Confessions of a Murder Suspect

For our October read, my Book Club decided to select an author (a prolific one) and everyone would just read the book of their choice by that author. We had so much fun with that idea that we are doing it again for November. October's selection was James Patterson. I'm a fan of James Patterson. I

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find most of his books highly entertaining. And unlike some readers, I'm not bothered by the fact that he doesn't write them all by himself. You have to give him credit - he doesn't pretend that he writes them alone and he uses his celebrity to help other authors.

What I liked about this book: It's a mystery and it's the first in a new young adult series. I love mysteries and young adult books. I'm especially delighted when a book falls into both categories. As with most James Patterson books, this is a quick read. I loved Tandy. In fact she may be the only character I really liked. She's not your usual teen girl. How many young girls, faced with the murder of both parents and being at the top of the suspect list would have the calm and cool nerve to set about solving the murders? Tandy's and her siblings' enhanced abilities do give the story a bit of an unreal aspect, but they also add to the over all mystery. Tandy is a very strong character who is aware of her flaws. I'm pretty sure this book is the first in a series, which makes me very glad as I have so many questions about Tandy, her childhood and her rather different family. I can't wait to read more.

What I didn't like about this book: With the exception of the family lawyer (and we really don't get to know him at all) all the adult characters are extremely unlikable. I particularly did not care for the investigators. The lead investigator, Detective Caputo, is very unprofessional, treats the children with total disdain and even outright hatred. Not that I have very much experience with real policemen, but I found him to be almost unbelievable. He is such an unlikable character that it was easy to sympathize with Tandy as she struggled to deal with him. I had an inkling about the resolution of this mystery (which I won't share with you because I don't believe in adding spoilers to reviews - especially reviews of new books), but Patterson and Paetro still managed to work in something I didn't quite expect.

This is a great thriller/mystery written for teens. Even though teens are the targeted audience, I highly recommend it for James Patterson fans of all ages.

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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Patterson does not disappoint in this teen mystery. It’s filled with relatable characters and a mysterious story plot that will leave you wanting more.

Opening Sentence: I have some really bad secrets to share with someone, and it might as well be

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you — a stranger, a reader of books, but most of all, a person who can’t hurt me.

The Review:

I’m a fan of James Patterson and the amazing books that he and his writing partners have written. They are always compelling and keep me on the edge of my seat. When I had the chance to read Confessions of a Murder Suspect, I jumped on the chance. Patterson’s first teen mystery series? Definitely wouldn’t want to pass that up!

Confessions of a Murder Suspect follows a young daughter’s mission to solve the mystery of her parents’ murder. The suspects? The members of her own family. Tandy Angel sets out to do what the police can’t, solve the murder. But she questions every single one of the members living in their house. In doing so, she uncovers every single one of her family’s dark secrets, confession with the reader, waiting for a verdict.

Tandy Angel is the voice of this book, talking to the reader as if they were a third character. It’s great. She confesses so many things that allows the reader to take into thought. She’s smart for her age, and definitely witty. Her quick thinking, her blase attitude makes her a fantastic main character. She has set it upon herself to solve the mystery of her parents’ death, and one that she doesn’t take lightly. I loved reading about her. She is by far my favorite thing about Confessions of a Murder Suspect.

The Angel Family is really something else. From their super human young brother, Hugo, to the enigmatic all-American jock older brother, Matthew. Oh, let’s not forget the twin, Harrison, who is artistic and doesn’t seem to belong to the rest of the Angel family. They are all individual and amazing in their own right, and finding out a little bit about each one of them adds to the mystery.

While a majority of the book took place in the Angels’ home, the world created was still one that I wanted to know about. Nothing beats a murder scene, and finding out that all the quirks within the home were a part of the scene just added to it. The personalities of each character, the depth of every single one added to the allure of reading the story. I enjoyed reading this teen mystery as much as I’ve read Patterson’s adult mysteries.

Patterson’s writing is always great. And Paetro is no second runner up. The two have writing chemistry, and their works are always well polished. While I didn’t like the ending, the rest of the book was great and enjoying. There are many levels of content, symbols, lessons to be learned when reading Confessions of a Murder Suspect.

I really enjoyed Confessions of a Murder Suspect. I think of the Royal Tennanbaums or even something as quirky as the Munsters. This was such a great read, filled with forensic thrills and a intriguing plot. I’m sure you’ll love this as much as I did.

Notable Scene:

“Criminals make mistakes all the time,” Caputo said.

Samantha interrupted us. “Come on, Tandy.” She took my arm and led me to a chair. Then she said to the Sergeant, “If you’re not arresting anyone, we’d like you to leave.”

“Yeah,” said Hugo. “ ‘We’re done here.’ Isn’t that what they say on all the police shows?”

“We’re done for now. But I’m telling you again,” Caputo warned, “don’t go anywhere.”

“If that’s what we’re being ordered to do, then I guess you’ll be giving us a note excusing us from school.”

“The noose is tightening,” Caputo said. “You feel a little short of air, Snaccy?”

The funny thing was, I still did.

FTC Advisory: Little, Brown provided me with a copy of Confessions of a Murder Suspect. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.

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Confessions of a Murder Suspect
When Tandy’s parents were found killed in the middle of the night, she has no idea what happened or who could've done this. The children of Malcolm and Maud are blamed because they live a strict lifestyle. There were no valuables stolen of the night they were

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killed in their apartment in Dakota, but somebody must of known about the murders because they called the police. The maid Samantha was the last one to see the alive. Seeing that Tandy and her brothers have no guardians their uncle Peter comes to care for them. The police think that Malcolm and Maud might of been poisoned after they found some in the glasses they were drinking out of. Tandy is determined to find the murderer no matter what. She thinks that either her two neighbors or their uncle could have the possibility of killing her parents. Tandy decides to search one of her neighbors apartments. Tandy finds cds that our from her house. The cds are from hidden cameras found in her house. One cd is in their parents room and it was the night of the murder. Maud poisoned herself and Malcolm couldn’t bear to be without her so he poisoned himself right after. After case is closed and they go back to living their life without being blamed for their parents death.
This book was very good. The ending was surprising and I would've never guessed that the parents killed themselves. It was hard putting this book down and I enjoyed every part of it. I don’t like mysteries all that much but this one was definitely better than some other ones that I have tried. The author did a very good job of explaining the plot and I followed what was happening throughout the story. I would recommend this book to people who like some mystery.

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This was the first James Patterson book I've ever read. I have to admit that I really enjoyed it. I loved the characters. I loved the way it was written. But, I felt that the ending could've been better. It was a little predictable. Overall, I loved it.

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

In the end, I really have mixed thoughts about this one. I really liked it, but I'm not so sure that it was realistic, considering the circumstances. But leaving it with an open ending like that makes me happy, because for what it's worth, I truly

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enjoyed it!

The mystery element was very well done, and I kind of didn't see the ending coming. I mean, I had pondered what would happen if this particular thing occurred, but I had dismissed it as too far fetched and left it that. So yes, I was surprised. But also kind of disappointed. I was hoping for more drama-- more intrigue! But alas, we got an ending...and that's something, right?

Which brings us to another thing I want to talk about-- I've said it a bazillion times, I'm more of a character person than a plot person. But I do appreciate good plot, I truly do! James Patterson delivers us good plot (that's thick with lies and deceit) in Confessions of a Murder Suspect, but I'm not so sure that his characters were all that great! I mean, it gave the story a certain sheen and all, but...Tandy and her family really weren't spectacular.

I'm actually not sure how I feel about them. Tandy behaved like a robot for a long time, only giving us little glimpses of actual feeling once in a while, and I'll admit it... her family freaked me out. I mean, when you're telling a story about a six year old taking a machete to a teddy bear...uhm, that freaks me out. I do, however, like the descriptions of their house. It sounds really over-the-top and awesome.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I loved the narration! It was cool how Tandy kept phrasing things as if she was speaking (er...writing) to someone. I mean, check out that quote! It was also really refreshing to read about a protagonist who actually trusts her instincts. However, she was still an odd duck, but maybe in a good way?

All in all, I enjoyed Confessions of a Murder Suspect, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series. There are still some strings to be tied up! :]

I have some really bad secrets to share with someone, and it might as well be you-- a stranger, a reader of books, but most of all, a person who can't hurt me. ~ Pg. 1

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I loved this book so much and it was such a mystery who killed her parents and it really surprised me at the end of the book when I found out who did it.I wish James Patterson would make it into a series!

I couldn't stand the possibility that any of the children did it.... it was hard because you are pulling for each one not to be it thinking it had to be one of them. Way to go with the twist of the why and how Mr. Patterson. Loved the book!

Not a sound was heard as their lives came to an end. Not a floorboard screeched or moaned. The deaths of Malcolm and Maud are a mystery and the prime suspect is their own daughter, Tandoori.
Now even though Tandoori is the main suspect her whole family is under investigation. The Angel had always

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been strange and now accusations were coming into play. The others under investigation are none other than her three brothers, Harry,Matty,and Hugo, along with their housekeeper Samantha. When the police can to examine the body's no one was allowed in the room. Therefore Tandoori could not get the evidences she needs to prove her innocence.When Tandoori learns she can’t trust the police to her her she goes out on her own to find the evidence she needs. Tandoori interviews everyone in her building and more, But instead of getting information she finds out more about her past. Will Tandoori turn on her own family, and will she ever prove her innocence?
James Patterson does an amazing job on Confessions of a murder suspect. Its almost as if you are right there with Tandoori as she goes through this life changing experience. Also the characters are very in depth, they could be real people!You can see their emotions change throughout the book.
I would recommend this book to any middle school student who likes mysteries or murder story or both.If you want to know if Tandoori ever gets out of this mess.

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Terrible. The concept of the plot was good, but the execution of the story was horrible. (pun intended). They wrote themselves into a corner and came up with an incredibly lame solution. Characters were shallow, and all sorts of strings were left dangling. It is sloppy writing. The authors didn't

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take the time to do it right; don't waste yours on such a half-hearted effort. You deserve better.

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I have been wanting to read this book since I first read an excerpt from it in the last pages of Fang...or was it Angel...not sure, but anyway, I was ecstatic when I found it at my local library, so I immediately grabbed it and pretty much devoured it in my first week.

This is a murder mystery

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taken to the next level mixed with a bit of a thriller aspect added to it. Halfway through it I was somewhat reminded of Patterson's Maximum Ride novels, because how the parents' pharmaceutical company connects to the kids' general talents and personalities' is similar. Well, not avian DNA similar, but similar nonetheless.

I loved the murder aspect of this book, because it made me suspect everyone. I was trying to figure out who had motive, who didn't, and who would have the opportunity to kill the victims. But the thing that is revealed throughout every single page is that no one is really ruled out. Everyone has something to hide, and everyone had reason enough that they could have done it. Even the narrator of this story believes that she could have been the culprit. Which I felt was surprisingly refreshing, in a weird way.
The ending disappointed me a little bit because of its outcome. I kind of did not know how to word that since I really did not want to give anything away as the story, but knowing some of James Patterson's other work, I was hoping for a rather different ending. Or at least one slightly less disappointing, however noble and filled with love as it may have seemed.

Besides that, though, there is really nothing to complain about with this book. The chapters are short reads and I went through the book pretty quickly, thoroughly enjoying it every...well, almost every step of the way.

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The book confessions of a murder suspect pulls you in in the beginning. Every chapter that you pass gets more and more interesting. But as you get farther into the book it keeps on going back and forth. i don't know if i should keep reading to see if it progresses, but i didn't like how it kept

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repeating itself.

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I thought this book was too formulaic. The word "confessions" was used too much and it's purpose was to to tie the book together. The entire point was to drop red herrings everywhere and you never got to know a single character with any depth. There would be information "dropped" and then "I'll

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tell you later about that," making you suspicious and think, "so that's the bad guy/girl!." This was done repeatedly. It's hack writing with the author's name selling the novel, certainly not the quality of the work.

Malcolm and Maud Angel are found dead. The police believe they are murdered and begin the investigation. The novel is told from the daughter Tandy's point of view. She may or may not be a trust worthy narrator, so we wonder what we can believe. She also has missing memories, so could she be the killer.

Each family member is strange--no where near realistic in any sense--and each has a motive to kill their parents. The evidence slowly unfolds and the truth is revealed in the end.

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If Nancy Drew was thrown into the middle of a psychological drama about a really messed-up family with secrets coming out the wazoo, you’d get Confessions of a Murder Suspect. It’s a very quick read - Patterson-lite, you might say - but it’s still quite engaging. Tandy’s “confessions”

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make you question her reliability as a narrator, but also frustrate the heck out of you because it’s obvious she knows more than she says. I’m looking forward to reading the sequels, mainly because I counted at least four different (interconnected?) mysteries that have yet to be explained. But don’t worry; the mystery of who murdered Tandy’s parents is ultimately solved in this book, with all kinds of juicy revelations along the way. Overall, a fun mystery.

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Confessions of a Murder Suspect, by James Patterson is a fictional mystery with an fast-paced plot. Sixteen year old Tandy is rushing to find the murderer of her parents, while handling the stress of the press eager for an insight into the final moments of her parents’ high profile lives while

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coming to terms with the fact that one of her siblings probably killed them. Tandy is unsure who really killed them, and she is considering the possibility that she might have- after all, her parents spent their lives teaching their children to control their emotions, and hide memories from themselves.
Confessions of a Murder Suspect is a fast-paced read, with an exciting plot and interesting subplots that keep the reader engaged and invested in the ultimate outcome of the crime. However, the book travels at such a fast pace that Patterson does not slow down as he tries to wrap up the book in a neat package- albeit a clumsily wrapped package The end of the book concludes with much of the subplots unanswered, which quite possibly will be what the next books are about. However, the overall plot was well written, and Tandy was the perfect main character, likeable enough and just as clueless as the reader about who the true murderer is.

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This was a strange book. A family of proverbial geniuses, being raised by two extreme overachievers cause a train wreck of a family. The parents of these children are found dead in their bed room in the middle of the night. The children learn of it when the police almost knock down their door

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demanding to be let in.

Turns out the children where their parents plan for creating the perfect kids and as such, they were all emotionally scarred and stunted. So their reactions to the news was not the normal panic one would expect of kids and this made the police immediately suspicious of them. It didn't help that it was a 'locked room' mystery and the children looked to be the only ones who could have done it.

It was an interesting look at how police and even other people view those under suspicion of violent crimes. Often it is you are guilty until proven innocent and it's unfair. Decent story, well read and well written. Worth a shot I think.

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Enjoyable and fun. Nice middle/high school book. One of the few books written in 2nd person that doesn't sound too cheesy

This was a good read. I really enjoyed it. I was surprised when I read it was for the younger crowd but then I realized when they state it is YA for Young Adult, they really mean Young Adult. Likely 16 and up. I would say it would be fine for a 15 year old also. This book wasn't as suspenseful as a

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lot of his other books but it did keep me reading and was a page turner. You really wanted to know who was responsible for the murders of the parents. And what was really the deal with the Angel family? Why are the kids the way that they are? Well, you will find out most of it here. Not as detailed or as much as you would prefer but its a good story. Definitely a Patterson book. I will definitely read the 2nd and 3rd Confession books also but I wouldn't pay full price to read them.

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Tandy Angel is a great protagonist, unfortunately, I have always had a problem with Patterson's writing, and this is no exception. There was a red herring, but the denouement came way out of left field. Plus, there was a major loose end.

James Patterson returns to the genre that made him famous with a thrilling teen detective series about the mysterious and magnificently wealthy Angel family . . . and the dark secrets they're keeping from one another.

On the night Malcolm and Maud Angel are murdered, Tandy Angel knows just three

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things: 1) She was the last person to see her parents alive. 2) The police have no suspects besides Tandy and her three siblings. 3) She can't trust anyone--maybe not even herself. Having grown up under Malcolm and Maud's intense perfectionist demands, no child comes away undamaged. Tandy decides that she will have to clear the family name, but digging deeper into her powerful parents' affairs is a dangerous-and revealing-game. Who knows what the Angels are truly capable of?

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This was a fast paced book. There were alot of surprises throughout the book. Iwould recommend this to anyone that likes mysteries.

The story started strong with a locked door mystery and a conspiracy. However, the idea of the police immediately looking at minors as the main suspects made the story less believable. The ending came abruptly and didn't leave me satisfied.

This was very quick read. I enjoyed the way Tandy spoke to reader; knowing her thoughts and inner feelings helped me feel connected to her. She admits to being an unreliable narrator and that makes it difficult to figure out what is really going on. After all, Tandy herself says not to trust

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anything she says. The truth is, she doesn't know what parts of her memories are real but she knows a lot of details are missing.This story is clever with many twists and turns. I know there is at least one more book in this series (and knowing Patterson, probably more). I am looking forward to learning more about Tandy and the Angel family.

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Not quite the normal James Patterson book, but I really did enjoy it. Yes if you don't follow along it can be confusing, but it was not that hard to figure out what and why Tandy was writing how and what she wrote, wow was that not confusing!? lol!.

For those who enjoy mystery, suspense, thrillers,

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and YA you will enjoy this book. A very fast read as the chapters are short, which I did enjoy. I do not like when you read a book that has chapters that are as long as an entire book. Therefore, I did enjoy the short chapters.

This book is about the Angel family and how they deal with the tragedy of their parent’s demise. They also have their personal demons to deal with as well, while determined to find out whom, why and how their parents were murdered.

Tandy was an intriguing character; I really liked her strong personality and admired how well she could hold herself together through the ordeal of being a suspect, her parent’s murder, while trying to be strong for her siblings. They all put their heads together and go to work to find out why their mother had so many secrets and why Hugo seen their father coming out of a secret room. They find out their father was not forthcoming about the financial devastation the family was going to endure. Their parents were not as rich as they were living, they begin to wonder how they are going to live, will they be separated from one another, and what will happen to Matthew?

This is going to be the first book in a series for YA mystery/suspense readers. I cannot wait to find out what will come of the Angel family. If you are a James Patterson fan I recommend this book weather you are a teen or an adult, I believe you will enjoy this book as I did.

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Not quite the normal James Patterson book, but I really did enjoy it. Yes if you don't follow along it can be confusing, but it was not that hard to figure out what and why Tandy was writing how and what she wrote, wow was that not confusing!? lol!.

For those who enjoy mystery, suspense, thrillers,

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and YA you will enjoy this book. A very fast read as the chapters are short, which I did enjoy. I do not like when you read a book that has chapters that are as long as an entire book. Therefore, I did enjoy the short chapters.

This book is about the Angel family and how they deal with the tragedy of their parent’s demise. They also have their personal demons to deal with as well, while determined to find out whom, why and how their parents were murdered.

Tandy was an intriguing character; I really liked her strong personality and admired how well she could hold herself together through the ordeal of being a suspect, her parent’s murder, while trying to be strong for her siblings. They all put their heads together and go to work to find out why their mother had so many secrets and why Hugo seen their father coming out of a secret room. They find out their father was not forthcoming about the financial devastation the family was going to endure. Their parents were not as rich as they were living, they begin to wonder how they are going to live, will they be separated from one another, and what will happen to Matthew?

This is going to be the first book in a series for YA mystery/suspense readers. I cannot wait to find out what will come of the Angel family. If you are a James Patterson fan I recommend this book weather you are a teen or an adult, I believe you will enjoy this book as I did.

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