Author: James Patterson and Marshall Karp
Genre: Mystery, thriller
Published on: March 24, 2014 by Little, Brown and Company
NYPD Red's finest detectives are about to investigate a brutal crime scene in Central Park . . . but even their training can't prepare them for the biggest case of their careers.
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.
But even with their top-notch training, Zach and Kylie aren't prepared for what they see when they're called to a crime scene in the heart of Central Park. They arrive to find a carousel spinning round and round, its painted horses grinning eerily in the early morning dark. There is only one rider: a brutally slaughtered woman, her body tied up and dressed in a Hazmat suit, on display for the world to see.
The victim, a woman of vast wealth and even greater connections, is the fourth in a string of shocking murders that have hit the city. As the public pressure mounts, and political and personal secrets of the highest order hang in the balance, Zach and Kylie must find out what's really behind the murderer's rampage. But Kylie has been acting strange recently-and Zach knows whatever she's hiding could threaten the biggest case of their careers.
NYPD Red 2 is the next outstanding novel in James Patterson's newest series, a thriller that careens through New York City and deep into the psyche of a depraved killer you've never seen before.
Detective partners Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald return in this sequel to NYPD Red. They’re part of a special unit that focuses on big cases involving the city's elite citizens. A few weeks have passed since the first book ended. The status quo changed a little bit since then. Kylie had been assigned as Zach’s partner when his previous one went on leave. After playing a big part in stopping The Chameleon, Kylie’s position became permanent.
A new serial killer has the city of New York on high alarm. The media is dubbing him the Hazmat Killer. He earned this silly name because he leaves his victims dressed in what resembles Hazmat suits. Hazmat also releases videos of the victims where they confess to a crime they got away with. The latest victim is Evelyn Parker-Steele, a wealthy and prominent woman. She was the campaign manager for a candidate who’s challenging the current mayor, Stan Spellman. The competition is heated, so Parker-Steele's murder does not help Spellman’s side.
When Spellman learns about the latest victim, he blows a gasket. Captain Cates, the head of NYPD Red, makes the Hazmat case an urgent priority. Zach and Kylie must stop the Hazmat Killer before election day...which is in just a week. A couple of other detectives were investigating Hazmat before Red got involved. When Zach and Kylie see the progress they made in four months, they are incredulous. Their case file is almost thin enough to see through.
With little to go on, Zach and Kylie are hard-pressed to solve the case as quickly as needed. As if the urgency wasn’t enough, they also face some opposition. Several parties (including the original Hazmat investigators) take to criticizing Zach, Kylie, and their unit. They’re not happy that it took an elite victim to bring in NYPD Red. Hazmat had already killed three people and Red only got involved when the fourth victim was someone important. Other circumstances also make it a little tougher for Zach and Kylie to catch Hazmat. Kylie is not one to back down, especially when people’s lives are at stake.
Kylie’s also facing problems of her own. It’s only been a short time since the Chameleon case. The climax of the investigation put Kylie’s husband, Spence, in the killer’s crosshairs. He didn’t come out of the experience well. Kylie is now struggling to figure out how to help Spence. In contrast, Zach’s life is quite enviable now. He not only helped stop The Chameleon (though Kylie got most of the credit). Zach is dating Cheryl Robinson, a beautiful Latina criminal psychologist. She’s unknowingly helping him get over the equally atractive Kylie. Zach still has feelings for her even though they broke up a decade ago. This is one of the series’ little mysteries: who will Zach end up with?
I found NYPD Red 2 to be a solid follow-up in this series. The case is also quite different from the one in the first book. Having a different kind of criminal for Red to catch makes things fresh. Hazmat made a better villain than The Chameleon, too. The latter was a completely delusional and selfish jerk. While Hazmat’s actions were wrong, he honestly believed he was one of the good guys. You also learn more about Zach and Kylie. I’ve read several books with a male “righteous cop” as a major character, but Zach didn't feel cookie-cutter-ish. Kylie was a likable protagonist too. She’s justice-driven yet willing to paint outside the lines. I’m definitely going to read the next books in the NYPD Red series. It’s a very entertaining police procedural. When books make you enjoy reading them, what more could you ask for?
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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