Review: Worst Case

Someone is kidnapping the children of New York’s super-wealthy.  He’s not demanding money, though – he’s demanding answers.  He’s quizzing his captives and if they fail, they pay with their lives.  Detective Michael Bennett is on the case and this time he’s being helped by FBI Agent Emily Parker.  With few leads and no motive to go on, they’re struggling to find answers.  Just as they figure things out, the suspect goes public with a grand scheme designed to get a lot of attention.  Michael and Emily race to try to diffuse things before more lives are lost.

I needed something quick and mindless to read so I picked up Worst Case by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge.  I’ve enjoyed the Michael Bennett series before and thought the short chapters and quick pace of this book would be just what I needed and it was – for a while.

I enjoy the character of Michael Bennett.  He’s a great detective and a single dad to ten kids.  He’d never make it without the help of his grandfather and Mary Catherine, his housekeeper.  Things have been heating up between Michael and Emily but where does that leave loyal Mary Catherine?

As I started Worst Case, I was flipping the pages as fast as I could.  I was riveted to the story and needed to see how things would be resolved.  About three-fourths of the way through the book, I started to grow weary of it, though.  It was hard for me to believe that the suspect (at this point readers know who he is) was not leaving any clues.  I guess I grew tired of suspending disbelief.  The whole wrap up was a little over the top for me so, by the end of the book, I was ready for things to be over.  Overall, this book was just okay for me.  Fans of Michael Bennett will probably want to read it, but others may not.

I won this book in a contest on Bookin’ with Bingo.   I am an Indiebound Affiliate.