Alex Cross's TRIAL [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

James Patterson (Author), Richard DiLallo (Author), Dylan Baker (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 24, 2009

The year is 1906, and America is segregated. Hatred and discrimination plague the streets, the classroom, and the courts. But in Washington D.C., Ben Corbett, a smart and courageous lawyer, makes it his mission to confront injustice at every turn. He represents those who nobody else dares defend, merely because of the color of their skin. When President Roosevelt, under whom Ben served in the Spanish-American war, asks Ben to investigate rumors of the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in his home town in Mississippi, he cannot refuse.

The details of Ben's harrowing story--and his experiences with a remarkable man named Abraham Cross--were passed from generation to generation, until they were finally recounted to Alex Cross by his grandmother, Nana Mama. From the first time hear heard the story, Alex was unable to forget the unimaginable events Ben witnessed in Eudora and pledged to tell it to the world. Alex Cross's Trial is unlike any story Patterson has ever told, but offers the astounding action and breakneck speed of any Alex Cross novel. (2009)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Framed as a book written by Patterson's iconic detective, Alex Cross, the story centers on the relationship between Cross's great-uncle Abraham and civil rights lawyer Ben Corbett, who teamed up at the turn of the 20th century to fight the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi. Shawn Andrew's turn as Alex in the introduction is unmemorable, but Dylan Baker, the core narrator, captures listeners with keen emphasis and pacing. Even if his voice tends to be a bit caricatured (his Theodore Roosevelt invokes an old-time radio shtick), his overall efforts—coupled with typical Patterson pacing and prose—will keep listeners hooked. A Little, Brown hardcover. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Dylan Baker, the core narrator, captures listeners with keen emphasis and pacing...His overall efforts-coupled with typical Patterson pacing and prose-will keep listeners hooked." (Publishers Weekly )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Hachette Audio; Unabridged edition (August 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600248535
• ISBN-13: 978-1600248535
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 2 x 5.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (213 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #795,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #95 in Books > Books on CD > Authors, A-Z > ( P ) > Patterson, James

More About the Author

From my publisher:

James Patterson...


* James Patterson holds the New York Times bestsellers list record with 63 New York Times bestselling titles.

* JP has sold more than 220 million books worldwide. And considering pass-along and libraries, it's safe to say many more people than that have read a Patterson!

* In 2010, JP was named by kids everywhere the Children's Book Councils' Children's Choice Book Awards "Author of the Year" in 2010. More than 15,000 kid and teen readers voted for JP in a category he shared with Suzanne Collins, Carl Hiaasen, Jeff Kinney, and Rick Riordan. His Witch and Wizard series saw the biggest launch of a series for young readers ever, surpassing sales of first installments of Twilight, Diary of A Wimpy Kid, and Percy Jackson & The Olympians.

* JP has grossed over 3 billion dollars in worldwide sales. This is larger than the worldwide theatrical gross of Avatar, the highest grossing film of all time.

* JP has had 43 New York Times hardcover #1 bestselling novels, also a publishing industry record.

* Last year, JP has sold more books than John Grisham, Dan Brown, Tom Clancy, and Stephen King combined (source: Nielsen BookScan).

* JP properties are gaining wide interest amongst film and TV producers. JP's award-winning series for young readers, Maximum Ride, is currently with Avi Arad (Spiderman, Iron Man) and Universal Pictures. Lloyd Levin (Green Zone, Watchmen) is attached to produce a feature film adaptation of JP's newest young readers series, Witch and Wizard, and James Patterson Entertainment is set to produce the next Alex Cross film, I, Alex Cross which will feature Idris Elba (The Wire, The Losers) as Alex Cross. And, a television adaptation of JP's 2007 love story Sundays At Tiffanys aired in December 2010 starring Alyssa Milano and Eric Winter.

* JP's books are licensed in 43 countries worldwide, and are in print and actively sold in 100 countries.

* According to a 2010 Bowker Sisters in Crime Survey, JP is the favorite mystery writer amongst readers under 50...AND over 50! Survey respondents comprised American men, women and teens who bought at least one mystery fiction title in 2009 and/or 2010.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

337 of 385 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars BEWARE--Not really an Alex Cross book, August 28, 2009

By 

T. Anderson (PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Alex Cross's TRIAL (Hardcover)

In typical Patterson style, this book was a very easy and fast read: the chapters are short, the font is large, and the descriptive text is kept to a minimum. That pretty much sums up the good qualities of the book. Patterson should be ashamed of himself titling this book Alex Cross's Trial. This is clearly a marketing ploy to lure in unsuspecting Alex Cross fans. The first two pages are about Alex Cross and he is not mentioned again in the entire 380 pages. The book is really about lynching in the South in the early 1900s. There aren't any twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader riveted and the conclusion is absolutely non-climatic. A real disappointment.

104 of 119 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Is James Patterson even writing these books anymore????, September 6, 2009

By 

jeff (PETERSBURG, VA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alex Cross's TRIAL (Hardcover)

This will be my last James Patterson book, if for no other reason that I'm pissed that a book with "Alex Cross" in the title IS NOT AN ALEX CROSS BOOK. If this isn't false advertising, I don't know what is. As someone who has read almost everything James Patterson has ever written, it's hard for me to believe that Patterson even had a hand in this one, or in the last one (Cross Country) for that matter. I think Patterson has sold out, and is letting just about anyone stick his name on their book. There are too many GOOD authors out there to keep wasting your money on this guy.

162 of 195 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Racism fuels the fires of the deep south in 1906., August 24, 2009

By 

Cla. Cage (aiding cancer research.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alex Cross's TRIAL (Hardcover)

It is hard to find authors as popular as James Patterson, and his Alex Cross books are at the epicenter. Let's remove the Patterson name for a moment and take an in-depth look at this newest novel. In 1906, race relations are being threatened; The war has just ended; Equality is still a foreign concept -- especially in the south. Theodore Roosevelt (the President of the USA) has placed an urgent call to Ben Corbett - a prestigious lawyer - summoning him to The White House. The President instructs Corbett to seek the aid of Abraham Cross in his home town of Mississippi, and together, investigate the outbreak of burning and lynching of minorities.

When he does arrive, it doesn't take him long to find Cross whom is being escorted by a beautiful young woman, Moody. Moody is Cross' grand daughter and together they show Corbett the true extent of the hate-filled assaults in a once peaceful town. While it does take Ben Corbett a while to accept the truth, he does finally come to realize just how dire the situation is. I'll stop there so I don't spoil the story for anyone whom has yet to read this brilliant novel. There are so many twists-and turns (the biggest being Abraham Cross - the grandfather of Alex) The racial overtones are done incredibly well, and while it is graphic at times, they do serve a greater purpose and keep the novel on track.

Now let's put the Patterson name back, and this good novel becomes great. Patterson is the master of suspense, intrigue, and lifellike characters that change and evolve the story to a level that only a very few authors can replicate. Do I really need to mention this? I mean seriously, if you don't know how good Patterson is...then that cave you live in must be nice and cozy. I'm joking. This latest novel to grace the Patterson name is an exciting thrill ride, that moves along at breakneck speeds and gives the reader a reason to place Patterson back on top of the genre. Well done. Well done, indeed.