James Patterson has written a ton of books, but I've never read any, so I was intrigued when I received a review copy of his latest effort from Hachette Publishing. The storyline of The Postcard Killers is interesting, as is the way the book was developed. Patterson is no stranger to collaborating on stories and it was he who approached best-selling Swedish novelist Liza Marklund to work with him on this thriller. While it can be seen as a capitalization on the recent Scandinavian craze, nonetheless it works. I can't comment on what this book is like in comparison to Patterson's other efforts, but I enjoyed the interesting--if uncomfortable--subject matter and the fast pace.
When we meet NYPD detective Jacob Kanon he is in Europe, except he's not sightseeing. The tough cop is coming apart at the seams after the recent murder of his daughter, Kimmy, and her boyfriend in Rome. Now Kanon is hellbent on catching the killers who are systematically murdering couples across the continent while sending postcards to local newspapers first. When Swedish reporter Dessie Larsson receives one of the postcards it brings Kanon into her life and it isn't long before they team up to solve the puzzling crimes.
There are parts of the story that are a little far fetched, yet overall I enjoyed The Postcard Killers (which will be available in August) and would seek out more Patterson material in the future. Have you read any Patterson or Marklund books?
Read an excerpt here.
