Book Review: NYPD Red

Title:  NYPD Red
Author:  James Patterson
Pages:  360
Publication Date:  2012
Version:  Audio Book 
Genre:  Adult Fiction (Mystery)

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"It's the start of Hollywood on Hudson, and New York City is swept up in the glamour. Every night, the red carpet rolls out for movie stars arriving at premieres in limos; the most exclusive restaurants close for private parties for wealthy producers and preeminent directors; and thousands of fans gather with the paparazzi, hoping to catch a glimpse of the most famous and beautiful faces in the world. With this many celebrities in town, special task force NYPD Red is on high alert-and they can't afford to make a single mistake.

Then a world-renowned producer fatally collapses at his power breakfast, and top NYPD Red Detective Zach Jordan is the first one on the scene. Zach works with his beautiful new partner, Detective Kylie MacDonald-who also happens to be his ex-girlfriend-to discover who the murderer might be. But this is only the beginning: the most brutal, public, and horrifyingly spectacular crimes they've ever encountered are about to send all of New York into chaos, putting NYPD Red on the ropes.

Zach and Kylie know there's no way of telling what a killer this deranged will do next. With the whole world watching, they have to find a way to stop a psychopath who has scripted his finale down to the last explosive detail. With larger-than-life action, relentless speed, and white-knuckle twists,NYPD Red is the next mega-blockbuster from "The Man Who Can't Miss." (TIME)"

My Review:
I just have to say OH MY GOSH!!!  I have wanted to read this book since it came out because of such great reviews of it I saw and I tell you what, I was NOT disappointed at all!  This was one of those books that seemed more like a movie than a book for me.  I watched as it played out in my head as I read it and couldn't help but think how amazing it was and how I couldn't wait to see how it all played out in the end.  The writing was flawless and the flow of it was like a raging river, quick to get anyone to the end with no points of lull or calm.  The characters!  Oh my gosh, I loved the characters.  I also liked how there were a lot of characters, but yet a small bunch of main ones, so it was very easy to get to know them all as they developed and like, or not like, them.  Zach, Kylie, Lexi, and "The Chameleon" were just so amazing to watch in this book.  I came to really like them all, even though I knew some of them I really shouldn't as they were the "bad guys", but they just were so entertaining!

The dynamic of Zach having to become partners with his old flame, Kylie, felt uncomfortable even to me.  They do amazing together as partners and always get the job done though.  Personally it seemed it mattered most to Zach, than Kylie to be ex lovers and now partners.  Maybe that's because Kylie is now married and Zach is not...however, he does have his eye on a certain woman he works with sometimes who is recently divorced.  Kylie and Zach are hot on the trail of a madman who is killing hot shot Hollywood big swigs.  They soon learn that he is much more dangerous than a serial killer.  He is separated from reality and thinks what he is doing is really just a way to get a movie deal...in his head.  He is sick of being the extra in movies and wants one of his own, the way he sees to get that is to do something so dramatic that they will make it all into a movie in the end.  Crazy?  Maybe, but to him it makes perfect sense.  It is Zach and Kylie's jobs to make sure the ending of this madman's movie is an alternate ending to the one he has already written out in his head.  There are many twists and turns in this book, but all just add to the amazing quality of the mystery.  

This book has everything a great author puts in a great mystery book...action, drama, adventure, mystery, murder, complex relationships, and a well oiled police force like NYPD Red!  This is a must must must must read!!!

5/5 Stars!!