Bullseye by James Patterson (Michael Ledwidge)

Bullseye by James Pattereson & Michael Ledwidge

As the most powerful men on earth gather in New York for a meeting of the UN, Detective Michael Bennett receives intelligence warning that there will be an assassination attempt on the US president. Even more shocking, the intelligence suggests that the Russian government could be behind the plot.

Tensions between America and Russia are the highest they’ve been since the Cold War, but this would be an escalation no one could have expected.

The details are shadowy, and Bennett finds false leads and unreliable sources at every turn. But he can’t afford to get this wrong. If the plotters succeed, the shockwaves will be felt across the globe.

A joint collaboration between James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge, Bullseye is a quick and effortless read. With a heady pace and storyline that develops quicker than a speeding bullet I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was an entertaining read as I struggled through my long indoor bike rides at the gym. Although I’ve read a few James Patterson books in the past I’ve not read any of the Michael Bennett series so it will be interesting to take a look at the earlier novels and compare old and new.

More often than not, any storyline that involves the White House or a standing United States President always piques my interest and I simply can’t resist, Bullseye is no exception and I for one am glad I gave it a shot – excuse the pun!

Characterisation is interesting. I really enjoyed following Michael Bennett’s progress throughout the book, workload and his family troubles – caused mainly by children – I mean anyone with 10 children are going to have a trying day at the best of times! Mary Catherine’s character sounds too good to be true, a nanny turned partner who takes on so many children? Wonderful – I did want to learn more about her in the novel but unfortunately she isn’t in the storyline a huge amount but what there was of her I enjoyed. Similarly Father Seamus who although in a couple of scenes his humour and personality shone through, I’d definitely like to learn more about him and his relationship with the family as a whole!

The storyline itself was good and you never really knew who would end up paying the ultimate sacrifice at the end and who was involved in the plot to kill the US President but everything is tied up nicely in the end. It did get a little complicated in the beginning with a number of arcs running alongside the main storyline and protagonist, it took me a while to distinguish between the two assassins, but maybe that’s my simplified brain at fault!

Would I read another Michael Bennett book? You bet. Enjoyable, entertaining and a very quick read, you can’t ask for much more than that.