NYPD Red

Can't believe it took me so long to finish another book and write a review for it but life is crazy with a nine month old and on top of that I've been working really hard on my fitness so bare with me.

I actually picked up this book because I thought it would be a light read with a mystery to solve in the middle of it but I was somewhat wrong. Yes, the book itself is pretty light and reads very fast but there's no real mystery in the foundation of this book. I guess it's my fault for not reading the synopsis too carefully. What I got instead was a murder/action book. Don't get me wrong, this book wasn't bad by any means but it failed to blow me away nevertheless.

The mediocrity of this book begins with the way that it's laid out. Point of view goes from the main “hero” character to the main bad guy and switches with every chapter. At first, this annoyed me immensely but after a while I got used to it especially after getting acquainted with the characters. While this is a unique way to keep the reader on their toes, I prefer not knowing who the bad guy is until the very end. I guess it's my fault for picking a book that wasn't completely the genre I was looking for at the moment. I did, however, enjoy getting into the mind of a crazy, deranged serial killer.

In addition, the plot itself was good. I haven't read many books with the same direction but then again I haven't read many books at all. However, good is all it was. Nothing more, nothing less. I was curious to know what would happen next but not curious enough to keep reading all night long. Also, the chapters overlapped here and there and we often read the same scene twice from two different perspectives. Although in certain other instances this adds something special to a book, in this instance it seems unnecessary and rather redundant.

Another thing to point out is that the characterization of the book was on the higher level of the mediocrity scale. I enjoyed getting to know the characters but they are not going to stay with me long after I finish this book. I don't even know if I'm all that eager to read the second book in this series. I might read it one day, but probably not in the near future.

In conclusion, NYPD Red is a letdown for a book, especially one that has been so widely publicized and spread throughout the media channels. I was expecting more from such a renowned author. With that said, it's not a bad book by far and is perfect for anyone looking for a fast paced and easy read that has a lot of action in it.