Paranoia

by James Patterson

Part of Michael Bennett, book 17

First published 2025

Detective Michael Bennett stands over another body. This time the victim wears a police badge. Bennett has made it his ritual to pray for every murder victim he encounters, but lately too many prayers have been for fellow officers. The deaths pile up until NYPD Inspector Celeste Cantor pulls Bennett aside with a special assignment. She wants him to investigate the cop killings alone and report directly to her. Bennett works best as a solo investigator, but this case pushes him into dangerous territory. Someone is systematically targeting police officers, and the killer knows how to exploit the very traits that make Bennett effective. The murderer thrives on creating isolation and feeds on the paranoia that comes with it. As Bennett digs deeper into the case, he must protect his wife and children while hunting someone who understands exactly how to turn a cop's instincts against him. The investigation becomes personal when Bennett realizes the killer may be closer than he thinks.

Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective

Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful

Tropes: detective, investigation, personal-stakes

Setting: New York, NYPD

379 pages · Kindle Edition · Little, Brown and Company

Content warnings: murder, violence

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