The Black BookThe Black Book
Score Modern
What it's about
Chicago detective Billy Harney, son of the Chief of Detectives, is left for dead in a shootout with his former partner and a district attorney. He survives but remembers nothing. The investigation leads to an exclusive brothel serving Chicago's most powerful people, and its little black book.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 2 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. James Patterson and David Ellis deliver twist after twist.
You'll love it if you liked
The Murder House
Kill Alex Cross
The Lincoln LawyerGood to know
It moves between past and present. It's the first Billy Harney book.
By the numbers
- Readers65 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller40 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
- #199 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #734 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1374 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
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All 36 best-of lists →Quick answers
Is The Black Book worth reading?
Yes. It spent 2 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,374 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Black Book about?
Chicago detective Billy Harney, son of the Chief of Detectives, is left for dead in a shootout with his former partner and a district attorney. He survives but remembers nothing. The investigation leads to an exclusive brothel serving Chicago's most powerful people, and its little black book.
How long does it take to read The Black Book?
About 11 hours (448 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Black Book?
If you liked it, try The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis, Kill Alex Cross by James Patterson or The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly.


















