Author: James Patterson and Marshall Karp
Genre: Mystery, thriller
Published on: January 25, 2016 by Little, Brown and Company
It's another glamorous night in the heart of Manhattan: at a glitzy movie premiere, a gorgeous starlet dripping in millions of dollars' worth of jewelry makes her way past a horde of fans and paparazzi. But then there's a sudden loud noise, an even louder scream, and a vicious crime with millions of witnesses and no suspect.
Enter NYPD Red: the elite task force assigned to protect the rich and famous in the city where crime never sleeps. Detective Zach Jordan and his partner and former girlfriend, Kylie MacDonald, are the best that Red has to offer: brilliant and tireless investigators who will stop at nothing to crack a case, even if it means putting their own complicated lives on the back burner.
From celebrity penthouses to the depths of Manhattan's criminal underworld, Zach and Kylie are soon in hot pursuit of a cold-blooded killer with everything to lose, and millions to gain if he can just shake the detectives on his trail. With the city on edge, the mayor out of patience, and the flames of their personal relationship threatening to reignite and ruin everything, Zach and Kylie are facing down their worst fears-and their most dangerous enemy yet.
The latest case for the titular NYPD unit kicks off in dramatic fashion. A famous actress named Elena was riding a limousine expecting to arrive at the venue of her new movie premiere. She never makes it there, as a couple of thieves descend on her. Their target: an $8 million dollar diamond necklace around her neck. The theft goes awry, and Elena is shot to death. Shortly after, the book’s protagonists arrive at the scene. They’re Detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald. After three books, they’ve become NYPD Red’s flagship investigators. And this case definitely will need the best that the NYPD has to offer. Not only is there a high-profile victim; there is virtually no evidence despite the thousands of eyewitnesses.
Zach and Kylie must brace themselves for long nights. For the latter that won’t be such a hardship. It’s Zach for whom the long hours may take their toll. There’s been a significant change in his life: Zach’s girlfriend Cheryl moved in with him. She’s the department’s shrink, and a gorgeous woman with Latino traits. Zach and Cheryl have been dating since NYPD Red 2. Living together is a huge step forward, though. The two spend most of this book trying to make it work. Unfortunately, the urgency of Elena’s case means Zach is rarely at his apartment. It doesn’t help when a different case lands on his and Kylie’s laps.
Another development will have the detectives' plates full to the brim. The mayor, who was recently elected, comes to Zach and Kylie for assistance. This matter is handled through her husband. He informs the detectives that there's been a curious string of robberies at New York hospitals. The man is in the board of several of them. He wants Zach and Kylie to investigate the robberies discreetly. This is a major subplot in NYPD Red 4. It's a bit refreshing in that this series hasn't shown Zach and Kylie handle an off-the-books case quite like this one. When they solved it, I felt awed. There was a lot more to the case than there appeared to be at first.
So much happens in NYPD Red 4. I think it's the most entertaining installment in the series so far. There's suspense, an interesting mystery, and even some romance thrown in. The main antagonist wasn't the best one so far, though. He's one of those people who thinks their super high intelligence means they won't be caught. The guy is dangerous, but otherwise I wasn't very impressed with him. I was much more interested in the romance between Zach and Cheryl. Something happens at the end of the book that could complicate things for the former. Will Zach end up with Cheryl, or is Kylie the woman for him after all? I am eager to find out.
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