NYPD Red: A maniac killer targets Hollywood’s biggest stars (NYPD Red, 1)

Product Information

MARSHALL KARP co-created and co-authored the first six books in the #1 bestselling NYPD Red series with James Patterson. Starting with NYPD Red 7, Marshall will become the sole author of the series, which features Detectives Kylie MacDonald and Zach Jordan as members of an elite task force dedicated to solving crimes committed against — and sometimes by — New York City’s rich and famous. When NYPD Red arrives at a crime scene, everyone takes notice. Known as the protectors of the rich, famous, and connected, NYPD Red is the elite task force called in only for New York City's most high-profile crimes. And Detective Zach Jordan is the best of the best, a brilliant and relentless pursuer of justice. He puts professionalism above all, ignoring his feelings for his partner, Detective Kylie MacDonald, the woman who broke his heart when they first met in the academy. It is usually quite difficult to gauge a Patterson novel’s impact until the very end. The stories are good, but the delivery is sometimes a little hokey or lighter when it comes to narrative style. This book did hold my attention throughout, though I did not receive the impactful piece I had hoped to find, after a significant hiatus from the series. That being said, things flowed well and the narrative pushed things along fairly effectively. Patterson’s short chapter signature is on display here, pushing the reader to move forward just to see what awaits them. Marshall Karp surely helped shape this into a decent read, as he has done in the past with this series. Where things are headed next, I have no idea, but I am still interested to see what MacDonald and Jordan have to discover.

NYPD Red 3 was on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list for twelve weeks and at one point was number two on the list. [4] I was in the mood for familiarity, wanting to choose a book from a series that I know I enjoy, so I got settled in with my favourite Patterson protagonists. There were once again two cases in this one, and while I sometimes find this concept distracting, Karp & Patterson usually pull it off well and this time was no different. The book opens right into the first of these cases, with Kylie already on the crime scene as an invited guest to the event, and the story is kept pacy throughout.

First, I find it interesting that the main narrator's partner used to be his ex-girlfriend in the academy but she is now happily married with someone else. Zach (the MC) admits that he is still in love with his now-partner, Kylie, but at the same time, he is decent enough not to do anything about it. In fact, he seems to want to pursue things with another. Which is good.

The book is well-written, with an entertaining police-procedural plot and a variety of characters who add interest to the story including a mafia family, detectives, politicians, a priest, a drug addict, and so on. There's also a bit of romance: Zach is conflicted because - though he has a girlfirend - he's still not completely over his love affair with Kylie (his partner) a decade before. I really need to find or develop a synonymous phrase for that, because I use it too often in this post. Sorry about that. NYPD Red is one of Patterson’s lesser-known mystery series about two detectives - Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald – who are a special investigative team focused on serving and protecting the rich and elite of New York city. In typical Patterson style, Zach and Kylie were also former lovers coming out of the police academy years ago and Zach has never stopped loving her, even though Kylie has sworn off ever dating a cop again. Because they work so close together, the sexual tension adds to the aura of their working relationship and is optimistically used as a tool to keep the reader’s interest. Detective Zach Jordon, of the NYPD Red squad, is on Benoit's trail, along with his partner Kylie MacDonald - an old girlfriend that Zach went through the police academy with. NYPD Red is a special squad put in place to protect the cities most influential people. On top of chasing criminals Zach must play third wheel to Spence, Kylie's interfering husband. This book is fast-paced, exciting and the side characters build up the suspense and intrigue that I have in this book. Although, the two sets of duos which work under the main Detectives did get a little bit mixed up in my mind initially, I loved how they played off each other and made things more interesting.

Publication Order of NYPD Red Books

Of all of James Peterson’s various series, I have come to love the NYPD Red ones over the others. Marshall Karp delivers an expected exciting plot, witty camaraderie between Kylie and Zach, and thrilling twists. He’ll do well with continuing this series. 5 stars!