Eight stars
Another collaborative effort by James Patterson and Adam Hamdy proves to be quite entertaining for the reader, as the Private series continues. Jack Morgan has built a strong detective agency the world over, though he is still happiest at home in Los Angeles. When a wealthy man comes to his offices and asks for his help, personally, Morgan cannot refuse, travelling to New York to begin the search for a woman and her children. What follows will take him to the far corners of the earth and test his resolve. A fast-paced story that keeps the reader intrigued throughout.
It was just another day for Jack Morgan and his team in Los Angeles, when a man of some means entered Private headquarters. He told a story of his missing daughter and grandchildren, who were somewhere in upstate New York, begging for help. While Private did not usually assist in simple missing person cases, there was something about this one that left Morgan feeling as though he ought to help.
Choosing to personally take on the case, Morgan flew to New York and began the hunt, alongside one of his Private New York colleagues. Searching and trying to be inconspicuous, Morgan was able to locate the family, only to discover that those searching for them have another motive. It would appear that the father figure of the group was on a covert mission in Afghanistan and may have something this group wants for their own.
Never one to bow to the pressure, Morgan made his way across the world to the deserts of Afghanistan’s to find a military pilot who may have all the answers, while also trying to stay one step ahead of a ruthless gang. It was a battle of survival, with a mission to reunite a family safely. A great addition to the Private series.
While James Patterson has often spread himself too thin in his writing, this was an exception to the rule. Working alongside Adam Hamdy, Patterson is able to elevate his series and keep the Private name on the level of some of the other strong series bearing his name. Great action, decent characters, and an entertaining plot, Patterson and Hamdy have great collaborative effort.
Jack Morgan takes centre stage in this piece, something that he does not usually do in the novels. His backstory is known to series fans, though there are some added elements here that can help intrigue the series reader. Decent development, both in a personal and professional sphere, keeps the reader in tune with how he works as a character and provides some needed depth to keep the series going.
Patterson and Hamdy work well to keep the story moving along and have decent narrative development throughout. The plot works well in this piece, allowing the reader to push forward with ease. Perhaps a few overused themes (Afghanistan, Russian operatives), but they worked well and did not get too clunky for my liking. This series flows well, though the interconnectedness of the novels is more the Private thread, than an ongoing storyline throughout. With Jack Morgan in the central role, there is more cohesiveness to the overall series, though reading any of the books as a standalone would not ruin things. I look forward to more of these stories soon.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Hamdy, on a great effort. Your collaborative work is quite strong and I hope to see more of it.
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
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