Worst Case - James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

Life isn’t always fair. There are some people who are extremely wealthy, while others have exactly as much as they need. Still there are people living in constant lack. It’s the first and last group that tend to cause the most anger.

A kidnapper is targeting the wealthiest students in Manhattan. There's no demanded ransom or clues left behind. There's only one way for these kids to return home safely to their families: they must pass the test.

After the first kidnapped victim is found dead and a second victim is taken, Detective Mike Bennett knows he's facing a sadistic, yet intelligent killer. Parents are frightened and soon New York City is paralyzed by this individual.

Given the nature of the cases, FBI Emily Parker is brought in from DC. She's one of the FBI finest and is determined to find the killer. As Mike and Emily race against the clock, they also try to resist the growing attraction between them. The deeper they dig in the cases, the more they realize the motive behind the kidnapping is larger than the victims. They are just pawns that need to be removed in order to fulfill the mission.

Worst Case is the third book in the Michael Bennett series. Mike is such a likable guy. He's a good detective, a great father and generally tries to do the right thing. He finds it hard to balance his personal life (he's the father of 10 adopted children) and work, makes his fair share of mistakes, but still manages to remain grounded.

True to Mr. Patterson's style, the killer is sick and twisted. The pace is steady and the hint of romance didn't take away from the mystery. Fans of this series will enjoy this book.

Book details:
Series: Michael Bennett #3
ISBN-13: 978-0*316-03622-1
Pages: 356
Year Published: 2010
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Format: Hardback
Source: Library