56 ratings | 9 reviews | avg rating:4.39

R.J.’s Year In Books

R.J.’s 2024 Year in Books

Take a look at R.J.’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to R.J.’s 2024 Year in Books

R.J. Patterson’s Followers (205)

R.J.’s Bookshelves

to-read (3)
currently-reading (0)
read (57)
espionage-spy-yarn-international (2)
fun-interesting-mystery-hilarious (0)

R.J.’s Friends (455)

Russ

455 books | 194 friends

Marc

282 books | 33 friends

Karen

5,227 books | 102 friends

Lance

2,398 books | 468 friends

Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while)

7,541 books | 2,643 friends

Monnie

1,720 books | 749 friends

William Stanger

1,463 books | 117 friends

Scott Gundaker

1,827 books | 151 friends

More friends…

R.J. Patterson

Goodreads Author

Born

in Mesa, AZ, The United States

Website

http://www.RJPbooks.com

Twitter

MrRJPatterson

Genre

Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

Influences

John Grisham, Harper Lee, Lee Child, Matthew Pearl, Brad Meltzer, Lee ...more

Member Since

January 2013

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/jackpatterson

edit data

*** Signup for my newsletter and receive a free copy of The Warren Omissions, the first book in my James Flynn thriller series, by visiting http://eepurl.com/bZwpdf ***

THE FIRST SIGNS that I might like writing -- and that I might be slightly competitive -- appeared when my year two (or first grade) teacher, Mrs. Holland, asked my class to write and illustrate our day. Mine read like this: “The Red team beat the Blue team, 1 to nil. And I won.” The next 47 entries covered my exploits on the soccer pitch while growing up in Ipswich, England.

In South Carolina as a teenager, my dad told me that I could get paid to watch sports provided I could write about it. Sounded easy enough and by the time I was 16, I landed a job at my town’s daily newspa *** Signup for my newsletter and receive a free copy of The Warren Omissions, the first book in my James Flynn thriller series, by visiting http://eepurl.com/bZwpdf ***

THE FIRST SIGNS that I might like writing -- and that I might be slightly competitive -- appeared when my year two (or first grade) teacher, Mrs. Holland, asked my class to write and illustrate our day. Mine read like this: “The Red team beat the Blue team, 1 to nil. And I won.” The next 47 entries covered my exploits on the soccer pitch while growing up in Ipswich, England.

In South Carolina as a teenager, my dad told me that I could get paid to watch sports provided I could write about it. Sounded easy enough and by the time I was 16, I landed a job at my town’s daily newspaper and had a column on Major League Baseball players from our area. I also covered my first riot there at a sporting event -- and it’s safe to say I was smitten with journalism.

After graduating from one of the best journalism schools in the country, I took a job as a sports editor in South Georgia and learned firsthand about the passion of high school sports in rural America. I thought I knew before, but I didn’t. This was another world.

I also had the opportunity to cover major sporting events like the Olympic Games, the World Series, the Super Bowl, and the Final Four. It was a thrill!

But nothing was as thrilling to me as uncovering the truth in investigative assignments. I once broke a story about a prominent southern football team’s NCAA violation -- and found out the violating coach had committed suicide only a few months earlier. The story won a national writing award and stoked my desire to write about these issues. It made me realize that the sports world was just another fantastic backdrop for drama.

After writing non-fiction books with athletes, for athletes, and ghost writing for many others, I decided to enter the world of fiction writing. It had been something I wanted to do but never found the time. So, I made the time--and had a blast in the process.

I’m not out to become the next Faulkner or Hemingway -- I’m just out to tell a good story. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them! ...more

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask R.J. Patterson questions, please sign up.

Combine Editions
R.J. Patterson’s books

Average rating: 4.42 · 47,174 ratings · 1,168 reviews · 191 distinct works • Similar authors

	Behind Enemy Lines (Titus Black #1) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2,546 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Shadow Hunter (The Phoenix Chronicles #1) 4.19 avg rating — 2,101 ratings — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Reaper (The Phoenix Chronicles #2) 4.40 avg rating — 1,351 ratings — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Game of Shadows (Titus Black #2) 4.31 avg rating — 1,266 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Vengeance (Brady Hawk #16) 4.43 avg rating — 1,192 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rogue Commander (Titus Black #3) 4.39 avg rating — 1,196 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Two Minutes to Midnight (Brady Hawk #13) 4.51 avg rating — 1,156 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Extreme Measures (Brady Hawk #20) 4.57 avg rating — 1,108 ratings — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Covert Invasion (The Phoenix Chronicles #3) 4.45 avg rating — 1,132 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Final Strike (Brady Hawk #21) 4.59 avg rating — 1,099 ratings — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by R.J. Patterson…

34 posts
R.J. Patterson's Blog

Big Announcement

Greetings from the beautiful Pacific Northwest!

I have a brief but important annoucement for my readers, especially those of you who've been following my work for a while.

In an effort to further distinguish myself in the marketpace, I wanted to inform you that I am transitioning from using Jack to my initials, R.J., for all my books. Previous titles are in the process of be listed under "R.J. Patt

Series by R.J. Patterson

Titus Black (16 books)
by

R.J. Patterson (Goodreads Author)

4.36 avg rating — 12,646 ratings

The Phoenix Chronicles (11 books)
by

R.J. Patterson (Goodreads Author)

4.42 avg rating — 10,086 ratings

Blake Barrett (1 book)
by

R.J. Patterson (Goodreads Author)

4.32 avg rating — 348 ratings

rss
R.J.’s Recent Updates

R.J. Patterson has read Fall of the Citizens by Eric Thomas (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 28, 2024 07:32PM · like
R.J. Patterson rated a book it was ok Chaser: Hunter's Oath Book 2 by Ken Nobles (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 12, 2024 11:20AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Chaser by Ken Nobles. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Chaser by Ken Nobles <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
R.J. Patterson rated a book liked it Rook: Hunter's Oath Book 1 by Ken Nobles (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 09, 2024 09:31PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Rook by Ken Nobles. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Rook by Ken Nobles <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
R.J. Patterson wants to read 5 Minutes to Die by R.J. Patterson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 19, 2024 12:49PM · like
R.J. Patterson rated a book it was amazing The Code of the Woosters (Jeeves, #7) by P.G. Wodehouse	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
P.G. Wodehouse is an absolutely hysterical writer. There were so many times I was in stitches at the way Bertie perceived other characters in the story. This author has stood the test of time for good reason. He's a riot—and the plot is totally fun. ...more
Jan 30, 2024 10:41AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
R.J. Patterson rated a book liked it The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Solid spy book, but lacked the thriller element. A little too slow in parts, bogged down by too much navel gazing and introspection. The story jumped back and forth in time, which made the story feel choppy. It seemed like it was supposed to be more ...more
Jan 30, 2024 10:40AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
R.J. Patterson rated a book liked it The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Solid spy book, but lacked the thriller element. A little too slow in parts, bogged down by too much navel gazing and introspection. The story jumped back and forth in time, which made the story feel choppy. It seemed like it was supposed to be more ...more
Jan 30, 2024 10:36AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
R.J. Patterson rated a book really liked it City Under One Roof (Cara Kennedy, #1) by Iris Yamashita (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I liked this mystery a lot. And I loved how the city itself became a character in all of this. The only thing I wished as a reader was that there was a little more closure on the detective's story ... unless there's a book 2 planned, which in that ca ...more
Jan 30, 2024 10:31AM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of R.J.'s books…

Quotes by R.J. Patterson (?)

“He didn’t simply dislike the dirty work—he loathed it. But Yukon wasn’t the only one with an assignment. There was one job Gold needed to finish on his own. He drained the last drop of whisky and grabbed his 9 millimeter handgun. His work was almost done.”
― Jack Patterson, Cross Hairs

1 likes

“You love the ones closest to you and you do what you love, and you’ll have a great ride, no matter how long or short it is.”
― R.J. Patterson, Blow Back

1 likes

“say,”
― Jack Patterson, Dead in the Water

1 likes

See all R.J. Patterson's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Reading with Style: FA 2015 My Itinerary	25	58	Sep 27, 2015 12:41PM
Nothing But Readi...: Snow Leopards	3004	520	Jan 10, 2017 02:12PM
The Mystery, Crim...: * Currently Reading? Just Finished? 2018	2389	906	Jan 03, 2019 08:05PM
2025 & 2026 Readi...: 2023 in Review	25	225	Jan 16, 2024 12:36PM
The Lost Challenges: Animals A-Z Spell Out	381	171	Jun 29, 2025 08:41AM
Crime Detective M...: What are you reading now?	5168	1799	Nov 20, 2025 04:41AM
Mystery Madness: What Mysteries Are You Reading?	1218	467	Nov 20, 2025 10:47PM