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Private cover art

Private

Written by: James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
Narrated by: Peter Hermann
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Publisher's Summary

The police can't help you....

Former Marine helicopter pilot Jack Morgan runs Private, a renowned investigation company with branches around the globe. It is where you go when you need maximum force and maximum discretion. The secrets of the most influential men and women on the planet come to Jack daily - and his staff of investigators uses the world's most advanced forensic tools to make and break their cases.

The press will destroy you....

Jack is already deep into the investigation of a multi-million dollar NFL gambling scandal and the unsolved slayings of 18 schoolgirls when he learns of a horrific murder close to home: his best friend's wife, Jack's former lover, has been killed. It nearly pushes him over the edge. Instead, Jack pushes back and devotes all of Private's resources to tracking down her killer.

Only one place to turn: Private....

But Jack doesn't have to play by the rules. As he closes in on the killer and chooses between revenge and justice, Morgan has to navigate a workplace love affair that threatens to blow the roof off his plans. With a plot that moves at death-defying speeds, Private is James Patterson's sleekest, most exciting thriller ever.

©2010 James Patterson (P)2010 Hachette

What the critics say

"James Patterson knows how to sell thrills and suspense in clean, unwavering prose." ( People)
"Patterson's novels are sleek entertainment machines, the Porsches of commercial fiction, expertly engineered and lightning fast." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Private

Average Customer Ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story told in a traditional style

I enjoyed the story, and the presentation was very much in keeping with the traditional pulp fiction style of California PI books. It's transition to a model day song was very well executed.

My only real complaint was the extreme overuse of chapter breaks. I found a high percentage of them to be not only uneccesarry, but damaging to the flow and enjoyment of the story.

That said, I truly did enjoy this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Suspense got me hooked, overlooked little threads

Being about a Private investigation company we find the novel starting in the middle in a problem and then two others that are introduced and solved in the course of the story. They give us hints that these characters have history and practice, but it felt incomplete. I see now that this is the first in a long series, so it gives the authors space to explore and create.

The writing and narration got me hooked and I was a little let down on how magic boxes and lampshades on unanswered questions led to the solution. It feels like they had 10,000 words to finish the book and just answered issues as fast as possible to get to the seeds for the next one.

Fun and I will get the next one.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Involving

First novel I have listened to and wasn't sure if I would enjoy it. I found very Involving, good story and couldn't wait to listen. thoroughly enjoyed it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved it.

#Audible 1. I really enjoyed this book. Kept me interested the whole time. I can not wait to listen to another on of the authors books.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

The end could have been better

The ending felt a bit rushed and somewhat anticlimactic. It's still a good story though

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow

I am really impressed , loved both story, and narrator. wish the story continued. Thanks for a excellent job.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

good listen

I really enjoyed this book. Im not sure if this is a series. but I hope it is

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

not bad!

I only listened to this book as it was free from audible, otherwise genre and lengthwise I wouldn't bother. It's an engaging story but not without moments that make your roll your eyes. Books like this just are what they are, like an episode of CSI or law and order. It's fast entertainment that doesn't challenge you very much because it never intended to do so in the first place.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great listen!

A really great listen. A detective style narrative of a murder case, packed with details to keep it interesting at every turn. very enjoyable!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good old school detective novel

Three stories of three different cases at a detective agency. reasonable character development and plausible forensics make this a worth while listen

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1 person found this helpful