The Coast-to-Coast Murders is a collaboration by two of my favorite authors, James Patterson and J.D. Barker. Our story begins with Michael Kepler, a long-haul truck driver, receiving a call that his apartment is flooding.
He rushes home to discover a dead body in his bathtub. LAPD Detective Garrett Dobbs is investigating the murder when he learns from FBI Agent Jessica Gimble that this crime may be related to a serial killer known as Birdman. Is Michael the killer or he a victim of having his apartment used as a crime scene? As law enforcement begins to investigate Michael and his past, they discover that he is the adoptive son of two well renowned psychologists and Ivy League professors. Michael, along with his adopted sister Megan, were brought up in an experimental environment full of secrets. . . some unknown even to themselves. Will this investigation reveal all of the secrets and will Birdman's cross-country killing spree be stopped?

This novel is an exciting fast paced thriller that I devoured in one sitting. I simply could not put the book down because I had to see what happened next. I loved the mystery, especially the deeply psychological undertones. The characters were compelling and I found myself quickly drawn into the story. The subject matter was fascinating and really focused on what drives a person to become a killer. I enjoyed every single twist and turn until the final reveal. Overall, this was a highly entertaining book and I was saddened when this adventure was over because I wanted to read more! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers!

FTC disclosure: I would like to thank Little, Brown and Company for providing me with an advance reader copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program.

Wow the suspense!

This was an interesting read for me because having read books from both authors, (90s Patterson and a few from the Michael Bennett series, Barker, from the latest She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be and Dracul), I had certain expectations and was not sure how a blend of creative elements and the diversity among the two would play out.

I was excited and I also had questions. Was this going to be a cross-over for new audiences or existing readership or appeal to both? Would it be fresh or familiar and would it even matter? Would I be experiencing reader confusion if there was a certain continuity I was looking for in the writing and storyline? Who contributed what as far as idea, vision, and implementation? Were there creative differences and how did those get worked out? I wanted to know. I don’t know why I wanted to know these things, I just did.

So I’ll just say when I was reading, there were certain recognizable traits I identified and the collaboration was executed fabulously.

The storyline. Ah, makes so much sense. Red herrings, yes, you got me. Ending, yup, well played. The police force with feasibility and critical knowledge, so well polished, and I just love it when I can read a book and not feel the need to nitpick these things apart.

The writing. So fast paced and decisive, as the storyline calls for and the immediacy was so incredibly satisfying. It was a captivating, dive-in of an opening. A few hard-driven parts were almost borderline overstimulating for me, but nonetheless, I happily devoured the book in one sitting.

The lines written without apology, a very natural, yet precise and enticing way of wording, compelling but not over worked or over thought. And there was this persuasiveness that was essential for such a detailed, psychological thrill which was just entrancing. I recognized certain stylistic features that just cut through my mind like, oooh that’s eerie, oooh that cliffhanger, so solid, I’ll keep reading.

I loved how dual scenarios and POVs converged at the surprise elements while still maintaining their distinction. There was this unique quality to the writing, especially for the crime fiction genre, where the voices were undoubtedly distinguishable in both thought and action. I feel like sometimes character traits and voices tend to take on the same persona and get muddy when police investigations take place, definitely not the case in this one.

I loved the characterizations of people, as well as general observations of personal characteristics/habits themselves. And the scenery, I mean Needles, CA., if you’ve ever driven through, you’d recognize that the description of the settings were spot on.

And of course I loved the literary references and the quotes from within the story itself. They generated their own deep significance that articulated the intricacies of the plot so well.

A solid read and I’m looking forward to seeing more collaborations like this.

The Coast-to-Coast Murders by James Patterson and JD Barker. The authors team up to create a unforgettable tale. Multiple interwoven twists, well done characterizations, and an electrifying plot are flawlessly knit together to create fast paced thriller.

Who is on the Mark? My guess would be JD Barker, his creative style is recognizable throughout the story.

Thank you to the publisher, JD Barker and Mr. Patterson, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

"The coast to coast murders" was a rollercoaster and reading it a hell of a ride. When it comes to this books collaborations I never know how much each author contributes, but in this case I've recognized J.D. Barker in each and every line, starting with an intricate plot, characters sharing some traits with characters from his previous books and twist after twist that force you to keep on reading cause when you think you have everything figured out, he throws you another spin that turns your head inside out.

You know how some books take some time to take off while setting all the pieces in place? Well, this one is not one of those. If, as I said in my opening, you think of this book as a rollercoaster, chapter one would be when you're at the highest point after the initial climb inmediately before you are dropped into a series of loops that won't give you a break till you reach the end.

It's been quite a few years since I read some James Patterson, so I can't quite judge his latests work, but I've read almost all J.D. Barker novels and this one it's up there with his best ones (if you loved the 4MK trilogy this book is for you).

Brilliant thriller with a twisted plot that will hook you up from page one and that confirms J.D. Barker as the thriller king.

Thanks to J.D. Barker, Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very interesting story. All the chapters are only a few pages long, at most told from a few viewpoints. The main character, Michael, begins the story by finding a body in his apartment, so he does what any innocent person would do, he calls the police. The police, after some investigating, take him to the apartment of another homicide, where they show him a selection of clothes in the dresser, an intimate tape of him and the victim, just a couple of things that make it look like Michael was involved with this person, which he denies. Of course the police don’t believe him and bring him in for questioning. A lawyer shows up claiming to be acting on his behalf and manages to break Michael out of the police station. This leads to a cross country chase, literally from California to New York, with Michael trying to prove his innocence with the assistance of his sister along the way. The plot moves along at a very quick pace and I found I was engaged in the outcome. There were a few times where I thought I had figured out what was going to happen, and each time I wasn’t even close. I have not read a James Patterson novel in quite some time, these two authors (JD Barker is coauthor) did an exceptional job on this, highly recommended. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Holy, crap on a cracker, when James Patterson and J.D. Barker team up together, you have a book you can't put down and an incredible thrill ride. Don't start reading this, if you have stuff to do, bc you will regret having to put it down. Talk about a surprising thriller!

Michael is a man with things stacked up against him, so it seems. He can't remember things, and dead bodies are piling up all around. Is someone trying to frame him, or could he really be the one?

Hold onto your seat because you want believe this book. You think you got it figured out and something new happens and you are back to square one. The ending is what will get you.

Thanks to Netgalley, James Patterson, J.D. Barker and the publisher for the Kindle Book

The Coast-to-Coast Murders is a psychological-thriller. This is a collaboration by two authors that I really enjoy
James Patterson  - of the Alex Cross Series, as well as so many other great books, and J.D. Barker who wrote Dracul , and of course the 4MK Thriller Series  ( The Fourth Monkey) - I have yet to read these

These two authors really work well together, and this book is a thriller that was fast paced, intriguing and had never ending twists on so many of it's pages!

A very good read indeed!

Thanks to NetGalley, the Authors, and Little, Brown and Company for my advanced copy to read in exchange for my review

Who is on the mark?

What does that mean? Remember it. Always know who is on the mark.

Michael Fitzgerald is a long-distance truck driver and he is about to have a really bad day. At least I'm pretty sure he wasn't planning on finding a dead woman in his bathtub. But then there are things he doesn't remember and unfortunately things he can't forget.

Michael and his sister Megan were adopted by the Fitzgeralds Two shrinks in one house who should never have had any children. Ever. Megan is the only person Michael can trust. At this point he doesn't even trust himself! He's lost time before but he never understood why. 

Meanwhile...Detective Hobbs and FBI Agent Gimble have joined up to work a murder that seems straightforward. They have a suspect in custody and that seemed easy. Until the next murder happens. When they figure out they have multiple murders that crisscross the map, the Fitzgeralds' name comes up. But which one? The father is dead. Megan is trying to help Michael and while they suspect Michael, he is elusive and very organized.

When two of my favorite authors team up on a book, I am going to read it! This was a long book and every minute was pushing harder and harder to the end. The characters were so well done and the suspense was intense all the way to the end.

You won't believe this ending! I'm still going WHAT???? This is Psychological Suspense at it's best!

NetGalley/ September 21st, 2020 by Little, Brown & Company

I want to say very little about this book.
Gripping story told in very short chapters. Read very carefully or you might miss the ending.

For such a grand title, I did not feel the vastness of the murders.

It was a lot more of telling and not showing. It was a lot of oh, they are driving for this many hours, oh we took a flight and landed here. It was less than thrilling in that regard.

I thought the characters were pretty hollow.

I really liked Mitchell, this book needed way more of him and his malice.

I mean it's a Patterson book so you know the writing and the plot is solid. It's a decent book, but it's just boring and standard and everything that is wrong with prolific writers in this genre. Like I said in my Goodreads review, it's a good book, but it undersells Barker as a writer and he should be wary of what he attaches his name to- no matter how famous the collaborator is.

400 pages

5 plus, plus stars!

Drs. Barton (Bart) and Rose Fitzgerald adopted two damaged children from a place called Windham Hall. They then proceeded to abuse and torture them. The children were Megan and Michael (Kepler). Megan is now a college student in psychology while Michael is a long haul truck driver.

While grocery shopping, Michael gets a phone call from his downstairs neighbor saying water is running into her apartment from his. He rushes home to find water running everywhere. In his tub is a dead woman. He calls the police after calling his sister Megan.

So his nightmare begins.

Detective Garrett Hobbs immediately assumes that the woman was killed by Michael. His alibi is weak. He and his partner proceed with the investigation when he gets a visit from FBI Agent Jessica Gimble who reports that several murders have been committed across the country. They seem to follow Michael's truck route. They begin to track Michael together. There are several nail biting moments and scenes while the pair and their colleagues chase Michael as he goes east.

Megan meets up with Michael in Arizona and they continue east. Hobbs and Gimble, among others, are hot on their tails. Following high drama at a large truck stop, Hobbs and Gimble split up. Hobbs to go to Dr. Rose's home to look for where he thinks Megan will be located while Gimble stay on Michael.

The journey continues.

This book has explosive action, high tension and thrilling scenes. I was entranced into reading far into the night. It is a number one psychological thriller. It is extremely well written and plotted. The reader gets to know Michael and Megan very well. These insights to their personalities do not detract from the content or excitement of the novel at all. I was fascinated and really liked the book. It had got to be one of my all time favorites. Just the right mix of psychology and police procedural – one of Misters Barker and Patterson's hallmarks. I recommend this book to all fans of both authors and anyone whol ikes a high tension thrill ride.

I want to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely great thrill ride for me to read, enjoy and review.

Review Copy

James Patterson and JD Barker team up for a roller coaster ride that you better be be prepared to strap in for the long haul. It ain't over 'til it's over. And when it is, all that can be said is Whoooo!!!

I had it all figured out. Yeah, right. Until I didn't. How about I had parts of it figured out? Yeah, that's it. Uh huh.

Barker writes exactly what I want to read. All his books never cease to amaze me and MURDERS is no exception. This type of psychological thriller is my favorite. I still remember Patterson's early books like KISS THE GIRLS, love him still. And to think that they teamed up. What a match. And you know what? We got Patterson's short chapters with Barker's descriptiveness bringing a whole new realm to the book. I was able to say "just one more chapter..." and it would only take a couple of minutes. Nice! But I said it way too many times. What a great book.

This is a book that should not be missed. Coming this fall from Little Brown and Co. 5 shooting stars.

I was so excited when I saw James Patterson and J.D.Barker had teamed up to coauthor Coast To Coast Murders!!! I knew it was going to be an excellent read and I was not disappointed. At one point I thought I had it figured out, of course I was wrong. The ending was a huge surprise and well played!

Michael And Megan we’re adopted by 2 psychologist when they were young children and their lives were part of their parents research. Michael is now being accused of several murders. He insists he’s being framed! All the evidence is pointing directly at Michael, a woman found dead in his bathtub, pictures of them together and he tells detectives he doesn’t know who she is! Megan joins Michael to find the truth that will prove his innocence. Will they find the real killer?

J.D Barker is the master of Thrillers! He definitely knocked this way out of the park!! He never disappoints!!!
Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Company for allowing me to read this ARC!

ames Patterson + J.D. Barker = one heck of a road trip (and it's down memory lane folks) as a man on the run, with the feds on his trail, goes off the rails and bodies pile up.

Who is on the Mark?

Michael Fitzgerald, a long-haul truck driver, is having a bad day - a very bad day. He finds a woman dead in his bathtub and that is only the beginning. He claims he is innocent; the evidence says otherwise. What is the truth? He seems convincing, but the evidence doesn't lie, does it? Michael has no idea what to do but he does know that his sister, Megan is the only one he can turn to. Both have been adopted by their parents - one a psychiatrist, one a psychologist. Both have had traumatic pasts, and both trust the other more than anyone else in their lives.

But then Michael escapes and always seems to be a step ahead of the police. Soon, Detective Garrett Hobbs and FBI Agent Jessica Gimble have joined forces to work this murder investigation. But there have been others. Many murders have taken place all over the United States. They all have one thing in common or is it two things in common? hmmm

As the body count climbs, so does the tension, the suspense and even more so the questions as to what and who can be trusted. If you think you know what is going on, if you think you have it figured out, if you think you are on the mark with this one, think again! There are some great little (some not so little) twists and turns along the way with one heck of a whopper at the end. I'm lucky I didn't get whiplash with that last one because it was a head-turner.

This was one heck of a ride and never disappointed. The writing was solid (of course it was, come on), the pacing was solid, and I was riveted to this thrilling ride. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, look no further. Captivating and brilliantly plotted, this was a thrilling read from the first to the very last page.

Thank you to J.D. Barker, Little Brown and Company and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Coast-to-Coast Murders by James Patterson and JD Barker

After reading JD Barker’s Fourth Monkey series I wasn’t sure I would ever discover another novel(s) that infiltrated my brain and demanded my undivided attention..
The Coast-to-Coast Murders grabbed my curiosity on the first page and didn’t let my mind rest, even after I read the last page.
Just when you think you might know what is really happening, the next page unveils just enough to smash your preconceptions.
This is an instant classic of psychological suspense. I can’t recommend it enough.

J.D. Barker and James team up together to deliver a pulp-themed book about a man being framed for a murder that he didn't commit ... but did he?

All the cards are stacked against Michael Fitzgerald and it gets harder to believe that Michael is innocent as all the evidence and bodies tend to sway his direction. Michael and Megan Fitzgerald are both adopted siblings who share a terrifying past. Michael is a cross-country truck driver, and Megan is attending college with a major in psychology. At the beginning of the book he finds a woman in his bathtub dead and leaves him questioning why and how. There is a video of them together. He calls for help and tells them he didn't do it but his alibi doesn't pan out and seems weak. That is the beginning of a wild cross-country hunt searching for the truth and ultimately stopping the killings.

Detective Garrett Hobbs and FBI Jessica Gimble join up together to try and solve what started out in the beginning as a "simple open-and-shut case". Then the bodies start piling up and the case gets way more involved that first thought. We watch as Michael avoids roadblocks, escapes jails and more. The twists and turns keep hammering away building tension. Just when I thought I absolutely knew what was happening my head got snapped in yet another direction and proved me wrong. From coast to coast, the Detective and FBI Agent try to stop this crazy killer. It is definitely a wild ride that leaves you flipping pages to the very end.

In typical J.D. Barker writing style ... don't count on figuring it all out until the explosive ending.

Patterson and Barker have teamed up and given us the thriller beyond a thriller. Don't open this up if you have other things to do -- like sleep and eat. Guaranteed you are not going to want to put this down and you better set up your chiropractor appointment cause you are going to have whiplash your head is going to spin so much.

It starts out with the classic pulp theme of an innocent man being framed for a grisly murder that he didn't commit -or did he? It's gonna get harder and harder to believe Michael is innocent as the bodies and evidence pile up. Her body is in his bathtub. His clothes are in her house. There's video of them together. But, he called 911 and swears he didn't do it. His alibi is crap. He saw a movie alone and fell asleep.

But, that's just the opening salvo. Wait till the cross-country hunt behind and the FBI's best can't hold Michael as he escapes jails, roadblocks, and more.

And the twists keep coming. Don't think you've got it figured out. You don't.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Little Brown and Company, and the authors, James Patterson and J D Barker, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Coast to Coast Murders in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

What do you get when two best selling authors get together to write a book?

This book! Incredible does not begin to describe how good it is.

The characters, the narrative, the scenes all blend together faultlessly to create this thrill ride of an adventure.

I was so excited to receive my copy of The Coast to Coast Murders this morning. I waited, holding my breath as it downloaded praying that the internet wouldn't crash. Hahaha.

I could not put it down once I started on the journey with Michael and Megan. There is no way to discern where these two best selling authors are going to take you. I certainly did not see it coming.

But, this is my opinion. Why don't you sit down and take the ride yourself? See if you agree. Its certainly worth more than the 5 stars I give it.

Highly recommend reading this book. Even if you only read one book a year, make it this one. You won't be disappointed.