The Writer : The Twistiest Thriller James Patterson Has Ever Written

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.)