James Patterson 'kidnapped' in online adventure

Cornerstone has launched Missing, a “global online interactive adventure” for fans of James Patterson.

The project will see Patterson go “missing”, with the 3.9 million fans on his Facebook page asked to solve clues to his whereabouts with the help of some of his characters, including detective Alex Cross, who will be “brought to life”.

Cornerstone said the campaign treats Patterson “not just as an author but as the massive entertainment brand he is”.

The interactive adventure started at 9am today (Friday 21st February), with a “supervillain” called Jane Doe hacking Patterson’s Facebook page and posting clues as to his whereabouts. Clues will be posted each day, and Missing will last for seven days.

Patterson’s characters – Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, Lindsay Boxer from the Women’s Murder Club, and Jack Morgan from the Private books – will “come to life and aid the community in the hunt by offering their expert guidance and helping solve the clues”.

Fans who discover Patterson’s whereabouts will be in with a chance of winning prizes, with one person being “immortalised as a key character” in a new Patterson novel.

Cornerstone said: “We believe this idea is an author first which celebrates James Patterson’s status as the world’s bestselling thriller writer and the creator of some of the world’s best-loved detectives.

“It is hard to think of another author who could be involved in an equivalent initiative as they simply wouldn’t have the range of characters – or indeed the fanbase – for this to work, so this is a creative and fun way to give something back to his committed fans and a good way of introducing James Patterson’s books to a new audience.”

Patterson was the third biggest-selling author of 2013, and the 20th instalment in his Alex Cross series, Alex Cross, Run, gained the author his first Official UK Top 50 number one since June 2011.