#4 in series. Patrick & Tessa are spending time at Quantico so Pat can teach classes. Unfortunately a grisly murder happens and Patrick is requested on the task force. Twists, turns, politics, nanotechnology, & social experiments top off a murder spree that involves two brilliant killers and a killer from Patrick's past. Add in Tessa's biological father inserting himself in their lives and you have a pressure cooker of a thriller. Teaming up with Detective Warren & Lien-hua Patrick has his hands full. Fast paced, intriguing, & keeps you guessing all the way to the reveal. ( )

What can I say, except that this was another terrific read from Steven James? ( )

I have been binge-listening to audiobooks featuring FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers. In The Bishop, Patrick and Tessa are spending the summer in the D.C. area as Patrick is teaching at Quantico. Of course, Patrick cannot go anywhere without being pulled into an investigation. The horrific murder at a primate research center is just the beginning of an intense killing spree. Familiar characters are on board to get the crimes solved, but the perpetrators are in this for personal reasons, making the stakes life and death for all the characters.

The Bishop is another creepy, creepy story. James adds just enough detail to let the reader’s imagination take flight. The result is especially chilling. Patrick Bowers is a complex character, with many flaws, but also with deep love and loyalty. His personal life is as interesting as the gruesome cases he investigates. Tessa, Patrick’s step-daughter, is the character that contemplates the spiritual aspects within the novel. The Bishop focuses on man’s free will versus instinct. Tessa’s investigation of evolutionary theories and moral arguments is a great counterpoint to the crimes detailed within the book.

While The Bishop may not be for everyone (especially those with queasy stomachs), it is a thrill ride. Great writing, compelling characters, and thought-provoking themes make this one a perfect choice for those looking for a suspense-filled thriller. Note: The Bishop is the 4th book in the series, but can be read as a standalone.

Recommended.

Audience: adults. ( )

I think this is a top ten favorite. ( )

Well, this book was total guilty pleasure, as a result I did not use my time as wisely as I could this weekend. I have never read a Patrick Bowers Mystery, and I appear not to have read the first books, so I have to go back. It was a very good read, I give it five stars and would have given it more if I could. An interesting book all the way through, combining family dynamics, serial killers, virtual lives, and a corrupt government system. You know, our usual everyday problems. I was kept guessing for a long time, and I appreciate that in a mystery, as many red herrings as the criminals were supplying to the FBI, the author Steven James was supplying to the reader. Consequently, I was almost able to get to the end of the book before all the disparate pieces came together. It would have been so easy to to assume other endings, which is a testament to the author. I appreciated the inclusion of Shakespeare and Sir Arthur Conan Dolye. It appears that there was a debate within the the story, and of course I sought out my edition of Hamlet right away to compare my thoughts to James'. I can hardly wait to get back to the library for more... ( )