Rating: 
Summary: Never Again
Review: This book was on the best sellers list for a while on cnn.com, so decided to buy it once out in paperback....Big Mistake!!!! I read it about half way and just couldn't take it anymore. It took me about a mth to get that far. It normally takes me less than a week to read a book that size if it is captivating enough. I usually try to force myself to finish a book even if it turns out not to be too interesting, but I just couldn't do so this time. There was really nothing in it to captivate me and keep more coming back for more. I eventually had to just give up and move to more interesting book. In the process, I discovered Harlan Coben. The one book of his I've read was really good and I plan on reading the others. The book is "No Second Chance" by Harlan Coben.
Rating: 
Summary: Consuming
Review: I've just recently started reading. I found this book, the most captivating and exhilarating read I've read thus far. I got so into the emotions of the character, near the end of the book, even if I had put it down for a day or two, I could still feel as if I was part of the story. I would definetly recommend this book to beginner readers, and all readers for the matter. I look forward to reading my next James Patterson book.
Rating:
Summary: An endurance test
Review: I don't think I've ever had to suspend disbelief as much or as many times as I did while reading this book. I mean, this book was really, really bad. It was so bad that I had to keep reading to see if it could get worse. And it did, consistently!
I went ahead and finished it anyway, hoping for something redeeming toward the end. I assure you that that 'something' never appeared.
I work in a library and this book was in the discard pile so I took it home. Now I see why it was there in the first place.
Rating: 
Summary: A traditional tale
Review: The Beach House is a traditional story about good/bad, rich/poor, fair/unfair etc. The chapters are short and the action starts already at page one. I liked that. I also liked the coziness one can find in a traditional thriller, it felt safe, but also somewhat predictable.
Peter Mullen is killed while relaxing on the beach. He is working as a valet, and this particular night, he is parking cars for the wealthy Neubauer-family at their annual May-party. On the very first pages, we also learn, that Peter had other talents, serving the rich and the famous. There is no hint, though, as to why it was necessary to kill him.
Needless to say, the rich and influential people want to call Peter's death and accident or a suicide. His brother, the law-student Jack and his grandfather, the 87 year old paralegal Mack, plus a circle of friends surrounding Jack, decides to take matters in to their own hands, and prove that Peter's death certainly was no accident. Shortly after they make their decision, funny things starts to happen, and soon they realise that perhaps it is not going to be as easy to prove as they first thought. They not only have to fight against the rich (bad) people, but also local authorities, shopkeepers, employers and such, seems to be very reluctant to say anything that could help solving the case. Even the law firm in New York, where Jack works, seems to be involved somehow.
The Beach House is written in a very easy language, it is entertaining, and it holds a few minor surprises as well. Good entertainment value for a vacation or if you have to spend a day or two in bed with a cold, but not a book that makes a lasting impression on you
Rating:
Summary: Don't even free.
Review: Predictable, poor writer, has to use sacrilegous statements to keep your attention. Don't ever bother, we have to many good writer to even get this book I am sorry that I ever read it.
Dr. Roc
Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected...
Review: I am a new fan of James Patterson, having seen the movie 1st to Die and recently read 2nd Chance. Although I read this book in two days, it was only so that I could move onto something else, not due to an overwhelming interest. Let's just say I was greatly disappointed with this book.The plot of the book is quite simple...Peter Mullen is murdered, and his new lawyer brother decides that it was not suicide nor accident, but murder. He sets out on a mission to prove who the was involved in the murder, but due to the criminals large income and influences Jack is unable to do so for quite some time. That part of the story line was OK, but from there on it was all downhill. I don't want to give the ending away to those who haven't read it, so let's just say that the ending was a little unrealistic. Also, the book was quite vulgar to mankind, with Peter being involved in all kinds of sexual relationships. I thought this gave the story a trashy touch that was unnecessary. It helped out in solving the murder, but it could have been written differently. Don't take my opinion as gold. Read it and find out for yourself!
Rating: 
Summary: Poorly written; occasionally interesting
Review: Summary:
Jack Mullen is a promising law student from a blue collar family that has spent most of its existence catering to the wealthy families in The Hamptons. Jack's brother, Peter, was something of a playboy among the wealthy, often invited to parties, generally to park cars but also for other reasons that are revealed very late in the book. His father was a carpenter and his grandfather, Macklyn, worked in a coal mine until retiring, then took up studying the law and became a legal aide. Jack is working with a major law firm in New York over the summer as an advocate for a supposedly wrongly imprisoned individual in Texas. But when he heads home for the weekend, he is greeted by his father, grandfather, and girlfriend, who happens to be the daughter of the wealthy Neubauer family and owners of the beach house where Jack's brother, Peter, was found dead. Jack goes to see the body only to realize that his brother didn't drown but was beaten to death. But everyone, including the local police, rule out murder, considering the death an accident or suicide. Months and even years of follow up investigation, hampered by a mysterious individual hired by the murderers to make everything just go away, reveal that Jack is right - Peter was murdered. But the reason why is very, very complicated and ultimately requires Jack, his new girlfriend, and his grandfather to kidnap the Neubauer's, some of their friends, the Hampton's chief detective, and the Neubauer's lawyer and set them up in a mock courtroom where Jack proceeds to prove Barry Neubauer is guilty, not of murder, but of knowingly infecting others with AIDS. As it turns out, Peter was a high-priced gigolo for the rich and one of his friends took pictures of Peter with his clients, so they could later use them for blackmail. The blackmail eventually got to Neubauer, who proceeded to kill Peter and have others kill the friend that took the pictures. But Jack, with the help of the rest of his friends was able to put everything together. Comments:
This book is disappointing on a number of fronts. First, I listened to the CD version and even found it, as an abridgement of the novel, to be far too long. The mock courtroom set up at the end of the book drug on and on and on. It was agonizingly slow to get anywhere; anyone in their right mind that had kidnapped some of the most powerful people in the world wouldn't care to stretch the scenario out any longer than possible as it just gives the authorities more time to find them, which of course never happened. But where the book really falls apart is in the development of the characters. Jack's father is quickly killed off from a 'freak' heart attack. Why? Because he didn't have a place in the story. But Jack's grandfather, Macklyn, did have a place in the story and was early on touted to be a very powerful legal aide in the Hamptons. But, guess what, Macklyn never actually went to a courtroom during the entire book. Instead, he spent his entire time either in a local bar or at Jack's father's house. Hmm, sounds like a real legal wonder to me. Of course, he has to have this ability because he serves as the judge in the mock courtroom, but it was really pretty unrealistic considering Macklyn didn't actually do anything related to lawyering during the entire book. The farthest he ever went towards illustrating his legal abilities was to suggest to Jack they could solve the case, but then he disappeared for entire chapters at a time. Macklyn isn't the only character to be neglected only to play a major role in the end. Jack's new girlfriend also experiences this, along with pretty much everyone but Jack. It got so bad that I couldn't even keep straight who did what among Jack's circle of friends, who also seemed to be very important to the story but were incredibly derelict. As far as the story goes, it was really bordering on just plain silly and definitely wasn't very original. Isn't it always a 'big surprise' when a poor, little guy takes on the evil, rich guy and wins? Well, this book is no different. Except for the porn. Yeah, I guess I have to give the authors credit for created a scenario where they could actually incorporate a male gigolo. Overall, the book isn't well written, the story isn't compelling or convincing, and the characters are, for the most part, poorly developed. The book is really just like one big coincidence, and an unbelievable one at that. I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone but die hard James Patterson fans.
Rating:
Summary: Not a show stopper
Review: I am admittedly not an avid (novel) reader. A book needs to "suck me in" within the first chapter, or its in danger of being tossed aside out of distraction with life, but I was stuck in an airport with this book and for a change, got beyond the first chapter as a result of lack of options. The writing was not stellar, and seemed to lack maturity. The read was quick, thankfully, but it didn't really do much for me. The characters were not particularly well developed and the story-line was average.
Rating:
Summary: Sand-blasted
Review: *Blech*
I rented this as a book-on-tape and was throughly entertained until the second half, at which point I was completely creeped out.
Please, don't read this. Please.
Rating:
Summary: Kindergarten Doodle
Review: Reading "Beach House" is basically like ripping a band-aid off, you just want to get it over with. For beginners, as you progress through the book, the story line gradually becomes less & less believable. And then there is the writing, which quite frankly, was written with the maturity of a 5th grader. The chapters' range from 1 page long to about 3 pages long. There's literally about 200 chapters in this book. And, for lack of a better word they're all pretty "silly," although this wasn't there intention. Mid-way through the book I was anticipating the words to be written in those big block letters that kids in kindergarten use when they're first learning penmanship. James Patterson should personally reimburse anyone who spent a dime on purchasing this novel.
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