The writer

The Writer is probably the best novel to appear under Patterson's name in years. Its story is intriguing: a physician is murdered; his wife, a best-selling true-crime writer, is found near his body, covered in blood. To homicide cop Declan Shaw, it looks like a slam dunk. But the deeper he digs, the murkier the evidence becomes. Did the writer not kill her husband? Will Shaw be able to get to the truth? The writing here is excellent; readers of coauthor Barker's masterful 4MK series will note a similarity of approach to characterization, plot development, and dialogue. The authors frequently, and (we get the distinct impression) gleefully, send the story off in a new and entirely unexpected direction; there are several twists in the book, and they are all perfectly executed. Readers who like their thrillers to be predictable might feel out of their depth with this genuinely suspenseful, even shocking, novel. On the other hand, those who like the challenge of figuring out where the story's going before it gets there should consider blocking out a few hours of uninterrupted reading time.

A guilt-stricken cop investigates a bestselling author for murder in the entertaining fifth collaboration between Patterson and Barker (after Confessions of the Dead). Facing an inquiry from internal affairs, NYPD detective Declan Shaw plans to jump in front of a subway train to prevent an unspecified secret from coming to light. Before he can do so, his investigative partner, Jarod Cordova, calls him with disturbing news: popular true crime writer Denise Morrow arrived at her Manhattan apartment to find her husband, David, stabbed to death, but when police arrived, she warded them off with a gun, insisting she'd only allow Shaw inside. When Shaw arrives, he finds Morrow soaked in blood and standing near a bloody knife. She has an airtight alibi, however, and holds considerable sway over Shaw, because she's working on a book that casts doubt on a case he and Cordova handled several years earlier, which led to the conviction of a New York City parks employee for the murder of a 14-year-old girl. Shaw and Morrow's cat-and-mouse game quickly becomes preposterous, but the narrative only gains steam as one gonzo plot twist follows the next. Though goofy, it's loads of fun. Agent: Robert Barnett, Williams & Connolly. (Mar.)