First came ALEX CROSS.Then the WOMEN'S MURDER CLUB.Now meet Detective Michael Bennett, NYPD - and his ten children...Step on a Crack is Patterson at his simplest: A straight-forward, fast-paced thriller.It doesn't spend its time going too in-depth; what you see is what you get; and that works. I'm an avid Patterson fan, so jumping onto this series was only a matter of time, and a no-brainer. The plot is decent, even if it does stretch believability; the characters work in their respective roles; and the writing and structure ensure you're not counting the days as you turn the pages.All in all, a nice little start. SPOILER WARNINGSynopsis (Not a copy from the book, but I always keep my interpretations close.)Michael Bennett is in the worst stage of his life.His wife has mere weeks left from the cancer ravaging her body.Michael himself is trying to pick up the pieces and look after their ten children.So when hijackers take New York's rich and famous hostage at the funeral of a dearly beloved figure, Bennett's the man dragged in to handle the negotiations.But can the tough, but vulnerable detective keep his crumbling composure under control?Or will there be more funerals on the horizon...? Plot - 4/5 StarsStep on a Crack's story has you from the beginning. From Bennett's personal struggles to the unbelievable heist he's called in to manage, everything is pulse-pounding, and heart-wrenching. It builds well, and to an exciting climax; the authors play with the tension and suspense like putty. There are no real twists, but some nice shocks litter the way to a decently tied-up finale.Overall, things are kept simple and sweet, fast and hooking. Pace - 4.5/5 StarsWith chapters rarely lasting more than a couple pages, the pace and flow of the novel is superb. The immediacy and need to continue promise that this read will be a short one.The chapter length can sometimes be grating, because the speed is ferocious, and chances to flesh things that need to be elaborated on are lost. Characters - 4/5 StarsThe majority of Step on a Crack's cast is unremarkable. That's not necessarily bad, not for me anyway, the general characters fit their spaces fine, and it leaves room to work on Bennett himself. I do find the mastermind behind the entire operation to be a little underwhelming, but the novel never tries to be anything more than what it is.Bennett, though, is interesting as hell. He's not your usual tough-guy detective, ruthlessly hunting down some deranged killer. He's very open and vulnerable, which I like a lot. Patterson and co-author do a great job of balancing his personal life and work life. With his wife, Maeve, in hospital on her death bed, and the responsibility of his ten - yes, ten - adopted kids placed firmly on his shoulders, it's hard to imagine how he can even begin to contemplate working a hostage negotiation. But he does.His kids and sickly wife add a double-edged dynamic. They're heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. The pressure on Bennett is unreal, and it's a unique situation for a hero-character. And Maeve's resolution... Gosh, I never thought it would affect me the way it did, or, well, does...We do move around a lot of character perspectives, quite quickly, too. Thankfully, these are smooth and well-done, often adding a distinct set of emotions to the plot. The back-and-forth between those on the outside of the hostage situation, and the hostages themselves, helps create a 360 degree view of the things that are going on. Writing - 4/5 StarsShort and snappy. Can sometimes be sparse in areas that need more time spent on them, while, conversely, spending too much time in already well-fleshed places. Overall - 4/5 StarsAnother Patterson series I'm excited to devour.
To be honest, this ended up being a retread for me, and I needed a book published in 2007 for a "read a book for every decade between 2004 and 2013" challenge I'm doing for one of my book groups on GR. For me, I chose 2 for each decade. What can I say, I'm an over-achiever! I realized about one-third of the way in that I had read this before, and I couldn't recall exactly how it ended. Too many books ago, or a function of a an aging brain? Regardless, too far in to quit, but the fact that bits and pieces were not fresh to me may have coloured my judgement, just to be fair.This book left me not cold, but lukewarm. It starts off with a bang with the audacious murder of the First Lady, while she is enjoying a romantic dinner out with POTUS. Patterson's new character, hostage negotiator and homicide detective Michael Bennett, introduced in this book, is called along with it seems like, most of the NYPD, and the FBI, to a major hostage taking at one of NY's most famous churches. The occasion is the First Lady's funeral. I must add in fairness, in a post 9-11 world, having all hands on deck, is plausible.I do not want to give any of the storyline away, but I was disappointed with the resolution of the crisis, and wanted to know more about the Neat Man's motivation. I realize that Patterson likes to write very short chapters in order to create a feeling of urgency, that the story is sweeping along, but it would be nice to have some fleshed out characters, even true for the major bad guys. Bennett is a father of ten, married to a saint of a woman, a highly respected nurse, who is currently very ill. Add in the fact that it is Christmas! All a little too contrived for my taste, and who adopts multiple children, of all different colours over the space of a few months-unless you are Brad and Angelina, of course. I realize Patterson is setting the stage for a new character/series, and wants to make him tough as a NYPD cop should be, and a loving dad with a big brood of kids. I just found it a little over the top, but perhaps I might not have felt so much this way the first time through, but I certainly don't remember being blown away by this book, as I was with Along Came A Spider. I am glad that this book was given to me by a relative, in a pile of books passed on to me. I think I might have regretted spending the full cost of this one. Will I read any more Patterson books? Perhaps, but I am not hurrying to press the download button on my IPad for the next Michael Bennett addition to the Patterson fortune.
What do You think about Step On A Crack (2007)?
Pretty good first installment to one of the newest Patterson series. I'm guessing we got to see so much of what other reviewers have called "unnecessary filler" content pertaining to his wife & kids simply because it's the first book in the series and we're being shown where he's coming from. And throwing in the added emotional, tear-jerker angle can't hurt, right? (Yes, this menopausal female shed a few tears at all the right passages..)Those short chapters are what keep you turning pages, and this one is no different. By now I've learned that one of the most implausible characters - whether he's a main character or just floating around in the background - will usually turn out to be the bad guy/ring leader, so even though I figured out who the kidnappers were and why they were committing this heinous crime, learning who the leader was without getting just a little more insight into what motivated him left me feeling dissatisfied. Remember that old commercial: "Where's the beef?" Even with all of my gripes - after all, I know what I'm getting when I read a JP book - I still have to say that I liked Michael Bennett and hope to meet him again. (I've already got my free copies of books two and three from the leftovers at our local library's book sale.) I can only hope that the next book will have more beef and less filler.
—Barbara
This was a fast moving crime thriller with a tender backstory. A large group of VIP's are taken hostage during the funeral of an ex president's wife. Mike is a police negotiator who's wife is seriously ill and in the hospital with Cancer. When no one else is available he is ordered by his superior to hadle the kidnappers demands. Each of the hostages are terrorized into revealing all of their financial information. Millions are to be transferred to an account that can't be followed, but Mike's big question is, why they think there is any possibility of escape. An interesting premiss with very relatable characters and solid, smart writing. John Slattery and Reg Rogers do an excellent job narrating. Both of their voices were perfect for the characters. A great Daily Deal.
—Susan
Patterson for me is always a hit or miss. This one was something in the middle. Michael Bennett is a homicide cop but for some reason he is thrust into a hostage negotiator position. The reason for this is never really made too clear. Does the NYPD really only have one trained negotiator? And with such high profile hostages why is the FBI not in charge? Anyway, on top of this pressure situation, Mike has a wife about the pass away from terminal cancer and a home full of 10 adopted kids with a brand new nanny sent from Ireland by in-laws that never make an appearance. Why? They added nothing to this story. The kids were all his wife's idea. She had an overwhelming need to save people so she collected orphaned children. That's fine, but there was little interaction in this story between Mike and the children. There must be some reason for this unique situation that will mean something in a later book, but not here. Finally, the bad guys are found out and I was a little disappointed to see the authors draw from a much used well of baddies but they did it in such a way that it was easily forgiven. In general, this story wasn't a nail biter but it was decent. I doubt I'll be anxiously awaiting the next Michael Bennett installment but it was a nice distraction for a while.
—Tom
