Private Berlin

By: James Patterson, Mark Sullivan

Narrated by: January LaVoy, Ari Fliakos

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Private Berlin has the extraordinary pace and international sophistication that has powered The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Patterson's number one best seller The Postcard Killers.

In Europe's most dangerous city.

Chris Schneider is a superstar agent at Private Berlin, Germany headquarters for the world's most powerful investigation firm. He keeps his methods secret as he tackles Private's most high-profile cases—and when Chris suddenly disappears, he becomes Private Berlin's most dangerous investigation yet.

An investigator is searching.

Mattie Engel is another top agent at Private Berlin, gorgeous and ruthlessly determined—and she's also Chris's ex. Mattie throws herself headfirst into finding Chris, following leads to the three people Chris was investigating when he vanished: A billionaire suspected of cheating on his wife, a soccer star accused of throwing games, and a nightclub owner with ties to the Russian mob. Any one of them would surely want Chris gone—and one of them is evil enough to want him dead.

And she's after more than the truth.

Mattie's chase takes her into Berlin's most guarded, hidden, and treacherous places, revealing secrets from Chris's past that she'd never dreamed of in the time they were lovers. On the brink of a terrifying discovery, Mattie holds on to her belief in Chris—in the face of a horror that could force all of Europe to the edge of destruction and chaos.

James Patterson has taken the European thriller to a masterful new level with Private Berlin, an adrenaline-charged, spectacularly violent, and sexy novel with unforgettable characters of dark and complex depths. Private Berlin proves why Patterson is truly the world's number one best-selling author.

©2013 James Patterson (P)2013 Hachette Audio

Hated to turn it off

What made the experience of listening to Private Berlin the most enjoyable?

I thought the story was very engaging and the performances were solid. I read other reveiws and was reluctant to purchase but I'm glad I did. I think others might have been too hard on the book - it is after all James Patterson, not Dickens.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes. At the end, I actually sat in my car for an extra 10 minutes just so I could finish the story.

What does January LaVoy and Ari Fliakos bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

At first I thought Ari's portrayal of the "villian" would annoy me, but I not only got used to it, but got really creeped out by it - I think that was the point. They also did a very good job with the German words which I would have butchered trying to read them myself.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not extreme. Patterson (and the others he co-writes with) are pretty formulamatic. It's CSI in a book, but I know that going in and enjoy the adventure. It's not heady.

another great private story

Thought it was a little slow at the beginning put picked up. Some parts were a little cheesy. The voice for the bad guy was weird at first but I grew to love it.

This was good book

I love January LaVoy. The other narrator did a great job as well. The story was really well put. If you want a movie you can listen to. This is it.
That’s pretty much it. You’ll like the book if you listen to it. So give it a try. Worth it.

The best.

So far my favorite of the Private Series. Kept me glued to every word. The unwinding of killers motives was perfection.

Worth a listen

A long time Patterson fan. Have been very disappointed in recent offerings. But Private Berlin is a decent read and feels like Patterson is putting some effort into characters and plot after a bunch of paint-by-the-numbers books. Performance of story is very strong and helps power you through the predictable parts. Hope this is beginning of renewed interest in writing by Mr. Patterson.

Awesome story plot

One of the best In the Private Series! A thriller through and through I could not wait to be alone when I’m with company to listen to my book.

Awesome!!!

This was a very good book. Loved it. As always James Patterson did a very good job.

James Patterson does it again!

A tour de force. Narrator's are incredible. I remember as a child when the Berlin Wall came down, but could not understand the magnitude of what it meant at the time.

Not my fav

I decided to start the Private series from the beginning. This is the first one in the series that I thought was just ok. Certainly not terrible but would’ve been fine not reading it.
On to the next one !

Love the narrating and story was fun

Have you listened to any of January LaVoy and Ari Fliakos ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I never heard Lavoy or Fliakos before, but I really like the style they brought to this audio