“Private Berlin” by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan – Bowels of the Slaughterhouse

 

Short Summary

James Patterson and Mark Sullivan have become an inseparable duo in the realm of thrillers a while ago, most notably with the Private series. One of the more prominent works is the fifth book, Private Berlin, and it follows the investigation into a slaughterhouse which holds many dark secrets from the East German days, a slaughterhouse where one of Private's agents is found murdered.

James Patterson and Mark Sullivan put Private in Danger

The twentieth century marked human history unlike any period we've known before, heralding not only gargantuan technological advances, but also unreal acts of cruelty and savagery on unprecedented scales. As such, many blackened secrets have been left behind as we crossed over into a new millennium, but as is the case in Private Berlin by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan, some have a tendency to float up to the surface.

Though this book might indeed be the fifth chapter in the Private series, rest assured that each installment works perfectly as a standalone book. I myself started with Private Berlin, and I never felt as if I was missing out on some valuable information or back-story due to having neglected the four previous novels.

In any case, as the title indicates, the story takes us to Germany, and begins with the disappearance of Chris Schneider, a star agent in his branch of Private. Highly-effective, yet extremely secretive and with an evident troubled past, he becomes Private's most high-profile and personal case when his body is found in a secret basement of an old disused slaughterhouse.

What's more, his body is only one among many, and shortly after his former fiancee, Mattie Engel, makes her way out of there, someone blows the whole building sky-high, leaving no trace of evidence behind. However, nobody at Private Berlin's headquarters, least of all Mattie, is prepared to drop the case, especially since there are a few thin, yet concrete threads for her to follow.

Meanwhile, while the detectives are busy following their leads, an old wolf is busy erasing every existing trace of himself, some of them living people, intent on keeping the harrowing secret of his innumerable lethal deeds in a past many prefer to forget. Though Mattie might be closing in on him, she doesn't see him, nor does she know who he is. He, on the other hand, sees quite well from the shadows, knows who everyone is, and just what to do with them.

One Dangerous Step After the Next in Private Berlin

On the whole, I would say that James Patterson and Mark Sullivan's Private Berlin should not only be classified as a thriller, but used as the first example of what a book in such a genre looks like. Relatively short, it uses a simple enough prose and places the brunt of its focus on moving the plot forward, while quickly visiting a few side tracks along the way.

What stood out to me the most was the extremely deliberate way in which the plot unfolded. That is to say, I believe it is structured in the perfect way so as to retain the reader's attention and curiosity from start to finish. The authors ensure that no matter how many answers we might receive, we always have more questions ready and waiting.

At first, the investigation begins in a relatively innocent fashion, but escalates steadily enough, growing in complexity, presenting a larger cast of suspects, and getting us better and better acquainted with the main killer (more on this subject a little later). The tempo only ramps up the further we get from the beginning, and the way I see it, qualifies this book as an actual page-turner.

Despite the breakneck speed at which the plot advances, you might be surprised, and perhaps even relieved, to learn there are surprisingly few action scenes to be found here. Sure, there are a few moments to get the blood pumping, but overall the authors focus specifically on the characters and the knowledge they acquire.

There is also an omnipresent sense of danger surrounding our characters, partly due to the confused and obscured nature of the investigation, partly because we know the killer can strike at them before they can get to him. Each clue brings them closer and closer to a peril they have trouble seeing, and even though we know that Mattie will succeed in the end, we are left to wonder at what cost, and how many bodies will pave the way towards the truth.

Through the Eyes of Evil

If we're looking at Private Berlin on a surface level, then it seems to be a typical James Patterson and Mark Sullivan murder mystery thriller, perhaps on the higher end of the scale due to the quality of the prose and structure. However, there are elements which elevate it above the regular level reached by most thrillers, and the main one is the killer himself.

Various chapters are dedicated to showing us the killer's perspective, what he wants, what he fears, how he thinks, and so on and so forth. While these chapters are quite easy to get wrong and ruin, in Private Berlin they are used about as well as they possibly can be. Rather than simply being windows into the antagonist's mind, they also often give us an additional perspective through which we can watch a situation unfold.

I will admit that the back-story of the villain did surprise me with its lack of originality. Don't get me wrong, it's solid and works in all respects, but it's a bit cliched and something we've all probably seen a few times before, especially in relation to post-war East Germany. However, the character himself was entertaining and curious enough to follow, so it's a drawback we can sweep under the rug.

As far as our protagonists go, Mattie and her partner Burkhardt are given a few moments of characterization here and there, just enough to make them human and relatable, but without turning the novel into a character study. I think they could have been made slightly more nuanced, but I can't argue with the fact they perfectly serve the plot just as they are.

Finally, the game of cat-and-mouse between Mattie and the killer is one of the best ones I've had the pleasure of reading. There is a constant push-and-pull, a give-and-take between the two, as the killer struggles to stay one step ahead while Mattie desperately catches up and closes in on him. What's more, it's portrayed in a (mostly) believable fashion, which makes the entire story resonate that much more with our basic instincts to see the bad guys punished, and the good guys alive.

The Final Verdict

Private Berlin by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan is deservedly labelled as one of the best entries in the Private series, offering a well-crafted murder mystery thriller which doesn't let up for a second, featuring one of the most dynamic and nail-biting confrontations between investigator and serial killer.

If you're a fan of the series, or are looking for an excellent murder mystery to occupy yourself for a couple of evenings, then I strongly recommend you give this book a chance.

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James B. Patterson Personal site James Patterson is an American writer who has dedicated a large part of his literary career to writing murder-related thrillers, inventing in the process two memorable character-based series in Alex Cross and Michael Bennett. His most prominent works include Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider.

Mark T. Sullivan Personal site Mark T. Sullivan is an author of American nationality who is known for writing thrillers and mysteries, both on his own and while partnering up with the acclaimed James Patterson. He has a BA in English from Hamilton College, and he even volunteered for the Peace Crops, teaching English to children in the Sahara Desert. Some of his best-known works include The Fall Line, Labyrinth and Oultaw.