Patterson or J.D. Barker so I can't really tell which author is responsible for which parts of the story. Given their respective CV's I'm guessing Patterson did the police procedural parts and Barker handled the supernatural elements. But who knows?
In any case the collaboration produced a fast paced thriller, a detective story mated with a sort of vampire tale, that works surprisingly well.
Suspension of belief required is moderate to serious but the pace of the book picks you up and carries you along so you don't really have time to dwell on it all. I would have liked to have more of the Black Widow's back story, to see if P and B could have come up with a new interpretation of a character who goes back to the Bible. There's more than enough to let you fill in the blanks yourself.
This is not the type of book I typically read but I was intrigued by the premise and was happy to have invested the time.
May 15, 2022
OMG I cannot get my time back I spent of this stupid book!!! The first 2/3-3/4 had me intrigued and engaged. Then............ it turned into a teen sci-fi book. WTF? Why would this even have James Patterson's name on it? Stupid, stupid, stupid.
August 17, 2022
Тук трилърът, мистерията и хорърът си разделиха поравно жанровия терен, а резултатът се оказа експлозивно четиво, изковано по всички канони на литературата с остър сюжет.
March 11, 2025
A terrific read! I could not put it down.
September 25, 2025
This is so weird. My review just disappeared off the screen, GONE POOF! So to try again. This book, though very strange, was written by James Patterson, and co-authored by J.D. Barker. I find this book so different, but here goes. See what you think.
Death of the Black Widow wraps itself around Walter O'Brien's long ago effort to kill Miss Amy Archer, whom he met when a green 22 year old cop worked near him. This woman destroys the men she loves, and escapes every single time. This is by far the most dangerous killer Patterson has ever written and created, and certainly a very sexual and seductive read.
On his very first night with Detroit PD, Officer Walter O'Brien is called to a murder scene. A seriously frightened 22 year old has killed her kidnapper. Amy as we will call her is a phenomenal escape artist, she can change her identify completely from old young, slim to heavy, in any way whatsoever.
Walter has had a fascination and fetish for this woman during his entire police career. This book is very different than other Patterson works I've read, it is definitely a mega-read at 517 pages or over 12 hours by audio. There are some surprising twists and turns from Amy (by the way, she has many aliases she uses throughout the book, or they've found she uses) toward Walter. They have interest for each other that creates some big surprises.
I don't want to be a spoiler, so I'll end here. Not my favorite by any means, but I'm still interested in the books by Patterson. Enjoy.
Death of the Black Widow wraps itself around Walter O'Brien's long ago effort to kill Miss Amy Archer, whom he met when a green 22 year old cop worked near him. This woman destroys the men she loves, and escapes every single time. This is by far the most dangerous killer Patterson has ever written and created, and certainly a very sexual and seductive read.
On his very first night with Detroit PD, Officer Walter O'Brien is called to a murder scene. A seriously frightened 22 year old has killed her kidnapper. Amy as we will call her is a phenomenal escape artist, she can change her identify completely from old young, slim to heavy, in any way whatsoever.
Walter has had a fascination and fetish for this woman during his entire police career. This book is very different than other Patterson works I've read, it is definitely a mega-read at 517 pages or over 12 hours by audio. There are some surprising twists and turns from Amy (by the way, she has many aliases she uses throughout the book, or they've found she uses) toward Walter. They have interest for each other that creates some big surprises.
I don't want to be a spoiler, so I'll end here. Not my favorite by any means, but I'm still interested in the books by Patterson. Enjoy.
June 3, 2022
In true Patterson form this was a showstopper. I devoured this one in no time. If you haven't already this is one to add to your night stand it will keep you up reading way into the night.
I gave this one 4 stars I hope you get a chance to read it.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
I gave this one 4 stars I hope you get a chance to read it.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
October 29, 2022
Very spooky book, just in time for Halloween! I was caught by surprise by the supernatural element, which I think is unusual for James Patterson. Must be his co-author, J.D.Parker who was in charge of that. I loved the characters and found myself laughing out loud several times by their authenticity. A little gory at times, but exciting roller coaster ride for sure. I enjoyed it very much.
September 16, 2022
Supernatural tale of a femme fatale...Basically a multi-generational, supernatural, black widow type of female monster who preys on humans to continue her existence and the Detroit cop and Federal agent who pursues her through the years...Very similar vibe to one of my favorite TV shows from the mid-70s, "Kolchak: The Night Stalker," starring Darren McGavin as a reporter hunting down supernatural killers, while nobody else believes him...While not my favorite genre, pretty good stuff!
August 1, 2022
One of the weirdest frigging books I have ever read
I love James Patterson! I started reading this book thinking it was his typical quick read, police drama - them wham! This book sucked me in just like the main character Walter was sucked in —- I never expected a James Patterson book to take such a “zombie like” turn. Never saw it coming and couldn’t stop reading it. Which is why I gave it the five star rating. BUT, I can’t really say that I liked it. It had me captivated until the end.
I love James Patterson! I started reading this book thinking it was his typical quick read, police drama - them wham! This book sucked me in just like the main character Walter was sucked in —- I never expected a James Patterson book to take such a “zombie like” turn. Never saw it coming and couldn’t stop reading it. Which is why I gave it the five star rating. BUT, I can’t really say that I liked it. It had me captivated until the end.
June 8, 2022
As a huge JD Barker fan, I couldn't wait to dig into this one. This book took the reader on a journey between the past and the present, and tied it all together in the final chapter. I loved the "fantasy" aspect of the novel, when it took us into the world of make-believe, and blended what we know as real with what our brain struggles to makes sense of.
Walter O'Brien is Detroit police officer and on his first night he is called to the an apartment in a seedy area, where neighbors have been complaining of noise coming from one of the second floor units. O'Brien and his partner discover a man bludgeoned to death and a young woman chained to a bathroom sink. As Walter is taking the young woman into police custody, she escapes. Her disappearance haunts Walter and he finds himself looking for her throughout the years. Six years later, Walter is promoted to detective and to celebrate, his co-workers take him out for a night of drinking. On his way home, he sees the mystery girl who escaped from him years earlier and she slowly pulls him into her shadowy world and into a game of cat & mouse. What is the mystery behind this girl Walter seems infatuated with? 5 stars
Walter O'Brien is Detroit police officer and on his first night he is called to the an apartment in a seedy area, where neighbors have been complaining of noise coming from one of the second floor units. O'Brien and his partner discover a man bludgeoned to death and a young woman chained to a bathroom sink. As Walter is taking the young woman into police custody, she escapes. Her disappearance haunts Walter and he finds himself looking for her throughout the years. Six years later, Walter is promoted to detective and to celebrate, his co-workers take him out for a night of drinking. On his way home, he sees the mystery girl who escaped from him years earlier and she slowly pulls him into her shadowy world and into a game of cat & mouse. What is the mystery behind this girl Walter seems infatuated with? 5 stars
May 12, 2022
Bizarre storyline.
I would not recommend this book. Weird storyline. Difficult to follow. Just not Mr. Patterson's caliber unless he has changed his incredible writing style. Ugh!
I would not recommend this book. Weird storyline. Difficult to follow. Just not Mr. Patterson's caliber unless he has changed his incredible writing style. Ugh!
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