NYPD RED 7

5 stars out of 5

This, the seventh book in the series co-written by James Patterson and Marshall Karp, marks Karp's first solo effort. And I must say I enjoyed it thoroughly and hope to read many more. For those not familiar with the series, the books focus on the elite New York group of detectives known as NYPD Red and specifically on detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald.

Two in-your-face assassinations happen in fairly rapid succession - one man killed by a long-range sniper and the other done in by a killer obviously well versed on where a knife should slice to do the damage quickly and efficiently. As the investigation picks up steam, Zach and Kylie learn about an old guy who brags about a "sorority" called Kappa Omega Delta (Killers On Demand) that's actually a group of elderly military-trained male assassins who apparently have been plying their trade for years. Finding them, however, doesn't come easy; they may be good at killing, but they're even better at eluding identification and capture.

Tracking them down is only part of the story, though; both Kylie, has a serious boyfriend who develops a serious issue, and Zach has a current main squeeze and at least one in his past who comes back to haunt him - though not necessarily in a bad way. All in all, there's plenty of action that kept me turning pages, and I'm already looking forward to the next installment. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

NYPD Red 7 by Marshall Karp (Blackstone Publishing, November 2022); 350 pp.