November 20th, 2008
Book Review: The Blue Zone by Andrew Gross
I first came across the writer Andrew Gross when he co-authored with James Patterson the books 2nd Chance and 3rd Degree. They also co-authored the books Judge & Jury, Lifeguard and The Jester, which are books I have yet to read. The idea of writing a book with someone else intrigues me as it implies that once planned both can contribute to the writing, but when I write the characters take on a life of their own and I certainly couldn’t work with another person. Nevertheless 2nd Chance and 3rd Degree were extremely readable and for a new author to have the opportunity to work with an experienced author would be an opportunity not to be missed.
The Blue Zone is the first book that Andrew Gross has published as a single author, and the book was recommended to me by my daughter, who said I would enjoy it. She knows me well. The Blue Zone is a term used for people who have gone missing from the Witness Protection Program. The story is told from the perspective of Kate Raab. Her father Ben is accused of laundering money for the Columbian drug cartel but he acts as a witness against the Columbians and is taken into the Witness Protection Program. Kate, who is about to be married, stays on the outside. Then her father goes missing and Kate finds out that nothing is as it seems and discovers that trust and safety are things of the past.
There were one or two red herrings at the beginning of the book, which when I’d finished reading, felt like a bit of a con, but forgetting those, this was an enjoyable read with a complex plot and with the same easy style as those books co-authored with James Patterson. Andrew Gross tells a good story, with a strong female lead character and there are lots of intrigues and twists to keep you concentrating. Perhaps this is no surprise because James Patterson would not have co-authored five books with him if he hadn’t thought Andrew Gross had talent.
