Private l. A. : a reign of terror in the city of angels is the seventh title in the private series, created by american author james patterson. The action takes place in los angeles. This book has two main plots running parallel to each other. There is the story of los angeles under threat. Then there's the story of a hollywood celebrity couple and their children who vanish suddenly. It all begins with the murder of four surfers. There is no clue in the crime scene except a note that just states plainly "no prisoners". This is followed by another similar incident, this time with a demand for ransom from the city of los angeles. The authorities bring in jack morgan and his private detective agency to help track down the people responsible. No one is sure if it is just a criminal group that has hit upon a murderous plan to extort money from the city or if it is the work of a terrorist group. Back at the agency, justine smith is asked to investigate a high-profile case.