Lifeguard
by Andrew Gross, James Patterson
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Book Reviews of Lifeguard
Book Review: Fast-Paced, Entertaining Yarn about an Art Heist Gone Bad
Summary: 4 Stars
Beach bum Ned Kelly, hiding from his own past and his family's connection with small-time Boston crime, has forged a new life for himself in Palm Beach. Ned has a pleasant, although simple life, living as a caretaker for a rich man and working part-time as a lifeguard on the beach. However, when his boyhood friends offer to cut Ned in on "the perfect score", Ned can't resist. The plan is to steal several art masterpieces from a Palm Beach mansion, then sell them and disappear. When the appointed time for the theft arrives, though, Ned's friends enter the mansion and discover that the masterpieces have already been removed. The plot takes off quickly at this point, with the FBI and Dennis Stratton, the owner of the art, both hunting down Ned Kelly to find out what happened to the art.
The plot takes some enjoyable twists, and Patterson and Gross introduce some interesting characters. I especially enjoyed Ned's friend Champ, the former New Zealand jet racer. Authors Patterson and Gross introduce quite a bit of information about the painter Van Gogh, and I really enjoyed this sub-plot.
Patterson's trademark style of the very short chapters appears in this book, and I felt that this style worked better in this book than in some of his other books. "The Lifeguard" was a quick, entertaining story which I would definitely recommend.
Book Review: FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS.......!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
By day, Ned Kelly is lifeguard/poolboy to the rich and powerful; by night, he and his childhood friends from a working class neighborhood in Boston conspire to become part of the privileged. And although Ned thinks he may have just met the girl of his dreams, he has one last job to do with his buddies...the Big One that will change their lives. But something goes terribly wrong; Ned and his friends have been set up, and the results are fatal for those involved. This sends Ned on a mission to find out who is responsible. FBI Agent Ellie Shurtleff is also on a mission....; to track down the masterpieces that were targeted in the art heist..AND to find out who is responsible for the deaths of Ned's friends...especially when it becomes clear to her that the two are related. When bad boy Ned meets agent Ellie, hearts go pitter patter. Eventually the two join forces (along with Ned's friend stuntman/racecar driver Champ) to prove Ned's innocence (in both the theft of the art and the deaths of his friends), and to put away the Palm Beach heavyhitter whom they believe to be responsible for both.
This Patterson tale takes off from the very beginning, and does nothing but gain momentum the entire way through. This novel may have the reader viewing lifeguards in an entirely new light....great read.
DYB
Book Review: Good Team....
Summary: 3 Stars
Okay,
I'm not going to go into a detailed description of what the book is about, because you can read the inside of the cover. I am however going to give my two cents for whatever it's worth.
James Patterson, is my favorite author, with no hesitation, I have read ALL of his books, and try to keep an open mind, and certainly anticipate each one's release. As of late, I have been more than disappointed with his last few books outside of the Women's Murder Club series. I think he needs to put Alex Cross to rest, and this is coming from a huge fan of Alex. The last few Alex Cross books have been horrible. The events ran together, the characters weren't developed enough, and it just didn't keep my attention. I am usually able to read his books in one or two days, but Big Bad Wolf and London Bridges it took forever....
Back to the Lifeguard, when James Patterson teams up with Andrew Gross, it's a sure winner. Case and point, The Jester. Not his usual story line, but I couldn't put it down from the moment I started reading it. I will admit, the likely hood of the way the characters acted in this story are slim to none, but I got what I was expecting out of it, which was to be entertained.
So I am looking forward to another book with both James and Andrew, I think it's keeps the books fresh and entertaining.
Book Review: A Comeback
Summary: 4 Stars
Usually when I become bored with an author who I had on my must read list as long as James Patterson has been there, I am more than just reluctant to give more than one more chance. I have been thoroughly frustrated with the last three or four of Patterson's efforts and had not intended giving "Lifeguard" a chance, but my son who saw several Patterson books on the shelf at home was looking for a b-day present for dad, and that is how I came by this latest work. Guess what. It is damn good. Not great, but everything I had come to like about Patterson, interesting but flawed characters, speedy reads, and plots that actually make sense and entertain. I hesitate to say too much about the plot, etc., so I don't give away too much of the plot, but suffice to say he hits the same stride he had when he wrote "Kiss the Girls" and "Cradle and All"; a lot of surprises, but grounded in believable action and realistic endings. A sequel may even entice me at some point, but I reccommend "Lifeguard" to all Patterson's older fans who, like me had been put-off in the last several years, and not a bad place to start for new fans. The biggest criticism I can offer is the wide margins, short chapters that make the book appear thicker than it is when it is almost short enough to be called a novella, after all I read it in two sittings.Book Review: Lifeguard Puts the Fun In Beach Reading
Summary: 3 Stars
This is the story of a lifeguard, but don't expect to find him on the beach too much. In one of his rare appearances on the shore, Ned meets a beautiful and seductive woman. Hoping to have the money to live on her level, he consents to take part in a robbery with four of his oldest and dearest friends. The plan is to rob a ritzy home of valuable artwork, but when the would-be thieves arrive, the art has already been stolen. Later in the evening, the four friends plus the beautiful woman are all murdered and Ned is on the run.
A female FBI agent that is attracted to Ned, a father with a lifetime record for petty crime, a malicious millionaire, an avenging spouse, and a gin partner who redefines friendship, are some of the characters you'll meet in this novel. But it is Ned Kelly, the good guy with a bad streak, headstrong and often foolish, that will keep you reading at breakneck speed to discover who the elusive "Doctor Gachet" might be. Surprising twists and Patterson's plotting keep things moving, but the over-the-top ending makes this more fairy-tale than thriller.