Cross (Hardcover)

by James Patterson (Author)
Key Phrases: lab workers, Michael Sullivan, New York, Jimmy Hats (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Forensic psychologist Alex Cross's storied career in private practice, with the FBI and as a Washington, D.C., cop has brought him into contact with all kinds of seriously disturbed killers, but his 12th outing from bestseller Patterson (after 2005's Mary, Mary) may be the ultimate in lunatic deadliness. Beginning with a flashback to the murder of Cross's wife, Maria, Patterson quickly introduces Michael Sullivan (aka the Butcher of Sligo). What follows is a frenetically paced series of brutal rapes and killings by Sullivan, once employed by the mob as a freelancer and now at war with them. Cross juggles being a single parent and being involved in the dangerous game of tracking serial killers until he finally decides to give it up for his family. Needless to say, he's drawn back into the game when it promises a chance of finding Maria's killer. Cross's competence and vulnerability make a stark contrast with Sullivan's sadistic mutilations and psychological manipulations of his victims. Fans know that Cross will survive, but at what cost? (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Patterson's departure from the nursery-rhyme titles in his latest Alex Cross yarn is a tip-off that the focus this time is not so much on the case as on the man. For the first time in Patterson's 13-year-old series, we relive the day in 1993 when Cross' wife, Maria, was murdered. Alex was a young gun with the D.C. police then, and Maria was a social worker in the poorest and most dangerous section of the city before she became the victim of a drive-by shooting. Cut to the present, and Alex--who has been with the FBI for some time, become a successful crime writer, and started to lose a bit of that "dragon slayer" touch--decides to devote more time to his three kids, much to the delight of Nana Mama, Alex's nonagenarian three-in-one grandmother, nanny, and guiding light. Alex is nothing if not loyal, so when his former partner John Sampson asks him to help track down a sicko who is serially raping Georgetown coeds, Alex cannot say no. Little does he know, however, that the search for the rapist will have ties to Maria's death. That her killer was never found is a constant source of frustration for Alex, and this case offers a chance to finally put Maria's memory to rest. Even as the story whips by with incredible speed, Patterson manages to pack it full of suspense, emotion, and a resolution that, while perfectly satisfying, carries the author's trademark teaser hinting at the "more" that surely will come. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (November 13, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316159794
• ISBN-13: 978-0316159791
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (257 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #26,229 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 12 in The Alex Cross Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Saying goodbye to Alex Cross, April 23, 2007

By	Brenna Iles "Brenna" (Northern Kentucky) - See all my reviews

When I first heard that James Patterson had written a book about the biggest murder mystery of Alex Cross's life I couldn't wait to read it. I expected no less of Cross than any of his other books I couldn't help but enjoy.

This book gave some much-needed background on Alex Cross and his wife Maria before she died. Many of the other books glaze over the subject. It was nice to be able to fill in the background of this story.

Patterson also gave more of a spotlight to Cross's Grandmother and showed her as a real person with love and a lot more fear for Cross and his job than she ever showed in any of the other books. If you ask me she is the real hero of this series.

When it became time for Cross to finally find the man that killed his wife the story line falls flat. I didn't find it a clever twist. I found the end so unbelievable. It didn't fit with anything that had happened.

I have always admired Patterson for his ability to create suspense and this novel is no exception. The suspense isn't lacking, it's the conclusion I found out of sync with his usual level.

75 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely stupendous..., November 14, 2006

By	Robert Busko (Waynesville, NC USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I know why James Patterson is such a success and so will you when you read Cross, the latest Alex Cross novel. I came late to the series and have struggled to get caught up and I will eventually read the entire backlist. However, whether you're a old Patterson fan or Cross is you're first Patterson book, you're in for a treat.

Suspensful, fast paced, and well crafted with little or no fat between the pages, Cross grabs your attention and holds it for the entire story. While Cross may be a little graphic for some readers, certainly the violence isn't gratuitous but an integral and necessary part of the story. And if you're used to Patterson's stories theres nothing here that will surprise you.

Alex Cross has decided to put down his career and retire to just being a Dad. This decision doesn't last long however when he's asked to help nab Michael Sullivan, one of the worst serial rapists and professional killers to come a long in a while. Playing a game of "red light green light" Sullivan manages to lull his victims into a false sense of security. After he's finished with them all he has to do is show them pictures of some of his victims, a scalpel and that's that; end of discussion.

Cross quickly links his wife's murder 13 years ago to Sullivan.

At 393 pages you should be able to handle this book in a weekend if you haven't any interuptions.

A terrific and memorable read.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I'm a Little Cross Myself, May 14, 2007

By	Jennifer Wardrip (Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having been a long-time fan of the Alex Cross series, I was eager to open up my copy of CROSS. A lot of what I love about the series and Patterson's writing were inside the pages of this book: short chapters, straight-to-the-point dialogue, a fast-moving plot. The only problem is that the plot, in general, left me wanting to yell at someone.

I can overlook the fact that Alex Cross's wife apparently didn't die the way he had originally stated. I can even overlook the fact that after fourteen years and several other relationships (one that even ended in producing a son), Alex now seems obsessed with "getting over" his long-dead wife.

What I couldn't overlook was the fact that with this book, besides being a detailed description of his wife's murder and Alex's new committment to finding her killer, there's not a whole lot else there. The Alex in this book is moody, melancholy, and totally anti-Alex Cross to the point that I wasn't even sure, halfway through the book, that I was reading about the same character.

He's not the only one, though. His children, his friends, and even dear old Nana Mama are all acting out of character--and not in good ways.

Sure, the "mystery and suspense" part of the story is a pretty good one. Patteron's writing style is always a welcome change to me.

CROSS, though, is one Alex Cross story I could have done without.