Book Review - Kill me if you can

Kill me if you can – James Patterson & Marshall Karp

I tend to steer clear of James Patterson’s collaborative efforts these days. The only exceptions are: if I am really in the mood for a quick read, it is really cheap or the reviews are good. This book seemed to tick all three boxes and the reviews were favourable and promised and a surprising twist.

The blurb:

Matthew Bannon, a poor art student living in New York City, finds a duffel bag filled with diamonds during a chaotic attack at Grand Central Station. Plans for a worry-free life with his gorgeous girlfriend Katherine fill his thoughts--until he realizes that he is being hunted, and that whoever is after him won't stop until they have reclaimed the diamonds and exacted their revenge.

Trailing him is the Ghost, the world's greatest assassin, who has just pulled off his most high-profile hit: killing Walter Zelvas, a top member of the international Diamond Syndicate. There's only one small problem: the diamonds he was supposed to retrieve from Zelvas are missing. Now, the Ghost is on Bannon's trail--but so is a rival assassin who would like nothing more than to make the Ghost disappear forever. From "America's #1 storyteller" (Forbes) comes a high-speed, high-stakes, winner-take-all thrill ride of adrenaline-fueled suspense.

The story telling in “Kill me if you can” is as basic as you can get. I am not saying that is bad, but in regards to depth it really is not existence. A typical chapter would be to set a brief scene, either have a brief exchange of dialogue or recall a past memory and then end on a slight cliffhanger. This is the format for all of Patterson’s collaborative efforts and works if you know what you are getting.

“KMIYC” is told from the first person perspective of Matthew Bannon. Matthew is quite likeable and whilst his romance with his girlfriend Katherine is identical to every other romance in Patterson’s books it comes across o.k. The twist that many reviewers mention is as plain as the nose on your face. I was pleased it was revealed early on so it eliminated the tedium of having figured it out.

The remaining characters are nothing to write home about. They serve their purpose but do not spark any interest beyond that, occasionally carrying out violent or sickening acts to maintain reader interest.

The strength of the novel lies in the story. It is not complex, not intricate and definitely not deep but it is dam enjoyable. “Kill me if you can” implies a man running from someone fearing for his life, and that is exactly what this story is. A mad, breathtaking, sprint of a novel that is enjoyable to read in one or two sittings.

Yes it has multiple flaws for example there are an unusual high quantity of sex scenes at the start. Not a problem, but they are never that great and when the substance in between them is not detailed they did become a little monotonous.

The book takes place across a variety of locations with Patterson only dropping a few well known landmarks to describe the new surroundings.

The ending is satisfying and wraps up things nicely without being overly contrived. Overall. I will keep referring back to the point, if you know what you are getting before you start reading, than this book hits the mark. Perfect for a swift read to enjoy.

My rating: 8.4