Run for Your Life (Michael Bennett) by James Patterson, Michael Ledwidge
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Book Reviews of Run for Your Life (Michael Bennett)
Book Review: Jump on this series now
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are not reading the Michael Bennett books by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge, now would be an excellent time to start. There are two thus far --- STEP ON A CRACK and the newly published RUN FOR YOUR LIFE --- so you can be up to speed on the series easily enough.
Bennett is a driven New York City police detective who balances the high-pressure demands of his job with even more demanding domestic duties. A recent widower, Bennett is dad to 10 adopted children. He is assisted by his grandfather Seamus (who, by the way, is a Catholic priest) and Mary Catherine, a twenty-something au-pair who, if I am reading between the lines correctly, is ever so slowly becoming a potential romantic interest for Bennett, and vice versa.
Now, before you think you have stumbled into a literary relaunch of "Eight is Enough," let me assure you that the focus of the Bennett novels is on bad guys --- really, really interesting bad guys. The one featured front-and-center in RUN FOR YOUR LIFE is The Teacher, who reduces Manhattan to chaos with a series of grisly, violent murders with no apparent link. An expert at weaponry, possessed of a twisted genius and propelled by an enigmatic motive that is grudgingly revealed over the course of the narrative, The Teacher is as unforgettable as he is deadly. He appears to be unstoppable; seemingly able to change his appearance at will, it's as if he moves instantaneously from crime scene to crime scene, while along the way chastising people for their poor manners. His victims include a retail clerk, a French airline steward, a maître d' --- and then, of course, there's that unfortunate corpse back at his apartment.
When The Teacher discovers through the media that Bennett is after him, he begins baiting Bennett, leaving messages for him at crime scenes. As he prepares for his ultimate act of vengeance, however, The Teacher gets up close and personal with Bennett, making Bennett a part of his twisted scenario that, if he's successful, will give them both a dark place in history.
Patterson and Ledwidge have created a winning series here. The secondary domestic plot --- an influenza strain running through the household while Bennett is being pressured by his superiors to capture The Teacher --- is given just enough attention to provide a sort of comic relief from the grimness of the book's main theme without distracting the reader entirely from it. The main attraction of RUN FOR YOUR LIFE however, is of course The Teacher. As dangerous as he is, his ultimate motivation is a bombshell that resonates long after the last sentence is read. The authors also provide enough loose ends to keep the anticipation for the next volume at a fever pitch. Jump on this series now and then tell your friends about it; you'll look prescient in a year or two.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Book Review: I'm not joking, I really liked this book.
Summary: 5 Stars
James Patterson's latest thriller, Run For Your Life, is an exciting book featuring a horribly violent villian and a harried NYC detective trying to stop him. Patterson churns out a lot of books, and many aren't very good. But this book really worked for me, and I liked it.
James Patterson and Coauthor introduced a new character in Step on a Crack. Det. Michael Bennett, an NYC detective with 10 kids. Step on a Crack had an interesting hostage scenario as the main plot. Bennett's ten kids served as a diversion that really bored me. In the latest thriller Run For Your Life, Michael Bennett has a crazy life. He's still trying to get over the death of his wife Maeve, and he's having a horrible time taking care of his 10 adopted kids, all of which seem to have come down with the flu at the same time. He gets assigned as lead the detective in a serial killer case because of some work he did with the Feds awhile back.
If you go back to some of the best Patterson novels like Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider, you'll find they had a great villian. The villian in Run for Your Life is a great villian. He calls himself the Teacher. He is handsome, smart, horribly evil, and has a great plan to wreak vengance on those he believe has wronged him. The Teacher and his horrible plans are featured throughout the novel and this is what makes this a really good book. Some of Patterson's Cross books have an exceptional villian, but Cross doesn't actually do any detective work. He just thinks about things. Michael Bennett, when he isn't at home trying to help his nanny Mary Catherine with his kids, is actually doing detective work. Bennett is at each of the crime scenes, learning things about the killer, getting closer.
Patterson gets back to basics in this thriller. He reveals the truth about the Teacher one bit at a time. Patterson throws in a little romance as Bennett tries to move on from the death of his wife. None of the ten kids exist as individual characters, but instead are there to ensure Bennett is always tired and always stressed. This novel isn't groundbreaking, it is standard Patterson. All the pieces to the formula are there, and this time they really work. The Coauthor also worked with Patterson on The Quickie, which I thought was a really good stand alone thriller. Maybe these two have something going.
Book Review: Pretty Good James Patterson Thriller
Summary: 5 Stars
After the terrible "Cross Country" I thought I was going to give up on Mr. Patterson's book but when I saw this was the second one of the Michael Bennett series I thought, okay I will give it a try. 10 children!!! I got more engrossed in this poor tired detective trying to cope with these children than the mystery he was trying to solve. I still wonder if he will ever get a real nights sleep again.
At any rate, I thought Mr. Patterson did a great job of keeping this moving along and was difficult to put down. Now though the villian was a little unbeliveable I myself have wanted to sock a few rude people. I don't believe I would consider killing them and thought that a little over the top but did make an interesting villian. Of course we find out there is much more to the killings than first appears.
I was delighted when Mike put the reporter in her place. The media can be quite a pain at times and was glad the author saw fit to put one of them in their place.
I enjoyed the secondary characters. The Irish Nanny is delightful as is Seamus, Mike's grandfather and of course all those 10 children. I think you will enjoy them too.
I don't suppose this is considered great literature but was an entertaining read for a few hours time. It's fast moving and an easy read.
Book Review: Wonderful Sequel
Summary: 5 Stars
Michael Ledgwidge writing with Patterson has created a wonderful to sequel to last year's "Step On A Crack" which introduced NYPD detective Michael Bennett along with his 10 adopted children.
This story brings Bennett back to chase a serial killer self titled The Teacher. This psychotic lunatic stays one step ahead of NYPD's finest. Mike Bennett has been hand picked to lead his own squad of detectives in an all out effort to identify and catch this seemingly chameleon who is killing people in high class establishments all over the West Side.
To make matters worse, all of Bennett's children have caught a nasty flu bug leaving him an exhausted widowed father to care for his kids with the help of the nanny, Mary Katherine and his grandfather Father Seamus.
As the plot twists and turns, Bennett gets personally drawn into the killer's web as we gradually find out more clues to his identity and motives This is a real page turner and a very good read. I couldn't put it down. I hope we see this turn into another long running series.
Book Review: Entertaining Read...warning spoilerish
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was a great read from Mr.Patterson.The villian in this book is the Teacher.He's bascially a pyscopath with family issues, getting revenge for having to loss his brother twice(mom left father/suicide). Our hero Micheal Benentt is great in this book.He and the Mary Catherine(irish lass who helps with kids) are starting to get really close it seems.I love the moments between them and wish there were more.Micheal has 10 kids and the flu attacks their house.Projectile vommiting and moans fill the air.Not only does Micheal have to deal with the family causing long nights,he has to catch the Teacher who's going around shooting snotty upperclass people, he eventually puts Mike in his sights after a chat conversation.At the end there's a very stressful scene when the Teacher invades Mikes home, and takes Mike hostage along with his youngest Chrissy(i think shes four but im not sure).There's a very exciting ending that i wont spoil, just go out and buy it.Its worth the money.