Don't be fooled by the title of Patterson's latest thrilling yarn--the action goes far beyond the beach. Ned Kelly grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in Brockton, but he got out, and now his life seems to be falling into place. He's interested in a beautiful woman named Tess and has decided to chance one last heist with four of his childhood friends. Ned's job is simple--all he has to do is set off several house alarms while his friends hit the real target, the mansion of Dennis Stratton, to steal three valuable paintings. But when Ned's friends enter the house and discover the paintings already gone, they realize they've been double-crossed, and before Ned can reach them, all four are murdered. Then Tess is found dead in her hotel room, and, fearing how bad things are looking for him, Ned goes on the lam, hoping to clear his name. He goes back to Brockton to find his father, a small-time criminal he suspects may have been involved in setting up his friends. He's being pursued by Federal Agent Ellie Shurtleff, an art expert, who becomes an unlikely ally. Packing all the punches readers have come to expect from Patterson's books, this one delivers at every turn. --Kristine Huntley Copyright 2005 Booklist

Campbell brings a strong presence as narrator to this latest thriller from collaborators Patterson and Gross. Part-time lifeguard/beach bum Ned Kelly meets the woman of his dream-rich and sexy Tess McAuliffe-and thanks to some old childhood friends, he has an opportunity to earn an easy, albeit illegal, $5 million by creating several diversions around town while his friends steal a fortune in art work. When the art disappears and his friends are murdered, Ned finds himself on the run as the FBI's number one suspect in the killings. The authors keep the story moving quickly, providing plenty of twists, turns and close escapes, but little logic or believability. Campbell does a fine job, handling himself with serious aplomb. He shifts easily from third-person narrative to Ned's reflective first-person perspective, and gives each of the supporting characters their own, distinctive voice. His performance rises above the overly melodramatic material. Simultaneous release with the Little, Brown hardcover (Reviews, May 16). (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Being a lifeguard in Palm Beach, FL, definitely has its perks. Ned Kelly, recently of Boston, lives rent-free in a fantastic home, gets to drive a nice car, and has fallen hard for a beautiful woman who resides in a luxury hotel suite. Ned's idyllic life comes to a sudden end when four of his friends are murdered during an art robbery and the woman is brutally slain in her hotel room. Ned is on the run-from the police, the FBI, and from people who seem determined to kill him. The only people who believe him are an FBI art theft investigator, an old New Zealand buddy, and the rich man who owns the house where Ned lives. Patterson and Gross have come up with an enjoyable thriller, and Billy Campbell is skilled in his presentation of the unique plotting, well-developed characters, and fast-paced action. This will definitely be a hot item in all audio collections.-Joseph L. Carlson, Allan Hancock Coll., Lompoc, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.