I'll start by saying I read Blue Zone and found myself so into the book that I was gripping it too tight and made my fingers hurt. I finished The Dark Tide night before last and it was a gripping book. Not a boring or dull moment and the ending was good, didn't just stop without making sense like the last few books I've read. The ending made you hate the book ended, you'd like to know what happens next, Andy could bring out a sequel to it and pick right back up and keep you into it. Both of his solo books should become movies, if he makes them follow the books closely. In my review to him about them I said I'd describe both of his books if they were movies as "Edge of your seat, butt clinching thrillers." Both books are  a must read, be sure you have nothing to do once you start it because you will not be able to put them down.

I'll give you a warning and I did scold him about it in both books. :-) The bad guy kills a dog in both books. I hate that, usually will put the book down to never read the author again but in Blue Zone there was no way I was putting it down at that point. He responded to my scolding in the first book, "but he was a really bad guy." I haven't heard back with Dark Tide yet, I did scold him again about the bad guys killing the pets.

I picked up  The Blue Zone and loved it too!  Just finished The Dark Tide a few days ago.  It was good, but (to me) not as engaging as the first book.  The pet death is also present in TDT.

I don't read James Patterson, so had no idea who the author was.  Overall, Andrew Gross will be on my automatic purchase list.