Park Avenue (Fifth Avenue)

This review was written for an Advance Reviewer Copy of Park Avenue.I have read all of Smith's books. From the Bullied series about a coming of age warlock to this current Fifth Avenue series. What I always enjoy about these series is how effortlessly Smith weaves his characters throughout the books. This is truly evident in Park Avenue.Park Avenue follows the events in From Manhattan with Revenge. Our two favorite/hated assassins are back to finish the job. Accompanying them are many of the main characters in the Fifth Avenue series which turns Park Avenue into the culmination of many of the events from the previous books. I strongly suggest that you read the previous books in the series to get a better grasp of why certain characters are being targeted as well as what these characters have been through. After reading those books, you'll easily become vested in these characters. You'll start to understand the pain and joy they have experienced.It's great to be vested in characters but In Park Avenue Smith shows no mercy towards them. There was a constant feeling that at any point, one of them would be killed and that Smith would continue the story with the focus on another. Furthermore, Smith also drops in numerous questionable characters, never knowing where their allegiances lie until he wants you to. This keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the book.Overall, I liked the book and would recommend the series as a whole to anyone who fancies suspense, thrillers, and tragedies. My only beef is that coming in at 300+ pages, I found Park Avenue to be a quick read; almost too quick. The pacing of the book is fast and furious. When I got to the end, I wished the book could have been longer. There is more than enough here to comfortably fit in 400+ pages while still keeping the reader hooked.

The long awaited Park Avenue delivers!! Success is based on hard work, perseverance, and in real life sometimes who you are and who you know. The Redmans are very powerful and very successful. With prestige, you're bound to make a few enemies along the way. With the Redmans, this is an understatement. A vendetta against them lives even beyond the grave of one of their dead enemies. The Revenge continues until there is NO REDMAN standing. In a world, where your friends are few and who you can truly trust even fewer, Leanna Redman is up against more than her share of enemies. To make it worse, there is a new Redman in town, her cousin, Pepper. Pepper is determined to latch on the Redman name, at all costs. Though Leanna has never been the Redman that her family wants her to be, would they actually sabotage her from making a name for herself? Even those that she thinks she can trust may have secrets and their own agendas that may not only destroy her future but may fulfill a dead man's agenda of ensuring that NO REDMAN survives. Christopher Smith is at his best bringing you to what we love about New York and the dark side that even the richest and most successful are no match against. A page turning thriller that combines humor, wit, and the surviving characters of the Fifth Avenue series together in one great story. As is always the case with Smith, no one is ever safe. He once again makes you fall in love with some of the strongest characters who unfortunately are unable to survive a plan put in motion years ago from a former enemy and dead man who will stop at nothing to ensure that his revenge is complete until ALL of the REDMANS are destroyed. If you are new to Smith, start with Book One - First Avenue so that you understand the history of the Redmans. Once you start this thrilling series, you will not be able to put it down. A great read for thriller lovers!

I was honored to receive an Arc copy of Christopher Smith's newest book "Park Avenue" the 6th, but not the last of the Fifth Avenue series. I literally finished it an hour before it was released live!Park Avenue brings back the good, the bad and the ugly members of the Redman family who are actually the rich and beautiful socialites of New York's uber-rich. Park Avenue shows that rich does not make happy! Leana ,the main character here is proof of that. Always the neglected daughter of George Redman,Leana is out to prove to her father that she is a capable business woman who can buy, restore and build a hotel that rivals any one her father has bought and sold. When George reaches out to Leana with a proposition after a three year estrangement she is intrigued by the offer but deep down wants him to respect her as he did her now decessed sister and weighs the offer. Does she accept or turn him down? You have to read Park to find out!Along with lots of quirky characters from the previous books and add a couple of assasins we've met before and my favorite P.I. Christopher Smith takes them all (and the reader) on a wild ride with twists and turns no one expects in a twisted and wicked plot that someone from their past wants all the Redman's dead. Who will die, and how, is Christopher's creative mind at its best! Nothing predictible here!A thriller at its core ,Park Avenue is a must read and another hit for Christopher Smith!

Having obviously read all the books in the series I looked forward to the sixth installment as I found the others exciting and fast paced... However I must say I was slightly disappointed with park avenue as I found it for the most part repetitive ...Efipania / Stout were caught doing it on expensive arbusson rug...for example was repeated numerous times....it was also sluggish and a little juvenile in parts..that said it wasn't all bad ...some major characters die, I just wonder how many more sequel s can be squeezed out of the Redmans... I rather hope Spocazzi can be the new lead as he is by far the most interesting character...however I am a Smith fan and am sure I will read the next instalment... Just probably not with baited breath!

Let me say, right at the outset, that if you've not read the previous books in this compelling series, and are contemplating reading this one....don't. Whilst it can just about stand alone, I suppose, you really need to have tracked the misfortunes of the Redmans through the previous 5 books to fully appreciate this one.This is a cracking read from one of the very best of the new crop of thriller writers..great characters, great plot, clever twists and turns...it really does have everything anyone would want in a thriller.Could there be more in the series...well, some of the key characters managed to survive this one, so quite possibly the story will continue.And if and when it does, there'll be plenty of readers heading for the download button...me amongst them!Thanks Chris for another great read.

I was unable to put the books down from the first to the last and thoroughly enjoyed the suspense and on going characters. The storey line was good and from the first novel to the last I never knew where the storey was going to end. The author has enough material to do another 6 books and I am sure each would be as enjoyable as the present ones. The series has kept my interest for the last week or so and I am disappointed that I have come to the final book.

As always Christopher Smith has written another great book. As always you don't have to wait to get into this book, I could not put it down. I wanted to find out what happens in the book, but I don't want it to end. I can't wait for his next book (Hells Kitchen). Problem is living in the Uk means we have to wait a little longer to read them. Keep the great books coming Christopher and thank you for giving me many many hours of wonderful reading. Pauline Berry

I was looking forward to reading this,the 6th in the series and I wasn't disappointed. It fairly fizzed with tension and intrigue; all the strands from the previous books were brought together and an explosive ending was fitting. I was sorry to finish it as I had enjoyed reading the whole series so much. Highly recommended.