The Beach House

written by James Patterson

Which came first, Grisham or Patterson?

This is only the second novel I've read by James Patterson and it was vastly different than the first (which was Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, but that's an entry for another day). The Beach House is pretty captivating in a Grisham-esque way, which is fine if you like that sort of thing. And I do, when I'm in the right mood. Nothing wrong with a somewhat predictable, formulaic good-guy-versus-bad-guy(s) plot, with a little love story and litigation thrown in for good measure.

The story takes place on Long Island and is told by Jack Mullen, a local boy who's nearly done with his law degree at Columbia. Jack's brother Peter is found dead on the shore the morning after a wealthy businessman throws a swanky party at a beachfront mansion. Jack is convinced that the police, who chalk up the death to suicide, are puppets for the wealthy businessman and are covering up the real reasons for Peter's death. The book follows Jack's quest to discover the facts and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Really cool elements:

• Call me schmaltzy, but I like the idea that a regular smalltown guy can take on rich, powerful, evil people and win. Though the story might be a little hokey in spots (there is a trial scene toward the end that is quite unbelievable, and the ending borders on ridiculous), I do like the message.
• This book gets pretty high marks for entertainment value, because it draws you in quickly and holds your attention until the very end.

Not-so-cool elements:

• As Jack uncovers details about Peter's life and the reasons for the murder, some dark and violent sexual themes surface. I'm guessing Patterson probably intended this as a way to bake in some shock and intrigue, but please. Uck.
• Is it really necessary to have 113 chapters in one 350-page book? Some of the chapters were like two pages long. I felt a little insulted over that, like the author didn't trust me to have a grown-up's attention span.