The Midnight Club by James Patterson

 

Midnight Club by James PattersonMass Market Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Vision (June 1, 1999) Language: English ISBN-10: 0446606383 ISBN-13: 978-0446606387 A stunningly brilliant psychopathic killer who has skillfully eluded the police from London to Paris to New York…a beautiful journalist suddenly in grave danger…and an unorthodox New York detective whose motive for stopping the killer couldn’t be more personal. All are bound by the chains of secrecy, wealth, and crime forged by the cabal known as The Midnight Club. “The Midnight Club is the novel I wrote just before Along Came A Spider. I’m certain that both Alex Cross and Sampson originated in ideas I had while writing this story. It’s one of my favorites.” – James Patterson

20-Feb-08 to 24-Feb-08

Review: It’s 1:51 am and I just finished The Midnight Club. I’m yawning, but it was such an awesome novel, I had to write my review right away, LOL!

I thought the characters were all strong individuals. After what Stef (NYPD Detective John Stefanovich) had gone through and endured, his raw determination from the beginning to the ending of this novel is nothing short of awe-inspiring and speechlessly astounding. I don’t believe I’ve ever read a character as brave without meaning to be as Stef was. He truly is a joy, and it really is too bad that Patterson didn’t write more novels starring Stef. He is a character I’ll never forget.

Sarah is a strong woman, even when facing the hardest situations. She does what she has to do and damn the concequences. I just wish she’d been able to give her ex-husband a real piece of her mind. I know I would like to.

Isiah Parker isn’t completely original, but the things he does and how he goes about doing them are almost shocking. The ending, though not a complete surprise, has you cheering! Vigilante-style or not, it still has you cheering.

Alexandre St. Germain… the French bad guy. A man you immediately hate, loathe, despise and abominate, and you can actually feel the fear he instills in the characters.

The plot wasn’t the most creative – mob-style with the usual tactics - I thought it could have used a little more in the originality department. The twist in the novel, I actually saw coming, knowing what had happened at the beginning of the novel and if you remember the ’street law’ as you go through the book, it’s almost certainly expected. But I think I had more interest in the characters than in the goings-on.

Some say it isn’t Patterson’s best novel. Although I really hate to agree with that, I actually have to. But the point is to also remember that he wrote this before he even started his Alex Cross series. I think for some, they’ll be expecting something like his Cross series, and I know some will feel let-down in some way. So, for some strange reason, I feel the need to point out that this novel had first been published back in 1989. Had I read it back then, I’m sure it would have rated an excellent and excited 5 stars. Having read the kind of suspense and thriller novels that are published today, sure, this one is kind of lacking in luster. However, I bet you it was excellent in 1989.

Rating: