Ned Kelly is working as the part-time pool guy, part-time errand runner for Sol Roth on his sprawling Palm Beach estate when he meets the woman of his dreams at the local beach. Before that, Ned worked as a part-time lifeguard and waited tables at a local establishment, where he'd met Sol. Of course, this was after he'd fled the cold of Brockton, Massachusetts, and his job as a teacher to come to Florida with four of his closest pals from back home.

Knowing he'll need lots of dough to keep his new lady in the expensive style she's accustomed to, Ned jumps at the chance when his friends want to cut him in on the job they've lined up. Supposedly, it's a simple break-and-enter to steal paintings from a rich art collector. However, the "perfect score" does not go as planned and the thieves realize they've been double-crossed. Since Ned is only the look-out man, he doesn't know just how bad things are, or how bad they'll become. When he finally makes it to his friends' home, he finds them brutally executed. As the only one left, he's now running to stay ahead of the killers and the FBI. To make matters worse, the woman he loves is also found murdered in her posh hotel room. Who is the mastermind behind all the killings, and what's the reason?

Patterson's style of rapid plotting and short, concise chapters makes for a quick, yet compelling read. You just can't put this book down; you have to keep turning the pages, reading the words as fast as the action itself. The fact that the storyline is complex and suspenseful makes the experience first-rate. Another summer blockbuster for Patterson, whose collaboration with Andrew Gross is always excellent. I highly recommend LIFEGUARD for your summer reading.