Paranoia by James Patterson (and James O. Born, whose name is graciously allowed to appear in much smaller font) has a cover that leans heavily on Patterson’s brand rather than originality. His name is massive, dominating the top half of the cover, while his co-author is squeezed in beneath it, as if he were lucky to be included at all.

The title Paranoia is painfully unoriginal. A quick search reveals it has been used for multiple books, movies, TV shows, and songs. If anything, Paranoia is an overused, go-to thriller title for when no better ideas come to mind. Perhaps the woman on the cover is running from the realization that she’s trapped in yet another recycled thriller concept.

Speaking of the cover image, we’ve seen this setup a hundred times before—a generic woman in a red coat running dramatically. Is she fleeing? Chasing? Contemplating a leap off a high ledge? Who knows. The cover gives us nothing to work with other than “thriller-y things will happen.”

And then there’s the Michael Bennett label. We have no idea who he is, and honestly, this doesn’t make us any more eager to find out. If all the other Michael Bennett thrillers are this unimaginative, we’ll pass.

Based on the Cover, We Think This Book Is About…
A woman on the run, but from what? A crime she witnessed? A secret government conspiracy? Her own troubled past? Whatever the case, Michael Bennett is probably the detective or investigator hunting her down, while she scrambles to stay ahead, unsure of who she can trust.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)