OBSESSED is the sixth Michael Bennett novel that James Patterson has written with James O. Born. The title is more than accurate, and the word “obsession” can be tagged to several characters in this clever and twisty dark thriller. Young women have gone missing in the New York City area and are now turning up dead.

The most real comment in the book occurs early on when the father of one of the missing girls tells Bennett, “If your child is missing, you want the whole world to stop and go look for them.” Not only will Bennett take these words to heart, it will propel him to do whatever it takes to get justice for these young ladies and stop the obsessively evil criminal before he shatters the life of another family.

"The story keeps many suspects in the mix while maintaining suspense levels that make this one an absolute pleasure to consume."

One victim is found when her body washes up in the East River. She is identified as Suzanne Morton, a friend of Bennett’s daughter, Juliana. It is now personal for Bennett as he realizes that this abduction and cruel murder could just as well have been perpetrated against Juliana. He and his crack team of colleagues use every technique and resource at their disposal to start lining up potential suspects.

That is the beauty of OBSESSED and any Michael Bennett thriller --- the hyperrealistic forensics and gritty, intelligent police work that is exhibited in each and every case. It is obvious that Born had a successful career as a law enforcement agent as he brings much of his experience to life on these pages. The spotlight first shines on a privileged, pompous investor named Kyle Banning. Even though some of the deceased and missing women can be tied to him, it turns out that they also have a connection to his troubled brother, high-schooler Jaden.

We learn that some of the victims worked on the side for an escort agency known for providing "The Girlfriend Experience" to their male clientele. This typically refers to an expensive night on a man’s arm that does not include sex. If sex were to occur, that would be a separate charge usually worked out between the escort and their date. Both Banning brothers seem to be associated with this service, in addition to a slew of other men in the NYC area, some of whom need to be looked at more closely by Bennett and his team.

There aren’t many authors out there with the plotting skills of James Patterson, and OBSESSED is some of the finest work he has done. The story keeps many suspects in the mix while maintaining suspense levels that make this one an absolute pleasure to consume.