Death of the Black Widow
She destroys the men she loves--and escapes every time. The most dangerous killer James Patterson has ever created is also his most seductive. On his first night with Detroit PD, Officer Walter O'Brien is called to a murder scene. A terrified twenty-year-old has bludgeoned her kidnapper with skill that shocks even O'Brien's veteran partner. The young woman is also a brilliant escape artist. Her bold flight from police custody makes the case impossible to solve--and for Walter, even more impossible to forget. By the time Walter's promoted to detective, his fascination with the missing, gray-eyed woman is approaching obsession. And when Walter discovers that he's not alone in his search, one truth is certain: this deadly string of secrets didn't begin in his home city, but he's going to make sure it ends there.
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Community Reviews
Another action-packed, fast-paced, totally creepy JD Barker book. I don’t know where Barker comes up with these outrageously creepy stories, but I love them (most of the time). Some will say that Patterson comes up with the stories and plots, however, we’re just going to have to agree to disagree on that one. As far as I’m concerned, the number one, best thing that I have found about Patterson co-authored books is that they introduced readers to some really great writers.
This story spans 35yrs in the life of Walter O’Brian in his pursuit of a woman who got away from him on his first day as a cop. The story starts in the present day with Walter and a crew of assassin buddies taking a nightclub full of people hostage. The story flips back and forth between the present-day scene and the earlier years of Walter’s law enforcement career leading up to why Walter has now taken the club hostage.
Sometimes, I like stories that reveal the killer early in the story, that way the reader doesn’t have to spend the rest of the story trying to figure out “whodunit”. The author can spend more time on character development and unfolding the killer’s motive. By the halfway point, I highly suspected the killer’s motive (and I was right), but it didn’t matter because by that time, I was hooked by Barker’s fantastic storytelling skills and abilities.
There were even a couple times in the story that seemed reminiscent of the whole late night, camping, fireside, ghost story. For me it was my childhood summers and winters in my family’s cabin up in Big Bear Mountain (CA) and my older brothers telling scary stories to me and my younger brother, after my parents had gone off to bed. Stories about some creepy local killer ghost who had roamed the woods for years killing people and how the ghost killed people and why.
Without getting into the nitty, gritty details or any spoilers, suffice it to say that Walter becomes obsessed with finding and chasing this woman down, the one that got away and kept getting away for 35yrs. LOVED the ending!!! WHOO YEAH!!!
This is only the fourth JD Barker book that I’ve read and all of them have this underlining creep factor going on, which I believe to be ALL BARKER!!! Hubby, who is a long-standing Alex Cross and Women’s Murder Club fan, recently binged read Barker’s 4th Monkey Killer series and he says that Barker has a much “darker and creepier” tone and style than any of Patterson’s stuff. I completely agree and have since added the 4th Monkey Killer series to my to-read list.
This story spans 35yrs in the life of Walter O’Brian in his pursuit of a woman who got away from him on his first day as a cop. The story starts in the present day with Walter and a crew of assassin buddies taking a nightclub full of people hostage. The story flips back and forth between the present-day scene and the earlier years of Walter’s law enforcement career leading up to why Walter has now taken the club hostage.
Sometimes, I like stories that reveal the killer early in the story, that way the reader doesn’t have to spend the rest of the story trying to figure out “whodunit”. The author can spend more time on character development and unfolding the killer’s motive. By the halfway point, I highly suspected the killer’s motive (and I was right), but it didn’t matter because by that time, I was hooked by Barker’s fantastic storytelling skills and abilities.
There were even a couple times in the story that seemed reminiscent of the whole late night, camping, fireside, ghost story. For me it was my childhood summers and winters in my family’s cabin up in Big Bear Mountain (CA) and my older brothers telling scary stories to me and my younger brother, after my parents had gone off to bed. Stories about some creepy local killer ghost who had roamed the woods for years killing people and how the ghost killed people and why.
Without getting into the nitty, gritty details or any spoilers, suffice it to say that Walter becomes obsessed with finding and chasing this woman down, the one that got away and kept getting away for 35yrs. LOVED the ending!!! WHOO YEAH!!!
This is only the fourth JD Barker book that I’ve read and all of them have this underlining creep factor going on, which I believe to be ALL BARKER!!! Hubby, who is a long-standing Alex Cross and Women’s Murder Club fan, recently binged read Barker’s 4th Monkey Killer series and he says that Barker has a much “darker and creepier” tone and style than any of Patterson’s stuff. I completely agree and have since added the 4th Monkey Killer series to my to-read list.
