Lifeguard by James Patterson and Andrew Gross

Lifeguard by James Patterson and Andrew Gross

Genre: Mystery
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 401
Challenges: None
Source: Purchased Used





The Short Version:
Young Ned Kelly has his future derailed when he agrees to help out some long time friends with a ‘sure thing’ heist and ends up the only survivor and prime suspect in a series of crimes he didn’t actually commit.

Why I Read It:
I’d slogged through my last few books slower than normal due to lack of quality reading time. I needed something fast paced that was quick reading mental popcorn. It was the perfect time to pull a Patterson off the shelf.

The Book:
Ned Kelly is working several part time jobs in Florida. He meets the woman of his dreams and starts thinking of a future with her even though they’re clearly from two very different lifestyles. But first, Ned has promised to help a group of friends with a history of small time crime pull off what they’ve been promised is an art heist that will leave them all rich. Ned doesn’t even have to do the actual heist because his part is to create the diversion.

Things go bad and then even worse when not only does the art theft go horribly wrong, but Ned is on the run and suspected of murder as well as the theft. The FBI is after him, but so is someone else. Is it the person who sabotaged the plan or is it someone even more dangerous?

FBI agent Ellie Shurtleff is part of the Art Theft and Fraud department and is there due more to her knowledge of art than her crime fighting talent. She’s not taken seriously by the other agents and law enforcement types, but of course, she’s on the right track in this investigation.

Can Ellie and Ned keep themselves alive long enough to find the truth?

My Thoughts:
This was a typical Patterson book. It was fast paced with plenty of twists and turns with a nice blend of predictability and surprises. The ending seemed a bit rushed after the long buildup, though. I’ve enjoyed the Patterson/Gross collaborations before and look forward to the others that I haven’t read yet.

This one wasn’t as bloody as some of the Alex Cross or Women’s Murder Club books can get at times. It was more of a suspense story with Ned on the run from the law as well as whoever set up and or sabotaged the art theft.

There were a couple of minor ‘things that made me go hmmmmm’. Ned’s job as a lifeguard is barely mentioned and is not even his primary job at the beginning of the book so the title seemed silly. Also the plural of adidias (the company does not use a capital A) is adidas, so the mention of “a pair of beat-up Addidases” on page 173 made me giggle and suspect an editor who has never shopped for athletic shoes.

Nevertheless, it was a fun man on the run to clear his name kind of story.

Rating 3/5