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Cover of Step on a Crack by James PattersonStep on a Crack
Modern · Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

Step on a Crack

by James Patterson
2007 · 432 pages · Fiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 11 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

During the funeral of a former First Lady at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, a group of kidnappers seizes the church and takes hostage the powerful mourners inside, from billionaires to celebrities. Detective Michael Bennett is called in to negotiate, while at home his wife is dying of cancer and his ten adopted children need him.

Why it's worth reading

It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and began the Michael Bennett series. It's fast and full of short chapters.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

The family subplot is sad. It's co-written with Michael Ledwidge.

By the numbers

68.4Must-Read Score
  • Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller42 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (2 weeks at #1)

Reads as

Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is Step on a Crack worth reading?

Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and began the Michael Bennett series. It ranks #1,483 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.4 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Step on a Crack about?

During the funeral of a former First Lady at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, a group of kidnappers seizes the church and takes hostage the powerful mourners inside, from billionaires to celebrities. Detective Michael Bennett is called in to negotiate, while at home his wife is dying of cancer and his ten adopted children need him.

How long does it take to read Step on a Crack?

About 11 hours (432 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Step on a Crack?

If you liked it, try 1st to Die by James Patterson, The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum or Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow.