Title: You’ve Been Warned
Authors: James Patterson and Howard Roughman
Narrator: Ilyana Kadushin
Unabridged:
Number of CDs: 6
Number of Hours: 7
List Price: $34.98
Downloadable: www.audible.com
Abridged:
Number of CDs: 3
Number of Hours: 3.5
List Price: $24.98
Downloadable: www.audible.com
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Publication Date: September 10, 2007
Hardback/Paperback: Publisher: Little, Brown & Company, Format: Hardcover, 376pp, Copyright: 2007
Synopsis: Kristin Burns is making her way in New York City. Her photos are being considered at a major Manhattan gallery, she works by day with two wonderful children, and the man of her dreams is almost hers for keeps. But just as everything she's ever wanted is finally within reach, her life changes forever with one murderous nightmare.
Kristin wakes up every morning from the same chilling, unforgettable dream. And suddenly, it's visiting her during the day too. As her life turns stranger by the minute, Kristin is haunted and terrified. Is it all in her head? Or is the nightmare becoming her life? Kristin searches desperately for what's real through the lens of her camera, only knowing two things for sure: that no place is safe and the fate of everyone she loves lies in her hands.
Other Background: This audio book is also available unabridged on 4 audiocassettes, 7 hours.
One website’s description of the author is as follows: “James Patterson is the author of 41 novels (to date) and is one of the most prolific -- and successful -- writers in the mystery genre.” Well he certainly churns out books with his name on them at a fantastic rate. However, we shouldn’t ignore the fact that very often it’s “James Patterson & …”, fill in the name…Howard Roughman, Michael Ledwidge, Andrew Gross, Maxine Paetro, Peter De Jonge, and so on. Sometimes the book jacket announces James Patterson in big type and the “&” writer in, well, teenie type…not always. Some “&” writers seem to do better at negotiating the billing than others.
Another website advises, “Before becoming one of the world's top-selling novelists, James Patterson's ambition in life was to become a professional basketball player; unfortunately, he wasn't tall or fast enough.” Hmm, he may not have made that club but now he has his own team of second banana writers. The same website goes on to to say , “Ironically, Patterson did not like to read in high school.”
What a guy and what a story! I’m thinking - Only in America! Especially in America! He’s one heck of a money machine! But, for you, the reader, what is the bottom line here?
I’ve read some of the James Patterson “&” novels and some of the James Patterson, no “&” novels. It appears that he alone writes the Alex Cross books and these books have a consistent hero and style. A couple of the others, “&” ones that I have read, strike me as being written by someone else. The stories weren’t bad but it confuses me as to what to expect from a new mystery from James Patterson.
I gave “You’ve Been Warned” the benefit of the doubt and listened to it from beginning to end. It was an easy decision for me. My copy, as a reviewer, was complementary. It turns out “You’ve Been Warned” is not a bad story. I liked it even though my guess is that it’s really the work of the “second banana”. So I won’t cross Roughman and company (Patterson) off my list this time around.
Audio Sample: www.HachetteAudio.com, www.audible.com
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Discussion of this book or the others posted in my new journal is encouraged by those serious DUers who are interested. Thank you for your courtesy.