It can be read in one go. The short chapters and the fast-paced action, despite being interspersed with the family life of the main character, make it an excellent choice to get out of a slump.

The story unfolds in a way that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. The brevity of the chapters allows for a quick read, yet each one is filled with enough detail and excitement to keep the momentum going.

The interweaving of the main character's family life adds an interesting layer to the story, making it more relatable and engaging. It shows that even in the midst of action and adventure, the character has to deal with the ordinary aspects of life.

Overall, this book is a great option for those looking for a quick and exciting read that can help them break out of a reading slump. It's a page-turner that will keep you entertained from beginning to end.

There’s nothing more upsetting than realizing the people committing the crime may be someone you know very well. This story was truly heart wrenching. Detective Bennett had a major personal life crisis going on at home. His wife was seriously ill, and he was struggling to take care of their 10 kids. But he still had to deal with a hostage situation at his job.

Michael Bennett is a warm, charismatic, down-to-earth guy. He is also a detective for the NYPD and very good at his job. At home, he is the father of 10 kids and a loving husband. Let’s not forget his Irish brogue grandfather, Shamus, who lives with them and provides some much-needed support.

The plot thickens each time you turn the page. The cynical but witty communication between Detective Bennett and the kidnapper is composed excellently. The author shows his skills in portraying Bennett as a tough cop as well as a loving husband and father. Putting the pieces of the puzzle together slowly is what pulls the reader into the story. And the way the kidnappers are introduced into the story, never revealing anything about them until near the end, is truly amazing and flabbergasting. It keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, guessing and wondering what will happen next.

There was nothing inherently wrong with the book, to be precise.

It simply wasn't the kind of book that appealed to me.

I'm just not a devotee of books (or movies, for that matter) that revolve around a hostage/negotiator sort of scenario.

In such cases, where the majority of the book is confined to a single location, I tend to lose interest quickly.

I have a short attention span and get bored easily when faced with such a static setting.

Perhaps if the story had more variety in its locations or a faster pace, I might have been more engaged.

But as it stands, this particular book just didn't do it for me.

I'm sure there are many others who would enjoy this type of book, but it's just not my cup of tea.

This was truly quite far-fetched.

I have always been a big fan of Patterson's books. In fact, I usually enjoy them a great deal. And I must admit that this particular book was entertaining. It had its moments that kept me engaged.

However, the premise of the same New York homicide cop being involved in every single aspect of such a high-profile case just didn't seem remotely plausible. He was responsible for all the hostage negotiations, he was part of the group that attempted to break in and put an end to the kidnapping, he was the one who rushed out to see the bodies when the kidnappers callously threw them out of the church, he was in the helicopter trailing the getaway cars, and he was even in the water helping to rescue the victims. Seriously? And all of this during the last few days of his wife's life as she was succumbing to cancer.

The story itself was good. It had an element of mystery that kept you on the edge of your seat, not knowing what was going to happen next. The identities of the 'bad guys' were not immediately obvious, which added to the intrigue.

Nevertheless, it would have been a much better read if the main character's actions and involvements had been a bit more grounded in reality. As it stood, it felt a bit too over-the-top and unbelievable at times.