Book Review- James Patterson- I, Alex Cross

James Patterson- I, Alex Cross (Little, Brown and Company 2009) 3 Stars

Alex Cross is a year older and is celebrating his birthday with his family when he is given devastating news. One of his family members has been killed and she is not the only one who has been murdered by Zeus, the rich, sexual predator. Now he must hunt down this psychopath trusting only his friends as no one else seems to be on the level. Money is power and that is something this killer does not lack. Everyone can be bought if you throw enough money their way; this is something Alex Cross is finding out the hard way.

Good prologue, I enjoyed how it gets the readers attention and makes them want to read more; this is something Patterson is very skilled at. He is also skilled at creating characters. He gives them depth and a level of believability that few authors are able to achieve. That being said this book can be described in one word for me. Disappointment. I was hoping that this book would help me get back into Patterson’s work as I had heard so many good things about this book. However this, sadly, was not the case. I found that once again his focus fell too much on Alex’s personal family drama and not enough on the reason why I read thrillers, the mystery and intensity. I found myself questioning why he was even allowed to be on the case, considering it is a member of his family, and I did not think that detectives could investigate something that close to the heart as their personal feelings cloud their judgement, as we saw in this novel. I also found that it was predictable and not all that believable. The ending once again leaves the reader knowing that another book is on the way with Kyle Craig as the villain. Patterson a word of advice; follow through with your threat you gave in your video for this book, KILL ALEX CROSS! Enough is enough, have a dramatic ending where Kyle Craig and Alex Cross kill each other; that I would read. I’m afraid that I cannot in good conscience recommend reading this book.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- James Patterson- Cross Country

James Patterson- Cross Country (Vision 2009) 4 Stars

Just when Detective Alex Cross thought that he had seen the worst of the worst, a crime scene comes along that knocks him off his feet. It is by far the most horrific crime scene he has ever scene. An old girlfriend of his is murdered and her whole family is killed along with her. The Dragon Slayer is on the case and he will not let up until he has either died or solved the case. Another scene much like the first comes along and he is shown just how merciless this killer is. He has uncovered something he had never imagined, a foreign thug is using teenage boys to do his dirty work and the man Known as the Tiger is now in Africa. Alex goes against everyone’s advice and follows this ruthless murderer across the globe. Does he have what it takes to survive when everyone wants him dead?

I found Cross Country to be refreshingly different from the rut Patterson has fallen into with his Cross series. The introduction drew me in right away; it was full of intrigue and the usual despicable murder. Patterson then goes right into Cross at the crime scene with his girlfriend (fellow detective Bree), and we quickly discover that the murdered woman was an old flame. I was very pleased to find out that he would be in Africa following the killer, as that would leave less chance for Patterson’s usual family scenes which are overdone. This is the reason why this book was refreshing, there was less about Alex Cross’ family and more about the case. I did find that the fact that once again his family is threatened to be slightly annoying, as it happens in nearly every single Cross book, and I am sure that this does not really happen as often as Patterson makes it seem. I enjoyed the fast-paced action in this novel and loved the plot. I would definitely recommend Cross Country to thriller fans and readers of James Patterson.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- James Patterson- Mary Mary

James Patterson- Mary Mary (Warner Books 2006) 3.5 Stars

Mary Smith is killing Hollywood’s best movie stars and leaving emails for a columnist at the Los Angeles Times. Torn from his family vacation, Alex Cross is sent to assist local authorities in their investigation. As the killings pile up Cross is dragged further into case, butting heads with LAPD’s finest. The police are in a hurry to close the case, but Cross wants to make sure that they capture the right killer. At the same time he has the same fight on the home front. Christine wants little Alex and she will do anything see that Cross does not get him, even if it means slandering her ex-fiancé. Dealing with both of these things adds stress to an already stressful life. Can Alex Cross crack the case before it cracks him?

As per usual I really enjoyed the introduction. Patterson knows how to start a book off right. I wish that the enthusiasm of those first sentences carried on throughout the rest of the book, but alas I must say what I normally say. Patterson loves the Cross family and does not know how to minimize their involvement in his books. Mary Mary is an especially bad example of this as Cross’ family took up a great portion of the book. Every time that I was getting to enjoy the case and the intensity that ensued, Patterson would insert a family section that slowed things down to a crawl and distracted the reader form the main reason they are reading the book (the case portion). I only keep reading this series because I enjoy most of the cases, otherwise I would have dropped the Alex Cross series a long time ago. Once again Patterson succeeded in some great character development, which again I say he is very good at. I am not sure if I have ever written this before, but I know that I have thought it before. At the risk of being crass, Alex Cross thinks with his wrong head, this is the reason why his family life is so terrible, the main reason why he cannot keep a relationship with one woman. He sleeps with one woman then abandons them for his case (I think he has a fear of commitment) until the woman dumps him, then weeks, if not days, later he is infatuated by another woman.

I recommend Mary Mary to Patterson fans only.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- James Patterson- London Bridges

James Patterson- London Bridges (Warner Books 2005) 3.5 Stars

Alex Cross has double the trouble in this intense thriller. The Wolf locates The Weasel and the two wreak havoc on the world, enjoying the fact that Cross must run around after their clues. Cross gets pulled into the case after a bomb destroys a Nevada town. The Wolf is threatening the same fate for many major cities around the globe, unless they give in to his demands. Hunting for these two psychopathic killers will be Cross’ toughest case yet, all leading up to The Wolf’s true identity. Can they catch these maniacs before they destroy four of the world’s major cities?

London Bridges started off great. It had an intense introduction and I loved it. The intensity level never really did drop off at any point. It was gripping throughout the whole book. However again it included much of Alex’s home life/love life. Patterson also had way too many twists. As in every book, as soon as Cross thinks he has found his man he is proved wrong, his hunches seem to be wrong a lot. This happens at several points in the book, a few too many twists takes away from the effect twists are supposed to have on the reader. Patterson was trying too hard and it became rather annoying. I also was slightly frustrated with how this Wolf could make all of the world leaders jump through hoops and he could do whatever he wanted to. I do not think that this was very realistic at all. I do not think that it would be that easy to gain control of the world powers. Of course one thing Patterson is good at is character development and he did not fail in this area. Cross’ character is amazingly well-created and deep.

I recommend London Bridges to those who are fans of the Alex Cross series.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- James Patterson- The Big Bad Wolf

James Patterson- The Big Bad Wolf (Doubleday 2003) 3.75 Stars

As Alex Cross adjusts to being in the FBI, he must complete the training courses and adjust to their different way of dealing with cases. The kidnapping of a judge’s wife brings in the FBI and Alex Cross finds himself hunting a Russian gang leader named the Wolf. The Wolf is using small groups to kidnap women and sell them to his select buyers for the purposes of slavery/sex. Just as they think that they have got him he eludes their grasp time and time again. Catching the Wolf may be a bigger challenge then the FBI had first figured.

James Patterson’s Cross series seems to be stuck in a mould. The same situations keep happening in each book, making them more and more predictable as the series goes. For example his family will always get threatened at some point and the suspect will always elude capture/outsmart Cross several times throughout the book. I would love to give specific examples, but do not like spoilers in reviews, so I will refrain. I find myself predicting what will happen at certain points, although I must say I loved the ending, I did not see it coming. In this book we heard a little less about his family, enough so that it was tolerable. As usual his family life suffers greatly during a tough case, which is likely how it works for many officers of the law. I did like this villain. He was not near as creepy as some of the others. He was pretty much just feeding upon the deviant sexual predators to make money for himself. The Wolf was a very intelligent criminal who gave Cross a good run for his money, much better than the tiresome Mastermind, whose books I did not enjoy.

I recommend The Big Bad Wolf to fans of Patterson and his Cross series.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- James Patterson- Four Blind Mice

James Patterson- Four Blind Mice (Warner Books 2003) 3.25 Stars

Alex Cross has decided to leave the police force, but he is presented with one last case that he simply can’t resist. When John Sampson, his partner, finds out that a good friend of his has been framed for murder and is now on death row, he pulls Alex Cross in to save his friend. The United States Army wants the case to be done and over with, but Cross and Sampson don’t intend to let it drop. Three killers will stop at nothing to succeed at their mission, to kill anyone their controller commands them to. Cross and Sampson just happen to be in the way, can they solve the case before it costs them their lives?

At first Four Blind Mice stuck to the case and I was impressed by it, but then I got to a long section of Alex Cross and his new girlfriend Jamilla. This time Patterson even got into Sampson personal life; don’t get me wrong I enjoyed seeing Sampson finally find someone I just wish that Patterson could learn to focus more on the case at hand. I was happy to learn a little bit more about Cross and Sampson’s pasts, as it gave each of them a little bit more depth. The actual case in Four Blind Mice was a good one, as it contained some nail-biting scenes and some good action sequences. I was impressed to see Sampson taking a lead role in this particular case. He seemed to do a pretty good job at it. The plot was quite impressive, minus the personal dating/sex sections (long sections that distracted you from the mystery of the case), it was very detailed and included a few good twists. Some of the details in the book seemed a little too pat for me though, they just kind of fell into place and suddenly everything just clicked for Cross. I was looking for something a little bit more and was kind of disappointed.

I would recommend Four Blind Mice only to people who are fans of James Patterson.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- James Patterson- Violets Are Blue

James Patterson- Violets Are Blue (Little, Brown and Company 2001) 3.5 Stars

Still haunted and taunted by the Mastermind, Alex Cross must hunt down a new serial killer. This serial killer believes he is a vampire and uses his fellow vampires to commit murder, allowing them to drink their blood (I hope you all thought of a Dracula like voice as you read that, because that is what was running through my mind). Meanwhile he must also try to figure out just who the Mastermind is.

I figured that Violets Are Blue was a suitable book for Halloween, what with vampires and all that. This Cross book was much better than the previous one, although still not one of his better books. I did like how his family was given much less attention, although once again they were in danger. Another big shocker in this book was the fact that he was assigned yet another female partner and she ends up in trouble! Wow, huge surprise right? As much as I like the Cross character, I have figured out his greatest flaw, he thinks with his wrong head, and by saying this I do not mean to be crude I only mean to speak the truth. The main case in this one was fairly well put together, although odd.

I would recommend Violets Are Blue to Patterson fans.

For more of my reviews check out my website, http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.elquentbooks.com/kidsacase.html

Book Review- James Patterson- Roses Are Red

James Patterson- Roses Are Red (Little, Brown and Company 2000) 3 Stars

Alex Cross has just broken with his fiancé and when she takes off he is left with his baby son. As if the breakup were not enough he is drawn into a tangled web of deception and betrayal. The Mastermind is robbing banks using pawns and then killing off the pawns as well as any others that he chooses to die. For him Cross is the perfect adversary.

This is actually the villain I have been waiting for having read a later book in the series before this one, even so it was not how I expected it. Roses Are Red has been my least favourite of the Cross series yet. There was way too much focus on his family life, about half of the book. Even though he broke up with his fiancé, he only mourned her for a short time and then he moved on to another woman rather quickly. The actual work involved in finding the Mastermind was not all that great, he would just suddenly know exactly where to look and pow! his hunch would only be half right. The ending however was great, a wonderful lead-in for the next book.

I do not recommend Roses Are Red to anyone.

For more of my reviews check out my website, http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- James Patterson- Pop Goes the Weasel

Book Review- James Patterson- Pop Goes the Weasel

James Patterson- Pop Goes the Weasel (Warner Books 2000) 3.75 Stars

Alex Cross is finally engaged, and yes it is to Christine! Cross is after British diplomat Geoffrey Shafer, a serial killer having fun while playing a deadly game of dice. For the first time we see Cross in court trying to prove Shafer’s guilt, which may not be as easy as it seems. The two go back and forth moving and counter-moving, all in the effort to gain control of the situation.

Once again I enjoyed Alex Cross. He is a very deep and lovable character. I do get a little bit tired of how most of his serial killers seem to somehow involve his family. I am sure that this does happen, but not as much as Patterson is making it seem. The villain was very interesting as well, as we knew who it was the whole way through, which Patterson does not always do. The case work and investigative skill of Alex Cross was intriguing to read about and watch how his mind works out the details. I wasn’t as fond of the ending as it didn’t quite seem realistic, but up until that point I was enjoying the book immensely.

I recommend Pop Goes the Weasel to Patterson/Alex Cross fans, and mystery/thriller enthusiasts.

For more of my reviews check out my website, http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- James Patterson- Cat & Mouse

James Patterson- Cat & Mouse (Warner Books 1998) 4 Stars

Gary Soneji is back and he is coming for Alex Cross’s blood. He does not intend to kill him outright instead he wants to play a deadly game of cat and mouse. At the same time another deadly serial killer is on the loose and he is killing people all over the globe. Mr. Smith and Soneji believe that Alex Cross is the only one who can take them on, but can Cross survive two deadly killers?

The intensity of this novel was great, although the two killers thing got to be a little annoying at times. I loved some of the twists that Patterson inserted and as usual I enjoyed another Cross novel. The depth of the characters never ceases to amaze me. Patterson creates some of the scariest/creepiest villains. I do not think that a better title could have been chosen for the book, Cat & Mouse suited it perfectly. I enjoyed the return of Soneji as he is my favourite villain so far in the series.

I would recommend this book to mystery and thriller lovers, as well as Patterson fans.

For more of my book reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html