Book Review: Instinct by James Patterson and Howard Roughan

Instinct (previously published as Murder Games) by James Patterson (Author), Howard Roughan (Author)

File Size: 1922 KB
Print Length: 369 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0316273961
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (June 26, 2017)
Publication Date: June 26, 2017
Sold by: Hachette Book Group
Language: English
ASIN: B01M0CDHMG

My Rating: * (out of 5)


I'd cheerfully give it one-half star, but I can't find a decent icon.


The writing is very poor.  In the first part of the book, the authors, editors, and proofreaders, all offer conclusive proof that none of them know anything about guns, hunting, or hunters.  In the second part we're given equally solid evidence about their knowledge of motorcycles and the people who ride them.  In the conclusion, the protagonist wins and doesn't deserve his victory, the villain is dispatched via suicide so as to safely shift any possible blame, and the final showdown is just bad writing, no more, no less.

This is the last book by Patterson I'll ever waste my money on.

A Few More Sites...

A few more sites that should have made the list:

SleuthSayers - Professional Crime-Writers and Crime-Fighters

The Writing and Opinions of Dean Wesley Smith

The Forty-Five

The Book Designer

BookWorks - The Self-Publishers Association

Things I Miss

If you want to go out for a quiet drink at any neighborhood bar that isn't full of frat rats and similar objectionable people, you'll likely find a bar populated entirely by old men and the occasional old lady.  None of these people will bother you, thus allowing you to relax a little.  But with old people it's inevitable that someone will bring up the good old days and how things were so much better back then - when girls were girls and men were men.

Sites I Frequent

I promised someone I'd point him to an interesting site, then promptly forgot just who I'd made that promise to and what the name of the site was.  As a compromise, here is a list of sites that I generally read or use, in no particular order.

Notable Quotes: Gertrude Stein

Warning: Not Safe For Work.

Eastside Writing Group

I finished a short story and uploaded it to the site on the Eastside Writing Group for the meeting tomorrow.  I know that my story is too long by half, but I can't seem to shorten it.  Every single time I begin to write, something happens and the story gets longer.

So, off we go.  I have to review several stories for tomorrow, I have soup on the stove that needs to cook another hour or so, and I'm thinking about wings.  I love wings.

Maybe I'll just settle for a dry martini and a cool place to sit and read.

New eBook Site

Here's a new eBook site that worth looking at.  Robert Denton, the owner of the site, emailed me and after the usual pleasantries got right to the point.

I need a shameless commercial plug for my site.

Happy to oblige, Robert.  The name of the site is Daily Kindle Deals, and it looks good enough to browse around a little.  I think Robert is just getting started, and I wish him luck.

Here's the expected link:  Daily Kindle Deals.  Should you be inclined to do so, you can reach Robert via email: Email Robert Denton.  Thanks for stopping by, Rob.  Best of luck to you.