James Patterson's "Quickie" is just that: Quickly written, Quickly read, and Quickly forgotten.
"Quickie," the latest release from best-selling author, James Patterson (with co-author Michael Ledwidge), opens with New York native Lauren Stillwell going to Manhattan to surprise her husband, only to find him leaving with a statuesque blonde and checking into the St. Regis. She is still lamenting over her husband's apparent affair and her lack-luster marriage when a younger, attractive co-worker flirts with her. She finds it difficult to resist. Oh, and did I mention that she's a cop, a homicide detective for NYPD, stationed in the Bronx.
What Else Can Go Wrong?
In a seemingly endless string of "what can go wrong next," Lauren's one-night affair leads her into covering up a murder and a string of lies and deception. It also tries her marriage up to the breaking point. At the same time, Lauren finds out that she's pregnant -- something she and her husband have wanted for over a decade. She also learns that Paul, her husband has just gotten a big promotion, one that will triple his salary. Can she manage to sift through the bad and be able to rebuild their lives?
The Patterson Formula
"Quickie" is a typical James Patterson formula book. It has the "hook" in the first chapter that intrigues you into reading more; it has the standard Patterson short two and three page chapters, with lots of white space; and it has the standard one-dimensional Patterson characters. There's just so little substance to these books that he churns out at a pace of one every two or three months. I picked up a copy of "Quickie" from the library, but even so I feel cheated out of two hours of reading time. Patterson, the best-selling mystery author in American owes his readers a little more for their time and money.
About James Patterson
James Patterson is the author of over 40 novels. He is best known for his Alex Cross series and his Women's Murder Club Series. He has also recently branched out into young adult fiction with Maximum Ride series. Patterson has won numerous writing awards. In addition to the Edgar, he has won the BCA Mystery Guild's "Thriller of the Year" award and is the 2007 recipient of the "Thrillermaster" Award.
About Michael Ledwidge
Michael Ledwidge, the co-author, has written four mystery novels and co-authored Patterson's 2006 release, "Step on a Crack."
