Publisher, Hachette Audio (February 2010)

Listen to a FREE audio clip.

One by one, children of New York's wealthiest are taken hostage. But the criminal doesn't crave money or power--he only wants to ask the elite if they know the price others pay for their luxurious lifestyles. And, if they don't, he corrects their ignorance--by killing them.

To Detective Michael Bennett, it becomes clear that these murders are linked and must be part of a greater, more public demonstration. With the city thrown into chaos, he is forced to team up with FBI agent Emily Parker, and the two set out to capture the killer before he begins his most public lesson yet--a deadly message for the entire city to witness.

From the bestselling author who brought you the Alex Cross novels comes James Patterson's most action-packed series yet. With the heart-pounding suspense that only Patterson delivers, WORST CASE will leave you gasping for breath until the very end.

About the Authors: The subject of a recent Time magazine feature called, "The Man Who Can't Miss," James Patterson is the bestselling author of the past year, bar none, with more than 12 million books sold in North America alone. In total, James's books have sold an estimated 130 million copies worldwide. He is the first author to have #1 new titles simultaneously on The New York Times adult and children's lists and is the only author to have five new hardcover novels debut at #1 on the list in one year — a record-breaking feat he accomplished twice — in 2005 and 2006.

Patterson is a champion of reading and the founder of the $250,000 PageTurner awards that seek to spread the excitement and joy of books and reading in the United States. James's first foray into kid-accessible fiction, the critically acclaimed Maximum Ride series, debuted on the list at #1 and remained there for 12 straight weeks. The series has so far been on The New York Times bestsellers lists for more than 56 weeks, proving that kids love page turners, too.

Patterson is the creator of the #1 new detective series of the past dozen years, featuring "Alex Cross" and including the Hollywood-adapted "Along Came a Spider" and "Kiss the Girls," starring Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman. He is also the creator of the #1 new detective series of the past five years, featuring Lindsay Boxer and the other members of the Women's Murder Club, for which the ABC drama series is named. He has authored books behind six films on the Hollywood fast-track, including the young adult series Maximum Ride, an adaptation of the celebrated illustrated children's book, santaKid, the thrillers Honeymoon and Lifeguard, the Alex Cross series, and a stunning horror novel to be published in '07, You've Been Warned.

He is the author of novels — from The Thomas Berryman Number (1976) to Honeymoon (2005) — that have won awards including the Edgar, the BCA Mystery Guild's Thriller of the Year and the International Thriller of the Year award.

One of Forbes magazine's Celebrity 100, James appeared as a guest star on the popular FOX TV show "The Simpsons" in March, 2007.

Michael Ledwidge is the author of The Narrowback, Bad Connection, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. His latest thriller, The Quickie, was released by Little, Brown in 2007.