James Patterson: 4th of July

I've read quite a few of James Patterson's novels recently, although most have been from the Alex Cross Series. This one was a pretty good read and was a clear demonstration of Patterson's ability to keep the reader turning page after page to see what happens next. If you are a fan of the plot twist, you should definitely get this book.

This one follows the trials of Lindsay Boxer as she tries to catch a serial killer who is tantalisingly leaving clues to his identity with each crime. She's getting closer and closer, until the plot takes a nasty twist and plunges the reader in to confusion. You might think you guessed, but you're probably wrong!

Brilliantly done.

A young man is found dead in a seedy hotel room; electrocuted in his bath with a toaster. This is the second electrocution murder Lindsay Boxer has come across and the message left in graffiti on the wall at the scene of the crime is the same: NOBODY CARES ANYMORE. What does it refer to? The one clue Lindsay and her partner Jacobi have is that a black Mercedes was spotted at the scene of both murders. But when they follow a car they think is connected, they get more than they bargained for. Full of the high suspense and fast-moving plotlines for which James Patterson is best known, this promises to be the most exciting Women's Murder Club case yet.

What're You Looking at, Wiseguy? (A review of The Godfather, PS2)

I really must get some control on my addictive personality: I just completed The Godfather after more than one extremely late night of, 'I'll just get this one mission done and then get to bed'.

My default position is that movie tie-ins are generally pretty poor and are generally a lazy marketing exercise that take advantage of a successful run at the box office.

This game is a refreshing exception to the rule though. I was bought it as a gift and thoroughly enjoyed it, actually. If you enjoyed the Grand Theft Auto series, you're likely to enjoy this. It's a little different in that it's set in a time when guys wore smart suits, hats and sharp shoes to murder and maim people as in the film trilogy (I have this too, but have not yet had time to watch these great movies again), but the gameplay is somewhat similar. There's a pretty huge gaming area, although not quite the vast landscape I'm currently encountering in Just Cause; it can take a while to get from place to place to carry out missions and so forth, although I'd argue that this adds to the realism rather than detracts from it.

A thoroughly entertaining diversion from reality in all, and well worth the few quid that you'll probably pay to buy it online in exchange for a considerable number of hours' entertainment.

"Respect me, respect the family"