What do you think?
Rate this book
Swimsuit
Swimsuit
479 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2009
831 people are currently reading
9356 people want to read
About the author
James Patterson
954 books356k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,101 reviews
December 14, 2022
A retired cop turned crime fiction writer gets tangled up in a conspiracy of 'Peepers' that employ a serial killer to record the torture, rape and murder of his victims. On paper an interesting premise, but very poorly concluded in my opinion and little evidence of James Patterson's trademark page-turning style is evident either. 4 out of 12, Three Star read.
2011 read
2011 read
November 25, 2021
Like most Patterson novels this was an easy read with short chapters and lots of action. It was maybe a little blood thirsty but I always skim the really gruesome bits.
At least there was some originality and the book did not just rely on a sadistic killer to keep the story moving along. The main character was really Ben, an author, who was once a cop, and someone the reader could rely on to try and work his way out of the pickle he ends up in.
The ending was a bit of a surprise and not as conclusive as I would have liked, but it was in keeping with the book. I can always depend on Patterson and his co writers to never serve up something boring!
At least there was some originality and the book did not just rely on a sadistic killer to keep the story moving along. The main character was really Ben, an author, who was once a cop, and someone the reader could rely on to try and work his way out of the pickle he ends up in.
The ending was a bit of a surprise and not as conclusive as I would have liked, but it was in keeping with the book. I can always depend on Patterson and his co writers to never serve up something boring!
December 27, 2018
The premise of this story is that Ben Hawkins, former cop and current novelist, is being forced by a sociopathic serial killer to write a book about the killer's life and crimes. The killer's modus operandi is to videotape the sexual abuse, torture, and murder of his victims so that a group of sick voyeurs can watch, enjoy, and pay. Thus the killer profits (literally) from his crimes.
The book starts out with the torture/murder of a beautiful swimsuit model but the killer's victims are quite eclectic and he branches out to older adults, young girls and boys....whoever strikes his fancy. For me the premise was unbelievable, the characters were flat, and the story was not very original.
I don't recommend this book. 👎
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
May 29, 2010
No spoilers. :)
Swimsuit is the latest book James Patterson has written. I wish I could say that I've read all of his books like many other faithful reviewers, but truthfully, I've only read about ten. But from my experience with Patterson and his slew of coauthors, I know that his books tend to grab on to you from the beginning, lead you through a suspenseful and twisty storyline, and let you off safely at the end. They aren't very thought-provoking or seen as classics, but they are fun reads, indeed.
Swimsuit fails to even live up to this simple technique. Like other reviews and actual people I've discussed the book with, I too agree that there is a lot of gratuitous sex and gore, but that isn't what ruined this title for me.
One reason is that there is barely any suspense. You figure out who the killer is on the first page. That makes it pretty impossible for there to be even a little twist at the end. And the fact that the main character is with the murderer throughout most of the book, there's no mystery of "Will he ever be found?"
Speaking of the main character, he's another reason. I found it downright painful to connect to and/or have any sympathy for him. He's such a stereotypical, cookie-cutter, "I'm going to solve this `crime' because I want to" hero. He's utterly boring.
The third reason is, well, the storyline. When reading the dust jacket, I figured "Hey, this sounds pretty interesting. It's set on the beach and everything!" Uh, wrong. I honestly don't remember one page of this book being on a beach. And really, Kim McDaniels (the young swimsuit model who is probably supposed to the portrayed on the cover) is barely a focus. Also, the ending felt completely rushed, almost like the authors just didn't care anymore. I felt like the ending of "You've Been Warned" was more impressive, and that's saying something.
I honestly can't find anything likeable about this novel. I'm considering returning it. If I could sum it up with one word, it could be BORING, and that's something I never thought I would have to say about a James Patterson novel.
Swimsuit is the latest book James Patterson has written. I wish I could say that I've read all of his books like many other faithful reviewers, but truthfully, I've only read about ten. But from my experience with Patterson and his slew of coauthors, I know that his books tend to grab on to you from the beginning, lead you through a suspenseful and twisty storyline, and let you off safely at the end. They aren't very thought-provoking or seen as classics, but they are fun reads, indeed.
Swimsuit fails to even live up to this simple technique. Like other reviews and actual people I've discussed the book with, I too agree that there is a lot of gratuitous sex and gore, but that isn't what ruined this title for me.
One reason is that there is barely any suspense. You figure out who the killer is on the first page. That makes it pretty impossible for there to be even a little twist at the end. And the fact that the main character is with the murderer throughout most of the book, there's no mystery of "Will he ever be found?"
Speaking of the main character, he's another reason. I found it downright painful to connect to and/or have any sympathy for him. He's such a stereotypical, cookie-cutter, "I'm going to solve this `crime' because I want to" hero. He's utterly boring.
The third reason is, well, the storyline. When reading the dust jacket, I figured "Hey, this sounds pretty interesting. It's set on the beach and everything!" Uh, wrong. I honestly don't remember one page of this book being on a beach. And really, Kim McDaniels (the young swimsuit model who is probably supposed to the portrayed on the cover) is barely a focus. Also, the ending felt completely rushed, almost like the authors just didn't care anymore. I felt like the ending of "You've Been Warned" was more impressive, and that's saying something.
I honestly can't find anything likeable about this novel. I'm considering returning it. If I could sum it up with one word, it could be BORING, and that's something I never thought I would have to say about a James Patterson novel.
June 24, 2018
3.5*
Pretty decent book. Quick and entertaining enough for an afternoon read. The plot was actually intriguing and disturbing so the pages flew by. I liked the Hawaii theme. The tell all book aspect actually picked up on the pace of the story.
My quick and simple overall: quick and entertaining.
Pretty decent book. Quick and entertaining enough for an afternoon read. The plot was actually intriguing and disturbing so the pages flew by. I liked the Hawaii theme. The tell all book aspect actually picked up on the pace of the story.
My quick and simple overall: quick and entertaining.
May 28, 2013
Good enough that I was able to finish it, but bad enough that I had to get myself half drunk in order to do so. SWIMSUIT is a typical Patterson novel. It's somewhat less predictable than I expected, but the storyline is a whole lot clunkier. SWIMSUIT is a novel that seems to reinvent itself every fifty pages. Just when you think you've gotten the hang of it, it switches gears and becomes something different: It's torture porn! Oh wait, it's a daughter-in-peril kidnap story! No, it's private detective fiction! Wait, it's a straight-forward thriller! No, it's...it's...
The book's structure strikes me as being positively awful, but I will admit that it kept me guessing. Why Patterson chose to write SWIMSUIT the way he did is, for me, the biggest mystery in the whole book. But, hey, it's James Patterson and he can get away with doing whatever the hell he wants. Needless to say, I'm not exactly recommending this novel. It's a typical low-brow thriller with a painfully inept ending. If you have anything else to read, go with that. Still, though, I was entertained enough to let it squeak by with a passing grade.
The book's structure strikes me as being positively awful, but I will admit that it kept me guessing. Why Patterson chose to write SWIMSUIT the way he did is, for me, the biggest mystery in the whole book. But, hey, it's James Patterson and he can get away with doing whatever the hell he wants. Needless to say, I'm not exactly recommending this novel. It's a typical low-brow thriller with a painfully inept ending. If you have anything else to read, go with that. Still, though, I was entertained enough to let it squeak by with a passing grade.
September 14, 2012
First off, what can you expect from a writer who churns out books faster than any artist or singer? badly written ones. Swimsuit is no exception. Frankly, if i can give negative stars I would.
Characters lack depth. Plot lacks twists. Storytelling lack excitment. Structure of the whole story is imbalanced. Climax is no where to be found. Ending was rushed. Makes you feel that the author just stopped caring and just want to end it so he can make his money.And worse of all, you won't know who is the main character until almost 2/3 of the book.
First half of the book was focused on the parents of the model. After they were killed, focus shifts to the killer and how he stalk, threatens and kidnaps the journalist and tells his life story to him. Lastly, the killer conveniently 'disappears' from focus shifts to the journalist, whom i suppose was the main character, and how he got the mastermind to justice. The killer then conveniently, and mysteriously, got kidnapped and killed.
Authors of good books spend lots of time researching their material and building up characters. None of these can be shown by Patterson's work. I read quite a few of his books and I must say they are half-hearted work at best. The only reason I read his books is that its a easy read. The only redeeming quality of his works.
In closing, if you are looking for stories that are like most movies, lacking in depth, give his books a try. But if you are looking for a good read, those that makes you feel, relate, keeps you at the end of your seat, and then throw you off it at climax, don't bother with Patterson's work. Maybe he should start putting his heart and soul into writing a good book rather than focusing on making money. Its a matter of quality over quantity
Characters lack depth. Plot lacks twists. Storytelling lack excitment. Structure of the whole story is imbalanced. Climax is no where to be found. Ending was rushed. Makes you feel that the author just stopped caring and just want to end it so he can make his money.And worse of all, you won't know who is the main character until almost 2/3 of the book.
First half of the book was focused on the parents of the model. After they were killed, focus shifts to the killer and how he stalk, threatens and kidnaps the journalist and tells his life story to him. Lastly, the killer conveniently 'disappears' from focus shifts to the journalist, whom i suppose was the main character, and how he got the mastermind to justice. The killer then conveniently, and mysteriously, got kidnapped and killed.
Authors of good books spend lots of time researching their material and building up characters. None of these can be shown by Patterson's work. I read quite a few of his books and I must say they are half-hearted work at best. The only reason I read his books is that its a easy read. The only redeeming quality of his works.
In closing, if you are looking for stories that are like most movies, lacking in depth, give his books a try. But if you are looking for a good read, those that makes you feel, relate, keeps you at the end of your seat, and then throw you off it at climax, don't bother with Patterson's work. Maybe he should start putting his heart and soul into writing a good book rather than focusing on making money. Its a matter of quality over quantity
July 14, 2009
The fact that it took me so long to read a Patterson book was the first clue.
Swimsuit really has nothing to do with this book. And this book has nothing to do with anything it tries to do. It wants to be something, and it almost starts to become something, but then it drags, and it ends suddenly and who gives a dang at the end? Not ME.
Words, words, words, and more words. Promises of a book that never showed up. Enough with the dual authors Jimbo. Time to write your books by yourself and make a few less bucks. This was pretty bad, maybe one of the worst. Now i am down to only the Cross books and the Women's Murder Club books. soon it will be none of the above if the writing gets any worse.
Swimsuit really has nothing to do with this book. And this book has nothing to do with anything it tries to do. It wants to be something, and it almost starts to become something, but then it drags, and it ends suddenly and who gives a dang at the end? Not ME.
Words, words, words, and more words. Promises of a book that never showed up. Enough with the dual authors Jimbo. Time to write your books by yourself and make a few less bucks. This was pretty bad, maybe one of the worst. Now i am down to only the Cross books and the Women's Murder Club books. soon it will be none of the above if the writing gets any worse.
June 25, 2010
I HATE James Patterson. I only picked this book up because I felt the need to look at one more piece of evidence before I wrote him off indefinitely. It took less than 100 pages for me to stand by my original impression.
Here is an example of WHY I hate James Patterson: "He looked like the actor from the latest James Bond movie, Daniel Craig"
And another, albeit this one is paraphrased: "They slept heel to heel in their Sleep Number bed."
And that's just the way he writes. It's like freakin' product placement, for one. and it's as though he thinks his audience has absolutely NO imagination whatsoever. He thinks we're dumb, and so he gets as lazy as humanly possible on his descriptions.
In Sundays at Tiffany's he wrote something about "she applied Maybelline Visible Difference..." He needed a damn TM next to that sentence.
Additionally, his chapters are 2 pages long and his characters are completely one-dimensional. (At least from this hundred pages and Sundays.. Ugh. )
Two questions to anyone reading this review:
1. WHY was this man EVER published?
2. WHY do people READ his books?
Here is an example of WHY I hate James Patterson: "He looked like the actor from the latest James Bond movie, Daniel Craig"
And another, albeit this one is paraphrased: "They slept heel to heel in their Sleep Number bed."
And that's just the way he writes. It's like freakin' product placement, for one. and it's as though he thinks his audience has absolutely NO imagination whatsoever. He thinks we're dumb, and so he gets as lazy as humanly possible on his descriptions.
In Sundays at Tiffany's he wrote something about "she applied Maybelline Visible Difference..." He needed a damn TM next to that sentence.
Additionally, his chapters are 2 pages long and his characters are completely one-dimensional. (At least from this hundred pages and Sundays.. Ugh. )
Two questions to anyone reading this review:
1. WHY was this man EVER published?
2. WHY do people READ his books?
November 3, 2009
If I could give this book negatives stars I would. This is the worst book I have ever finished. The violent pornographic killing of a young woman left me sick to my stomach and left an image in my mind I wish terribly was not stuck. I should have put the book down (stopped listening) right then but I felt compelled to bring the evil doer to justice.
Do not read or listen to this book. Although I have never seen any of the movies it is probably a Saw like vehicle to shock and awe the reader. I was shocked and wanted to see justice done so I waded though to the end. I think a 5th grader could have written a better more complex ending than is in this book.
Again do not read this book!
Do not read or listen to this book. Although I have never seen any of the movies it is probably a Saw like vehicle to shock and awe the reader. I was shocked and wanted to see justice done so I waded though to the end. I think a 5th grader could have written a better more complex ending than is in this book.
Again do not read this book!
January 29, 2010
WOW! I know I say this about alot of James Patterson books but this one takes the cake for sure. I had my nose in the book for hours. I got the book out from the library and I had 7 days to read it. I read it in 5 days. It was outstanding. The book just kept you on your seat. You could visualize everything going on. I don't want to wreck anything for you by reading my review but this is a must read. I thought the ending was perfect and that the book was complete. Extremely well written. I would like to see a sequel to this book but I don't see that happening. I really felt like I was in the story along for the ride! A MUST READ!!!! Now one of my new favorites!
Heather
Heather
July 14, 2009
I generally like pretty much anything I read. It is hard to tell how much of this book was really Patterson and how much was Paetro.
So, the general underlying theme of this whodunit is pretty gruesome ... which was actually not a huge turnoff. However, the plot development just seemed to lose steam. Almost like the authors ran out of time and couldn't pull it all together in any way that was, at best, anti-climactic. It kind of reminded me of the ending of the movie remake of "War of the Worlds". It wasn't so much that the ending of the movie was anticlimactic, since it was a remake after all, but the movie just ... ended. Swimsuit leaves the reader with that same feeling of the book just having run out of pages.
I am in a generous mood tonite with 3 stars.
So, the general underlying theme of this whodunit is pretty gruesome ... which was actually not a huge turnoff. However, the plot development just seemed to lose steam. Almost like the authors ran out of time and couldn't pull it all together in any way that was, at best, anti-climactic. It kind of reminded me of the ending of the movie remake of "War of the Worlds". It wasn't so much that the ending of the movie was anticlimactic, since it was a remake after all, but the movie just ... ended. Swimsuit leaves the reader with that same feeling of the book just having run out of pages.
I am in a generous mood tonite with 3 stars.
July 12, 2009
I loved this book. Patterson's pairings with other authors so far have been ok, but not up to the standard of his two series of books - Alex Cross and Womens Murder Club. This one though, was definitely up there with the best of them.
Kim McDaniels, a swimsuit model, disappears on a shoot in Hawaii and when the police have no leads her parents fly out to try to find their daughter themselves. On arrival they meet Ben, a crime reporter and part time novelist, who has flown in from LA. Ben then gets more involved in the case as he thinks he could get a book deal from it. Problem is, he ends up a little more involved than he bargained for.
The action was non-stop from beginning to end. This was a little more... brutal... than most of his other work but I'm not squeamish and so it really didn't bother me. The characterisation of the psychopathic killer was top notch and made for a heart-thumping read. The plot is fast paced and is a definite page turner - I really didn't want to put this down and I could easily have finished it in one sitting given the chance.
A chilling, mesmerising read.
Kim McDaniels, a swimsuit model, disappears on a shoot in Hawaii and when the police have no leads her parents fly out to try to find their daughter themselves. On arrival they meet Ben, a crime reporter and part time novelist, who has flown in from LA. Ben then gets more involved in the case as he thinks he could get a book deal from it. Problem is, he ends up a little more involved than he bargained for.
The action was non-stop from beginning to end. This was a little more... brutal... than most of his other work but I'm not squeamish and so it really didn't bother me. The characterisation of the psychopathic killer was top notch and made for a heart-thumping read. The plot is fast paced and is a definite page turner - I really didn't want to put this down and I could easily have finished it in one sitting given the chance.
A chilling, mesmerising read.
June 22, 2015
Since I felt that the chance of this book improving was slim to none,I cried "Uncle" at 46%.
This was dull read for me. There was no suspense,the characters were lackluster,the writing was....meh.
How can you have a psychological thriller with such a boring evildoer?? I read psychological thrillers to get the Dr.Lector experience. A well conceived villain should rattle you,they should be frightening, make you ill at ease.
I know this will sound creepy but he lacked finesse,he lacked that element that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck as you read.
Sorry,just not my cup of tea.
This was dull read for me. There was no suspense,the characters were lackluster,the writing was....meh.
How can you have a psychological thriller with such a boring evildoer?? I read psychological thrillers to get the Dr.Lector experience. A well conceived villain should rattle you,they should be frightening, make you ill at ease.
I know this will sound creepy but he lacked finesse,he lacked that element that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck as you read.
Sorry,just not my cup of tea.
April 19, 2011
I couldn't stand this book. I'm so surprised that I finished it. It was confusing and not that the story line was difficult but I could never suspend belief long enough to buy into the story. How the story was constructed also turned me off. Characters will quickly introduced and killed off at such a high rate I had no idea who I was even supposed to care about. Then the ending came and that got screwed up too. I felt like his editor must have called and said "We need the manuscript now" and he just typed up a few thousands words said done and hit send.
August 21, 2022
Such a great read! A real page turner with so many twists & turns! I couldn’t put it down!!
August 6, 2017
Swimsuit by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro was a completely different ride. Another audio book with an excellent speaker too. A swimsuit shoot gone wrong in Hawaii. Henri is a paid to kill seriel killer for snuff films. He is a sociopath and enjoys his sprees. Ex-cop Ben Hawkins, now a writer for a newspaper in Los Angeles is covering the crime desk and the case on location. He befriends Kim McDaniels's parents and helps them to obtain a private investigator to find their daughter. The parent's find out about Kim missing from a phone call from Henri. The reason he involved them, to up the ante with the group he worked for to create the films, for their pleasure. Now while this is going on there are other factors being played... such as Henri assuming several disguises to keep himself in the loop; which plays into his hand to create more havoc. The difference with this novel is the narrative by Ben Hawkins as he works the crime beat and interacts with all the characters in the book. This is not your average mystery where the clues lead the detectives toward the killer, this is a killer insisting upon infamous notoriety bigger than Son of Sam, Ted Bundy or Jeffery Dahmer. His greed spirals toward an ending of his own doing in order to escape the hold from the organization. Some reviewers loved this book, others hated it and a few were middle of the road fans. I guess I would rate this a four star title. The ending needed a bit more umpf in my opinion. I expected a first rate interrogation of Ben by Interpol and a deeper investigation into the group ordering snuff films. But I love James Patterson and so I will read another title written by him and or a co-written one.
January 2, 2015
Audiobook - Narrated by Christian Rummell - Reasonably good narration.
For the most part I enjoyed listening to Christian Rummell. It's the first audio of his that I've listened too, and apart from the fact that he was overly dramatic at times, he did a good job.
***
The story itself wasn't so bad that I couldn't finish it, but it wasn't good either.
The chapters were very short.
It lacked suspense.
The characters were bland.
The ending was weak.
I've been struggling with Patterson a lot lately and I'm not quite sure why I even bother...or why he even bothers. There's nothing of him in his books anymore. They could be churned out by a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters and I wouldn't know the difference.
Not the worst James Patterson book I've ever read, that honour belongs to Private Oz, but it comes a close second.
May 14, 2019
I have now read..I don't know..about eight or nine Patterson books. I keep giving him a chance and he keeps letting me down. I suppose it is my fault. I should really stop b uying his b ooks.
This one looked good, especially since it was set on the beach. However nothing happens throughout most of it except a heck of alot of gore and a rising body count. There also really is not much to do with the beach.
I saw this in another of his books "The Games". Same exact thing. The cover hints the book will be about one thing but it is really about something else.
If you are seeking a great Patterson book try "The Murder House". Don't take my word for it, check out its reviews from many people. That book remains the only Patterson to get above a three from me.
I wound up giving this to a local library. I hope someone enjoys it more then I did.
This one looked good, especially since it was set on the beach. However nothing happens throughout most of it except a heck of alot of gore and a rising body count. There also really is not much to do with the beach.
I saw this in another of his books "The Games". Same exact thing. The cover hints the book will be about one thing but it is really about something else.
If you are seeking a great Patterson book try "The Murder House". Don't take my word for it, check out its reviews from many people. That book remains the only Patterson to get above a three from me.
I wound up giving this to a local library. I hope someone enjoys it more then I did.
July 6, 2009
I was shocked by the brutality of this book. I am not squeamish with my murder mysteries, but the first half of this book was nothing but one grusome murder after another. Very little plot at all in this first half, just sickening death after death. I cannot imagine why Patterson thought his loyal followers would be entertained by this.......Maybe it's just me. The story does kick into gear the more the character of Ben, newspaper reporter and former cop, develops and he becomes reluctantly entangled with Henri Benoit, horrific serial killer. For a (too) short time, the plot becomes riveting, but then just as Patterson did with "SAIL", he wraps up the ending waaaay too quickly, bringing the story to an extremely unsatisfying conclusion. I so miss the Patterson of old.
March 17, 2012
I do love James Patterson, yet this novel really sucks.
In my opinion this is the worst thing he has ever written, there is barely any suspense.
It is full of madness, lot of gratuitous sex and violence. Not human, the ending was very weak, couldn’t believe that he lost his talent writing such a lame ending.
Although it was fast paced and easy to read I was constantly annoyed while reading it, the murders are so horrifying and disturbing, and can’t believe the sick minds of the people who enjoy and find pleasure in watching such scenes. Not sure also why it carries the title swimsuit!!! I don’t recommend it for any reader whether James Patterson fan or 1st time reader.
In my opinion this is the worst thing he has ever written, there is barely any suspense.
It is full of madness, lot of gratuitous sex and violence. Not human, the ending was very weak, couldn’t believe that he lost his talent writing such a lame ending.
Although it was fast paced and easy to read I was constantly annoyed while reading it, the murders are so horrifying and disturbing, and can’t believe the sick minds of the people who enjoy and find pleasure in watching such scenes. Not sure also why it carries the title swimsuit!!! I don’t recommend it for any reader whether James Patterson fan or 1st time reader.
September 2, 2009
Usually I will devour a Patterson book in less than a day. This one took me two days to trudge through. It felt like the book started as one story and then ended as another.
And speaking of ending...what a great disappointment. It seemed that the brakes were suddenly applied and the reader was told to get out. Perhaps there is a sequel in the future that will do more to explain things or to pick up where this lack-of-an-ending left off. Not sure I'm interested enough to read it, though.
And speaking of ending...what a great disappointment. It seemed that the brakes were suddenly applied and the reader was told to get out. Perhaps there is a sequel in the future that will do more to explain things or to pick up where this lack-of-an-ending left off. Not sure I'm interested enough to read it, though.
November 25, 2021
I kinda liked the setup of a killer going after models (not brilliant but I could see that as a fun thriller) but this book just falls apart. A total mess.
July 6, 2018
This book started out ok, I got into the kidnapped girl and her parents and said to myself, "Right, here we go." Nope, things had no sooner started down one road than the writer said, enough of this, off on another trail. It jumped all over the place, main characters discarded and twists were complete u turns.
The writing was fine and I did read it all the way through to the end, which is where it went from a three star read to a two star read. It was like the ending was pulled out of a bag and rammed in there just so there would be an ending.
In short, not the worst book I have come across but not the best either.
The writing was fine and I did read it all the way through to the end, which is where it went from a three star read to a two star read. It was like the ending was pulled out of a bag and rammed in there just so there would be an ending.
In short, not the worst book I have come across but not the best either.
June 30, 2009
I am a big James Patterson fan. I have read his books since Along Came a Spider and kept up with the new releases and then went back and read his earlier books. I love the Alex Cross series and the Women's Murder Club and the standalones. So I was thrilled to get an early copy of his newest standalone - Swimsuit from Miriam Parker.
Swimsuit does not disappoint either. From the first page I was sucked into Ben's story of how he came across Henri and the missing swimsuit model Kim.
Ben is a very compassionate character as are Kim's parents and Ben's girlfriend Amanda. This is one of the things I really liked about the novel - Ben is the ordinary guy, the caring guy, he's not a tough guy, he's just a guy who wants to do what is right and help people. He just gets thrown into an insane set of circumstances.
The story moves along quickly and doesn't lose you as some have in the past. I was able to follow along, but not guess the next thing that happened. There were quite a few twists and turns and the usual James Patterson "evilness" in the serial killer. He just does serial killers the best. They are always twisted and egotistical and stand out against the good-guy, who is usually just an average guy, like Ben.
If you like the thriller genre then I encourage you to pick up Swimsuit by James Patterson and Maxine Patreo - it will not disappoint, it may make you lose sleep from trying to finish it, but I don't think it will disappoint. You will find great suspense, evil bad guys, compassionate good guys and a great story to follow along with.
Swimsuit does not disappoint either. From the first page I was sucked into Ben's story of how he came across Henri and the missing swimsuit model Kim.
Ben is a very compassionate character as are Kim's parents and Ben's girlfriend Amanda. This is one of the things I really liked about the novel - Ben is the ordinary guy, the caring guy, he's not a tough guy, he's just a guy who wants to do what is right and help people. He just gets thrown into an insane set of circumstances.
The story moves along quickly and doesn't lose you as some have in the past. I was able to follow along, but not guess the next thing that happened. There were quite a few twists and turns and the usual James Patterson "evilness" in the serial killer. He just does serial killers the best. They are always twisted and egotistical and stand out against the good-guy, who is usually just an average guy, like Ben.
If you like the thriller genre then I encourage you to pick up Swimsuit by James Patterson and Maxine Patreo - it will not disappoint, it may make you lose sleep from trying to finish it, but I don't think it will disappoint. You will find great suspense, evil bad guys, compassionate good guys and a great story to follow along with.
May 16, 2011
Just awful! How do so many people like James Patterson??? I am hoping this is just the worst thing he has ever produced, because it sucked. My poor boyfriend! I made him listen to it with me on a long roadtrip and in the middle of the last disc he literally LOST IT and could not listen to it anymore. Maybe listening to it made things worse because the guy reading the book sounded like one of those cheesy movie voice-over guys with the rough, masculine, fake voice and whenever he did the women's voices it sounded like a joke--so whiney and hilarious--at points that were supposed to be moving or frightening. OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE AWFUL WRITING TOO. Someone on here noted all the product placements and lazy descriptions and I totally agree. Also, it is really hard to care about any of the characters. Finally, I cannot believe that so many people like this book because it is ridiculously graphic and violent--I was pretty offended and I am definitely not a prude. Repeated and really detailed descriptions of this guy brutally raping and murdering women? NO THANKS! And there was no mystery about "whodunnit"--what the hell is the point?! Ugh! I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
October 30, 2019
A Siberian film all over again..
I won't say I'm a fan of Patterson but I like the gruesome nature of this book. Call me a weirdo but hey, the more red the pages get, more I tend to enjoy them. I won't say this is a strong story line but there are times I immensely enjoyed it. I strongly believe Swimsuit could've been so much more only if he chose not to run 1km in 1 minute.
I won't say I'm a fan of Patterson but I like the gruesome nature of this book. Call me a weirdo but hey, the more red the pages get, more I tend to enjoy them. I won't say this is a strong story line but there are times I immensely enjoyed it. I strongly believe Swimsuit could've been so much more only if he chose not to run 1km in 1 minute.
July 20, 2009
another fast read (probably because of the short chapters) and an interesting look into the mind of a psychopath serial killer. I'd probably give it 3 1/2 stars but can't do 1/2 stars here
November 30, 2012
James Patterson book written by Maxine Paetro.
Another decent read straight out of the James Patterson book factory, usual formula, fast paced, short chapters and in this case it works.
Another decent read straight out of the James Patterson book factory, usual formula, fast paced, short chapters and in this case it works.
September 6, 2017
Once again, James Patterson impresses me. This is only the second book I have read by this author, but he is just... eccentric and captivating in the way he writes.
I am quickly learning, though, not to read his books on the train ride to university! He's incredible with detail - especially when he explicitly describes some sex scenes. I feel a bit naughty and paranoid that I'll be caught reading that in public, so I think Patterson is best kept at home for me!
I really love that Patterson writes in short chapters. They are direct, to the point and do not drag on for 20 pages longer than necessary. Some chapters are only three pages long, others thirteen pages long - this makes it easy to read 100 pages without even realizing with the excuse, "It's a short chapter... just one more..." His writing aids this further, so descriptive and enchanting, and just so incredibly interesting and mystifying.
Henri, if that's even his name, is such a complex character - as murderers and rapists usually are. I loved that a large portion of this book was through his perspective - I feel that there is often a let down or not enough stories told from the perspective of the antagonist, and bad guys need to tell their story too! Even if they are incredibly graphic, tragic and murderous.
While there are many chapters told in his perspective, Patterson skillfully obscures much from the reader - he does not leave clues or breadcrumbs about who Henri truly is, his motives or plans. He's just this murderous rampaging man who travels the world torturing people, and he is so mysterious that I couldn't help but be enchanted by his story. He is a skillful murderer, and incredibly sick for being able to pull off the things he does, but his mysterious aura draws you in and you can't help but be interested in what he is going to do next!
Perhaps my favorite thing is the unknowing - much is left unresolved in the end of the book, there is still mystery present. Typically, I would hate this kind of unfinished business. Patterson offers a satisfying ending, though there are still questions to be asked and much to be confirmed.
Patterson is just incredibly skilled in his trade, and I found myself hanging off every word. Excited to continue reading, eager to progress through the novel. I have a stack of his other works by my desk, borrowed from the library, and I cannot wait to dive in and devour them all.
I am quickly learning, though, not to read his books on the train ride to university! He's incredible with detail - especially when he explicitly describes some sex scenes. I feel a bit naughty and paranoid that I'll be caught reading that in public, so I think Patterson is best kept at home for me!
I really love that Patterson writes in short chapters. They are direct, to the point and do not drag on for 20 pages longer than necessary. Some chapters are only three pages long, others thirteen pages long - this makes it easy to read 100 pages without even realizing with the excuse, "It's a short chapter... just one more..." His writing aids this further, so descriptive and enchanting, and just so incredibly interesting and mystifying.
Henri, if that's even his name, is such a complex character - as murderers and rapists usually are. I loved that a large portion of this book was through his perspective - I feel that there is often a let down or not enough stories told from the perspective of the antagonist, and bad guys need to tell their story too! Even if they are incredibly graphic, tragic and murderous.
While there are many chapters told in his perspective, Patterson skillfully obscures much from the reader - he does not leave clues or breadcrumbs about who Henri truly is, his motives or plans. He's just this murderous rampaging man who travels the world torturing people, and he is so mysterious that I couldn't help but be enchanted by his story. He is a skillful murderer, and incredibly sick for being able to pull off the things he does, but his mysterious aura draws you in and you can't help but be interested in what he is going to do next!
Perhaps my favorite thing is the unknowing - much is left unresolved in the end of the book, there is still mystery present. Typically, I would hate this kind of unfinished business. Patterson offers a satisfying ending, though there are still questions to be asked and much to be confirmed.
Patterson is just incredibly skilled in his trade, and I found myself hanging off every word. Excited to continue reading, eager to progress through the novel. I have a stack of his other works by my desk, borrowed from the library, and I cannot wait to dive in and devour them all.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,101 reviews