Excellent writing as always from this duo. The plot was as expected and the characters were all unique and boldly represented.

"This kept me on my toes as it was written like a tv series. Confessions of the Dead follows people of a town who become cut off from the rest of the world as they start going crazy and becoming murderous. There are many character POVs that this follows so you see different perspectives and get access to information that isn't known to the rest of the town. There is so much consistently happening in this book that you are constantly wondering what is going to happen next. Is there something paranormal going on? Is this a virus? There is just to much going on to write a proper synopsis.

This has short chapters, good character building, and really pulls you into the town, the drama, and the panic. This was my first James Patterson novel and it did not disappoint.

Thank you NetGalley, James Patterson , and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to review."

I will be recommending this. I had a lot going on during this read that had me draw it out longer than normal, but I was always able to jump right back in where I left off and would be instantly sucked back in. Very good read.

A book with a lot to unpack!

I checked this one out because I am a big fan of the Writer’s Ink Podcast co-author JD Barker participates in. I find this to be a horror title, and think it would benefit from being labeled that in addition to the category of mystery/thriller I initially saw it under.

Confessions of the Dead takes us to a small town in New Hampshire that is seemingly perfect — til SOMETHING is bringing out the absolute worst in almost everyone. Friends, families and partners turning on each other and neighbors not knowing whom they can trust. You read on to not only see who could be next, but what is causing this and why?!

The end shocked me!

While this wasn’t what I expected it to be, I wasn’t disappointed either. There was a lot going on and maybe just too much split off to track. I’m not typically a Patterson fan but Iove Barkers work and could see that come through this.

I will say it keeps you guessing and I didn’t figure out a lot of what I thought I did 😆

This booked reminded me of an early Stephen King novel. Not what I expected or wanted from the title. If you like horror this is your book. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #ConfessionsoftheDead #NetGalley

This book threw me a bit, I suppose it wasn’t what I expected! I love anything JD Barker writes , when he’s coupled with James Patterson it turns a bit more sci-fi than I’m used to. Good read, good story

I loved this book! I have to admit this is my first Patterson novel. Of all the thrillers and thriller authors I have read over the years I have yet to read one of this titles. Until now. I devoured this and the pages turned incredibly fast. I was a but turned off by the cover but was pleasantly surprised when I was immediately sucked in to this dark suspenseful paranormal thriller. Without reading the synopsis I had expected this to be some kind of police procedural. It was not.

Deputy Matt Moro is on duty one day in Hollows Bend, NH, when a strange girl shows up with a murder of crows. Nothing in town makes sense after that. People are acting crazy and deputy Moro is desperately trying to hold on to some kind of law and order. As the story unfolds it gets darker and darker. Hollows Bend is not what it seems.

This would be great as a film!

This was not your usual James Patterson book. The story opens in a small diner in Hollows Bend, New Hampshire. A naked young woman appears in front of the diner looking dazed and confused. Then it would seem all Hell breaks loose.
On the plus side, lots of action. The suspense builds nicely through the book. The author team does a great job keeping the reader guessing on who was the villain and what was going to happen next.

On the minus side, I've never been a fan of the split narrative the authors employ in this book. Too many characters, too many story lines, too many themes makes for a somewhat muddled story. It leaves the reader wondering just exactly what they read. Was it a mystery...thriller...sci fi or paranormal fantasy?

Overall, I'd give the book three out of five stars.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In the eerie and gripping novel “Confessions of the Dead,” James Patterson and J.D. Barker plunge readers into the heart of Hollows Bend, New Hampshire—a seemingly idyllic New England town with a zero crime rate. But when a mysterious stranger arrives, the tranquility shatters, and secrets buried deep within the town’s murky waters begin to surface.

Sheriff Ellie Pritchett’s pride in her crime-free jurisdiction is shattered when a teenage stranger comes to town. Refusing to answer questions or reveal her name, the girl is placed in protective custody. As Ellie and her deputy investigate, they uncover a series of crimes that lead them to a lake that defies maps and conceals chilling secrets.

The authors masterfully build suspense, creating an unsettling atmosphere that lingers long after the final page. Cemetery Lake becomes a character in itself—a place where the dead whisper their secrets.

Ellie Pritchett is a resilient, no-nonsense sheriff, while the mysterious girl challenges her convictions. Their interactions add depth to the narrative.

Just when you think you’ve unraveled the mystery, Patterson and Barker throw curveballs. The ending, in particular, is a jaw-dropper.

Barker’s dark fiction expertise blends seamlessly with Patterson’s storytelling prowess. The horror here iis rooted in human nature.

Stephen King fans should enjoy this fast-paced read.

When a naked girl shows up in town followed by a murder of crows attacking the residents everyone realizes that something is desperately wrong. Ellie and Matt the sheriff and the deputy have their hands full and people are angry and killing each other all around them. As the horror unfolds a group of kids try to uncover what is wrong and how to fix it. The books ends on with a cliff hanger so we are left to wonder what will happen and if the author will write a sequel. Though it started slow the end was fast paced as all was revealed.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book by James Patterson and Confessions Of The Dead is an example why. He puts his name on all kinds of books and I am curious how much input he has in the writing. Either way, Confessions Of The Dead peaked my interest and I was not disappointed.

The crime rate in Hollows Bend, New Hampshire was zero….until she came.

Confessions Of The Dead by James Patterson and J D Barker was action packed and unpredictable. The cast of characters covered the gamut and their actions were unpredictable, more often than not culminating in a brutal ending. The ending of the book was as unpredictable as the characters actions. All in all, I would highly recommend the horror filled book.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Confessions Of The Dead by James Patterson & J D Barker.

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I could not put this book down! Patterson and Barker have teamed up again and their new bookreads like a Stephen King horror novel - “Under the Dome” meets Dante’s “The Divine Comedy”. This is a classic horror story you don’t want to miss.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading it and didn’t want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Uhhh, what?!? I seriously wonder how people come up with these stories. I literally could not put this book down, it hooks you at the start and you just have a compulsion to keep reading to see where the story goes. And, you'll never guess, trust me, you just keep going until the shocking end.

Thank you to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you're a fan of the movie The Crazies then this book is totally for you, the whole time I read it that is all I could think of. Their is conspiracy and twists all through this book that I kept second guessing myself and what I thought was happening. Towards the end things got really strange so it was a bit hard to stay with what all was going on.

Anyone who loves stupid plots, lots of violence and blood, death and unnecessary murder, poor writing style, and unbelievable supernatural happenings, will want to immediately pick up James Patterson’s along with J.D. Barker’s novel, Confessions of the Dead. All kinds of things are happening in the small New Hampshire town of Hollow’s Bend. People are acting strange and out of character: a librarian tries to burn the library down, another librarian purposely cuts off his fingers with a paper cutter, hundreds of dead crows show up at a diner, then other places in the town, people are targeting their husbands, and a mother overdoses on her medication and drowns her children- the list goes on and on. Nobody knows why the names of residents are written on the arms of some, and as they slowly die, the names have lines through them. The first 200 pages are nothing but awful things happening.

The negative things never stop. The novel is very dark, and the characters are definitely unlikeable. Halfway through this poorly written and unexciting novel, I just gave up and couldn’t read anymore. The storyline is awful, it does not flow, and the suspense does not build, but gets very old. The story is disjointed, and readers will find they don’t care about any of the characters and really don’t care why these awful things are happening in this small town.

While Patterson is one of the most popular bestselling authors of all time, it is surprising that he would put his name on this crap. I would not recommend this novel to anyone.



Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I had absolutely no idea where this book was going. I never would have figured it out, even with a thousand guesses. This book gives Stephen King vibes. It truly is an exceptional story.

Thank you to NetGalley, James Patterson, JD Barker and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

James Patterson and JD Barker make the perfect team! The story begins in a diner located in Hollows Bend, New Hampshire during the breakfast rush, when a young woman shows up completely naked. As if that wasn’t strange enough, the diner is suddenly bombarded by crows, hundreds of crows banging into the diner and dying all over Main Street. Then the calls for help by residents all over town begin to pour in to the police station, the violence is unlike anything they’ve ever seen. What is happening to the people in this town and what does the young woman have to do with it all? I simply devoured this book. The tension is palpable and the ending is shocking! The whole plot is like something out of a Stephen King novel and I couldn’t get enough. I thank Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this excellent book!

I am a James Patterson fan, but Confessions of the Dead felt like I was reading a Stephen King novel. Still a 3 star read as I was engrossed until the end but definitely gorier than a normal book carrying James Patterson as co-author. Thanks to NetGalley & Grand Central publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

The town of Hollows Bend, NH, seems to have a lot of bad people living there. After crows attack and a naked woman appears, everyone seems to lose all semblance of sanity. So is the setup for this very odd Patterson novel, different from most of his work. Perhaps it is the influence of his co-author, J.D. Barker. Regardless, it is an unexpected horror story with a very unusual twist at the end. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing an ARC.