Read by: Ron Butler & Maxwell Hamilton Running Time: 13 hrs approx. Categories: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense Released: 2017 Media: mp3 on CD; Unabridged ISBN: 9781478976851
The Author
James Brendan Patterson (born March 22, 1947) is an American author and philanthropist. Among his works are the Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, Women's Murder Club, Maximum Ride, Daniel X, NYPD Red, Witch and Wizard, and Private series,
as well as many stand-alone thrillers, non-fiction, and, even, romance
novels. His books have sold more than 300 million copies, and he was the
first person to sell 1 million e-books. In 2016, Patterson topped Forbes's list of highest-paid authors for the third consecutive year, with an income of $95 million. His total income over a decade is estimated at $700 million, and is regarded as the world's best selling thriller writer.
In
November 2015, Patterson received the Literarian Award from the
National Book Foundation, which cited him as a "passionate campaigner to
make books and reading a national priority. A generous supporter of
universities, teachers colleges, independent bookstores, school
libraries, and college students. Patterson has expressed the purpose of
encouraging Americans of all ages to read more books.
He was an
advertising executive at J. Walter Thompson. After he retired from
advertising in 1996, he devoted his time to writing. His greatest
influence, he said later, was probably Evan S. Connell's 1959 debut
novel Mrs. Bridge. He published his first novel in 1976 called The Thomas Berryman Number. The
novels featuring his character Alex Cross, a forensic psychologist
formerly of the Washington DC, Metropolitan Police and Federal Bureau of
Investigation, who now works as a private psychologist and government
consultant, are his most popular and the top-selling U.S. detective
series in the past ten years. Patterson has written more than 200 novels
since 1976. He has had more than 114 New York Times bestselling novels, and holds The New York Times record for most #1 New York Times bestsellers
by a single author, a total of 67, which is also a Guinness World
Record. His novels account for one in 17, roughly 6%, of all hardcover
novels sold in the United States; in recent years his novels have sold
more copies than those of Stephen King, John Grisham, and Dan Brown
combined. His books have sold approximately 305 million copies
worldwide. In 2008, he replaced Jacqueline Wilson as the most borrowed
author in Britain's libraries. He retained this position at least until
2013. In 2018, he worked with Stephen David Entertainment on the true
crime television series James Patterson's Murder Is Forever.
Patterson's
awards include the Edgar Award, the BCA Mystery Guild's Thriller of the
Year, the International Thriller of the Year award, and the Children's
Choice Book Award for Author of the Year. He is the first author to have
No. 1 new titles simultaneously on The New York Times adult and
children's bestsellers lists, and to have two books on NovelTrackr's
top-ten list at the same time. In 2019, Patterson was awarded a National
Humanities Medal. He appeared on the Fox TV show The Simpsons (in the episode "Yokel Chords") and in various episodes of Castle as himself.
Patterson
works with a variety of co-authors, such as J.D. Barker, Candice Fox,
Maxine Paetro, Andrew Gross, Mark Sullivan, Ashwin Sanghi, Michael
Ledwidge, and Peter de Jonge. In May 2017, it was announced that
Patterson would also co-author a crime fiction book with former U.S.
President Bill Clinton. Patterson said the novel, The President Is Missing,
would provide a level of detail that only a former U.S. president can
offer. Patterson has often said that collaborating with others brings
new and interesting ideas to his stories. Of his process, he has stated
that he is simply more proficient at dreaming up plots than crafting
sentence after sentence.
In September 2009, Patterson signed a deal to write or co-write 11 books for adults and 6 for young adults by the end of 2012. Forbes reported the deal was worth at least $150 million, but according to Patterson the estimate was inaccurate.
Many of his books have been adapted for film or TV:
Child of Darkness, Child of Light (1991), telefilm directed by Marina Sargenti, based on novel Virgin, or Cradle and All
Kiss the Girls (1997), film directed by Gary Fleder, based on novel Kiss the Girls
Miracle on the 17th Green (1999), telefilm directed by Michael Switzer, based on novel Miracle on the 17th Green
Along Came a Spider (2001), film directed by Lee Tamahori, based on novel Along Came a Spider
First to Die (2003), telefilm directed by Russell Mulcahy, based on novel 1st to Die
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas (2005), telefilm directed by Richard Friedenberg, based on novel Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas
Women's Murder Club (2007–2008), series created by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, based on novels of Women's Murder Club series
Sundays at Tiffany's (2010), telefilm directed by Mark Piznarski, based on novel Sundays at Tiffany's
Alex Cross (2012), film directed by Rob Cohen, based on novel Cross, or Alex Cross
Zoo (2015–2017), series based on novel Zoo
Maximum Ride (2016), film directed by Jay Martin, based on novels of Maximum Ride series
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (2016), film directed by Steve Carr, based on children's novel Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
James Patterson's the Chef (2018), miniseries directed by Nico Casavecchia and Gabe Michael, based on novel The Chef
Instinct (2018–2019), series created by Michael Rauch, based on novel Murder Games, or Instinct
The Postcard Killings (2020), film directed by Danis Tanović, based on novel The Postcard Killers
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (2020), miniseries co-written by John Connolly and Tim Malloy and based on Filthy Rich
Synopsis
In
the middle of the night, a controversial U.S. senator is found murdered
in bed in his Georgetown pied-a-terre. The police turn up only one
clue: a mysterious rhyme signed "Jack and Jill" promising that this is
just the beginning.
Jack and Jill are out to get the rich and famous, and they will stop at nothing until their fiendish plan is carried out.
Meanwhile,
Washington, D. C., homicide detective Alex Cross is called to a murder
scene only blocks from his house, far from the corridors of power where
he spends his days. The victim: a beautiful little girl, savagely beaten
- and deposited in front of the elementary school Cross's son, Damon,
attends.
Could there be a connection between the two murders? As
Cross tries to put the pieces together, the killer- or killers - strike
again. And again.
No one in Washington is safe - not children,
not politicians, not even the President of the United States. Only Alex
Cross has the skills and the courage to crack the case-but will he
discover the truth in time?
A relentless roller coaster of
heart-pounding suspense and jolting plot twists, Jack and Jill proves
that no one can write a more compelling thriller than James
Patterson-the master of the non-stop nightmare.
Reviews
“Amazing natural storytelling talent….is what James Patterson has, in spades.”— Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Popular murder detective Alex Cross returns to the DC streets to solve two seemingly unrelated homicides.” - Entertainment Weekly
“Captivating…. as
always, Patterson provides a fast-paced thriller full of surprising but
realistic plot twists….Cross is one of the best and most likable
characters in the modern thriller genre.” - San Francisco Examiner
“Fine, full-blooded entertainment from start to finish.” - Publishers Weekly
On Media
Audiobook on CD-ROM, complete with cover art on CD. Supplied in windowed CD sleeve, no case provided.
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