Pop Goes the Weasel (Mass Market Paperback)

by James Patterson (Author) "GEOFFREY SHAFER, DASHINGLY outfitted in a single-breasted blue blazer, white shirt, striped tie, and narrow gray trousers from H. Huntsman & Sons, walked out of..." (more)
Key Phrases: monkey house, homicide scene, Pop Goes the Weasel, Patsy Hampton, Jane Does (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Likened to a "young Muhammad Ali," Alex Cross, the Porsche-driving profiler, doctor, detective, and father of two has seen his fair share of vicious killers. From a bloodthirsty butcher who came after his family (Cat and Mouse) to a devilish duo working cross-country (Kiss the Girls), Cross has managed to outmaneuver all of his enemies. Until he meets the Weasel.

A series of killings in the forgotten, crime-infested ghettos of southeast D.C. has sent Cross and his 6'9" 250-pound partner, John Sampson, in search of the "Jane Doe" killer. However, their racist, tyrannical boss George Pitman orders them to stay out of the southeast and investigate the high-profile murder of a wealthy white man. Cross already has suspicions that the murders are linked, but when Sampson's ex turns up in an abandoned southeast warehouse kicked to death, the two detectives carry on with their original investigation. Meanwhile, Cross's longtime love, Christine (Cat and Mouse), has taken prominence in his life, and it looks as if the two will finally get hitched--with one glitch: Cross puts everything he loves in jeopardy as he obsessively goes after the Weasel.

Akin to a slick Hollywood action flick, Pop Goes the Weasel doesn't have time for meaningful character development or thoughtful moral analysis. And it doesn't need to. Its winning formula is based on short scenes (chapters average about 3 pages), addictive plot progression, and mean dialogue: "Sampson sighed and said, 'I think her tongue is stapled inside the other girl. I'm pretty sure that's it, Alex. The Weasel stapled them together.' I looked at the two girls and shook my head. 'I don't think so. A staple, even a surgical one, would come apart on the tongue's surface.... Crazy glue would work." --Rebekah Warren --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
Patterson dedicates his latest (after 1998's When the Wind Blows) to "the millions of Alex Cross readers who so frequently ask 'Can't you write faster?'" Those readers won't be disappointed: the successful formula is in high gear, with the Washington, D.C., psychologist/homicide detective up to his ears in unsolved murders. This tale features a duplicitous villain, a glut of dirty office politics and the inevitable threat to someone Cross just can't live without. A highly moral character, Cross is now firmly rooted in many imaginations as Morgan Freeman, who played him in the film version of Kiss the Girls. When he's not caring for Damon and Jannie, his two young children, Cross takes boys to visit their fathers in prison and works in a soup kitchen. After his boss, Chief Pittman, refuses to believe that a serial killer is striking in the neglected Southeast section, Cross and four other officers work extra hours on their own, the only ones who really care. Readers learn early on that the killer is a British diplomat, Geoffrey Shafer, a chilling madman ostensibly holding his sanity together with drugs. Shafer is obsessed with a real-life version of a computer game called the Four Horsemen, during which he masquerades as a taxi driver who kills his unsuspecting passengers. If Shafer is almost too good to be trueAanother fictional psychopath with infinite resourcesAPatterson is shrewd enough to show him making mistakes (like forgetting to wash) as he comes apart at the seams. The killer is caught in the middle of the narrative, setting the scene for a bold courtroom drama. Even the disappearance of Cross's new lady love (his wife was killed in a previous book) is less of a clich?d device than a ritual sacrifice as Patterson's well-oiled suspense machine grinds away with solid precision. 1 million first printing; $1 million ad/promo; 14-city author tour; Time Warner audio. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; First U.S. Paperback Printing edition (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446608815
• ISBN-13: 978-0446608817
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (371 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,991 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #48 in	Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers > Psychological & Suspense
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• This is item 5 in The Alex Cross Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks again Mr. Patterson!, December 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pop Goes the Weasel (Alex Cross) (Hardcover)

James Patterson is just good! Anyone who has read his Alex Cross novels know that. Pop Goes the Weasel is soooo good. The moment I started reading it, I could not put it down. I took it to work with me and would actually read it in my cubicle. If you have never read an Alex Cross novel, you can start with this one. Patterson does not give away information on previous novels that would ruin those stories, so please read them. This book is not for the squeemish. There are some graphic parts so be forewarned. Although this is not as graphic as Kiss the Girls, if Kiss the Girls was hard for you to read, then you may want to reconsider this one. I doubt this one will dissapoint you on those lonely, cold winter nights coming up. ENJOY!

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book To Read, November 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pop Goes the Weasel (Alex Cross) (Hardcover)

Pop Goes The Weasel is an excellent book to read. It is the first book that I have read that is by James Patterson. I read this book in 4 days. Once you start it you won't be able to put it down. I recommend this book to anybody who likes mysteries or suspense.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent entertainment, November 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pop Goes the Weasel (Alex Cross) (Hardcover)

I very much engaged with Alex Cross, John Sampson and Christine. At one point in the book I thought it was about to become very predictable, but the book came up with some good twists. The villain was unusual, interesting and, for me, very frightening. One reviewed complained about being set-up for a sequel. I guess this is somewhat true but I view the book as more of an ongoing saga about interesting characters. In this way it is like Patricia Cornwell who had a focus on one villain for quite a few books.