I, Michael Bennett (Michael Bennett Series #5)

by James Patterson, Michael Ledwidge

Overview

Police officers shot

Detective Michael Bennett arrests an infamous Mexican crime lord in a deadly chase that leaves Bennett's lifelong friend Hughie McDonough dead. From jail, the prisoner vows to rain epic violence down upon New York City-and to get revenge on Michael Bennett.

Judges murdered

To escape the chaos, Bennett takes his ten kids and their beautiful nanny, Mary Catherine, on a much-needed vacation to his family's cabin near Newburgh, New York. But instead of the calm and happy town he remembers from growing up, they step into a nightmare worse than they could have ever imagined. Newburgh is an inferno of warring gangs, and there's little the police-or Bennett-can do to keep the children safe.

Target: Michael Bennett

As violence overwhelms the state, Bennett is torn between protecting his hometown and saving New York City. A partner in his investigations, federal prosecutor Tara McLellan, brings him new weapons for the battle-and an attraction that endangers his relationship with Mary Catherine. A no-holds-barred, pedal-to-the-floor, action-packed novel, I, Michael Bennett is James Patterson at his most personal and most thrilling best.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316097475
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	07/09/2012
Series:	Michael Bennett Series
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	8,779
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

James Patterson has had more New York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977 James Patterson's books have sold more than 240 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. Mr. Patterson also writes the bestselling Women's Murder Club novels, set in San Francisco, and the top-selling New York detective series of all time, featuring Detective Michael Bennett. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.

Hometown:

Palm Beach, Florida

Date of Birth:

March 22, 1947

Place of Birth:

Newburgh, New York

Education:

B.A., Manhattan College, 1969; M.A., Vanderbilt University, 1971

Website:

http://www.jamespatterson.com

Editorial Reviews

Detective Michael Bennett's vacation at the old family retreat in upstate New York isn't exactly a carefree retreat. An infamous Mexican crime lord who Bennett arrested has vowed to unleash a reign of terror on the Big Apple. Meanwhile, the nearby city of Newburgh seems to be descending into a pit of unremitting violence. Bennett might prefer to hang out with his ten kids, but his sense of duty (not to mention danger) won't allow it. Move over, Alex Cross.

Cops shot on the street and judges in their courtrooms: there's lots of violence in New York as a South American crime lord takes over. Det. Michael Bennett takes his ten kids upstate for a breather, but the violence follows; that nasty crime lord is targeting him and his family. Fifth in a series that has more than 12 million copies in print worldwide; obviously, buy multiples, though I wish he wouldn't make New York look quite so jungly.

Library Journal

Patterson's partnership with Ledwidge is already up to the fifth installment in the perilous adventures of NYPD Detective Michael Bennett (Tick Tock, 2011, etc.). After long hours planning and praying and waiting for the perfect chance, the NYPD–DEA task force charged with arresting Manuel "the Sun King" Perrine, head of Mexico's Tepito drug cartel, is ready to pounce. Despite some last-minute glitches that lead to the first of many casualties, they grab Perrine and lock him up. But Bennett, who's played a leading role in the task force, soon realizes that his troubles have only begun, because Perrine's many loyal, well-paid followers, lots of them only a phone call away from his Manhattan cell, really, really don't want to see him go down. Once Bennett turns down a $250 million bribe to turn Perrine loose, the gauntlet has been thrown, and he spends the rest of this shoot-'em-up dodging bullets, many of which find their way to less lucky targets. Perrine's eye-candy bodyguard, Marietta, is especially insinuating and emphatic in her threats, but whenever Bennett picks up the phone, it's the same deal: We're going to kill you, we're going to kill your family, we're going to kill two police officers a day until you release the Sun King. Nor are these idle threats. Perrine arranges for two of Bennett's 10 adopted children to get shot; his minions disrupt the legal proceedings with a bang; and those first two cops, at least, are toast. Will Bennett's loyal nanny-and-more, Mary Catherine, abandon her charges in their darkest hour? Will Perrine escape from custody in a made-for-the-movies sequence? Will Bennett finally close his case for good? Or will Patterson and Ledwidge ring down the curtain leaving the conflict unresolved and paving the way for a sequel? Stay tuned.

Kirkus Reviews