The second that Columbia law student Jack Mullen steps down from the train at East Hampton, he knows that something is very wrong. The police believe his brother Peter committed suicide, but Jack senses a darker, more dangerous truth and is determined to bring a killer to justice.

The second thatColumbia law student Jack Mullen steps down from the train atEast Hampton, he knows that something is very wrong. As he greets his family, his kid brother Peter lies stretched out on a steel gurney, battered, bruised -- dead. The police are calling the drowning an accident. Jack knows that's wrong. Someone wanted his brother dead. But the establishment says otherwise. Jack tries to uncover what really happened on the beach that night, only to confront a wall of silence; a barricade of shadowy people who protect the privileges of the multi-billionaire summer residents. And when he discovers that his brother had nearly $200,000 in his bank account, Jack realises Peter wasn't just parking cars to make a living...THE BEACH HOUSE is a breathtaking drama of revenge and sexual intrigue -- with a plot so absorbing and a finale so shocking it could only have come from the unique mind of James Patterson.

True to form, this novel by James Patterson and co-author Peter de Jonge is plot-driven suspense at its finest. The sparse, punchy prose and short chapters maintain breakneck momentum throughout. Jack Mullen's younger brother Peter is found dead on a Long Island beach. All the signs point to murder yet the police fail to investigate. Peter died whilst working at a party for the wealthy East Hampton Neubauer family. As Jack tries to see that justice is done, he meets a wall of silence as the criminal justice system protects the wealthy. Finally Jack and his grandfather Mack take the law into their own hands. While the plot steams ahead, Patterson adds an essential warmth to his characters. The relationship between Jack and Mack is fiercely affectionate, and the tragic history of the Mullen family wins our sympathy entirely. Against this, Patterson sets the petulance of the Hamptons wealthy. We are left in no doubt that the working-class Irish Mullens are superior to Long Island's self-indulgent, sexually perverse WASPs. Patterson's plot unfolds with precision. After the intimidation and corruption of the early chapters, we are ready for retribution when it comes. Jack and Mack's 'People's Court' unfolds legal thrills to rival Grisham. The novel's conclusion comes as a catharsis after unbearable violence and injustice. Patterson's social setting is well observed; the tensions between the Hamptons' rich and poor are convincing as Patterson shows the truth behind the cliche of America's 'glitziest zip code'. This is high-octane suspense with a conscience. As ever, Patterson humanises his characters so they stand up to the rigours of his plotting, and with his slick, pacey style he confirms his status as a master of the genre. (Kirkus UK)