The Coast-to-Coast Murders follows Michael and Megan Fitzgerald, adopted siblings who, now grown, get pulled into a serial killer's game that literally takes them from one side of the country to the other before it's all said and done. Patterson and Barker utilize alternating viewpoints and extremely short chapters to tell their story, a choice that makes perfect sense the further into the book you go. Because Michael and Megan have secrets, more secrets than they even realize, and it is those secrets that dictate every choice they make. As they try to track down the killer, who is hell bent on pointing the finger at Michael, they are forced to confront their own past and the things they've long wished they could forget. There are some deeply unsettling moments in this book, which are extremely well-written and very effective; however, overall, the book didn't live up to the high expectations I had for it. There were moments that felt almost forced when it came to the twists, and that pulled me out of the story. It is a good mystery and thriller, just not as good as I expected it to be with this pairing of authors.

"All actions have consequences, good and bad. We're each the architect of our own fate."

Action-packed, high body count thriller is a roller coaster ride from beginning to end. It just never lets up with twists, turns, questions, doubts, and confusion on every page. My mind is still reeling as I try to grasp and fully understand exactly what happened.

I'll not give any spoilers, but the premise involves a serial killer targeting specific people connected to Michael Kepler and Megan Fitzgerald -- the adoptive children of a famed psychiatrist and a psychologist. Raised in luxury by their wealthy power parents, the two were subjected to dubious therapy and several forms of torture. Why the murders are happening and who is doing it forms the complicated plot. A manhunt headed by Special Agent Jessica Gimble and LAPD Detective Garrett Dobbs follows the spree across the country racing against time hoping to save at least one intended victim and apprehend the killer known as "Birdman."

I don't know if this is meant to be the first in a new series by this author duo, but I am sure I'd like to read more featuring Gimble and Dobbs. What a head rush! Enjoy...

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this ebook ARC to read, review, and recommend to fans of grisly psychological suspense.

I'm a big fan of J.D. Barker's writing, so there was just no way I was going to be able to say no to this one. I'm glad I didn't now, because I ended up having an excellent time reading The Coast-To-Coast Murders! This story is part action thriller, part crime thriller and part multi-state serial killer hunt, all doused with a psychology angle, lots of violence and a huge pile of plot twists. An extremely intense thriller with a high voltage entertainment factor!

I'm going to keep this short to avoid spoilers, as it is the plot development and the plot twists reveals that make this story pop. The Coast-To-Coast Murders uses a multiple POV structure where we keep switching back and forth between the main characters in play. Most are set in the present and correlate with the plot development, but we also have a little something different with Megan's statement written after the facts and some flashbacks to the past to add more dept to certain characters. The multiple POV structure keeps you on your toes and definitely adds that high level of intensity and movement to the story. It also gives us multiple angles on what is happening and definitely gave the story more dept.

As for the plot... I do have to say that the plot might be a bit over the top in points, and things can be said about the credibility of certain events. BUT. The Coast-To-Coast Murders has a very high entertainment factor if you are willing to overlook that, and it definitely almost reads like a Hollywood action movie. The multi-state serial killer hunt, the psychology angle, the fact that nothing is as it seems, the constant sense of danger and violent acts... There is a lot going on and it will most definitely keep you busy. This thriller might not be for everyone, but if you like your thrillers intense, fast and action-packed as well as gruesome, The Coast-To-Coast Murders is a great choice. It might be a bit long, but it's all worth it in the end. The story definitely ends with a bang too!

*4.5 stars rounded up. I was so happy to see that J.D. Barker joined with James Patterson to write a new thriller! Very successfully done too. This one keeps you guessing from start to finish with yet another twist to the ending.

I received an arc of this new thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions. I would highly recommend this novel to lovers of thrillers. Lots of action and excitement.

There is so much going on in this book and it all comes at you rather quickly. The fast pace is kept up through the entire book without a moment to breath.

I can honestly say I didn’t want to put this book down. It is well-written, engaging, and exciting. At the same time, I didn’t sleep well while reading this book. There are several graphic, difficult to read parts. People in this book did horrifying things to other people, including children. As a therapist and a mother, I found some of these parts difficult to read.

I think this book had one or two too many twists for my taste and you will have to suspend your disbelief at times. A couple of things didn't ring true and there were a few inconsistencies in the storyline. Unfortunately, some of the twists caused parts in the story that couldn't be explained.

This book is definitely a thriller. I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys stories with a lot of twists and can tolerate a variety of abuses.

Triggers: rape, child abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse, torture, mental illness, abuse of vulnerable people

Wow! I was literally blown away by this book! It started strong with a body in a bathtub. The police think they have the perpetrator in custody. Only he does not remember doing it. And then the action begins and does not stop until the very last page. I literally could not put this down. I had to find out what was happening and why. The plot is very complex. There are so many twists. You think you know what's going on, only to find out that you have no clue whatsoever.
The story is told from the perspective of several characters. The chapters are short and almost all of them end in a cliffhanger. I like that format. It sucks you in the story and before you know it you've read it all.
This book is co-authored by James Patterson and J.D. Barker. I have loved their previous books. And now they've created this great story together. I'm secretly hoping for a sequel.
Thank you J. D. Barker, NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for a copy of this book.

I'm a big fan of J.D. Barker, and I couldn't put this book down! Fast-packed, action-packed, dark and deeply disturbing, and lots of blood and gore. I would read more about these characters! Jessica Gimble, what a badass. Thanks, Netgalley, for this arc.

I'm a huge J.D. Barker fan, but James Patterson's work has never particularly thrilled me. Thankfully, this book is all J.D.

The Coast-to-Coast Murders is a story about the hunt for a serial killer. Simple enough, right? WRONG. There is so much more than meets the eye with this novel and I'll be honest, when you're reading...not only do you have to suspend belief, but there will also be confusion. Rest assured it's meant to be that way but considering this book is nearly 600 pages long, the constant barrage of characters and facts can be overwhelming, especially when they don't necessarily add up at that moment.

Everything wraps up nicely at the end (I think?), although I'm still trying to figure out a couple plot points. I did end up suspecting the twist but I believe it will definitely surprise and satisfy many.

If you enjoy a twisty, diabolical, police procedural, you'll likely enjoy this crazy ride.

3.5 stars

Available September 21, 2020

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for my review copy.

Michael Fitzgerald is having a bad day. He knows it will be unpleasant when his neighbor calls. Mrs. Dowell is irate that water from Michael's apartment is raining down from the ceiling. Michael didn't leave any water running, so he assumes a pipe must have burst. Something entirely out of his control, but something that can be fixed.
Michael is shocked when he enters his apartment to not only find the faucets running, but also a woman he has never seen before, dead in his bathtub. What kind of a person breaks into someone's apartment to vandalize and commit murder? The police investigation points only one way, straight to the killer, Michael.
There is only one person who Michael can trust, his sister Megan. Adopted by the Fitzgerald's, the siblings understand what it is like to be raised by sick and twisted people. Who else but a sick person could have done such a thorough job framing Michael. It's up to Michael and Megan to figure out what is going on before the death toll continues to rise. But is Michael truly a victim, or does his past hold the key to unlocking this puzzling tale?
Told from multiple POVs through short, fast-paced chapters, The Coast-to-Coast Murders takes us on a thrilling ride from California to New York. I didn't know how this one would come together, and I was diligent about reading every line looking for clues. I 've read all of James Patterson's Alex Cross series, as well as all of J.D. Barker's books, and didn't know if this would have more Patterson or Barker vibes. My guess regarding the killer shifted more than once, and by the time I reached the end, let's just say I had been incorrect all along.
I am not usually a reader of collaborations for reasons that are varied, but there was no way I would pass on this one. In other instances, I've found the authors' writing styles just don't mesh well together. In this case, it worked brilliantly! Having read that James Patterson is someone who outlines, and J.D. Barker does not, I can imagine that there were some compromises at play. However they accomplished it, they created some memorable characters, one mind-blowing plot, and a hard to put down read.

I’ve had to think before writing this review as I really don’t want to spoil the story for anyone.
The book has lots of twists and turns and most of which I didn’t see coming.
After being alerted to the murder of a young woman in an apartment, Detective Dobbs and FBI agent Jessica Gimble quickly realise they have a serial killer on their hands.
The suspect is Michael Fitzgerald and both Dobbs and Gimble think he will reach out to his sister, and they’re right.
What follows is a fast paced cat and mouse game with the body count getting higher each day.
I really like this collaboration between JD Barker and James Patterson and hope they will write more together.
This is a great crime thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed and can recommend it to any crime thriller fans.
Thanks to Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

At 60% complete I am putting this on my DNF shelf. Yes, at 60%!!! This book was a dumpster fire. J.D. Barker is one of my favorite thriller authors. I have read a handful of James Patterson novels which have all been middle of the road to me and I refer to him as my “airport reads author.” I expected so much more from this book. I couldn’t even begin to provide you with a good summary of what this book was about because it made absolutely no sense. Each chapter had me literally shaking my head as the perspective would shift and skip around so drastically that it was hard to keep up. I also found there were occurrences written in that just never would have happened in real life and made the story all that more unbelievable. Since this book is rated so high I am wondering if I received a bum ARC?

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a widget of this book. I will still pick up J.D. Barker's next book as I think I did receive a bad copy and this isn't what I know I can expect from this author.

The Coast-to-Coast Murders, also known as The Cross-Country Murders, is a collaboration between bestselling collaborator James Patterson (whose names appears on so many novels these days it’s hard to believe he actually contributes much to any of them) and talented horror-thriller writer JD Barker. It’s got Barker’s trademarked high page count, bleak twistiness and relentless mindduckery, combined with Patterson’s ultra-short chapters (148 of them!) and fast pace. I’ve finished it feeling exhausted, confused and messed about with, so am going with three stars because while it’s a very clever story, I can’t say I actually enjoyed it much.

Long-distance truckie Michael is called home to his flooded apartment to find a young woman dead in his bath. He swears he has never met her before, but the police find indisputable evidence that they were dating, so arrest him. His younger sister Megan, a psychology student, is sure he’s innocent, and is desperate to help him, but must convince the determined LAPD Detective and FBI Agent who believe him to be a serial killer known as the Birdman. Michael and Megan share a traumatic past as the adoptive children of a pair of famous psychologists - has this turned him into a sadistic killer?

Told from multiple POVs, which is necessary for how the story plays out, this first introduces us to Michael, in first person past, an apparently sympathetic main character, whose frequent blackouts seem to hide his actions even from himself. His adopted sister Megan, tells her story in the form of a written statement, while we follow Gimble and Dobbs’ perspectives in close third person. There’s minimal character development and apart from Michael, it’s hard to care about any of them. It is quite a while before you get an inkling of what’s going on, as Michael escapes custody and goes on the run to try and prevent more murders, then I started thinking “surely they won’t go there” trope-wise, but oh yes, they do - (no spoilers) not once but twice...

I don’t want to spoil this for anyone by saying too much about twists - they are there, they are clever, and they deliver effective punches that leave you metaphorically concussed, but they really don’t make sense on any level, and the whole plot becomes completely implausible. I don’t have either the time or inclination to do a reread, but you’d think such experienced authors would’ve made sure to go back and check for the gaping plot holes that they open up, both in terms of who would’ve been able to do what, but also of characters’ motivations - not least exactly what evil Dr Bart and his associates hoped to achieve.

This has lots of four and five star ratings, including from many trusted book friends, so there is a degree of “it’s not you it’s me” going on here, and I would encourage all Barker fans to give it a go - I had much the same criticisms of the third Fourth Monkey book having enjoyed the first two. I certainly didn’t hate it, and don’t regret reading it, as I would otherwise have wondered what all the fuss was about, so 3.5 rounded down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. The Coast-to-Coast Murders is published on September 21st.

I have never read a James Patterson book but being a huge fan of J.D. Barker I was all in. Barker did not disappoint in this twisty, turny physchological thriller. The book even for it's length is a quick read and keeps you guessing at what is going on and who is doing it. Get ready for a wild ride that will take your mind coast to coast.

The Coast-to-Coast Murders is a collaboration between James Patterson and JD Barker.

I haven't read a James Patterson novel for some time but JD Barker has become a firm favourite of mine over the last few years and this book certainly has his style of writing literally written all over it.  So readable and engrossing, this book is getting on for 600 pages but I read it in no time as I was so hooked.  This fantastic murder mystery moves along at such a pace and just when you think you've figured everything out...nope.  An excellent novel with brilliant characters and an incredibly clever plot. A very, very good read.

I had to read this book because of JD Barker. I loved his 4MK series. (If you haven't read it, go do it right now. It's so good!)

This book had me hooked from beginning to end. Fast paced and kept me guessing. I was totally wrong about how I thought it was going to end too.

If I could say only one thing about The Coast to Coast Murders I would say WOW! That's it.... Wait, okay, there's more. I haven't read James Patterson in over a decade but I would read absolutely anything that J.D. Barker wrote - shopping lists even - and it's Barker's twisty mind that shines through in The Coast to Coast Murders. WOW!

There are two siblings, Michael and Megan, whose adopted parents were a bit avant-guarde in their parenting. Michael is now a cross county truck driver who discovers his girl friend's dead body in his house upon arriving home. He calls his sister because he truly believes she is the only one who can help. These are two very bizarre siblings.... and then we meet Mitchell. WOW! Everything about these characters and the games they play had my head spinning! The story, the characters, the plot all were so terrific that I read the book in one sitting and now I want MORE! I always want more of Barker's story telling, though, so this is nothing new.

If you like crime fiction then you will like The Coast to Coast Murders. If you are a Barker fan like me, then this is "must read."

This fast pace thriller gives you a lot to deal with. Almost too much. It keeps you guessing until the last page what’s going on here.

Michael and Megan are siblings. They were both adopted at a very young age so they are not really related. They parents are both psychologist and they are both very strange. They did not have a normal and loving childhood but they are close and they trust each other. When Michael is accused of several murders, Megan immediately turns to help him. Because he is not a murderer. Or is he?

This book was very confusing. Nothing makes sense. There is so much going on and there are so many characters and names thrown in. It really is confusing sometimes. It is also very unrealistic. But it is also a fast pace thriller which keeps you guessing. Just don’t think too much about logic and reality and you can enjoy this wild ride. The reason I don’t give 5 stars is that the final showdown is way too long and outstretched. The book itself is too long, actually. But it still is an easy read even it is way over the top.

Wow!!! What a fantastic freaking book!!! I am completely blown away! My mind is boggled! I am beyond excited about how great this book is!!!

I have to confess, I haven't read a James Patterson book on awhile. The reason is because I became bored, it seemed to me that the books were beginning to become more and more the same. Well this one, written with J.D Barker, was anything but more of the same! I'm so happy I took a chance on this one! The plot was superb and the twists and turns were phenomenal.

I read this book straight thru from beginning to end, only breaking for bathroom and sustenance. I could not put it down and I was hooked from the first page! I was reminded why I ever liked James Patterson books in the first place, and why I continue to enjoy books by JD Barker. I finished this book and have not been able to stop thinking about it.

I recommend this to all lovers of a good thriller! You will not be disappointed.

A special thanks to JD Barker and #NetGalley for inviting me to read this book. All opinions are entirely my own!

Well how to start this review... Well I can start off by admitting that I've never read any books by James Patterson but I've read the 4MK series by J.D. Barker. And when I received the email from Mr Barker offering me a chance to read this book I jumped at it without any hesitation as J.D. Barker happens to be one of my favourite authors. I was quite chuffed and honoured to be honest that he'd offered me the book. And boy is this a brilliant book. After reading the 4MK series I thought I was prepared for handling his writing and his twists and turns, but boy was I wrong!! I was quite pleased with myself when I figured out a lot of things in this book and then came the end like a boxer's knockout punch which I did not see coming. This book is a brilliant partnership between two wonderful authors and it shows on every page and every line of this book. The twists just keep on coming and when you think you've got this book figured out, you'll be hit with another twist. I hope this partnership blossoms into a series of books which I honestly can't wait to read. Thank you Mr J.D. Barker for giving me to opportunity to read this wonderful book and also a big thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for giving me this book in exchange of my honest review.

What a cracking start to this book. A young man returns home to find a dead woman in his bath. He has no idea who she is or how she got there. However, when the police get involved, the evidence seems clear. It is his girlfriend and he has killed her. Or has he? As the story develops and Michael gets further and further into trouble with only his sister Megan believing him, they need to act fast to prove his innocence. A fast paced book that had me turning pages long into the night as the story develops from different perspectives. This is well worth a read, however the ending was quite far fetched and was most unsatisfying as it attempted to twist and shock. For me it did neither and I felt that it did not reach a natural conclusion. Maybe Patterson and Barker were trying to outdo each other.