I have devoured all things Patterson for many years and this one just might top the list. An investigator is checking out a murder and the evidence starts pointing to him. A known mystery writer is the wife of the deceased and her background in writing has her checking out another case that the investigator was working on. So many twists and turns right up to the end of the book. When this one is released, run to get it. Thanks to #NetGalley, and the publisher for the ARC. I cannot recommend this one enough.

Ka-pow! This one packs a punch. That last chapter will be forever etched in my brain.

Picture, if you will, one of NYPD's finest perched on the edge of the platform at a notorious station on the Upper West side. His phone rings. Declan Shaw has been personally summoned to a murder in a tower apartment nearby. The victim's widow sits by her husband's side, drenched in blood, with the suspected murder weapon in between. Looks like an open-and-shut case with Denise Morrow, a successful true-crime writer, getting charged with murder.

Not so fast. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

If you are like me, you will tear through this book in a New York minute. The ground beneath will continually shift until you finally reach the momentous conclusion. Don't bet on the outcome. Odds are you will be wrong.

My favorite character = Quimby the cat with mad skills in busting intruders.

A big thank you to Little, Brown and Co and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. J.D. Barker, you have my attention!

This had so many twists that just kept coming and surprising me. Everyone was dropping like flies. The cat cam wow! Brilliant.
A true crime book seller named Denise Morrow comes home to find her husband dead. When she calls 911, she reports it as a brake in and keeps asking for Declan shaw a detective. When detective Declan and his partner Jarod arrive, she's in shock and covered in blood. It's a never-ending guessing game from there. This book will not disappoint.

This is one of the best police procedurals I have read in a long time. The twists and turns, I couldn’t put it down.

No one is above suspicion in this one, and the more you read the guiltier everyone looks. But are they really? Was this all one person’s masterful plan or are multiple people involved?

Every time I thought I had a handle on the good guys and the bad guys I was proved wrong. From the first words to the very last, this book had me and wouldn’t let me go.

This book was outstanding and I hope we see more from this duo. WOW!

Thank you Little Brown for the copy of this book. All views are my own.

Reader: be ready for a rollercoaster. You’ll be questioning every characters’ motives and trustworthiness. As always, JD Barker’s writing is so very smooth. It never feels like reading to me-I just get deeply lost in the fictional world he creates. The twist at around 60% threw me off good. Initially I didn’t really like it (I think I said, “WHAT?! No. Way. Seriously, what?!” out loud), but I was desperate to find out how the twist came to be and how it would play out during the second half of the book. I finally felt comfortable and accepting of the direction the story was taking. Then the twist at 80% had me shocked and, again, totally lost as to how this could possibly come together. The twists kept coming out of left field and then slowly got sewn in to make total sense. This smartly written thriller was exciting and gripping. Very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Mar 17 2025

This book has to be the most twisted and entertaining Patterson book that I have ever read! The twists start from the beginning and they just keep coming until I had trouble telling the difference between truth and lies. The lawyer was lying…maybe? The policemen was crooked…maybe? The writer was telling the truth…maybe? And the guy in prison, well, he was definitely, maybe lying. I was totally engrossed in the murder mystery and held captive by all of the false trails and gotcha moments in this book. I don’t want to give too much away because I want everyone to read it and be amazed at the end of the sheer creative genius that made this story come all together. A body in a park, a body in a swanky apartment, and a few more thrown in for good measure. Plus the killer twist at the ending! I literally gasped at the ending and read it again, just to make sure I hadn’t missed out on something. The characters are believable, all equally as likable as untrustworthy narrators can be and the plot runs at breakneck speed off a cliff. This book is not to be missed and then probably to be read again to catch all the clues you missed the first time. This one blew my mind with its skillful misdirection and intense and compelling plot.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Mic drop 🎤 I mean seriously this book was off the hook amazing! Simply Brilliant! Addictive, gripping, hard to put down, and shocking!!!! James Patterson and J.D. Barker have outdone themselves with The Writer!!!!! This writing duo can do no wrong in my book!

Bestselling true-crime author Denise Morrow finds herself at the center of a shocking crime when she calls 911 to report that her husband has been murdered after a break in. Declan Shaw and Jarod Cordova are on the case and learn that the woman who is in shock and covered in blood, is a writer. Could she also be a killer??????

Clever, clever, clever!!!!! Just when I thought I had everything figured out, this dynamic writing duo threw a twist into the mix, and everything changed on a dime! Whew! My head is still spinning, and my pulse is still pounding. This book was pure genius! There is a lot going on in this book and it becomes evident at the beginning of this book that this is going to be a mysterious thrill ride on the way to the truth while skirting obstacles along the way.

This whodunit murder mystery kept me on my toes, fulling invested, pointing my finger here and there all while being left with my jaw hanging open at the end of the book. Holy Crap!!!!!!

Highly Recommend!!!!

With James Patterson and JD Barker co-authoring this, it was exactly what I hoped for! It flies by at lightning speed, and it's full of twists that really clever and completely surprising. There was one twist in particular that was so unexpected, I absolutely couldn't believe it had happened.
*
Also the fact that the cat played a big role just made me happy :)
*
Definitely recommend this for a quick, fun thriller!

Bestselling true-crime author Denise Morrow's husband is murdered in their apartment. NYPD Detective Declan Shaw is called to the scene and discovers that Morrow is the prime suspect. Shaw must unravel the mystery and determine if Morrow is not only a victim but also a killer.

When two incredible authors come together to collaborate on a book, you know it's going to be a hit! The anticipation is through the roof! I'm already a huge fan of JD Barker's writing style, but I must admit I haven't delved into James Patterson's work as much as I should have - until now! This collaboration is a game-changer!

The book is everything you could hope for - it's clever, fast-paced, and full of unexpected twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The character development is top-notch, and the plot twists are so well-executed that I couldn't predict what was coming next. I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put it down!

If you're a fan of thrilling suspense that keeps you guessing and leaves you craving more, this book is must-read. The collaboration between these two authors is a match made in literary heaven, and I can't wait to see what they come up with next! Get ready to be blown away!

Thank you, Little Brown and Company, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I lost count of how many times my eyeballs almost popped out of my head. Have mercy! Reading this book was like being on a merry go round that went too fast. When you got off, you were disoriented and realized you were going in the wrong direction. James Patterson and J. D. Barker will lead you down one path after another. Them bam - there is another twist, another misdirection. Throw everything out the window that you thought you knew and start over because you will be blown away time after time, chapter after chapter.

I believe this might be one of the most unpredictable stories I have ever read by this author. Misleading does even begin to describe the chilling game being played. It is a chess game, and you will not see that last move coming until it is too late. No matter how much blood, motive or evidence you think you have compiled, throw it away and forget about it. I am still sitting here stunned. Do yourself a favor and read this one as soon as you can.

Thank you to Little Brown and Company and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Little, Brown and Company for the ARC!

The Writer was a rollercoaster ride of mysteries and secrets that you could not and do not want to get off of! So many fun twists and surprises along the way that keep you on the edge of your seat. Declan was a great lead character, bringing you into the story right alongside him. The Writer was another home run from Patterson and I can’t wait for the next Patterson story!

A complex, fascinating murder mystery with unexpected bad people doing unexpected bad things. Lots of surprising twists definitely keep the reader guessing as to what the heck is going on. Who is actually guilty and who is being framed? What’s real and what’s a big act? Another excellent collaboration between Patterson and Barker and their exciting trademark suspense.

The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker is the most incredible thriller I have read in a long time. I mean WOW, I read this book in 1 day.

Admittedly, I am a huge FAN James Patterson and The Writer holds on to you and doesn't let go.

Expertly and cleverly written, this crime thriller had me flipping the pages.

Detective Declan Shaw is on the verge of taking his own life when he gets a call to come to a crime scene. Reluctantly he goes and joins fellow officer Jarod Cardova.

He finds a dead body and his wife; bestselling crime author Denise Morrow is covered in blood.

Seems like it could be a clear-cut case. NOT SO MUCH!

This thriller has so many twists, so well written. The secrets, lies and surprises do not stop!

Highly recommend!

NYPD Detective, Declan Shaw, receives a call to respond to a crime scene where he has been requested by name. When he arrives at the apartment a woman sits, covered in blood, next to a body with a bloody knife between them. The woman is bestselling true-crime writer Denise Morrow, the victim her husband. What appears as an open and shut case soon turns into a seemingly unsolvable case.

The Writer is a non-stop thrill ride that will have you guessing right up to the last page. This was one of those books that was hard to put down. Every time I thought I had an idea of what was happening the plot twist would have me re-evaluating everything I thought I knew. That ending was so surprising. This was one of the best books I have read so far this year…a must read for whodunnit fans!

The story begins with detective Declan Shaw being called to a murder scene because a woman he doesn't know has declined to talk to anyone but him. Arriving at the crime he finds a woman covered in blood with the body of her husband beside her. Claiming to be a writer the woman proclaims she's innocent.
This story had so many twists and turns it was hard to keep up. Be prepared to spend a sleepless night with this one. I never saw the ending coming. Great read full of surprises.

Note: I received a DRC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
“From #1 New York Times murder-thriller author James Patterson, when a world-famous crime writer's husband is found dead, detectives must uncover if she is the target, the next victim--or a mastermind.

NYPD Detective Declan Shaw gets a call: How fast can you get to the Beresford building on Central Park West?

In the tower apartment, Shaw finds a woman waiting for him. She's covered in blood. A body is lying dead on the floor of the luxurious living room.

Every book in the apartment's floor-to-ceiling shelves is by the same author: bestselling true-crime writer Denise Morrow.

"This is you?" Shaw asks the woman. "You're a writer?"

Only one person knows the ending to this story. Is it the victim or the killer?”

I love James Patterson books, and “The Writer was another great stand-alone mystery. I don’t want to spoil much, because this book is just that good. The story was full of suspense, and the ending made my jaw drop. I love this book, and I would highly recommend it to any mystery lovers and James Patterson fans.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I eat up James Patterson thrillers, and this was a very fun, different one that still felt like exactly what I look for in a page turner by Patterson. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC gifted in exchange for my honest review.

This book was full of morally grey characters (and a couple of full-on baddies as well). You probably won't like or root for anyone along the way, but you'll certainly root against people.

I knew who the main culprit was almost immediately, but the path to the end was still an adventure.

There's so much going on here that it felt almost like too much.

Regardless, if you like a good police procedural / murder-filled thriller, this might be the one for you. It's well written, fast paced, and I found it to be a nice way to spend a few hours outside of my own head.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐩 𝐠𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐝? 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡, 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧.

I'll have to admit, this one didn't grab me right away; however, when the characters started to resonate with me and the plot found its footing, I was hooked. The last 30% of this book had me in an absolute chokehold, and it's been awhile since I've encountered twists so masterful and diabolical.

NYPD Detective Declan Shaw is contemplating ending it all when he gets a call from his lieutenant summoning him to a crime scene. Declan's backstory wasn't initially explained, so that scene was puzzling at first. Let me go ahead and say that anything that feels out of place or unnecessary is there for a reason, so have patience.

When Declan arrives at the Central Park apartment, he's briefed--the woman inside called 911 to report a both a break-in and the murder of her husband, but it's her demand that has everyone baffled: 𝑵𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑫𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒘. The woman is covered in blood, too much blood to have performed the life-saving measures she claimed, and Shaw is instantly suspicious. When he spots her shelves filled with hardcover books, he recognizes the name—bestselling true-crime author Denise Morrow, who just happens to be the blood-soaked woman.

This is a woman who has intimate knowledge of killers and the mistakes that got them caught. Has she used that knowledge to orchestrate the perfect murder? As more and more layers are peeled back, the truth becomes much more insidious than one could ever imagine. Run to grab this one when it's released March 17, 2025. Thank you so much to Little, Brown, and Company for the early copy.

A very creative whodunnit, where it isn't always clear who is the victim and who is the offender.
At the crime scene, it seems like an obvious case of spousal homicide.
Only two people are in the apartment - the dead husband, and the wife (covered in blood) with the weapon beside her.
But then comes the forensics that turn the whole case on its head. And that's only the beginning of what appears to be slight of hand, or as the detectives declare, a "three card monty."

So, who really is the killer?
Is it the famed true crime author, Denise Morrow?
Is it Declan Shaw, who Denise wrote about as a dirty cop?
Is it Geller Hoffman, a friend of Denise's and her lawyer, who may have played a role in a coverup?
Or just a random act of violence?
I don't think anyone believes the latter, but uncovering the truth was much more complex than I could have imagined.

While parts of the story are very methodical as the most police procedurals go, things really ramp up towards the end as one twist after another is revealed. And the ending is a big ol' chef's kiss! I just love when there's a twist on the last page.

Overall, fans of these authors are sure to enjoy this latest release.