Set in the Hamptons, Beach Road is a mystery with a twist.  It is narrated by many of the main
characters, and as noted at the start of the book, some of them are lying. The
reader’s job is to work out who murdered three men after a fight on a specially
built basketball court on a rich man’s estate.  Tom Dunleavy is the lawyer
defending the main suspect, a high school senior basketball playing star,
Dante.  Tom has been down on his luck for many years, but since he was for a
brief moment a professional basketball player, he feels motivated to defend
Dante.  This makes him unpopular with the other people living in hometown, and
he loses most of his old friends.  But at least he starts to work with his old
flame Kate, who has many years experience at a top Manhattan law firm.  Will
they be able to convince the jury that Dante is not guilty, and if so, what
will that mean for Tom’s future?

As ever, Patterson’s mystery is
undemanding and mildly entertaining.  It is fun to read about the life on
eastern Long Island, and the challenge of knowing that one or more of the
narrators is lying to you makes the book more interesting.  The
characterization is paper thin, and the social commentary is minimal, but the
plot is carefully developed.  I would recommend the unabridged audiobook read
by Long Island-native Billy Baldwin and others; having different readers for
each narrator adds to the dramatic effect.  What’s more, having the book performed
adds a clue that the reader would not otherwise get.  For those looking for
summer distraction on the beach or on long trips, who are able to suspend all
their critical attitudes for a few hours, Beach Road will meet your
needs. 

© 2006 Christian
Perring. All rights reserved.

Christian Perring, Ph.D., is
Chair of the Philosophy Department at Dowling College, Long Island, and editor
of Metapsychology Online Reviews.  His main research is on
philosophical issues in medicine, psychiatry and psychology.

Categories: Fiction, AudioBooks