Worst Case by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

I just finished my first James Patterson book, Worst Case, and I can see why he is so popular. The fast pace and immediately likable characters take the reader from start to finish on a wild ride to conclusion. The characters are likable and the plot takes small changes in direction to give a peek into the main characters life. While the characters are superficial at best they are fun and work well for the pace and story telling style. The main hero, Michael Bennett, is the proud foster father of 10 children and a widower. He is joined by FBI kidnapping expert Emily Parker and sparks are immediately evident. While the two work to chase a kidnapper of wealthy teenagers throughout New York City Michael's nanny, Mary Catherine, becomes jealous of Emily Parker. All the while Michael racks his brain to understand why two kidnapped teens were killed, one was let go, and one was never found. Adding to the story telling is his grandfather, Seamus Bennett, a Catholic Priest who is always available to advise on matters from forgotten birthdays to biblical text interpretation. The villain certainly drives the story and the book being split between the villain and Michael's perspective assist in keeping the action moving. The culmination of the action happens inside the New York Stock Exchange, the epicenter of finance in the United States. I recommend Worst Case for a vacation, a flight, or any spare time and a readers desire for a fast and fun read.