Eyes of a Child [Mass Market Paperback]

Richard North Patterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 29, 1995

Ricardo Arias is found dead, the gun still wedged in his mouth. It looks like suicide, but the physical evidence strongly suggests murder. The police investigation uncovers an estranged wife, Terri Peralta; an ugly custody battle over their six-year-old daughter, Elena; heated charges of child abuse; and a murder suspect: San Francisco defense attorney Christopher Paget.

Paget has motive--it's his son accused of abusing Elena, his political plans for the future put at risk by the dead man's accusations, and his alibi that is dangerously threadbare.

And the shocking revelations that threaten to explode in the courtroom may remain hidden forever...by Chris Paget's refusal to testify on his own behalf...by Elena's tangled loyalties...and by dark secrets that some desperately wish to keep silent....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Patterson's latest legal thriller?featuring many of the same characters as his previous Degree of Guilt?spent 10 weeks on PW's bestseller list.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Lawyer Patterson's bloated sequel to his best-selling courtroom novel, Degree of Guilt (LJ 12/92), is already slated for television. His new work could have been cut in half by any diligent editor-30 pages of jury selection, for instance, is enough to glaze the eyes of the most dedicated crime reader. The intense dialog and plot, however, will grab fans of Scott Turow and John Grisham, and Patterson gives readers a convincing look at San Francisco's corrupt politics. The plot concerns the death of ne'er-do-well Ricardo Arias, who may or may not have committed suicide. Because of the widely publicized custody battle waged with Arias by his ex-wife and her lover, Christopher Paget (hero of Degree of Guilt), both are investigated and Paget indicted. The author's deeply felt antiviolence theme is smoothly integrated into the narrative. Expect demand.
--Joyce Smothers, Monmouth Cty. Lib., Manalapan, N.J.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (November 29, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345386132
• ISBN-13: 978-0345386137
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.2 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #994,689 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

RICHARD NORTH PATTERSON is the author of The Spire, Eclipse and fourteen other bestselling and critically acclaimed novels. Formerly a trial lawyer, he was the SEC liaison to the Watergate special prosecutor and has served on the boards of several Washington advocacy groups. He lives in San Francisco and on Martha's Vineyard with his wife, Dr. Nancy Clair.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of THE best legal-thrillers you could possibly read, November 15, 2000

By 

Jeff Edwards "RadioJeff" (Twin Falls, Idaho) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Eyes of a Child (Mass Market Paperback)

First off if you have picked up 'Eyes of a Child' and haven't read 'Degree of Guilt' go get it NOW. 'Eyes' is a partial sequel and even though it can stand on its own, it makes more sense if you have first read 'Degree' and besides, you don't want to miss out on another great read, too now do you? Okay with that said, 'Eyes' is FIRST RATE! Not just a legal-thriller, but a fantastic 'Whodunnit' as well. In fact we begin with a murder. Then jump to a cozy vacation with Christopher Paget and his former legal secretary. It is HER husband who get's the axe at the beginning. Does Christopher have anything to do with this murder? Why had he visited the deceased before leaving town quickly? Why did he donate the suit he wore when making this visit suddenly to a used clothing store? He looks more and more guilty as the pages fly, but as usual, things are not always as they seem. I have noticed a pattern with Mr. Patterson's books and that is for him to set the stage in the novel, and then we time travel back to events which happened to either set the stage for the situations we find ourselves in or to just give you an idea of WHY certain characters act the way they do. It is always important to the story, so do NOT let it distract you, it will ALL make sense in the end. Compelling is one word I would use to describe this great story. Although I had the culprit nailed long before the ending came, I wasn't 100% certain until it finally WAS revealed. I turned this one over to my wife and made her a convert to Patterson's books as well. This guy writes better than average legal-thrillers and a supreme step above Grishams stuff in MY opinion, too. If you wanna spend a weekend huddled in a reading room with a novel that will keep you vastly entertained for the entire duration of the book, 'Eyes of a Child' is definitely the prescription you are looking for.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A mystery that is not a whodunit., December 10, 2002

By 

Warlen Bassham (Bothell, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eyes of a Child (Mass Market Paperback)

If you have any experience at all reading the whodunit type of mystery story, you will know within the first two chapters who the murderer is in this story. If that's all you care about, you'll be tempted to stop. My advice? DON'T !!!

Eyes of a Child is one of the best mystery novels I have ever read, and I picked it up by accident, thinking it was by another author. Lucky accident! The story is told largely through the eyes of Teresa Peralta, a young hispanic legal assistant in San Francisco, whose husband of six years, Richie, is murdered just before she leaves to go to Venice with her boss and lover, Christopher Paget, a major character carried over from a previous Patterson novel. We know Chris can't possibly be the murderer, because he's the good guy in the previous book, so we're left with only one possible suspect-- so there's no mystery at all about 'whodunit.' In spite of that, the book is a terrific mystery-- not about who, but about how and why.

The 'victim' is a slimeball of major proportions. He's killed in the first few pages. Then, through flashbacks, we're taken through the last few months before his demise. By the time he finally gets what's coming to him, we're ready to go to SanFran and kill him ourselves!

The dramatic insensity picks up when Christopher is arrested and tried for the murder. We know he didn't do it, but his efforts to prove his innocence in the face of many facts that make him look guilty provides the terrific suspense. The outcome is unexpected and exciting.

But I'm missing the main point here: This is no ordinary mystery story, and the plot pales in comparison to some other issues. These are 'real' people. We care about them. We care what happens to them. We want Christopher to 'get off' without revealing to the authorities who the real killer is, because the murderer has done society an immense service and deserves to remain unidentified and free.

Although the adult characters make the plot move, it is a child who is the center of the story-- hence the title. Teresa's daughter is one of the most haunting and sympathetic characters you will ever encounter in literature. What happens to her along the way is far more important in the long run than the more prosaic question of who is 'victim' and who is 'murderer.'

I have only two minor complaints: 1. A couple of the characters easily arrive at insights into their own personalities that no real-life person could similarly achieve, and 2. They are able to articulate these insights more clearly than any similar real person could. In other words, the author puts words in their mouths for them. This damages the illusion of reality in a couple of spots. However, the book's many strengths far outweigh these piddly weaknesses.

A fascinating read. I can't recommend it highly enough.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS BY RNP, February 4, 2001

By 

Moe "locomona" (Cali, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eyes of a Child (Mass Market Paperback)

this was my first book by richard north patterson (rnp) which was kind of a mistake. little did i know that there were two books before this one about christopher paget, mary carelli, and teresa peralta. if you havent read "the lasko tangent" or "degree of guilt" read those before you read this one. other then that i really liked this book. its one of those that you just cant put down until you finish it. you might want to read "the final judgement" or the renamed title "caroline masters" after your done with this one. after this book i got into all his other ones which i have really enjoyed. another good ones to read by him are "silent witness" or "dark lady"