Rate this book. The President's son and daughter are abducted, and Detective Alex Cross is one of the first on the scene. A deadly contagion in the water supply cripples half of the capital, and Alex discovers that someone may be about to unleash the most devastating attack the United States has ever experienced. As his window for solving both crimes narrows, Alex makes a desperate decision that goes against everything he believes - one that may alter the fate of the entire country.
Kill Alex Cross is faster, more exciting, and more tightly wound than any Alex Cross thriller James Patterson has ever written! Patterson neither sweats the details nor invests his lead with more than two dimensions. In most cases, the reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that the reviews shown do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, please send us a message with the mainstream media reviews that you would like to see added.
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As of January , he has sold over million books worldwide and currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most 1 New York Times bestsellers. In addition to writing the thriller novels for which he is best known, he also writes children's, middle-grade, and young-adult fiction and is also the first author to have 1 new titles simultaneously on the New York Times adult and children's bestsellers lists.
The son of an insurance salesman and a schoolteacher, Patterson grew up in Newburgh, New York, and began casually writing at the A daring first novel—both buoyant comedy and devastating satire by the author of Say You're One of Them. Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see. Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes! Brent Arquette, the author of the book mentioned in this review, has used his mother Lois Duncan 's mone Obvious Brett Arquette sockpuppet is obvious.
Brent Arquette, the author of the book mentioned in this review, has used his mother Lois Duncan 's money to pay sockpuppet farms to churn out reviews for his own books, as well as spamming other books via reviews just like this, and spamming Goodreads lists to promote his books, and then using these sockpuppets to circle-jerk one another to shove their reviews to the top and push any legitimate negative reviews down For shame, for shame.
Feb 27, Phrynne rated it really liked it Shelves: For me the Alex Cross books vary widely in quality but this was one of the good ones. I have to admit though that Patterson really likes to write about children being kidnapped. I am not sure how many times he has used this as a theme in this series but it certainly feels as though it pops up regularly. In this instance it is the President's children which does make for a very exciting story.
Patterson keeps the book moving with short, sharp chapters which make the reader constantly want to see wh For me the Alex Cross books vary widely in quality but this was one of the good ones. Patterson keeps the book moving with short, sharp chapters which make the reader constantly want to see what happens next.
A parallel story line to the kidnapping involves terrorists so there are lots of evil people to keep up a high body count. On the other hand it is nice to visit with Alex's family again and see how they are all doing. I opened this book looking for a few hours of entertaining escapism and that is exactly what I got. I really wanted to jump straight back into Patterson's tough gritty world of Washington DC following our hero Alex Cross. Out of the large catalogue of Alex Cross books, I had to own one of the only other novels that is about a kidnapping case which was the same theme as Alex Cross 1.
A bit of deja-vu both for Detective Cross and myself but I wasn't going to let that put me off. Two main storylines make up this narrative.
Two children once again have been kidnapped from school leaving no sign or trace. To heat things up a little, they are the President of the United States Children. Someone is getting fired for letting that happen!! The second storyline follows a Saudi Arabian couple who are part of an interesting but shadowy terrorist organisation known as "The Family". We are given insight into the actions of beautiful, clever and deadly assassin Hala A Dossari and her unattractive chubby husband Tariq who is nowhere near as exciting.
He is the typical "everyman". She defiantly "wears the trousers in that relationship"! They are one couple out of many Saudi Arabian's husbands and wife duos who have been sent to America to cause chaos to our friends in Washington DC.
They also carry potassium cyanide to ingest in case they get intercepted. They are here to wreck havoc and do all sort of errant and indecent actions such as shooting people, poisoning the water supply of the city and blowing up places.
Alex Cross is similar to how I described him in my previous review. Quick recap, clever, intellectual, fit and always ready for action. It shows greatly that he follows his heart as well as his mind in missions. I picture him as being played by Idris Elba.
Aside - I saw in the Along Came A Spider Film he was played by Morgan Freeman - not how I imagine him at all With the chaos of the unfolding events as it proceeds there are some nice snippets into Alex's family life.
He is still living with his lovely, sassy, "old school negro" Grandmother - loving nicknamed "Nana", his wife Bree and his children including a newly adopted addition called Ava. Alex sees this too. It makes him work through his skin to solve the case - even taking the law into his own hands if needs be. Now for the criticism. The two story arcs do not fit together well at all throughout this book.
They almost seem alien and mismatched. He seemed a bit bland. Only one of the main story arcs is finished at the books culmination. I was left disappointed by the other that just seemed to fizzle out. The only cause I could have for this being the case it that Patterson wants to bring a certain character back for a future book. As far as I was aware, however; I believed that these books were all fairly self-contained.
If that is the case that arc was disappointing. Just to fill the pages? It is a shame if that is the case as the character in question here was one of the novel's most interesting. This story was nowhere near as complex, long, intricate or unpredictable as Along Came A Spider.
I know I have jumped from book 1 - Has Patterson become a machine just recycling these stories knowing they will be best sellers without little care? I would be interested in people opinions regarding this.
I can't judge that myself however after loving one book and thinking that this one was average. I imagine I will go back to the start of the Alex Cross adventures and pick up book 2 Kiss The Girls which I have heard good things about. If I read chronologically throughout the collections maybe I can pinpoint the books where things go sour, if of course, that is how it transpires. Average book. Don't panic, though. Detective Inspector James is still on the case. Lady Luna.
Susan I think his first books were definitely better. Unless I missed something his girlfriend, Bree, whom he later marries, after they live together, just I think his first books were definitely better. Unless I missed something his girlfriend, Bree, whom he later marries, after they live together, just shows up in one of the books.
When she appears they are already serious about each other and later Bree moves in with Alex and family. That turned me off some. It doesn't fit his profile. And how is Nana Mama okay with that? She has such an opinion about everything. I am determined to finish the series because I really like Alex and Sampson. Plus Rosie the cat seems to have disappeared. I like Rosie. Beat Bucher Thank you James.. This is my second Alex Cross only and I didn't realized it was one of his last..
To me the story part about the kidnapping reminded Thank you James.. To me the story part about the kidnapping reminded me of the TV show Criminal Minds.. With the unfolding toward the end where the kids are buried live in a cave.. The Family story with terrorists couple never really fit in.. Just seemed to be throwing more confusion. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the unconventional thinking of Cross, but always keep in mind he is an ex profiler..
It was an okay read, but really this should be the end of the Alex Cross series. The tank, Mr Patterson, has run dry. I am a loyal fan, but this? It was sloppy. The title is really meaningless since it is apparent up until the very end that no one really wants to kill Alex Cross.
Half of the story turns out to be a red herring that doesn't even add to it. Alex doesn't even finish the investigation of the second killer. She gets caught by others. Further, elements have been used previousl It was an okay read, but really this should be the end of the Alex Cross series. Further, elements have been used previously. The grief stricken arrogant killer, hello Mary, Mary. The true believer killer, hello Jack and Jill. Even the character of Alex Cross was hardly believable, as though his dialouge was cut and pasted from several other books, as was Sampson and so many other characters.
Really, James Patterson? You write three bestsellers a month, I know this is a lot of work, but you can't put more work into Alex Cross? Just as the stories have gotten lamer, so has the title. Kill Alex Cross? Given what happens, it is more like annoy Alex Cross. While it did hold my attention, note the two stars, but it only reminded me how good this series was.
You can do better, stop producing lame 'bestsellers' that disappear into the bargin bin faster than it takes to say their titles and give us some real Alex Cross. This really reminded me of a Simpson's satire on Where's Waldo where he is just sitting there out in the open, and Bart says, "Oh man you aren't even trying.
View all 4 comments. On top of this, Nana brings home a kid from the streets to join the Cross family. This series seriously takes so many turns but at least it was a turn in his love life the guy had the love life of a teenager in the form of a grown man for a while there! This whole book was interesting and fun to read. It kept my interest from start to finis 4.
It kept my interest from start to finish and I ended up reading it in one-sitting tonight. My quick and simple overall: a really quick, entertaining installment to the Alex Cross series. Jan 15, Randy rated it liked it. I was a bit disappointed in this one. I know most discerning readers have left Patterson behind. But I've been with him for many years, long before he became a factory. No mistake, I don't read much of his stuff anymore. But the Alex Cross books were a guilty pleasure I never minded admitting.
But this could be my last Patterson. Someone has managed to kidnap the President's two children from the private school they attended. The note said, "No demands, no ransom, be prepared to never see your chi I was a bit disappointed in this one. The note said, "No demands, no ransom, be prepared to never see your children again. At the same time, a terrorist cell from a new group known as The Family is working D. The Family in fact tells their members they did kidnap the children.
Here's where I'm disappointed. The kidnapping plot is resolved, no connection to the terrorists, and the other is left hanging. A lot of innocent deaths, both civilian and cops, terrorists dead, one escapes, and the authorities have no idea what's going on. I'm sure it's a set-up for the next book, Patterson's known for that, but authorities made little headway on solving this and then it just stopped.
Almost like filler just to pad out his always thin books anyway. Not recommended. View 2 comments. Apr 23, Carol rated it really liked it. First Read: Able to deal with character development on many levels, Cross and Patterson provide a very entertaining read, if not a refreshing return to Patterson's literary abilities. When the President's children are kidnapped, Cross uses his detective abilities to narrow down the suspects and tries his best to make sense of the clues.
Meanwhile, there is an ongoing 'subplot' involving a terror cell that First Read: Able to deal with character development on many levels, Cross and Patterson provide a very entertaining read, if not a refreshing return to Patterson's literary abilities. Meanwhile, there is an ongoing 'subplot' involving a terror cell that continues to advance throughout the book, unbeknownst and unrelated to the Cross mystery. Alex is later asked to see the president's wife.
The First Lady tells Alex she is confident, and hopes, Alex can help rescue her children. She responds by telling Alex about her children. Two messages are given from the kidnapper, one saying "there will be no ransom" nor negotiations.
Later, when being called upon by the CIA for a private meeting, he discovers the two messages, and also makes up with Ned. President Coyle speaks at the meeting revealing that Al Ayla, otherwise known as "the Family", who are a group of Saudi people, may have something to do with it. Their first mission, together with another couple, is the poisoning of Washington's water supply. Aware that there is a traitor in the Family they kill the other couple afterwards.
Meanwhile, Alex goes to the school and interrogates many, including Zoe's friend, a counselor, the principal, and the male nurse Mr. The kidnapper is revealed to use a recorder to record his thoughts and feelings on why he did the kidnapping and what outcomes he wishes to have.
Nana Mama is kicked down and robbed by a young girl, angering Bree - Alex's wife - who goes looking for the girl. Upon finding her, she brings the girl to Nana to apologize. The girl reveals her name to be Ava and has no parents. Nana and Bree decide to adopt her, against Alex's initial wishes, but he later agrees.
Ava is shown to interact with Jannie and Ali, Alex's children, very well. Alex suspects the killer is the school's janitor after interrogating him, since the janitor runs off. It is later revealed that he's not the kidnapper but has pornographic pictures of children on his computer. Alex later suspects Glass - the school's nurse - is the killer. When asking Glass' wife about Glass, she reveals he wanted to be a doctor, but after the death of their son, Zach, he got mad and blamed everyone for his death.
She also reveals that after a few months, Glass kidnapped her and held her hostage in a basement sort of thing, with food and water. However, he later took her back home, packed his things, left her, and wrote a message saying "sorry.
Alex, the FBI, and others watch Glass, who gets away. Alex soon spots him, and wants to arrest him, but fails and loses him again. Ned tells Alex to call him if he needs a favor. Alex calls upon Ned's and Sampson's help. The three drug Glass, tricking him into showing them where the Coyle children are being kept. After finding them, Alex arrests Glass. Ron Burns informs Alex that due to a lack of evidence, Glass will be in jail for a couple of days only. The First Lady, Zoe, and Ethan thank Alex and tell him the kidnapper was male and spoke into a recorder.
Alex and Sampson find Glass and arrest him again, with the evidence being the recorder found in the glove compartment of his car. Glass tries to get out his gun and is shot by Alex and Sampson in self-defence. Overall quite clean language, Recommend. Second Read: President Coyle's children, Zoe who is depicted as 'always getting in trouble' or starting it and Ethan who is the opposite of his sister, and is often picked on and bullied by fellow students at their middle school , speak to each other alone in a shed, when Secret Service open the door to take them to assembly, they find Zoe and Ethan have been kidnapped.
Upon chasing the van, a massive car crash results soon afterward. Alex interrogates the driver, who is badly injured and sent to the hospital. Alex later learns the driver's name to be Pinkey. Ned feels guilty, and later offers to give info to Alex. Alex later tells his best friend, John Sampson, the case reminds him of the case of Gary Soneji, who was a math teacher that kidnapped two children. The target of their second attack is the Washington Metro.
Hala and Tariq work with a different couple and their two sons but are nearly caught and Hala shoots two cops. After fleeing from the site they are offered a home from Uncle, a member of the Family. The couple with the two sons is later found by the FBI but manages to take their suicide capsules. Uncle and his wife are later arrested and interrogated. It is revealed that the wife is the FBI's secret informer, in exchange for a new life.
She helps them to arrest several Family members on their next mission. Only Hala and Tariq escape, Tariq being shot in the hand. One of the arrested women finally confirms that the kidnapping of the president's children has most likely nothing to do with the Family. At church, the First Lady speaks up about and for Sampson, and his wife, Billie's idea to open up a new school, thinking it to be a good idea.
The entire Cross family get to meet the First Lady. But what and where is the final trap? Who will be the mouse, and who will be the cat? Though the murders are not officially connected, Cross is convinced that one man, nicknamed the weasel, is responsible.
His quest to unmask the killer produces a suspect called Geoffrey Schafer — a British diplomat who turns out to be the most formidable enemy Cross has ever faced.
Schafer is a villain that every reader will see lurking in the shadows. In the sixth instalment of the Alex Cross books, James Patterson once again proves that he is the master of the nonstop nightmare. Is it the work of a cult, savage beasts, or modern-day vampires? The FBI are at a loss, so Cross is called in to take up the case — just as a trail of bloody bodies sweeps the country from Las Vegas to Charleston.
Desperately trying to stop the carnage, Cross plunges into a world of bloodlust and frenzy; all the while stalked, taunted, and threatened by his most terrifying nemesis, the Mastermind.
In Violets are Blue Patterson is at his most shocking best — relentless suspense and psychological thrills kicked up to an all-time high. Alex Cross is ready to resign from the police force when his partner Sampson shows up at his house in desperate need of help. The case is strong enough to send him to the gas chamber; so Cross infiltrates the closed world of the military, in hopes of uncovering overlooked evidence.
In Four Blind Mice , Alex Cross tentatively explores the idea of a future with a woman who offers him new hope, while confronting the fact that his beloved Nana is only human. So when a new case involving a predator known as the Wolf starts to boil over, Cross takes up the trail on his own — one lone wolf tracking another. Using his insights into criminal psychology, he realizes that the Wolf is kidnapping his victims not for ransom, but for sale into slavery.
As Cross takes on the master criminal bringing a new reign of terror to organized crime, Patterson weaves a plot powered by unexpected twists and whiplash surprises. In broad desert daylight a mysterious platoon of soldiers evacuates the entire population of Sunrise Valley, Nevada. Minutes later, a bomb goes off feet above the ground, annihilating their homes, cars, and playgrounds. Alex Cross is on vacation when he gets the call: reports are coming in of similar bombings around the world and its leaders have just four days to prevent an unimaginable cataclysm.
Cross is catapulted into a high-voltage international chase with the Wolf, climaxing in one of the most gripping finales James Patterson has ever written, as Cross races down the hairpin turns of the Riviera.
Yet another holiday is cut short for Alex Cross, when he gets the call about Mary Smith. But will Alex Cross crack this case of blockbuster proportions before the life of another big name is cut short? Set against a backdrop of mystery, gossip, lies, and luxury, this sophisticated thriller will stun and satisfy any Patterson fan. Cross is the thriller that James Patterson fans waited years to read, and the dramatic pinnacle of the detective series.
When he was a rising star in the DC Police Department, an unknown shooter killed his wife Maria right in front of his eyes. The killer was never found, the case turned cold, and Cross's need for vengeance was placed on hold. Years later, his former partner calls in a favor, dragging him from his new, quiet life to track a serial rapist in Georgetown. Will he get the justice he craves? Or will his obsession push him past his breaking point?
His elaborate public performances, turning murders into gruesome spectacles, broadcast citywide, have the whole of the East Coast on strings. But in this complex maze of media hysteria, one thing is certain — this crazed genius will stop at nothing to become the most famous killer to ever terrorize DC.
In the next heart-stopping instalment of the Alex Cross books, a massacre at the home of his oldest friend, and a dangerous underworld in the heart of DC, lead Cross to the Niger Delta — where he continues to chase the terrifying, psychopathic perpetrator of the massacre, known as The Tiger. Unprotected and alone, Cross puts his survival on the line as he journeys deeper into a world of heroin dealing, slave trading, corruption, and conspiracy. In the fearless voice of the DC detective, Patterson tells the harrowing story of Ben Corbett and Abraham Cross — unlikely partners who risk their lives and the lives of their families to investigate a Mississippi resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan.
In this sleepy Southern town, they find hate, oppression, and racism lurking in every corner. When his beloved niece falls victim to the latest DC killer, Alex Cross, grieving and furious, is prepared to confront a dangerous underground world of unchecked power to take him down. As Cross and Brianna close in on the killer, evidence suggests that his niece was mixed up with an infamous private club and the very powerful, very dangerous people who hide their dirty secrets there.
A relentless rollercoaster of jolting plot twists and unimaginable revelations, I, Alex Cross proves nobody can write a more compelling thriller than James Patterson. As theories blaze and the media frenzy explodes, FBI agent Max Siegel is assigned to the case, and locks horns with Cross over legal jurisdiction. The United States is under attack. But while Cross does everything that he can, he finds himself shunted to the fringes of the investigation: someone powerful is using the FBI, the Secret Service, and the CIA to keep him in the dark.
Leaving his own family to decorate the tree, Cross has to head across town to the home of Henry Fowler, a hard-nosed corporate lawyer turned small-time drug hustler, holding his family at gun-point. To prevent this hostage situation from spiralling out of control, Cross will have to dare to risk everything — can his training and his creativity make him a Christmas hero?
A young woman is found hanging from a sixth floor window, her newborn baby is missing, and Alex Cross is called to the scene. But before he can even begin the investigation he gets a call about another body.
When a third body is discovered, Washington DC is sent into an all-out frenzy. With three serial killers on the loose and the bodies piling up faster than he can count, Alex Cross is stretched to his limit, and crushed by the pressure to catch them all. Unfortunately, his enemies know this, too — and one man decides to use Cross's strength as a weapon against him. The stakes are higher than ever before, as a man who has devoted his life to protecting others is unable to protect those closest to his heart without risking their lives.
In Hope to Die , the story set in motion by the first book in this duology, is propelled to a jaw-dropping finish. Everyone Cross loves is being held hostage by his deadly and obsessive enemy, Thierry Mulch.
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