BINGO'S BOOKIN' REVIEW

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

The partnership of James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge once again proves to be an enormous success as they bring back the popular character Michael Bennett, last seen in STEP ON A CRACK, in their new novel RUN FOR YOUR LIFE. Detective Bennett, works for the NYPD, and when we first met him, this devoted husband was agonizing over his wife’s losing battle with cancer while keeping together their family of 10 adopted children. Being a good husband and father, however, doesn’t keep him from also being a top notch detective.

In RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, we find Michael Bennett facing two immediate problems-one with work and one with his family. As a well known, successful negotiator, Bennett tries to thwart a hostage negotiation only to have the criminal get shot and all of Michael’s hard work is for nothing. The press is all over Michael and the case, and the resulting mound of paperwork is something Michael thinks he will never dig himself out of, so he heads home for a few hours of rest. Once there, however, he finds his second battle to fight which is against a flu outbreak that has struck his home and the children. Even with an energetic Irish nanny and a brash, but loving and protective priest of a father to help, things at home further exhaust Bennett. The battle against this flu epidemic in his own home persists throughout much of the story in direct competition with a baffling case Detective Bennett is put in charge of.

No rest for the weary, as they say, because first thing in the morning, Michael’s superior calls him to handle the biggest, most important case in the city. Does Detective Bennett take on this case while he feels so low from his recent failure with the hostage situation and the potent flu bug running wild at his home? Of course he does, after all, this is a Patterson-Ledwidge thriller!

Given a top team of officers to assist him, Bennett takes on the case of a killer that is terrorizing the city. This case is top priority as the arrogant psychopath, who calls himself “Teacher” has decided to make New York high society and top brass his target. He wants them punished for their rude behavior and patronizing attitudes. The Teacher wants these big wigs to learn their manners all because of issues that stem from his childhood, family, and how he feels he was treated unjustly.

Starting off with a case that is cold as ice, Michael searches through whatever clues he can find and finally comes up with a code to help him solve this puzzle. As he works through this, and the city’s privileged continue to be terrorized, Michael gets closer to the Teacher and solving the mystery when suddenly a typical Patterson twist in the story comes along unexpectedly. Michael finds that he and his family are now in danger and he must be at the top of his game to outwit this mastermind!

With the typical short chapters that keep the reading wanting more, Ledwidge and Patterson have a hit on their hands. There are so many similarities to Michael Bennett and everyone’s favorite Alex Cross---widowed fathers and lawmen who are experts in their fields, that one wonders if perhaps Michael Bennett will be the next huge hit series of James Patterson and one of his favorite writing partners, Michael Ledwidge! Stay tuned fans!

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