Another good James Patterson. I still don't like the Bennett ones as much as Alex Cross, but it was a good beach read! ( )

I love this series. After leaving NYC to ensure his family's safety, Michael Bennett once again returns and resumes his duties at the NYPD. Almost immediately he's called in by Chief Starky and reassigned to a post that is clearly a demotion and a slap in the face. Rather than pouting, Bennett sees his band of misfits and outcasts for the potential they have. Just as he and his group are coming together, he's pulled away to put out another burning fire. He doesn't abandon his new group, but rather has them help.
Mary Catherine, the Nanny and girlfriend, who is truly the glue of the family, is called back to Ireland, leaving Michael and Seamus to run the household of 10. There are several other crisis's, but the family pulls together like his misfit band of officers. ( )

Why did I read this book? Standard & plain & linear. Good only to kill a few hours light reading. ( )

Michael Bennet and family are back in New York where he chases diamond robbers and cannibals. ( )

I have been enjoying the Michael Bennett series thus far, however Burn just seemed a little stale. It's almost as if all the drama in I, Michael Bennett & Gone didn't happen and he's back to the same old same old detective of the prior books, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of substantive character development - then maybe that's not what you find in a James Patterson book anyway. Like a greasy burger you know it's not healthy but it's tasty for the most part.

This one starts off relatively slowly which is a bit of a disappointment considering the material that was available to work with - there's quite a few story lines in play, sadly of which most are just barely addressed or fall to the wayside. As for the major plot, once we finally get going it seems everything is just packed into the last part of the book with everything going on and nothing being resolved in detail. The main resolution is almost a mere footnote with no reasoning or background as to why things even turned out like that. Disappointing really.

Overall it was a pretty decent book for passing the time but wasn't up to the standards of the prior books in the series. I kind of wonder if Michael Ledwidge was unavailable and Patterson had to write most of this himself between the plethora of other commitments he has and that's why it's sub par. ( )