James Patterson takes us on a another thriller ride – this time on a boat. To be honest, James Patterson has shocked me with the twist and turns that you could only expect from a Sidney Sheldon book ( Remember Sidney Sheldon’s classics If tomorrow comes, Stranger in the mirror).
More than half the book focuses on Dunne family’s summer getaway. Dunne family is Katherine and her three children – Mark, Carrie & Ernie. Jake is Katherine’s brother-in-law. Cardiac surgeon by profession, Katherine just lost her husband on the same boat where she is planning for a summer vacation with her estranged kids. She has to call Jake who forms support system for her and helps her deal with her kids’ eccentricities. Enter one Mr. Peter Carlyle – a top shot defense attorney and Katherine’s husband. Sweet, handsome and charming are best words that describe him (not for very long though !). This vacation is Katherine’s attempt to get along with her kids. However, when it starts, Mark is caught smoking pot and Carrie tries to commit suicide by drowning herself in the water. If that wasn’t enough, boat suddenly surges wildly after hitting a storm. After a difficult night which involved a lot of hard labour from the weak crew, Dunne family is able to stabilize the boat. As a good captain and an experienced sailor, Jake Dunne lightens up everyone’s mood by pushing off everyone the boat and forces them to swim and then boom ! there is a blast on the boat in which, unfortunately, Jake dies and Dunne family is left on its own. In a Dunne’s life, why a top shot lawyer is interested – not for love obviously (that should have been understood by now u dum dum :)). All of a sudden, Peter intentions become clear – the trip is meticulously planned to kill them and make it look like an accident. He is assisted by one Mr. Devoux – an ex CIA agent who specializes in making people disappear. However, Dunne family survives the ordeal and as Peter tries to kill them again he is the one who is knocked out for a change (for a while that is !). After being in secluded island with 3 hungry kids and a broken leg , Katherine’s life plods back to normal and the first thing she does is file for divorce from her husband. Cops charge Peter with attempted murder but his team of best defense lawyers in town spare him murder conviction. Not very long though!! Peter’s extra marital affair with a law student, who is also his sex buddy, (u heard it right !! there is plenty of wonderful sexescapades between Peter & Bailey) juggles on an interesting climax pun intended :)). I will leave the end of this book for all you curious souls to read it for yourself.
I really like the book for its twist and turns and it turns out that you can read it after like 10 years and still have the same impact as I had now. According to me, this book has a great potential of becoming a classic for the pure entertainment it provides. I rate it 4.5 out of 5 – my highest yet. Enjoy reading !!
books that are my bedside stories 