Review: Murder House: Part Five by James Patterson & David Ellis

James Patterson & David Ellis's MURDER HOUSE was released in hardback on 24 September. Prior to that it was serialised in 5 parts.

Here's the official blurb:

Released as a unique weekly five-part serialisation in audio and eBook from 1st September 2015 in the run-up to publication in hardback on 24 September 2015 (RRP £18.99). Each five part serialisation is released with exciting extra content relating to the Murder House story. Radio news bulletins, newspaper articles, coroner’s reports and letters all help to create a truly immersive experience, helping you uncover vital clues and delve deeper into the mystery.

I have read a couple of James Patterson's books before which I've enjoyed: JACK & JILL and 7TH HEAVEN (with Maxine Paetro) and also his collaboration with Liza Marklund: POSTCARD KILLERS which I enjoyed a bit less.

I was therefore very pleased to accept an invitation to receive and review each week's serialisation as it came out. Part One is reviewed here, Part Two is reviewed here, Part Three is reviewed here and Part Four here.

Murder House: Part Five by James Patterson & David Ellis, September 2015, Cornerstone Digital

Part Five of MURDER HOUSE covers chapters 96 to 121 plus some supplementary documents. Please note this review may contains spoilers for earlier Parts.

To recap, we're in the Hamptons and handy-man Noah Walker is arrested and tried for the murder of two people who were renting the gothic-looking house at 7 Ocean Drive, known locally as the Murder House. Det. Jenna Murphy, a former NYPD cop who has moved to the Hamptons, initially believes Noah to be guilty and even when it is revealed that he was framed, and is subsequently released, she is still at first, not sure of his innocence.

There are several men who could be the serial killer that Jenna is looking for. She has rattled enough cages to make the guilty party reveal the location of two bodies together with the some evidence which relates to Jenna's mysterious disappearance as a child. Jenna thinks she knows who to trust and who is the guilty party, but is she correct? A tense showdown in the Murder House has all her suspects brought together but things aren't as they appear and Jenna has something important to learn about herself.

The final part of MURDER HOUSE is quite exciting and manages to keep the reader in suspense over who is the bad guy until a very late stage. I did peg the right guy (from the moment he first appeared) but I had several moments of doubt along the way. I don't think MURDER HOUSE was written as a serial as not all parts ended on a cliff hanger but it is an easy read and I was always left keen to read on.

The story does require some suspension of disbelief - all those murders/disappearances over the years in a small town and no-one linked them until Jenna did? Of the five parts, the first is probably the best, but overall this was an entertaining read which kept me guessing. I don't see there being another story about Jenna but I would read it if there was.

Karen Meek, September 2015

Review: Murder House: Part Four by James Patterson & David Ellis

James Patterson & David Ellis's MURDER HOUSE is released in hardback 24 September however you can read it before then by buying it in 5 individual parts, with the final two parts out this week.

Here's the official blurb:

Released as a unique weekly five-part serialisation in audio and eBook from 1st September 2015 in the run-up to publication in hardback on 24 September 2015 (RRP £18.99). Each five part serialisation is released with exciting extra content relating to the Murder House story. Radio news bulletins, newspaper articles, coroner’s reports and letters all help to create a truly immersive experience, helping you uncover vital clues and delve deeper into the mystery.

I have read a couple of James Patterson's books before which I've enjoyed: JACK & JILL and 7TH HEAVEN (with Maxine Paetro) and also his collaboration with Liza Marklund: POSTCARD KILLERS which I enjoyed a bit less.

I was therefore very pleased to accept an invitation to receive and review each week's serialisation as it comes out. Part One is reviewed here, Part Two is reviewed here and Part Three is reviewed here.

Murder House: Part Four by James Patterson & David Ellis, September 2015, Cornerstone Digital

Part Four of MURDER HOUSE covers chapters 75 to 95 plus some supplementary articles. Please note this review may contains spoilers for earlier Parts.

To recap, we're in the Hamptons and handy-man Noah Walker is arrested and tried for the murder of two people who were renting the gothic-looking house at 7 Ocean Drive, known locally as the Murder House. Det. Jenna Murphy, a former NYPD cop who has moved to the Hamptons, initially believes Noah to be guilty and even when it is revealed that he was framed, and is subsequently released, she is still at first, not sure of his innocence.

Jenna is now beginning to believe that Noah is innocent and she forms a team with him and her friend in the Police, Officer Ricketts. They begin to investigate the history of the family that owned 7 Ocean Drive aka the Murder House for several generations, and try to find any possible surviving family members.

The reader knows that the murderer calls himself "Holden" and flashback chapters appear to show the young "Holden" first meeting his mentor.

Meanwhile Jenna has a busy time with both a date, and the discovery of  what was behind her family avoiding the Hamptons for the latter part of her childhood. Jenna then really goes off the rails and breaks the law until she ends up on the wrong side of the table in a police interrogation room where again, we are left on a humdinger of a final sentence.

Part Four advances the story somewhat with information about Jenna's past, "Holden's" past and that of several characters who could be "Holden". The pages rattle along and the information revealed cleverly had me flip-flopping my opinion on who is the bad guy though I'm still fairly sure who he is. Not long to wait until Part Five and all is revealed.

Karen Meek, September 2015

Review: Murder House: Part Three by James Patterson & David Ellis

James Patterson & David Ellis's MURDER HOUSE is released in hardback 24 September however you can read it before then by buying it in 5 individual parts, released weekly.

Here's the official blurb:

Released as a unique weekly five-part serialisation in audio and eBook from 1st September 2015 in the run-up to publication in hardback on 24 September 2015 (RRP £18.99). Each five part serialisation is released with exciting extra content relating to the Murder House story. Radio news bulletins, newspaper articles, coroner’s reports and letters all help to create a truly immersive experience, helping you uncover vital clues and delve deeper into the mystery.

I have read a couple of James Patterson's books before which I've enjoyed: JACK & JILL and 7TH HEAVEN (with Maxine Paetro) and also his collaboration with Liza Marklund: POSTCARD KILLERS which I enjoyed a bit less.

I was therefore very pleased to accept an invitation to receive and review each week's serialisation as it comes out. Part One is reviewed here and Part Two is reviewed here.

Murder House: Part Three by James Patterson & David Ellis, September 2015, Cornerstone Digital

Part Three of MURDER HOUSE covers chapters 49 to 74 plus some supplementary articles. Please note this review may contains spoilers for Parts One and Two though I'm trying to keep it vague.

To recap, we're in the Hamptons and handy-man Noah Walker is arrested and tried for the murder of two people who were renting the gothic-looking house at 7 Ocean Drive, known locally as the Murder House. Det. Jenna Murphy, a former NYPD cop who has moved to the Hamptons, initially believes Noah to be guilty and even when it is revealed that he was framed, and is subsequently released, she is still not sure of his innocence.

In Part Three, much of the time is spent with Jenna. She is not popular with her fellow cops with the exception of a female officer who looks up to Jenna and who is willing to help Jenna with her investigation.

Another murder, from a few years ago, is described and we get to see the planning that our murderer, who calls himself Holden, goes to, to get his victim.

Meanwhile it seems Jenna's investigation is beginning to home in on a suspect, plus we find out why the murderer is using the sobriquet Holden. Several scenes take place at Tasty's, the restaurant where one of the latest murder victims worked and in one scene Holden is there. Is he someone already known to Jenna? In addition another possible suspect (at least I think he is) is introduced as well.

I enjoyed Part Three as the history behind 7 Ocean Drive is beginning to hang together and Jenna is starting to make some progress on the case and she also has a breakthrough about the nightmares she's been experiencing since her return to the Hamptons. I'm anxious to read Part Four to see if some of my suspicions are correct or not.

Karen Meek, September 2015

Review Roundup: Bussi, Moore, Parsons, Patterson & Ellis, Roberts, Walters

Here are seven reviews which have been added to the Euro Crime website today, all have appeared on the blog since last time*.

*I am trialling a new approach at the moment in that all reviews will appear on the Euro Crime blog rather than being separate files as part of the Euro Crime website. I feel this will give the reviews more exposure and make them more findable in a search engine. The reviews will usually appear daily ie Monday to Friday, with occasional weekend postings, and roundups will appear on Sundays. The website will continue with bibliographies etc, the only change is that the reviews will be on the blog.

I'd be interested in any comments about this new approach.

You can keep up to date with Euro Crime by following the blog and/or liking the Euro Crime Facebook page and follow on Twitter, @eurocrime.

New Reviews

Craig Sisterson reviews Michel Bussi's After the Crash tr. Sam Taylor;

Ewa Sherman reviews Margaret Moore's Broken Chord set in Italy;

Amanda Gillies reviews The Slaughter Man by Tony Parsons;

I review Part One and Part Two of  James Patterson & David Ellis's Murder House;

Amanda also reviews Mark Roberts's Blood Mist, the first in a new series


and Michelle Peckham reviews Minette Walters' The Cellar.




Forthcoming titles can be found by author or date or by category, along with releases by year.

Review: Murder House: Part Two by James Patterson & David Ellis

James Patterson & David Ellis's MURDER HOUSE is released in hardback 24 September however you can read it before then by buying it in 5 individual parts, released weekly.

Here's the official blurb:

Released as a unique weekly five-part serialisation in audio and eBook from 1st September 2015 in the run-up to publication in hardback on 24 September 2015 (RRP £18.99). Each five part serialisation is released with exciting extra content relating to the Murder House story. Radio news bulletins, newspaper articles, coroner’s reports and letters all help to create a truly immersive experience, helping you uncover vital clues and delve deeper into the mystery.

I have read a couple of James Patterson's books before which I've enjoyed: JACK & JILL and 7TH HEAVEN (with Maxine Paetro) and also his collaboration with Liza Marklund: POSTCARD KILLERS which I enjoyed a bit less.

I was therefore very pleased to accept an invitation to receive and review each week's serialisation as it comes out. Part One was released 1 September and is reviewed here.

Murder House: Part Two by James Patterson & David Ellis, September 2015, Cornerstone Digital

Part Two of MURDER HOUSE covers chapters 28 to 48 plus some supplementary articles. Please note this review may contains spoilers for Part One though I'm trying to keep it vague.

To recap, we're in the Hamptons and handy-man Noah Walker is accused of murdering two people who were renting the gothic-looking house at 7 Ocean Drive, known locally as the Murder House. Det. Jenna Murphy, a former NYPD cop who has moved to the Hamptons, believes Noah is guilty.

In Part Two, we get to find out the result of the trial against Noah, plus what happens to him in the few months after that. In addition we are privy to some earlier murders which took place five or so years before at 7 Ocean Drive, that of two students, and the subsequent murder of a prostitute.

Meanwhile, Jenna has been burying herself in reports about the incident mentioned in the prologue in Part One – where a twelve-year-old shot some of his fellow pupils with a BB gun (a type of airgun). When she looks into her uncle's computer files however, she finds a document that changes the case against Noah dramatically.

With Jenna less convinced about Noah's guilt she takes the first steps in her own off-the-record investigation.

Part Two is slightly shorter than Part One and I have to say I didn't enjoy the several chapters about the killings – these seemed to drag a bit - perhaps because they were uncomfortable reading, however I was back on track as soon as Jenna reappeared about half-way through. She's ditched her slimy boyfriend and she has some sort of connection with Noah, but it's not clear how innocent or guilty he actually is at the moment. I hope the investigation gets moving in Part Three which is released 14 September.

Karen Meek, September 2015

Review: Murder House: Part One by James Patterson & David Ellis

James Patterson & David Ellis's MURDER HOUSE is released in hardback 24 September however you can read it before then by buying it in 5 individual parts, released weekly.

Here's the official blurb:

Released as a unique weekly five-part serialisation in audio and eBook from 1st September 2015 in the run-up to publication in hardback on 24 September 2015 (RRP £18.99). Each five part serialisation is released with exciting extra content relating to the Murder House story. Radio news bulletins, newspaper articles, coroner’s reports and letters all help to create a truly immersive experience, helping you uncover vital clues and delve deeper into the mystery.

I have read a couple of James Patterson's books before which I've enjoyed: JACK & JILL and 7TH HEAVEN (with Maxine Paetro) and also his collaboration with Liza Marklund: POSTCARD KILLERS which I enjoyed a bit less.

I was therefore very pleased to accept an invitation to receive and review each week's serialisation as it comes out. Part One was released 1 September and contains a prologue and the first 27 chapters plus some extra items relating to the case.

Murder House: Part One by James Patterson & David Ellis, September 2015, Cornerstone Digital

MURDER HOUSE is set in the Hamptons. It begins with a prologue set sixteen years before the main narrative, in which an unnamed child plays a frightening prank at school. The child also mentions the haunted house – 7 Ocean Drive.

Back to the present day and we meet Noah Walker, an odd job man, with Matthew McConaughey looks, who is having an affair with Paige, the third wife of a possessive and influential billionaire. The police burst in, heavily armed, and arrest Noah for the double murder of an aspiring actress and a Hollywood agent. The lead police officer in the arrest is Det. Jenna Murphy who has been hounded out of NYPD and given a job by her uncle, the Chief of Police, Langdon James. Jenna, however, is not on the case but that doesn't stop her paying a visit to the crime scene – 7 Ocean Drive, already known to the locals as the Murder House.

More deaths follow but this Part One, focusses on the case against Noah Walker. Is he a sadistic killer? Jenna thinks not then thinks yes. Is he being framed? Are the police setting him up? Jenna too has her own problems. Why did her family stop visiting the Hamptons when she was young? What is causing her blackouts? There is plenty more to know about Jenna over the next four parts. With Noah pleading his innocence and Jenna being a bright detective, you would expect her to jump in and get to the bottom of the rash of murders hitting this quiet town; she hasn't yet but will she overcome her prejudices and find the truth?

MURDER HOUSE Part One sets the scene, and was a quick read. It ends on a humdinger of a last sentence and I'm looking forward to Part Two. The extra material was interesting but I didn't find any clues this time.

NB. The murders are quite nasty but are described after the fact, rather than during.

Karen Meek, September 2015