Bullseye by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

Bullseye is the ninth book in the Michael Bennett series, and while they can be read independently you get the most enjoyment out of the series when you read them in order.  This review contains series ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the entire series.  I highly recommend that you read the series in order, starting with Step on a crack.

President Buckland is visiting the great city of New York - as is the assassin hired to kill him.  A twist of fate brings Detective Michael Bennett into the case, a case that has far reaching consequences beyond the borders of his city - and maybe even beyond the borders of his country.  This is the ultimate game of cat and mouse for Bennett, the FBI and the Secret Service as they hunt for a skilled killer that travels beneath the radar with disturbing ease.  To make matters worse it seems as though there may be more than one assassin in town as a perfectly executed hit on a clandestine drug lab took two killers to pull it off.

Bennett is used to racing against the clock, and he is used to playing catch up, but this time POTUS is in danger and if he dies on Bennett's watch then it could mean war.  While Detective Bennett is in full work mode he has no idea that danger is stalking his family and their guest, a stalker has very bad intentions indeed.  As the pressure mounts to find the assassin Bennett finds himself in the very familiar position of a race against time under very trying circumstances.  

The Michael Bennett series is my stand out favourite series by James Patterson, and I eagerly await each new installment to see what is next for Bennett and his family.  I have seldom been disappointed by the series as Patterson and Ledwidge have an amazing writing chemistry and the books are so fast paced that you are practically reading on the edge of your seat from start to finish.  

I have to confess to being a little disappointed with Bullseye, and I am not sure if it was because I read the first half in fits and starts, or if I read in fits and starts because it didn't grab me in the usual way.  I did enjoy the second half very much (classic Detective Bennett fare) but I felt the first half suffered from being a little too technical - I know something about rifles and it felt like my eyes were glazing over in places.  A good addition to the Bennett series but not the best by a long shot (and it will be interesting to see where Patterson and Ledwidge take the story next!)

If you like this book then try:

• Step on a crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• Run for your life by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• Worst case by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• Tick tock by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• I, Michael Bennett by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• Gone by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• Burn by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• Alert by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• The surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
• The apprentice by Tess Gerritsen
• Kill switch by Neal Baer and Jonathan Greene
• NYPD Red by James Patterson and Marshall Karp
• Kill me if you can by James Patterson and Marshall Karp

Reviewed by Brilla