Four people have already been murdered when the Red team gets involved after the murder of a high profiled woman with a powerful and wealthy family.

So, to answer to my previous question. Actually, not much really… Not much at all… Except for one surprise… Lower Manhattan: A sniper’s bullet ends the life of a high-profile New Yorker. Five miles uptown, a second prominent victim has his throat slashed.In this 2nd book in the 'NYPD Red' series, the elite police unit is chasing the Hazmat Killer. The book can be read as a standalone. One thing that has always been prominent in this series is the political element to NYPD Red. Here in NYPD Red 5 we see Zach questioning just what their role is in protecting the elite and also the everyday public of the city. Do their superiors want justice or do they just want the crimes solved in any way possible? It makes for an uncomfortable read in places and features some hateful characters who make you sit and think about whether that justice should be served or not. It’s easy to see why they were targeted and why somebody would want revenge against them and it leaves a sour taste in the mouths of the two detectives who must work alongside these people to find out who was responsible. It's quite possible the serial killers were aliens, too, which is why the Doctor showed up in the first place... he just wanted to get a jump on Torchwood.) He is also the author of the critically acclaimed Lomax and Biggs Mysteries featuring LAPD Detectives Mike Lomax and Terry Biggs, who work homicide out of the Hollywood Division. With a branch of the police department designated to look after the rich and famous, it’s detectives Zach and Kylie who are entrusted to stop a crazed killing spree across the city.

Things are now taking a change. Starting with the current outing – “NYPD Red 7: The Murder Sorority” – the baton has been passed from Patterson to Karp as a solo artist, who is taking over the series as a solo writer. The book cover blurb expressing Patterson’s confidence and approval in Karp taking over the writing comes across as the marketing ploy, but I guess that should be expected. The case is particularly important politically because a mayoral election is scheduled for the next week. The current mayor will lose the election if the case isn't solved before then; on the other hand, his opponent will benefit by delaying the capture of the killer.

Will Jordan and McDonald be able to stop this crusader / murderer before he or she can kill hundreds? That's the question and the heart stopping action will keep you reading

I was in the mood for familiarity, wanting to choose a book from a series that I know I enjoy, so I got settled in with my favourite Patterson protagonists. There were once again two cases in this one, and while I sometimes find this concept distracting, Karp & Patterson usually pull it off well and this time was no different. The book opens right into the first of these cases, with Kylie already on the crime scene as an invited guest to the event, and the story is kept pacy throughout. After a successful career in advertising, Marshall’s first mid-life crisis transported him from New York to LA, where he wrote and produced numerous TV sitcoms and a feature film, Just Looking, a coming-of-age comedy loosely based on his own embarrassing teenage years. It was during his time in Hollywood that Marshall met many of the people he kills off in his novels — a cathartic yet perfectly legal way for a writer to exorcise his demons. So, what is the result of Karp taking over the series? Did it make much of a difference? Let’s see… This first book in a new series was given to me over Christmas and seemed like a perfect choice to read on a coach trip. The heightened reality of this series works well in the cases these detectives are involved with—Entertainment personalities and the super-rich. I've always liked the idea of a squad like NYPD Red (see also, The Closer's Priority Homicide), and halfway assume something like this actually exists. Given media scrutiny and politics, it makes sense for cases of this profile to be handled differently (as long as no one's ignoring other cases per Bosch's maxim). I enjoy seeing detectives work in this world as much as I do seeing them in more "everyday" settings belonging to the middle and lower class.The characters, setting, and action are all excellent in this book…The action is exciting, and as the story comes to a close, there are twists and turns that are unbelievably satisfying for any fan of crime thrillers. Karp does an excellent job of carrying on the NYPD Red series.” San Francisco Book Review (5 stars) Also, as the main narrator, Zach seems to be "behind" Kylie all the time; like he is more pragmatic than his partner. So I miss a bit agressive attitude from the MC. No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades.' Lee Child