Plot Summary:

Outside the vibrant city of New York, the magnificent residence of Dr. David Strauss's parents becomes the target of a brutal attack by gunmen during a glamorous and glittering party. As he stands there, completely helpless, he witnesses the horrifying murder of his wife. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Strauss's brother meets a tragic end during the highly anticipated Academy Award ceremonies. In Manhattan, his former sweetheart, Alix Rothchild, finds herself running for her dear life.

Soon, Dr. David Strauss becomes consumed by an obsessive desire to uncover the explosive secret that lies behind the murders of his beloved family members. His perilous odyssey takes him on a thrilling journey across Europe, and ultimately leads him to the Olympics, where one of the most astonishing and shattering surprises in the history of suspense fiction is about to unfold.

Aka Jericho Commandment

This book unfortunately wasn't James's finest work. The plot line at times seemed a little too contrived and forced. Although the beginning managed to capture the reader's attention quite well, the remainder of the book was, at best, only mediocre. It failed to maintain the same level of excitement and intrigue throughout, leaving the reader somewhat disappointed.

The good:

Sometimes the pacing of the book was indeed quite good. The short chapters had a certain allure that managed to keep me engaged and moving forward, especially when other aspects of the book seemed lacking. It was as if those short chapters were little hooks that prevented me from completely losing interest.

The bad:

However, the weak plot of this book started to crumble rather quickly. It felt almost as if Patterson was unable to fully commit to the storyline. He seemed to develop the ending in a rather hasty manner, without giving it the depth and thought it deserved. The plot twist in the middle of the book was only semi-interesting at best. Moreover, the characters were extremely one-dimensional and lacked any real substance. They felt more like paper cutouts rather than fully fleshed-out individuals.

Books that I can't finish typically receive 1 star. Since I did manage to finish this one, it just barely makes it into the 2 star territory. I'm usually obsessive about keeping the books I have read, but this one is going straight into the donate pile as soon as I manage to locate the book jacket.

Interestingly different, the world is filled with a plethora of unique and diverse phenomena.

We encounter interesting differences in various aspects of our lives, such as cultures, traditions, and perspectives.

These differences can be a source of fascination and learning, as they expose us to new ideas and ways of thinking.

For example, different countries have their own distinct cuisines, languages, and art forms, each with its own charm and character.

Even within a single country, there can be significant regional differences in dialect, customs, and lifestyle.

By embracing and celebrating these interesting differences, we can broaden our horizons and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world around us.

We can also learn from one another and find common ground, despite our differences.

In conclusion, interesting differences make the world a more vibrant and exciting place, and we should strive to embrace and explore them.

This book is an easy read, which means it doesn't require a great deal of mental effort to get through.

However, it's not my favorite Patterson book. There are several reasons for this.

Perhaps the plot wasn't as engaging as some of his other works. It might have lacked the twists and turns that usually keep me on the edge of my seat.

The characters also didn't seem as fully developed. They didn't have the depth and complexity that I've come to expect from Patterson's writing.

Despite these shortcomings, it's still a decent book. It's a quick and enjoyable read, especially if you're looking for something light and entertaining.

But if you're a die-hard Patterson fan like me, you might be a bit disappointed.

I'm sure there are other books in his extensive catalog that are much better and more worthy of my time.

Overall, this book is an easy read, but not one that will go down as a classic in the Patterson oeuvre.