From #1 New York Times bestselling author James Patterson comes a heart-pounding kidnapping thriller that races from coast to coast. Releasing September 1, 2025, Billion-Dollar Ransom throws readers into the most audacious abduction scheme ever attempted—and the one FBI agent determined to stop it.
The High-Stakes Premise
Five members of a billionaire’s family are snatched at the exact same moment, in different locations. Across California and beyond, six highly trained kidnappers demand a ten-figure payout—or the heirs won’t see tomorrow.
The Victims and Their Locations
The scheme begins at dawn when two young siblings are taken from their private-school bus, uniforms on but futures stolen before they even reach their classrooms. Hundreds of miles away, a famed film producer and a Hollywood star vanish from a secluded resort, their undercover getaway shattered in an instant. And in the glittering streets of Beverly Hills, the billionaire’s wife is whisked off the sidewalk, leaving onlookers stunned as her luxury sedan idles with its doors wide open.
The Ransom: Cash, Gold, Jewels, Crypto
The patriarch is ready to pay whatever it takes. He gathers stacks of cash, bars of gold, priceless jewels, and even a fortune stored in cryptocurrency. Every kind of wealth he possesses sits in waiting, ready to be handed over to bring his family home—but only if the kidnappers survive long enough to collect.
Enter Special Agent Nicky Gordon
Standing in the way is Special Agent Nicky Gordon, an FBI officer as brilliant as she is stubborn. She refuses to negotiate with criminals, insisting that not a single dime will pass through her hands. As the deadline closes in and stakes climb ever higher, Gordon pushes every legal and tactical envelope to outwit six masterminds who have planned this operation down to the last second.
What Makes This Novel Unmissable
From its opening pages, Billion-Dollar Ransom drives forward with relentless speed. Twists arrive so swiftly you’ll find yourself gasping at each new revelation. Beyond the adrenaline, the story delivers a morally complex showdown between greed and justice, forcing every character to confront what they’re willing to risk. At the center of it all is Agent Gordon, a heroine whose toughness and tenacity redefine what it means to stand up to the world’s most dangerous criminals.
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