Game of Nines

by James Patterson

“I have just committed the perfect murder. You have one week to catch me, or I will vanish...and strike again, nine years from today.”

FBI agent Sarah Cole is stunned to receive an invitation to the “Game of Nines,” the most secretive and longest-running murder puzzle in history.

Thrust into a mystery that has confounded law enforcement for decades, she proves to be an unexpectedly formidable "player"—and might finally end the deadly game once and for all.

From James Patterson, the world’s bestselling author, and starring Shailene Woodley (Big Little Lies) and Morena Baccarin (Deadpool), Game of Nines is a pulse-pounding murder mystery full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.

Please This audio drama is for mature audiences only. It contains violence and strong language. Discretion is advised.

Available in Dolby Atmos on Audible.

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Suspense, Detective

Audible Audio

First published August 7, 2025

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Natasha Niezgoda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun.

Rushed.

The romance angle wasn’t needed.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Patterson and Max DiLallo present this ‘straight to Audible’ piece of great thriller writing. Using multiple voice actors, the story comes to life as an FBI desk agent is sent a mysterious letter from one of the most notorious serial killers in recent history. The Nines Killer commits murder every nine years and chooses three individuals to solve the case over a few days. FBI Agent Sarah Cole works with two others to capture the killer before they go into hiding for nine more years. Patterson and DiLallo deliver a gripping audio thriller.

FBI Agent Sarah Cole is book-smart and enjoys crunching numbers for others to help capture criminals. However, she receives a letter directed to her with a chilling message:

“I have just committed the perfect murder. You have one week to catch me, or I will vanish...and strike again, nine years from today.”

Agent Cole is chilled to the bone, as this letter was surely from the Nines Killer. They offer three people from across law enforcement, creating a rag-tag group to solve things.

Forced to become an active agent, alongside an LASD investigator and an Israeli special agent, Sarah Cole works through the various clues and tries to solve things before the killer slips through their hands once again. It will take a great deal of effort to catch a killer, but no one has yet met Agent Cole’s number crunching abilities. James Patterson and MaxDiLallo deliver a great thriller that packs a punch with quite the twist.

I have read a number of thrillers by James Patterson, both individually authored and collaborations. Sharing the reins with Max DiLallo has worked again! The narrative is balanced by much action and quick development. Patterson’s traditional short chapter recipe, even in this audio-based story, works to push things along. The characters serve to entertain the listener effectively, while providing many angles for synthesising. The twists are both personal and chilling. The authors deliver a high-impact story right to audiobook, perfect for a short roadtrip.

Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and DiLallo, for keeping the reader hooked from start to finish!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Ashley Bainbridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on audible, and it was actually pretty entertaining! It was done really well, and I love Shailene Woodley, so I was glad to see her on here.

I've never read (or listened) to anything James Patterson, but this inspired me to maybe read something else by him.

I didn't expect the twist, like at all, so that was great. I also liked how we got explanations of how the killer made it work.

[Haley Melching · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this on audible and it’s okay. Good plot and storytelling but the main characters motivation lacked substance. No rhyme or reason

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast-paced, entertaining murder ‘game’.

[Hunter Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay, like all things Patterson these days it is rushed. With some good editing the plot holes and inconsistencies could have been ironed out. A brilliant FBI prodigy who studies criminal justice and was mentored by the original Game of Nines creator (her Grandpa who helped raise her) in reality loses the game? While the old NYC cop committed murders for decades with no one solving any of the crimes? Yeah, that tracks with all the other plot holes in this book. At one point the brilliant FBI lady asks what motive the ex-cop who conveniently moved to the same place as the murder would have? Hmmm. Well, she falsely accused him, he lost his job and daughter. Hmm? What motive? The voice actors are awesome but the writing was cringe and ridiculous at points. They were like what is phoenix, never heard of it? They acted like it was a brilliant idea that there might be more than one killer? Like all Patterson's writing the police act linearly as his mind does and they are lead around instead of thinking ahead. Fantastic concept. Great audio actors! Poor writing.

[Galina · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I really enjoyed this story. Although it was short, it was very well done. I just wish it had been longer! Also, Shailene Woodley was absolutely amazing—I could listen to her narrate every audiobook in existence."

[Kelly H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shailene Woodley’s narration was good, but the male character’s narration annoyed me- he was supposed to be Israeli but his accent wasn’t at all.

[thtgrl_wanda_knows_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very very entertaining audible!!

Although it was short, it’s WELL WORTH IT!!!

[Ryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

The entire book felt rushed and half-finished. A lot of the clues didn't make sense. I don't understand why succinylcholine was chosen as the murder weapon. This medication is identified in episode 4. The technician explains that the medication is usually harmless unless injected intravenously. This isn't true. Ingesting succinylcholine is considered a medical emergency and can cause chemical burns to the mouth and intestines. Towards the end of the book the narrator goes into a manhole and discovers an underground drug lab. She uses a NIK test which is said to turn blue, indicating that the substance is an opiate like succinylcholine. Except, succinylcholine isn't an opiate, it's a paralytic. It wouldn't have reacted with a NIK test because it is not a narcotic. I understand that it was a succinylcholine derivative and not the original medication, however, in order for this derivative to react to a NIK test it would have to be an opioid and not an opiate. It's also stated that Meredith dies 13 minutes from taking her birth control at the cafe. If the succinlycholine derivative was so potent why did it take so long to kill her when standard succinylcholine shows it's effects within 30 seconds? I hate to get all caught up with this one fact but the premise of the book was that the killer was creating unsolvable locked room murders. It felt cheap to have the murder method be revealed as a magic mystery pill.

[Jonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story started okay except for the unrealistic premise that the chosen law enforcement officers would follow the killer’s rules. I was close to giving the book 4 stars until the ending. The ending felt rushed with the killer confessing too quickly. Despite the big twist, I found the ending unsatisfactory and disappointing. Since this was a short audiobook, not sure why the authors didn’t make the book a little longer and not rush the ending.

Still not a fan of the sound effects and noises during the performance. In a few places the sounds made it difficult to understand the narrators and the action that was happening. Glad it was free.

[Corrine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the voice acting but the story was predictable and the dialogue was insufferable "who even knows what a phoenix is?"..... umm literally everyone ...

[Jordan Vetter · Rating 1 out of 5]

I assumed this would have the quality of a cheesy made-for-tv movie, but it still fell short of my expectations, for several reasons:

1. THIS IS NOT AN AUDIOBOOK. This is a radio drama, which is a different medium that's existed for over 100 years. The fact that this is being marketed as an audiobook is so annoying to me. Listening to this is not the equivalent of reading a book.

2. The plot is too contrived and convenient. I like the premise of the Nines killer and the flashbacks to the previous murders, but the story is just too brief and it feels like a connect the dots that goes in a straight line. And yet, even for such a short book it felt like it was running in circles. How many times do we have to watch them try to question someone just to be told, no?!

3. The dialogue was bad, and the voice acting only made it worse. Shailene Woodley sounds like she's 20 and the guy who plays Yuri (sp?) sounds like he's 60 but they're supposed to have romantic chemistry?? More than that, wtf is with Yuri's accent? He's supposed to be Israeli, but he sounds like a bad Puss in Boots impression. He ruins every scene he's in, which is most of them.

4. The characters are all completely flat, even for a mystery novel. They all feel like generic NPCs pulled out of a "Mystery Novel Stock Characters" binder. This is especially true of the minor characters, making it hard to care about any of it.

5. SPOILER. Worst of all, this story violates the literal first rule of mystery!! The killer can't be the narrator! While some people might see this as being a mind-blowing twist, it's actually just a cheap and hollow shortcut. Most people won't be aware of the 10 Commandments of Mystery by Ronald Knox, but I'd at least expect the authors to be. Commandment 1 is literally "The criminal must be someone mentioned in the early part of the story, but must not be anyone whose thoughts the reader has been allowed to follow." But this story just has the narrator lie to you the whole time until they decide to finally come clean, which is trash storytelling. I saw the twist coming a mile away, except I assumed it had to be one of the other two detectives because it couldn't possible be the narrator! Guess I underestimated just how low-quality this story was.

[Kayla Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

GAME OF NINES

“I have just committed the perfect murder. You have one week to catch me, or I will vanish... and strike again, nine years from today.”

Sarah, an FBI agent, receives an invitation, along with 2 other detectives to the Game of Nines, the most secretive and longest-running murder puzzle in history.

Will this team be the ones to finally catch the killer and end this deadly game?

If you like murder mysteries and audiobooks, then you have to check this one out! It’s faced paced, entertaining and keeps you engaged. I really enjoyed it.

Can you figure things out before the ending?

This audio is also dramatized with all the sound affects making it feel like you’re listening to a movie. And I feel like I could listen to Shailene Woodley narrate any audiobook. She did such an awesome job as well as the others, Morena Baccarin, Sasha Roiz and Ben Shenkman.

Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a short entertaining murder mystery audiobook!

*This was also free with my audible subscription*

[Nicki Beckman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid 4 1/2 stars for me! I loved how it was like listening to a movie!! I wish they were all narrated like this! Not my usual genre, but it was a fun listen⭐️

[Tanner Pool · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, but nothing special. The “romance” angle was filler and didn’t add anything. Story was generic, but the twist did get me.

[Justine Hobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serial Killer that that spans over 70 years, and then passes the torch. I had no idea who it was until the end. The was a short story of chess games. Pieces moving to complete the puzzle. Not so much suspense, but if you’re a crime junky this is for you! Shailene Woodley made the character for this! Dramatic and held my attention, but also easy enough to listen to while you clean or work.

[BeccaJBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this audible original whilst working and it was really exciting. Excellent acting and voice work. You can tell it's JP. I'd recommend. Would've been nice to have a as a full book.

[Sydney Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I was excited for Game of Nines—a fast-paced thriller, serial killer, FBI agent, the whole nine yards. What I got instead felt like someone slapped a high-budget TV trailer over a story that was mostly… okay. The opening had all the dramatic bells and whistles: sirens blaring, a mysterious figure breaking into a house, whispers echoing in shadowy corridors. It should’ve been tense, but the way it was produced for audio made it feel like I was watching a scene that forgot the plot. I spent more time listening for the next swoosh or bang than actually caring if anyone lived or died.

Then there’s Sarah Cole, our FBI hero. She’s supposed to be sharp, fearless, and intense—but she mostly just talks at people, and every “aha!” moment is delivered like she’s reading from cue cards. The part where she figures out the pattern of the murders—normally, that would give me chills. Instead, it drags, with echoey emphasis on every word like it’s supposed to be a punchline. The killer’s taunts? Meant to unsettle. Instead, they feel like recycled lines from some crime procedural montage.

Even the suspenseful chase scenes—which usually get my heart racing—landed flat. Tires screeching, footsteps pounding, doors slamming… all the ingredients for a thriller. But instead of feeling the danger, I felt like I was in a video game cutscene. It’s weird: the story’s there, the pieces are in place, but the way it’s presented just sucks the tension right out.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not offensively bad. You could do worse. If you’re looking for something to fill a flight or a long commute, it’s… fine. But it’s not memorable. By the end, I realized I’d spent hours listening to someone tell a story I mostly didn’t care about, punctuated with dramatic sound effects. A true “meh” experience.

All in all, Game of Nines is a textbook example of style over substance. Fast, flashy, forgettable. Two stars.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I have just committed the perfect murder. You have one week to catch me, or I will vanish... and strike again, nine years from today.”

Whoa! I listened to this one in one sitting. It was such an addicting listen and the narrators, Shailene Woodley, Morena Baccarin, Sasha Roiz, and Ben Shenkman all brought their characters to life.The tone and inflections drew me in like a moth to a flame and kept me hooked till the very end. I truly enjoyed hearing the additional sounds that played while listening. It was such an addicting listen that kept me hooked till the very end. I really liked the idea of the game and enjoyed following the detectives. I especially enjoyed Sarah Cole POV the best. I truly enjoyed following along and watching them follow up the leads in a time crunch before the murderer disappears again. The ending was explosive and I enjoyed the reveal.

I listened to this one for free with my Audible membership. Thanks to Audible Originals.

[George’s Books83 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one, the twist at the end was fantastic! Definitely worth a listen if you have audible. The sound effects that you can hear lets your imagination run wild. It was only a short listen so was quick paced and filled with action.
I always wonder how authors come up with these ideas, especially when they have so much going on and all of these different suspects. Then the way it is all brought together at the end, so well planned out! Wish there was a follow up to this one!

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now was this the best piece of literature I've ever read, no. But was it fun, yes. I like Shailene Woodley and enjoyed her narration in this. The book felt more like listening to a made for TV movie, which was quite enjoyable. A perfect short listen with a quick story (so lacking in character development) but a satisfying ending.

[Brooke Watton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breezed through this and really enjoyed it! Couldn't believe it was included in Audible for free! Loved Shailene Woodleys narration (I loved her in Divergent, and this felt like I was watching a movie in my head lol) Didn't guess the killer at all! Didn't even suspect that person 😂

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun and good. I never saw the ending coming. What a twist. Listening to all the different characters and being immersed in the story like that was interesting. Every 9 yrs someone is killed and 3 detectives are invited to play along to catch the killer.

[Abbee L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook for this

INSANE BOOK, great plot, great voice acting, highly recommend 👌

The twists... the turns! the way it had me guessing... Truly amazing 👏

[Emiko Bowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOWZA!!!

[Katya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quick thriller read. A nice filler between books

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery with a fun twist at the end. Lots of complex clues and red herrings to sort through. Good multicast narration. 4 stars

[Ashleigh Sparks✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

wish it was longer

[Sarah Marrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling short story! My only beef was the inaccuracies related to pharmaceutical products. Maybe next time the authors should consult a pharmacist for accuracy/plausibility of the lethal agent 😉