The Beach House

by James Patterson, Peter de Jonge

The Beach House

book data

5372 ratings, 3.57 average rating, 321 reviews (more data...)

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published

May 1st 2003 by Warner Books

binding

Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages

isbn

0446612545 (isbn13: 9780446612548)

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 6468)

All ratings | 5 stars (1053) | 4 stars (1741) | 3 stars (1914) | 2 stars (551) | 1 star (110) | avg 3.57

all | this edition

LARRY

LARRY rated it:

(review of isbn 0316969680)

04/25/07

bookshelves: whodunit

Read in March, 2007

As posted in www.amazon.com:

This is my first book that I've read of Patterson's. I saw his list of books and found it interesting that he co-writes with other authors. However, it doesn't seem to be a bad idea. With *The Beach House*, I found it to be interesting how fast you can read through a book with small chapters. It turned out not to be such a bad idea.

Peter Mullen is found dead at the beach in the Hamptons. The officials in the...more

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Kelly

Kelly rated it:

(review of isbn 0316969680)

07/11/07

Read in July, 2003

recommends it for: Beach Readers

I can not stand James Patterson. Only one book, that I have on this list was actually worth reading of his. This book is so simple that it actually insults my intelligence, but that is just his writing in general. If you want to sit on the beach with the water hitting your feet and be able to read a book fast without having to think, this is your book. Actually this is all his books

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Jennifer-Ambushed

Jennifer-Ambushed rated it:

03/25/08

Read in June, 2007

I really like the easy read to this book. And I would have given it another star if they didn't feel like they had to throw in a gratuitous and very unnecessary sex scene. Call me a prude, but I like things left more to my imagination. It just tainted the book for me. To me it didn't fit in with the rest of the story. It just took me by surprise.

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Liz!

Liz! rated it:

11/08/07

i read this only because there was absolutely nothing left to read and no way of obtaining anything else to read. it served to remind me why i have never, and will never again, read a james patterson "novel." (term used EXTREMELY loosely.) why are all his chapters 3 paragraphs long? why does anyone buy his books? the great mysteries of life.

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Emily

Emily rated it:

02/26/08

MY FAVORITE PATTERSON OF ALL!

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Jessica

Jessica rated it:

11/18/08

Read in January, 2010

recommended to Jessica by: friends dad
recommends it for: adults/ older teens

“When the train finally wheezed to a stop in Montauk right on time at four minutes past midnight, I was the only one left in my car. And something outside the window seemed very wrong”. Imagine coming home and the second you step off of the train your entire world is turned upside down. Your family greets you with tears and the words that your little brother is dead, gone forever. James Patterson brings this tragedy to life in his book The Beach Hou...more “When the train finally wheezed to a stop in Montauk right on time at four minutes past midnight, I was the only one left in my car. And something outside the window seemed very wrong”. Imagine coming home and the second you step off of the train your entire world is turned upside down. Your family greets you with tears and the words that your little brother is dead, gone forever. James Patterson brings this tragedy to life in his book The Beach House and adds his own little twist throughout the story. Jack Mullen takes the readers through the ordeal of dealing with his brother’s death only to find that his brother, Peter, was in fact murdered, and Jack is the only one who can prove this horrendous crime. The Beach House is where Peter’s body was found washed up on the shore, and as suspicions grew, this house became the same location Jack’s brother was murdered. Patterson writes the book to take place in present times with the same judicial system that exists today, including the conspiracies that may come with it. I believe Patterson writes this book to make the reader stop and think about the nation’s legal system, and he is shedding light on conspiracies and payoffs that may be actually occurring in our current day society. In doing so, Patterson’s book is definitely reaching out to older readers who know and somewhat understand the system, and to those who can handle a more harsh vocabulary.
This book reminds me of any “Law and Order” episode that covers an individual’s murder and the court proceedings that follow because both demonstrate a similar process. Also, in similarity to the television show, the book encounters payoffs, scandals, and other problems as the story line proceeds. But there to help Jack get past these scandals is his partner Pauline Grabowski. I believe she is the character that I am able to relate with the most. She is persistent in helping Jack get to the truth of his brothers murder, and I can empathize with her ambition to help close friends in their time of need. The ending of the book is very satisfying. It could have gone a little further into their futures and what new things they were doing with their lives, but I believe it covered the necessary key points. Therefore, the conclusion leaves the readers with a feeling of satisfaction and the security of having all of the loose ends tied up. With a good introduction to start it off, a decent middle that had its occasional ups and downs, and a complimentary ending that answers all of the readers questions, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery and to those who aren’t afraid of some foul language. The author was very successful in writing this book. It made me look at our society and really think about what conspiracy situations may actually be occurring, and that is what I believe the author set out to accomplish. My final thought on the book is that it was very well written and the author did a phenomenal job of being persuasive. Not only could I feel the pain that Jack was feeling as he stepped off that train, I felt as though was there through Patterson’s writing.
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Aaron

Aaron rated it:

09/18/08

When his brother Peter turns up dead with a strong suspicion of suicide, law student, Jack Mullen decides that it is time to figure out what really happened. His brother would never have committed suicide, particularly since the body looks like Peter was beaten to death.

On the night in question, Peter had been hired to work as a valet at a huge Memorial Day bash on the Long Island estate of the extremely wealthy and influential Barry Neubauer and family.

Jack brings int he help of his gr...more

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Tabby

Tabby rated it:

(review of isbn 2709624699)

05/22/08

bookshelves: james-patterson

Read in May, 2008

The hero is a Columbia University law student, Jack Mullen, who's out to avenge the death of his younger brother, Peter, found dead on the property of the immensely wealthy Neubauer family, a few miles from Jack and Peter's Montauk home. The cops say Peter drowned; a glance at the corpse tells Jack that his brother was beaten to death. The rest of the novel traces Jack's efforts, with the help of a female private eye & love interest, plus his elderly grandfather and a band of Montauk locals,...more

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Mary

Mary rated it:

03/28/08

This was copied below from another person's post, but they eloquently described this book to a T. So here goes, "Jack Mullen is in law school in New York City when the news comes that his brother, Peter, has drowned in the ocean off East Hampton. Jack knows his brother practically grew up in the water, and that this couldn't be an accident. Someone must have wanted his brother dead.

But the police say otherwise. As Jack tries to uncover details of his brother's last night, he confronts...more

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Johnsergeant

Johnsergeant rated it:

12/10/07

bookshelves: audiblecom, audiobook

Read in July, 2002

Downloaded from Audible.com

Narrator: Gil Bellows
Publisher: Hachette Audio, 2002
Length: 6 hours and 57 min.

Publisher's Summary
Jack Mullen is in law school in New York City when the news comes that his brother, Peter, has drowned in the ocean off East Hampton. Jack knows his brother practically grew up in the water, and that this couldn't be an accident. Someone must have wanted his brother dead.

But the police say otherwise. As Jack tries to uncover details of his brother's last night, he...more

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Sherry

Sherry rated it:

(review of isbn 1586212877)

11/18/07

bookshelves: 2007, audiobook

Read in November, 2007

"Jack Mullen is in law school in New York City when the news comes that his brother, Peter, has drowned in the ocean off East Hampton. Jack knows his brother practically grew up in the water, and that this couldn't be an accident. Someone must have wanted his brother dead.

But the police say otherwise. As Jack tries to uncover details of his brother's last night, he confronts a maddening barricade of lawyers, police, and paid protectors who separate the wealthy summer residents from loca...more

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Elpida

Elpida rated it:

09/05/07

Not a bad read...Usual Patterson style.

*********************************************
Amazon.com
James Patterson and Peter de Jonge's The Beach House opens with the death of a handsome townie on Memorial Day weekend in the Hamptons, where being a single-digit millionaire is laughable and being poor is unthinkable. Peter Mullen is a high school dropout who parks cars at the private bashes of the superwealthy Barry and Campion Neubauer. When Peter is found dead on the beach, the Neubauers ...more

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Bianca

Bianca rated it:

07/29/08

I know this one is a little hokie but I liked it. Maybe because there was a little love story intertwined...

________
I went through a bit of a James Patterson kick for a while back in the day so please excuse the sheer amount of his books that I've read.

I think anyone who has read his books will agree they are not difficult or challenging BUT they are entertaining and full of suspense and keep you turning pages. I've enjoyed every one of his books that I've read! Mostly on vacation or in be...more

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Kevin

Kevin rated it:

06/18/08

The Hamptons are one of the most incredibly upscale areas in the world in which to live. So, understandably, the community is rocked when the body of a young man washes ashore just after a very ritzy party winds down. Despite the local police department's claim that the young man, Peter Mullen, committed suicide, his brother Jack, a law student, doesn't buy into it and begins his own investigation. What he uncovers is a web of deceit, blackmail, and murder involving some of the most influential ...more

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Holly

Holly rated it:

08/03/08

bookshelves: reviewed, suspense

Read in August, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Kimmay

Kimmay rated it:

11/29/07

bookshelves: patterson-james

I actually liked the book up until the protagonist takes matters into his own hands and ( No spoilers here ) does something that just was not believable for me and at that point i thought "sheesh!!! That does it for me You lost me with that stinker of a plot" , just too outragously UNBELIEVABLE for me to like. Felt like Patterson was YET again pumping out another book to meet a deadline or something... I have almost given up on your books Mr Patterson. I heard such great things but...more

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Amy

Amy rated it:

12/01/08

Read in October, 2008

Really good with a surprising twist!

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Cecily

Cecily rated it:

11/04/08

Read in November, 2008

This book was riduculous. A law student is investigating the suspicious death of his younger brother which was ruled as a suicide. The mysterious circumstances surrounding the brother's death combined with the cast of billionaires was enough to keep me interested...then the totally incredulous happens when this hero decides to hold half a dozen people hostage to stage some circus court. Don't waste your time with this one.

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Dinky

Dinky rated it:

10/01/08

I really like the way Patterson builds his characters and the story line. His writing has a flow to it and this is an easy book to pick up for those short breaks at work - you're able to jump right into the story each time you pick the book up.

I found myself staying in the car reading at lunch time even though I was supposed to go back to work. At break time I hustled right back to the car to continue the story.

Great book

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Brianah

Brianah rated it:

04/16/08

bookshelves: read--2008

Read in April, 2008

started: 4/10/08
finished: 4/16/08

This was by far one of the best books I have read by James Patterson! I was completely enveloped in the story from the very beginning. I have never found myself as outraged, sad, and happy during one book! Very fine writing and so incredibly interesting! I could hardly put the book down after I got past the first few chapters. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

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