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Alex Cross #21
Cross My Heart
James Patterson raises the stakes to their highest level, ever-when Alex Cross becomes the obsession of a genius of menace set on proving that he is the greatest mind in the history of crime.
Detective Alex Cross is a family man at heart--nothing matters more to him than his children, his grandmother, and his wife Bree. His love of his family is his anchor, and gives him the strength to confront evil in his work. One man knows this deeply, and uses Alex's strength as a weapon against him in the most unsettling and unexpected novel of James Patterson's career.
When the ones Cross loves are in danger, he will do anything to protect them. If he does anything to protect them, they will die.
CROSS MY HEART is the most powerful Alex Cross novel ever, propelled by the ever-ingenious mind of James Patterson, the world's #1 bestselling writer.
Detective Alex Cross is a family man at heart--nothing matters more to him than his children, his grandmother, and his wife Bree. His love of his family is his anchor, and gives him the strength to confront evil in his work. One man knows this deeply, and uses Alex's strength as a weapon against him in the most unsettling and unexpected novel of James Patterson's career.
When the ones Cross loves are in danger, he will do anything to protect them. If he does anything to protect them, they will die.
CROSS MY HEART is the most powerful Alex Cross novel ever, propelled by the ever-ingenious mind of James Patterson, the world's #1 bestselling writer.
530 pages, ebook
First published November 25, 2013
2453 people are currently reading
18092 people want to read
About the author
James Patterson
958 books356k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,207 reviews
December 4, 2013
Are you kidding me?
I really can't believe Patterson did this to his fans. It almost feels like he keeps pushing his readers and seeing how much they will take without telling him to go to hell. First he started by publishing books others write, then he continued by pumping out ridiculous novels in other series. That being said, the Alex Cross series had remained his bastion of glory. He is the one writing the books and for the most part they have been pretty good.
As I read this book I was rejoicing on how good the story was. I liked how he started by showing us Alex in a desperate situation and then going back several days and telling us how he got to that point. The story interweaves a couple of different plots nicely and keeps us reading at a very good pace. A psycho is after Alex and his family, a killer that attacks massage parlors is on the loose, someone is kidnapping babies, and there is also the continuing story of Ava, the runaway.
Everything was going great, and as the story was rushing to its end I was feeling like Patterson was once again at the top of his game. But then the author punched me in the face! He ended the book without an ending! At all! I am not talking about those novels in which you get a conclusion and then there is a thread left loose so it can be picked up in the next novel in the series. In this case it is as if they just took a novel, split it in part and just gave us one of the parts. This is the most egregious money grab I have seen from this author yet.
Luckily I have decided not to ever buy a James Patterson book again, so having borrowed this from the library I feel like my contribution to the author's thieving has been minor. It is almost getting to the point at which not even borrowing these feel worthwhile though. This author has clearly lay down the blueprint for any other famous author as to how to destroy your name and the faith readers have in your skills.
I really can't believe Patterson did this to his fans. It almost feels like he keeps pushing his readers and seeing how much they will take without telling him to go to hell. First he started by publishing books others write, then he continued by pumping out ridiculous novels in other series. That being said, the Alex Cross series had remained his bastion of glory. He is the one writing the books and for the most part they have been pretty good.
As I read this book I was rejoicing on how good the story was. I liked how he started by showing us Alex in a desperate situation and then going back several days and telling us how he got to that point. The story interweaves a couple of different plots nicely and keeps us reading at a very good pace. A psycho is after Alex and his family, a killer that attacks massage parlors is on the loose, someone is kidnapping babies, and there is also the continuing story of Ava, the runaway.
Everything was going great, and as the story was rushing to its end I was feeling like Patterson was once again at the top of his game. But then the author punched me in the face! He ended the book without an ending! At all! I am not talking about those novels in which you get a conclusion and then there is a thread left loose so it can be picked up in the next novel in the series. In this case it is as if they just took a novel, split it in part and just gave us one of the parts. This is the most egregious money grab I have seen from this author yet.
Luckily I have decided not to ever buy a James Patterson book again, so having borrowed this from the library I feel like my contribution to the author's thieving has been minor. It is almost getting to the point at which not even borrowing these feel worthwhile though. This author has clearly lay down the blueprint for any other famous author as to how to destroy your name and the faith readers have in your skills.
December 1, 2013
This book is hard to write a review on, because reading it I was thoroughly enjoying it, and excitedly turned the page. The characters were great, the story was great, everything was great, great, great.
Then the book ended, or I should say, it didn't end. Seriously, it is like the book is missing the last few chapters, as it just ends with no conclusion. I sat there staring at the book for 5 minutes thinking what idiocy this is? who does this?
There is nothing I hate more than authors who so obviously write books for the purpose to make money, and for no reason split up stories that could be one book over 2 or 3 as it means they can sell more and more.
Should you buy? being annoyed as I am, I would say no, but if you are a dedicated Alex Cross fan you will buy this and then we can all cross our fingers and hope that the next book makes up for this catastrophe.
Then the book ended, or I should say, it didn't end. Seriously, it is like the book is missing the last few chapters, as it just ends with no conclusion. I sat there staring at the book for 5 minutes thinking what idiocy this is? who does this?
There is nothing I hate more than authors who so obviously write books for the purpose to make money, and for no reason split up stories that could be one book over 2 or 3 as it means they can sell more and more.
Should you buy? being annoyed as I am, I would say no, but if you are a dedicated Alex Cross fan you will buy this and then we can all cross our fingers and hope that the next book makes up for this catastrophe.
November 29, 2013
I could not believe the ending. At first I thought my ipad skipped 30 pages...what can I say BUT complete bull_ _ _ T!
I have read 90% of Patterson's books and his next one should be FREE.
Can someone send my rating to Mr Patterson. I cannot believe he did this to his readers.
I have read 90% of Patterson's books and his next one should be FREE.
Can someone send my rating to Mr Patterson. I cannot believe he did this to his readers.
March 4, 2014
Countless other reviewers already have let the cat out of the bag, so I won't hesitate to carry it forward: This book is a prequel to another one - and a totally unfinished prequel at that. Needless to say, the bulk of the other reviews I've read have not been kind (and that's putting it mildly). And I get it: Paying $7.50 for a Kindle version (or, at last check, the hardcover price of $14.50) only to find you'll have to buy the next book to learn how this one ends seems tacky, to say the least.
For what it's worth, here's how Patterson explains it at the end of the book:
"Most of us have had at least some taste of tragedy in our lives...this is uncomfortable to experience firsthand - or even secondhand in a novel we've chosen to read...I ask that you understand that I wrote the ending this way because I am trying to be true to Alex - and to you, and to myself...
"I believe that to be true to life - and to art - one has to accept tragedy as part of it and, from there, allow for the human spirit - be it Alex's, mine, yours - to pull us through."
I'm not sure that's a good enough explanation, but I do know that if he'd made it known ahead of time that the end of this one isn't in sight, I'd have given it 5 stars. In fact, IMHO it's one of the best in the series about Detective Alex Cross that's come around in a long time. Sure, there are a few spots that are sappy and contrived - true of all the books in the series - but all in all the plot held my interest all the way to the end that isn't an end. As Cross and his wife Bree work on separate murder scenes and try to locate a one-time foster child who's gone astray, Cross discovers they're all dealing with a madman who's a master of disguises and is out to destroy everything Cross holds dear - most notably Bree, his nonagenarian Nana Mama and his children - to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there is such a thing as the perfect murder.
Truth is, I'm already pretty sure there've been quite a number of near "perfect" murders over the years. And were it not for the fact that I'll have to buy the next book if I really care to know how this one ends (and I'm not sure that I do), this book might have ended up near perfect as well.
For what it's worth, here's how Patterson explains it at the end of the book:
"Most of us have had at least some taste of tragedy in our lives...this is uncomfortable to experience firsthand - or even secondhand in a novel we've chosen to read...I ask that you understand that I wrote the ending this way because I am trying to be true to Alex - and to you, and to myself...
"I believe that to be true to life - and to art - one has to accept tragedy as part of it and, from there, allow for the human spirit - be it Alex's, mine, yours - to pull us through."
I'm not sure that's a good enough explanation, but I do know that if he'd made it known ahead of time that the end of this one isn't in sight, I'd have given it 5 stars. In fact, IMHO it's one of the best in the series about Detective Alex Cross that's come around in a long time. Sure, there are a few spots that are sappy and contrived - true of all the books in the series - but all in all the plot held my interest all the way to the end that isn't an end. As Cross and his wife Bree work on separate murder scenes and try to locate a one-time foster child who's gone astray, Cross discovers they're all dealing with a madman who's a master of disguises and is out to destroy everything Cross holds dear - most notably Bree, his nonagenarian Nana Mama and his children - to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there is such a thing as the perfect murder.
Truth is, I'm already pretty sure there've been quite a number of near "perfect" murders over the years. And were it not for the fact that I'll have to buy the next book if I really care to know how this one ends (and I'm not sure that I do), this book might have ended up near perfect as well.
December 4, 2013
This is a somewhat short book. The story was ok but should have been finished in this book. I think the author is getting greedy and wants people to buy the next book to make even more money.
Alex Cross is becoming tedious and predictable. I used to look forward to the next book but after reading this book I look forward to the demise of Cross.
Alex Cross is becoming tedious and predictable. I used to look forward to the next book but after reading this book I look forward to the demise of Cross.
December 18, 2013
Anyone who knows anything about writing knows the lesson of never tricking the reader. For example, having a story that ends with the main character waking from a dream that the reader had been tricked into believing was a true event. James Patterson tricks the reader into thinking this is a novel with an ending, when in reality it is only half the story. We do know there will be a second novel finishing this story but did not know that until reading the last page. (interesting that in the hardback version the reader is further tricked by pages left at the end thinking there is more to read when it is only an apology from the author and an excerpt from another novel)
When I was a kid ( and here I am dating myself) we used to go to Saturday morning matinees and see serials like Flash Gordon or Rocket Man. These always ended as cliff hangers to be continued, but we knew that going in. Unless one reads one of these reviews, there is no warning this novel is a set up for a continuation. Patterson has committed the unpardonable sin of not only tricking his readership but in my opinion, stealing from them.
Sadly, most of us will buy the next Alex Cross when in fact we should be returning our copies of "Cross My Heart", demanding our money back
When I was a kid ( and here I am dating myself) we used to go to Saturday morning matinees and see serials like Flash Gordon or Rocket Man. These always ended as cliff hangers to be continued, but we knew that going in. Unless one reads one of these reviews, there is no warning this novel is a set up for a continuation. Patterson has committed the unpardonable sin of not only tricking his readership but in my opinion, stealing from them.
Sadly, most of us will buy the next Alex Cross when in fact we should be returning our copies of "Cross My Heart", demanding our money back
June 8, 2018
This ending was a ridiculous emotional rollercoaster ride! Like most readers I’m attached to Cross’s family do have to go right to the next book of the series right away because of that cliff hanger. This was an amazing installment all around. Incredible crime plots with so much suspense at the end.
My quick and simple overall: quick read but that ending was so suspenseful and now I have to go started the next book right now.
My quick and simple overall: quick read but that ending was so suspenseful and now I have to go started the next book right now.
December 18, 2015
4.5★s
The haunting of Detective Bree Cross came from the cases she was currently working – young babies snatched from their mothers in innocent circumstances; would they ever see them again? And for Detective Alex Cross, the current spate of murders across the city had the force run off their feet. With partner Detective John Sampson by his side, Alex was tormented and frustrated by a killer who was bettering them at every turn.
But worse, much worse was to come – and with it, it became personal. Alex’s greatest love was his family – his grandmother Nana Mama, wife Bree and children, Damon, Jannie and Ali. And someone was out to bring Alex Cross down in a big way…
Wow!! Breathtaking and intense, Cross My Heart by James Patterson was up there with the best of them. But what’s with the ending? Or should I say non-ending! Thank goodness I’ve already bought the next one! I thoroughly enjoy the Detective Alex Cross series and this one was no different; closure would work better for me though… Highly recommended.
The haunting of Detective Bree Cross came from the cases she was currently working – young babies snatched from their mothers in innocent circumstances; would they ever see them again? And for Detective Alex Cross, the current spate of murders across the city had the force run off their feet. With partner Detective John Sampson by his side, Alex was tormented and frustrated by a killer who was bettering them at every turn.
But worse, much worse was to come – and with it, it became personal. Alex’s greatest love was his family – his grandmother Nana Mama, wife Bree and children, Damon, Jannie and Ali. And someone was out to bring Alex Cross down in a big way…
Wow!! Breathtaking and intense, Cross My Heart by James Patterson was up there with the best of them. But what’s with the ending? Or should I say non-ending! Thank goodness I’ve already bought the next one! I thoroughly enjoy the Detective Alex Cross series and this one was no different; closure would work better for me though… Highly recommended.
November 9, 2013
Receiving an advanced copy of James' book has its advantages. I am not going to spoil things for others since the book will not be released until 11/25, but I will give you my thoughts. I almost thought for a bit that this was the end of Alex Cross. I had to put the book down with approximately 20 pages until the end. I really had to mentally prepare myself to accept however the book would end. Alex Cross and his family have become like my family over the years. I have invested a lot of time in getting to know them. I have found myself almost in tears in previous books; this book was no exception. That is all I am going to say.
I can't imagine how Mr. Patterson is ever going to end the Alex Cross series. I can't imagine it ever ending. I have become so immersed in the Cross family that any other ending than a good one would probably kill me and other fans too!
Keep up the great work Mr. Patterson. I cannot wait until the Cross family comes into my life again.
Happy Reading All!
I can't imagine how Mr. Patterson is ever going to end the Alex Cross series. I can't imagine it ever ending. I have become so immersed in the Cross family that any other ending than a good one would probably kill me and other fans too!
Keep up the great work Mr. Patterson. I cannot wait until the Cross family comes into my life again.
Happy Reading All!
January 6, 2014
One star is too much for this. If you, like me, are invested in the family of Alex Cross, Nana Mama, and the kids, you will want to read this book. Well, try to control yourself, because it ends on a ridiculous cliff-hanger and you will have to wait a year or more to get to the next book to see what happens. Not me. I'm done with Patterson's antics. This is seriously not fair to the reader and seems just greedy to me. The only author who could get away with this is a big name like Patterson. Pay for another book to see how this one ends? Don't you have any professional integrity, Patterson? Of the two plots in the book, one is actually solved, although by an enormous stretch of the imagination (never could really happen that way). The main plot is not only never solved, the reader is dropped off just as Alex is in the worst position imaginable (and actually, this plot is also not believable). This author has lost me and many others who will never pick up his books again. Not one penny of my money will ever go to him again. There are too many good books out there to waste time on this.
December 4, 2013
What a disappointment. I have loved this series (and others) by James Patterson but I don't think I will be reading any more. The ending was abrupt and there was no resolution as you should expect in a thriller; it just petered out. I like novels which leave questions at the end (food for thought) but this was simply badly written. It also had Cross implying the culprit was someone whom we know did not do it, so it was all very odd. I assume that this is a technique to get readers to buy the next in the series where (presumably) we find out what actually happened. But sadly, I won't be one of them. I also feel that the Cross family was an excellent narrative creation to provide a counter-point to the horrendous parts of Alex's job: a safe haven with excellent characterisation. But now there is no such contrast, as Cross's family and background have been written as merging totally with the criminal (and insane!) scenes. Oh dear...why did Patterson think all that was OK?
May 7, 2016
Cross My Heart is the twenty-first book in the Alex Cross series by prolific American author, James Patterson. While Alex Cross and his friend John Samson are kept busy with a multiple murder/kidnapping in a massage parlour, Detective Bree Stone investigates the abduction of a child from a day care centre. At the same time, Alex and Bree are trying to track down Ava, the troubled teen who has recently run away from their home. And unbeknownst to Alex and Bree, a ruthless murderer is targeting their family.
The theme of Alex Cross’s family being, once again, in grave danger from a criminal with some sort of grudge against him, is perhaps wearing just a bit thin, although this time it is carried a lot further than previously. And while his family’s somewhat casual attitude to personal security may be explained away by the cleverly staged situations in which they are taken, readers may wonder at the lack of any sort of security devices like motion sensors (a pretty standard installation in many households) in the home of such a high-profile cop.
Patterson’s trademark short chapters have the story moving along at a fast pace; the villains are suitably evil, if shallow; there are twists and red herrings, there are masters of disguise, and while three of the ongoing matters are satisfactorily resolved, some with a dramatic climax, the book ends in a huge cliff-hanger, something which certainly annoyed faithful readers, especially those who had to wait 22 months for the next book, Hope To Die. Another Patterson page-turner.
The theme of Alex Cross’s family being, once again, in grave danger from a criminal with some sort of grudge against him, is perhaps wearing just a bit thin, although this time it is carried a lot further than previously. And while his family’s somewhat casual attitude to personal security may be explained away by the cleverly staged situations in which they are taken, readers may wonder at the lack of any sort of security devices like motion sensors (a pretty standard installation in many households) in the home of such a high-profile cop.
Patterson’s trademark short chapters have the story moving along at a fast pace; the villains are suitably evil, if shallow; there are twists and red herrings, there are masters of disguise, and while three of the ongoing matters are satisfactorily resolved, some with a dramatic climax, the book ends in a huge cliff-hanger, something which certainly annoyed faithful readers, especially those who had to wait 22 months for the next book, Hope To Die. Another Patterson page-turner.
June 29, 2017
I find I have been disappointed in these books for quite a while, but I hold out hope because they were so good in the beginning.
I hated that this had a non-ending. I like that typically a mystery wraps up in one book and then we move on to something else. However, I also think that things go too easily for Alex Cross, and I find it hard to believe that his entire family would still be alive while all these "brilliant criminals" are trying to hurt him.
Kiss the Girls and Roses are Red were two fantastic novels in this series, but the last eight have been mediocre? There are too many damn books in this series. And not enough of them worth it. Does that mean I will stop? No, apparently I am a glutton for punishment and have to know how it ends. I have invested too much time to stop now. Damn you, James Patterson.
I hated that this had a non-ending. I like that typically a mystery wraps up in one book and then we move on to something else. However, I also think that things go too easily for Alex Cross, and I find it hard to believe that his entire family would still be alive while all these "brilliant criminals" are trying to hurt him.
Kiss the Girls and Roses are Red were two fantastic novels in this series, but the last eight have been mediocre? There are too many damn books in this series. And not enough of them worth it. Does that mean I will stop? No, apparently I am a glutton for punishment and have to know how it ends. I have invested too much time to stop now. Damn you, James Patterson.
December 16, 2013
This is NOT a book. It is junk mail advertising an as yet unwritten book. It is frustrating and annoying. I will not look at anything from James Patterson again - he has jumped the shark as they say - he has become a con-man. The arrogant disregard with which he treats his fan base is unbelievable, and it is going to shoot him in the foot. I will certainly take every opportunity to disparage him if his name comes up - as will many others if these reviews are any indication.
June 10, 2023
Dang! I thought I was going to have to come after James Patterson over Nana!
This was another intense one.
Poor Alex ran all over like a chicken with his head cut off.
I love that Bree & Alex were able to work together a bit on this one, but dang those kids are really fed up and making mistakes.
That cliffhanger was immense!
Can't wait to read the next one.
4.5 Stars, rounded up to 5.
This was another intense one.
Poor Alex ran all over like a chicken with his head cut off.
I love that Bree & Alex were able to work together a bit on this one, but dang those kids are really fed up and making mistakes.
That cliffhanger was immense!
Can't wait to read the next one.
4.5 Stars, rounded up to 5.
September 25, 2020
Second Read: 02/05/16 Read this book again, forgot that I'd already read it. There were some specific points that I didn't remember that were quite good. Well done, slightly rough!! I think I liked it more the second time than the first.
First Read: 10/2/15 I really really liked this one too. The suspense and the way the writers keep us hanging on is no small feat. Then I read the latest novel and get blown away....again. Entirely gripping the entire way through-I found it difficult to put the book down at all. The twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat.
I loved the Cross family, like usual, and I liked the villains. All I know now is that I NEED the next book in the series. Well written and WHAT an ending....
Alex Cross is a widower-detective-father and son of Ali Cross who often fights against threatening villains—and criminals—who wish to kill Cross and others. It mainly focuses on Cross trying to solve very difficult cases while attempting to maintain a relationship with his family. For example, in Merry Christmas, Alex Cross, Cross misses out on Christmas Eve and Christmas itself to focus on finding and defeating a terrorist group. One of his regular foes in the earlier books is Gary Soneji, the "Mastermind" who wants to kill Cross, out of revenge for Alex putting him in prison. In some books, Cross sometimes works with—or against—the President/Secret Service in a few books such as Along Came a Spider, Jack & Jill, I, Alex Cross, and Kill Alex Cross. An ongoing theme in the earlier novels is the unsolved murder of his first wife, Maria. Cross later reveals another reason for trying to solve the cases: so he can protect his family from danger. Cross currently lives on Fifth Street in Southeast Washington, D.C., along with grandmother Nana Mama, children Damon, Janelle ("Jannie"), and Alex Jr. ("Ali"), and his current and new wife, Brianna "Bree" Stone-Cross.
When Alex was 9, his father died of alcoholism, a year after his mother died. He went to Washington, D.C., to live with his grandmother—Nana Mama. During his childhood, he met his later best friend John Sampson. He also later met his wife, Maria, in Washington, and married her. After giving birth to two children, a few months or years later, she is murdered. Alex later meets a woman named Christine, who becomes pregnant, giving birth to an additional third child for the Cross family—Ali. She later leaves Ali with Alex dealing with traumatization over her kidnapping in Pop Goes the Weasel. Afterwards, she tried claiming custody over Ali and succeeded. However, she later gave Ali back to Alex, who had joined the FBI at the time. His deadliest foes are Geoffrey Shafer and Gary Soneji; both have been killed through the course and events of the book series.
In Cross, Alex discovers who really killed his wife, and will do anything to take down her murderer. He learns he was chasing a false killer, and the real killer is Jimmy Hats, whom Sampson killed long ago. At the end of the novel, Alex comes to terms with Maria's death and moves on with his life. Double Cross sees Alex as he falls in love again—with detective Bree Stone; he must also assist her in the case of DCAK, a murderer, known as DC Audience Killer, as he retired from the FBI before the events of Cross. In I, Alex Cross, he decides to find and solve the murder case in which his late niece, Caroline Cross, was the victim. He later learns who the murderer is—the president's husband—but the murderer is later killed by an agent from the Secret Service. Also in the book, Alex proposes to Bree and she accepts, becoming his fiancée. By Cross Fire, Alex and Bree get married and face off once more against Kyle Craig, who dies at the end. With Kyle dead, Alex, Bree, and his family experience a sense of peace, something they haven't felt for a long time.
In Kill Alex Cross, after Nana Mama finds a girl trying to steal from their house, she and Bree agree to adopt the girl towards the end of the book; he also goes on the case to rescue the new president's children. In Merry Christmas, Alex Cross, Alex risks everything to solve a case, stop possible murders, help a church, and must use every skill he knows of to help him solve the case and may not make it to Christmas dinner alive. Alex misses Christmas which upsets him and his wife, Bree. In Alex Cross, Run renowned plastic surgeon, Elijah Creem, is arrested and wants revenge on Alex. Alex eventually defeats Creem. However, one of Alex's stalkers, who is bent on murdering Alex, kills Ava after having the foster care services take her away from the Cross family for alleged drug use. Alex, in retaliation and along with Sampson and Bree, finds the killer and arrests him. At the end of the novel, several issues are left unresolved, such as Alex's lifetime problem: endangering his family's life as well as his own. He ponders whether he should stay with the Metro Police. His therapist assures him he will eventually outgrow the issue, or solve it somehow. There are also some unresolved issues between Alex and Bree as well, but their love for each other continues to remain strong, helping them recover.
Cross My Heart is the twenty-first novel in the series. For most of the novel, Alex is trying to solve a double killer case in which the murderers kill prostitutes. Soon Alex and Bree learn that there is only one murderer, who has multiple personalities, and arrest him. Additionally, Bree is searching for Ava, when Alex realizes that the teen may have killed a girl and faked her own death. Halfway through the novel, Damon is offered a ride home by a strange woman - throughout the novel it's revealed that the Cross family were being watched - and the woman drugs Damon afterwards. Meanwhile, her accomplice kidnaps the rest of the family including Bree, Ali, Nana Mama, and Alex's daughter. They alert Cross he can do nothing to try to save his family. Meanwhile, Ava reappears along with Sampson, assuring him to continue life normally while they handle the kidnappings. The novel was released in November 2013. A subsequent novel titled Hope to Die was released in November 2014 and continued the events in Cross My Heart. It was followed by a 23rd novel named Cross Justice, released in November 2015, in which the Cross family travels down south to help one of Alex's cousins who is wrongly accused of murder. At the end of Cross Justice, Alex finds his long lost father Jason, who was presumed dead for over three decades but in reality had been a police sergeant in Florida. A 24th novel, Cross the Line, was released in 2016, in which Alex and Bree look for a killer who is murdering criminals and another killer who has murdered one of their former police chiefs. In Cross Kill, Alex and his partner, Detective John Sampson, are ambushed by an Gary Soneji imposter and Alex goes on a desperate mission to uncover the truth about the mysterious attacker while having no idea that it would have terrible consequences. In Detective Cross, Alex is awaiting trial for the killing of two of the Sonjei followers and has to help his wife, Chief of Detectives Bree Stone, in stopping a mysterious bomber from setting off deadly explosives before it is too late. In The People vs. Alex Cross, Alex is on trial for murder, and he also has to assist his former partner, Detective John Sampson, in finding missing blonde women and prevent them from being brutally murdered on the internet while trying to prove his innocence with a determined prosecution hoping to put him behind bars. In Target: Alex Cross A leader has fallen, and Alex Cross joins the procession of mourners from Capitol Hill to the White House. Then a sniper's bullet strikes a target in the heart of DC. Alex Cross's wife, Bree Stone, newly elevated chief of DC detectives, must solve the case or lose her position. The Secret Service and the FBI deploy as well in the race to find the shooter. Alex is tasked by the new President to lead an investigation unprecedented in scale and scope. But is the sniper's strike only the beginning of a larger attack
While the murder investigation continues, Price still wants to know where the weapons are and he sends two more of his men to find out. They attack Bobo and Manfred as they walk home after having dinner at the home of two other residents, Joe and Chuy. The attack happens in front of another resident’s, Shawn’s place of business (Gas N Go). Shawn and his daughter Creek come to help Bobo and Manfred. Shawn calls the police, but is nervous and does not want to be included in the police report. The police arrive and the sheriff has the two men arrested. Before they go, however, the two men talk about the missing men who came to question Bobo the night they were eliminated by Lem and Olivia. Everyone says that they do not know anything about these men.
Price is still determined to discover the location of the weapons and to avenge Aubrey’s death. So, he kidnaps Fiji thinking that he can get what he wants if he has something that Bobo wants. Mr. Snuggly, Fiji’s familiar was there when Price came to kidnap her. Mr. Snuggly visits the Rev, another member of the community, and tells him what happened. Bobo and Manfred, who realize that something is wrong, also meet with the Rev. When Lem wakes up, they go and look for Fiji. It is Mr. Snuggly’s job to find her.
Patterson did a good job of writing this book. I like the unity of the family as they work closely together as well. Highly recommend.
First Read: 10/2/15 I really really liked this one too. The suspense and the way the writers keep us hanging on is no small feat. Then I read the latest novel and get blown away....again. Entirely gripping the entire way through-I found it difficult to put the book down at all. The twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat.
I loved the Cross family, like usual, and I liked the villains. All I know now is that I NEED the next book in the series. Well written and WHAT an ending....
Alex Cross is a widower-detective-father and son of Ali Cross who often fights against threatening villains—and criminals—who wish to kill Cross and others. It mainly focuses on Cross trying to solve very difficult cases while attempting to maintain a relationship with his family. For example, in Merry Christmas, Alex Cross, Cross misses out on Christmas Eve and Christmas itself to focus on finding and defeating a terrorist group. One of his regular foes in the earlier books is Gary Soneji, the "Mastermind" who wants to kill Cross, out of revenge for Alex putting him in prison. In some books, Cross sometimes works with—or against—the President/Secret Service in a few books such as Along Came a Spider, Jack & Jill, I, Alex Cross, and Kill Alex Cross. An ongoing theme in the earlier novels is the unsolved murder of his first wife, Maria. Cross later reveals another reason for trying to solve the cases: so he can protect his family from danger. Cross currently lives on Fifth Street in Southeast Washington, D.C., along with grandmother Nana Mama, children Damon, Janelle ("Jannie"), and Alex Jr. ("Ali"), and his current and new wife, Brianna "Bree" Stone-Cross.
When Alex was 9, his father died of alcoholism, a year after his mother died. He went to Washington, D.C., to live with his grandmother—Nana Mama. During his childhood, he met his later best friend John Sampson. He also later met his wife, Maria, in Washington, and married her. After giving birth to two children, a few months or years later, she is murdered. Alex later meets a woman named Christine, who becomes pregnant, giving birth to an additional third child for the Cross family—Ali. She later leaves Ali with Alex dealing with traumatization over her kidnapping in Pop Goes the Weasel. Afterwards, she tried claiming custody over Ali and succeeded. However, she later gave Ali back to Alex, who had joined the FBI at the time. His deadliest foes are Geoffrey Shafer and Gary Soneji; both have been killed through the course and events of the book series.
In Cross, Alex discovers who really killed his wife, and will do anything to take down her murderer. He learns he was chasing a false killer, and the real killer is Jimmy Hats, whom Sampson killed long ago. At the end of the novel, Alex comes to terms with Maria's death and moves on with his life. Double Cross sees Alex as he falls in love again—with detective Bree Stone; he must also assist her in the case of DCAK, a murderer, known as DC Audience Killer, as he retired from the FBI before the events of Cross. In I, Alex Cross, he decides to find and solve the murder case in which his late niece, Caroline Cross, was the victim. He later learns who the murderer is—the president's husband—but the murderer is later killed by an agent from the Secret Service. Also in the book, Alex proposes to Bree and she accepts, becoming his fiancée. By Cross Fire, Alex and Bree get married and face off once more against Kyle Craig, who dies at the end. With Kyle dead, Alex, Bree, and his family experience a sense of peace, something they haven't felt for a long time.
In Kill Alex Cross, after Nana Mama finds a girl trying to steal from their house, she and Bree agree to adopt the girl towards the end of the book; he also goes on the case to rescue the new president's children. In Merry Christmas, Alex Cross, Alex risks everything to solve a case, stop possible murders, help a church, and must use every skill he knows of to help him solve the case and may not make it to Christmas dinner alive. Alex misses Christmas which upsets him and his wife, Bree. In Alex Cross, Run renowned plastic surgeon, Elijah Creem, is arrested and wants revenge on Alex. Alex eventually defeats Creem. However, one of Alex's stalkers, who is bent on murdering Alex, kills Ava after having the foster care services take her away from the Cross family for alleged drug use. Alex, in retaliation and along with Sampson and Bree, finds the killer and arrests him. At the end of the novel, several issues are left unresolved, such as Alex's lifetime problem: endangering his family's life as well as his own. He ponders whether he should stay with the Metro Police. His therapist assures him he will eventually outgrow the issue, or solve it somehow. There are also some unresolved issues between Alex and Bree as well, but their love for each other continues to remain strong, helping them recover.
Cross My Heart is the twenty-first novel in the series. For most of the novel, Alex is trying to solve a double killer case in which the murderers kill prostitutes. Soon Alex and Bree learn that there is only one murderer, who has multiple personalities, and arrest him. Additionally, Bree is searching for Ava, when Alex realizes that the teen may have killed a girl and faked her own death. Halfway through the novel, Damon is offered a ride home by a strange woman - throughout the novel it's revealed that the Cross family were being watched - and the woman drugs Damon afterwards. Meanwhile, her accomplice kidnaps the rest of the family including Bree, Ali, Nana Mama, and Alex's daughter. They alert Cross he can do nothing to try to save his family. Meanwhile, Ava reappears along with Sampson, assuring him to continue life normally while they handle the kidnappings. The novel was released in November 2013. A subsequent novel titled Hope to Die was released in November 2014 and continued the events in Cross My Heart. It was followed by a 23rd novel named Cross Justice, released in November 2015, in which the Cross family travels down south to help one of Alex's cousins who is wrongly accused of murder. At the end of Cross Justice, Alex finds his long lost father Jason, who was presumed dead for over three decades but in reality had been a police sergeant in Florida. A 24th novel, Cross the Line, was released in 2016, in which Alex and Bree look for a killer who is murdering criminals and another killer who has murdered one of their former police chiefs. In Cross Kill, Alex and his partner, Detective John Sampson, are ambushed by an Gary Soneji imposter and Alex goes on a desperate mission to uncover the truth about the mysterious attacker while having no idea that it would have terrible consequences. In Detective Cross, Alex is awaiting trial for the killing of two of the Sonjei followers and has to help his wife, Chief of Detectives Bree Stone, in stopping a mysterious bomber from setting off deadly explosives before it is too late. In The People vs. Alex Cross, Alex is on trial for murder, and he also has to assist his former partner, Detective John Sampson, in finding missing blonde women and prevent them from being brutally murdered on the internet while trying to prove his innocence with a determined prosecution hoping to put him behind bars. In Target: Alex Cross A leader has fallen, and Alex Cross joins the procession of mourners from Capitol Hill to the White House. Then a sniper's bullet strikes a target in the heart of DC. Alex Cross's wife, Bree Stone, newly elevated chief of DC detectives, must solve the case or lose her position. The Secret Service and the FBI deploy as well in the race to find the shooter. Alex is tasked by the new President to lead an investigation unprecedented in scale and scope. But is the sniper's strike only the beginning of a larger attack
While the murder investigation continues, Price still wants to know where the weapons are and he sends two more of his men to find out. They attack Bobo and Manfred as they walk home after having dinner at the home of two other residents, Joe and Chuy. The attack happens in front of another resident’s, Shawn’s place of business (Gas N Go). Shawn and his daughter Creek come to help Bobo and Manfred. Shawn calls the police, but is nervous and does not want to be included in the police report. The police arrive and the sheriff has the two men arrested. Before they go, however, the two men talk about the missing men who came to question Bobo the night they were eliminated by Lem and Olivia. Everyone says that they do not know anything about these men.
Price is still determined to discover the location of the weapons and to avenge Aubrey’s death. So, he kidnaps Fiji thinking that he can get what he wants if he has something that Bobo wants. Mr. Snuggly, Fiji’s familiar was there when Price came to kidnap her. Mr. Snuggly visits the Rev, another member of the community, and tells him what happened. Bobo and Manfred, who realize that something is wrong, also meet with the Rev. When Lem wakes up, they go and look for Fiji. It is Mr. Snuggly’s job to find her.
Patterson did a good job of writing this book. I like the unity of the family as they work closely together as well. Highly recommend.
May 3, 2021
How does one man find himself constantly being stalked by serial killers? Alex Cross is not only a chic magnet; but, he’s also a magnet for the world’s most cunning, conniving, and of course those who come triple dipped in all the flavors of psychotic! I’ll admit, I’m a bit pissed at how the end of this read left me. Yes, kids! As always, I’m left hanging! Damn you, Patterson! 5stars
November 23, 2013
If you are familiar with the James Patterson’s Alex Cross brand of fast-paced and action-packed thriller, you will no doubt be expecting a nail-biting suspense, and you will love Cross My Heart.
There is something to the fictional Cross family – you feel deeply attached. James Patterson leaves no stone unturned to pull out all the stops to keep you absorbed throughout the book. Having lost both his parents before he was eleven, Alex Cross cherishes his family above all else: his wife, Brianna (Bree) Stone, also a detective with the DC Metro Police, and his children Ali Cross, Jannie Cross, Damon Cross, and Regina Cross Hope, Cross’s ninety-one-year-old grandmother. Alex has always been a loving husband and father and a dedicated police detective.
In Cross My Heart, Thierry Mulch is a psychopathic serial killer who thinks he is “the perfect criminal.” He committed murders and got away with it. It is also about Marcus Sunday, a man who theorizes the philosophical world-view of a perfect killer in his book The Perfect Criminal. Thierry Mulch or Marcus Sunday is not an issue in Alex’s life, until seemingly unrelated incidents bring their worlds into collision.
Alex, his wife Bree, and the FBI have been involved in an investigation of a recent spate of murders. As usual, Alex writes about the murders in a publication, drawing the wrath of the killer who decides to tear his family apart and make him suffer. The people who are most dear to him are threatened by a madman obsessed with proving Alex wrong. His conviction and his love is about to be put to the test. With a madman fanatical with being the perfect criminal on the stalk, can Alex Cross crack the most important case of his career and protect his family?
In Cross My Heart, James Patterson turns the table on its head, and the usual hunter, Alex, becomes the hunted. He’s no longer the detective who is always a step ahead of his adversary. This time, the criminal is in control, bent on making Alex dance to his tunes. Its twists and turns make it difficult to put the book down. The deeper you’re drawn into the diabolical world of a nut, the clearer it becomes that the enemy is like no other enemy Alex has ever faced.
You may love or hate it but Cross My Heart is unlike anything you have read before.
There is something to the fictional Cross family – you feel deeply attached. James Patterson leaves no stone unturned to pull out all the stops to keep you absorbed throughout the book. Having lost both his parents before he was eleven, Alex Cross cherishes his family above all else: his wife, Brianna (Bree) Stone, also a detective with the DC Metro Police, and his children Ali Cross, Jannie Cross, Damon Cross, and Regina Cross Hope, Cross’s ninety-one-year-old grandmother. Alex has always been a loving husband and father and a dedicated police detective.
In Cross My Heart, Thierry Mulch is a psychopathic serial killer who thinks he is “the perfect criminal.” He committed murders and got away with it. It is also about Marcus Sunday, a man who theorizes the philosophical world-view of a perfect killer in his book The Perfect Criminal. Thierry Mulch or Marcus Sunday is not an issue in Alex’s life, until seemingly unrelated incidents bring their worlds into collision.
Alex, his wife Bree, and the FBI have been involved in an investigation of a recent spate of murders. As usual, Alex writes about the murders in a publication, drawing the wrath of the killer who decides to tear his family apart and make him suffer. The people who are most dear to him are threatened by a madman obsessed with proving Alex wrong. His conviction and his love is about to be put to the test. With a madman fanatical with being the perfect criminal on the stalk, can Alex Cross crack the most important case of his career and protect his family?
In Cross My Heart, James Patterson turns the table on its head, and the usual hunter, Alex, becomes the hunted. He’s no longer the detective who is always a step ahead of his adversary. This time, the criminal is in control, bent on making Alex dance to his tunes. Its twists and turns make it difficult to put the book down. The deeper you’re drawn into the diabolical world of a nut, the clearer it becomes that the enemy is like no other enemy Alex has ever faced.
You may love or hate it but Cross My Heart is unlike anything you have read before.
January 13, 2014
Although I admit that I have bought into the increasingly far-fetched exploits of the story that is Alex Cross's life, this is too much. The series that started with so much promise with Along Came A Spider, has become a farce.
Alex is being stalked by Thierry Mulch, a man who calls himself an existentialist. Mulch is a super-villain psychopath who wants to make Cross suffer just because he can. He plans the abduction and murder of Cross's entire family through the book, while Alex and his wife, Bree track down and capture another mass murderer. The ending of this novel is pathetic, but read it if you must and find out for yourself.
I have followed Alex Cross for many years. I have read approximately 1.5 million words written about him. I think I could be regarded as a loyal customer, but Cross My Heart has forced me to reject the Alex Cross brand.
Alex is being stalked by Thierry Mulch, a man who calls himself an existentialist. Mulch is a super-villain psychopath who wants to make Cross suffer just because he can. He plans the abduction and murder of Cross's entire family through the book, while Alex and his wife, Bree track down and capture another mass murderer. The ending of this novel is pathetic, but read it if you must and find out for yourself.
I have followed Alex Cross for many years. I have read approximately 1.5 million words written about him. I think I could be regarded as a loyal customer, but Cross My Heart has forced me to reject the Alex Cross brand.
December 2, 2013
I notice that people either loved or hated Patterson's latest Alex Cross novel. This is likely to do with the cliffhanger ending that leaves you wanting more from the mindtwisting story that you were just enveloped in. I think the very fact that people are so mad at the lack of an ending in this volume is a testament to how good this book is. I guess we'll have to wait until his next volume of the Alex Cross series and I for one will definitely be getting it.
November 22, 2014
James Patterson's machine gun style is exciting and easy to read. Short chapters, cliff hanger endings, and familiar characters succeed in grabbing and holding the reader's interest. Though a strength to a point, the familiarity of the characters has become a weakness in this series. The reader must eventually ask him/herself, how many times can one policeman and his family be targets of the country's most sinister serial killers? So, to summarize the basis for the four stars, I love Patterson's writing style, but find the premise tired and unrealistic. (I struggled between 3 or 4 stars, but chose the higher rating simply for the book's entertainment value.)
July 18, 2015
The Review: http://thefictionalhangout.blogspot.c...
"Detective Alex Cross is a family man at heart--nothing matters more to him than his children, his grandmother, and his wife Bree. His love of his family is his anchor, and gives him the strength to confront evil in his work. One man knows this deeply, and uses Alex's strength as a weapon against him. When the ones Cross loves are in danger, he will do anything to protect them. If he does anything to protect them, they will die."
The Alex Cross series is one of the longest running series of novels that I’ve actually had the chance to read, and unfortunately, like most of Patterson’s more recent works, they’ve suffered in quality, not being as memorable as the earlier entries. However, they’ve still been engaging quick reads, and Cross My Heart, despite a rushed ending that ends on a cliffhanger, setting up readers for the second half of this current story, manages to be one of the better Alex Cross novels in a while, as the titular Detective finds his family used as a weapon against him by a cunning antagonist who knows to play to Alex’s weaknesses. However, if Cross tries to protect his loved ones, they’ll die, as simple as that. The stakes are higher than ever as James Patterson delivers one of the more personal entries in this saga so far.
Alex and his long-running partner Sampson are investigating two seemingly unrelated crimes, the murder of four people at a massage parlour including a famous footballer and the kidnapping of two babies, however, the antagonist is using this as a distraction to gain information about the Cross family – Alex’s wife, fellow Detective Bree, three children, Damon, Jannie and Ali, as well as their grandmother, nicknamed Nana Mama. Marcus Sunday is keeping a watchful eye on all of the Cross family, and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Tension is kept high throughout the novel and in true Patterson style, the pages are short and in a split first person/third person narrative with the first person used for Cross whilst the third used for Marcus Sunday, giving us an insight into the villain. There’s nothing overly groundbreaking in what Patterson does here in terms of what we’ve seen from him before, but Cross My Heart is well written enough for it to be a pretty solid read, even if it’s understandable the amount of people that were annoyed by the cliffhanger ending, which didn’t bother me too much as some other fans (seriously? You’re saying that you’re not buying the author’s work again because of the ending? What’s up with that?) as Patterson more often than not will be able to provide a satisfactory resolution in the coming book.
It was refreshing to read a book in the Alex Cross series where he’s not in control, as the Detective usually is. He finds his life turned upside down as he’s thrust into an uncomfortable position and it’s instantly refreshing to explore one of the more memorable characters in popular thriller fiction and it’s great to see what happens and how it unfolds. As I’m twenty two books into the series it’s getting harder and harder to really to say anything new about these books and chances are fans will have already read Cross My Heart by now. But basically, if you haven’t, go in expecting a cliffhanger ending and you shouldn’t be disappointed. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next instalment, and the latest in the series, Hope to Die, which should prove to be just as much fun as the previous entries have been.
VERDICT: 8/10
Alex Cross Recommended Reading Order: Along Came a Spider, Kiss the Girls, Jack & Jill, Cat and Mouse, Pop Goes the Weasel, Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Four Blind Mice, The Big Bad Wolf, London Bridges, Mary, Mary, Cross, Double Cross, Cross Country, Alex Cross’s Trial, I, Alex Cross, Cross Fire, Kill Alex Cross, Merry Christmas, Alex Cross, Alex Cross, Run, Cross My Heart, Hope to Die, Cross Justice (Upcoming)
"Detective Alex Cross is a family man at heart--nothing matters more to him than his children, his grandmother, and his wife Bree. His love of his family is his anchor, and gives him the strength to confront evil in his work. One man knows this deeply, and uses Alex's strength as a weapon against him. When the ones Cross loves are in danger, he will do anything to protect them. If he does anything to protect them, they will die."
The Alex Cross series is one of the longest running series of novels that I’ve actually had the chance to read, and unfortunately, like most of Patterson’s more recent works, they’ve suffered in quality, not being as memorable as the earlier entries. However, they’ve still been engaging quick reads, and Cross My Heart, despite a rushed ending that ends on a cliffhanger, setting up readers for the second half of this current story, manages to be one of the better Alex Cross novels in a while, as the titular Detective finds his family used as a weapon against him by a cunning antagonist who knows to play to Alex’s weaknesses. However, if Cross tries to protect his loved ones, they’ll die, as simple as that. The stakes are higher than ever as James Patterson delivers one of the more personal entries in this saga so far.
Alex and his long-running partner Sampson are investigating two seemingly unrelated crimes, the murder of four people at a massage parlour including a famous footballer and the kidnapping of two babies, however, the antagonist is using this as a distraction to gain information about the Cross family – Alex’s wife, fellow Detective Bree, three children, Damon, Jannie and Ali, as well as their grandmother, nicknamed Nana Mama. Marcus Sunday is keeping a watchful eye on all of the Cross family, and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Tension is kept high throughout the novel and in true Patterson style, the pages are short and in a split first person/third person narrative with the first person used for Cross whilst the third used for Marcus Sunday, giving us an insight into the villain. There’s nothing overly groundbreaking in what Patterson does here in terms of what we’ve seen from him before, but Cross My Heart is well written enough for it to be a pretty solid read, even if it’s understandable the amount of people that were annoyed by the cliffhanger ending, which didn’t bother me too much as some other fans (seriously? You’re saying that you’re not buying the author’s work again because of the ending? What’s up with that?) as Patterson more often than not will be able to provide a satisfactory resolution in the coming book.
It was refreshing to read a book in the Alex Cross series where he’s not in control, as the Detective usually is. He finds his life turned upside down as he’s thrust into an uncomfortable position and it’s instantly refreshing to explore one of the more memorable characters in popular thriller fiction and it’s great to see what happens and how it unfolds. As I’m twenty two books into the series it’s getting harder and harder to really to say anything new about these books and chances are fans will have already read Cross My Heart by now. But basically, if you haven’t, go in expecting a cliffhanger ending and you shouldn’t be disappointed. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next instalment, and the latest in the series, Hope to Die, which should prove to be just as much fun as the previous entries have been.
VERDICT: 8/10
Alex Cross Recommended Reading Order: Along Came a Spider, Kiss the Girls, Jack & Jill, Cat and Mouse, Pop Goes the Weasel, Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Four Blind Mice, The Big Bad Wolf, London Bridges, Mary, Mary, Cross, Double Cross, Cross Country, Alex Cross’s Trial, I, Alex Cross, Cross Fire, Kill Alex Cross, Merry Christmas, Alex Cross, Alex Cross, Run, Cross My Heart, Hope to Die, Cross Justice (Upcoming)
December 13, 2013
Another great book by James Patterson, but I was a little disappointed about the ending. This leads me to believe that the next Alex Cross book is going to be the bomb!! I highly recommend this book to all JP fans.
August 25, 2023
I read the Cross books for entertainment he does write about human monsters and they are hunted by Patterson's hero Dr Alex CROSS.
In this book a spa is massacred and one girl is missing and then there is a lady stealing babies. Cross and his life partner Bree Stone have their hands full with these two cases.
And then there is somebody stalking Cross and his family.
So after the mediocre cases get solved the Cross family gets kidnapped and some egomaniac wants to break Alex. And then we get a cliffhanger and you have to read a next book to get the solution. As cliffhangers go it is a poor one as well.
Certainly not of the better Cross books the man should step up his quality control.
Only advised when you buy both installments so you not get left hanging.
In this book a spa is massacred and one girl is missing and then there is a lady stealing babies. Cross and his life partner Bree Stone have their hands full with these two cases.
And then there is somebody stalking Cross and his family.
So after the mediocre cases get solved the Cross family gets kidnapped and some egomaniac wants to break Alex. And then we get a cliffhanger and you have to read a next book to get the solution. As cliffhangers go it is a poor one as well.
Certainly not of the better Cross books the man should step up his quality control.
Only advised when you buy both installments so you not get left hanging.
September 11, 2014
Patterson's latest Alex Cross novel falls short of the mark, though does give the smallest of tingles to its readers' spines, especially in the final part. While drowning in homicide cases, Cross is handed yet another; a murder in a local massage parlour, involving a former sports celebrity. His investigation begins slowly, but builds momentum as more bodies pile up at an alarming rate. Meanwhile, Cross's wife, Bree, is involved in her own slew of cases as she follows leads on a number of kidnapped babies. A psychopath remains in the shadows, playing a loose role in both the aforementioned cases, goading the detectives and keeping a close eye on the entire Cross family. He has a larger and more devastating plan, which he spins throughout the novel's entirety. With some added sub-plots closer to the Cross home, the novel progresses and Patterson keeps the reader guessing with each progressive chapter. Its saving grace is the number of threads left blowing in the wind by the final chapter.
I have often spouted off about the James Patterson Syndrome, when an author uses his or her name to sell books, even when the content is utter drivel. Patterson has allowed many of his one-off books suffer such a fate, but has kept the Alex Cross books clear of this. Alas, all good things must come to an end and this novel has taken a severe slide down the path of tepidity, leaving the series reader likely wanting to return to the early novels in the series, with conniving killers who are sometimes barely caught in the end. Here, Alex Cross putters away through the case and the psychopath is too diluted in a number of sub-plots to have a strong and effective role in the larger story. So, even when Patterson is the sole author at the helm, he slips into mediocrity and leaves a sour taste in the mouths of his long-time fans. Then again, why would he care as he sits in his counting house, rolling in money?
For shame, Mr. Patterson, as you sell out some of your only good work. Less than stellar writing leads me to wonder if Cross has finally tuckered himself out and should hang up his magnifying glass and pipe, making way for new (and solely written by you) and exciting crime-solvers who actually meet their match in each novel.
I have often spouted off about the James Patterson Syndrome, when an author uses his or her name to sell books, even when the content is utter drivel. Patterson has allowed many of his one-off books suffer such a fate, but has kept the Alex Cross books clear of this. Alas, all good things must come to an end and this novel has taken a severe slide down the path of tepidity, leaving the series reader likely wanting to return to the early novels in the series, with conniving killers who are sometimes barely caught in the end. Here, Alex Cross putters away through the case and the psychopath is too diluted in a number of sub-plots to have a strong and effective role in the larger story. So, even when Patterson is the sole author at the helm, he slips into mediocrity and leaves a sour taste in the mouths of his long-time fans. Then again, why would he care as he sits in his counting house, rolling in money?
For shame, Mr. Patterson, as you sell out some of your only good work. Less than stellar writing leads me to wonder if Cross has finally tuckered himself out and should hang up his magnifying glass and pipe, making way for new (and solely written by you) and exciting crime-solvers who actually meet their match in each novel.
December 8, 2014
I'm thinking the people who are complaining about this book haven't read all the Alex Cross books. This is book #21 in the series. I have read every one of them and I always can't wait to visit with Alex Cross. I'm always sad to see him leave at the end of a book. I don't see this book as a prequel or not complete. I see it as a continuation in the life of Alex Cross. Just as Ava is a continued story from the previous book. So what that James Patterson wanted to continue this storyline into the next book. He probably felt there was more to tell without making this book 1,000 pages. So I look forward to book #22. As always this book kept me guessing who people are. Kept me wondering what was going to happen and made me wonder do homicide detective really have that busy of a life? I'm looking forward to the next book.
August 30, 2016
I am extremely disappointed. Patterson ripped us off with this one. His approach has become very tedious. It is clear to me he is in this purely for the money now. Which is fine, no one would ever claim that a James Patterson book is high literature. Authors work for money not charity...I 'get it'.
It is the blatant approach to sell more books and the complete disregard for his readers I find so disturbing. He attempts to elevate his tactics by stating "it had to be done to be true to the character and to himself". I read this as "I am really bored with writing, I do not want to put effort into my work any more and I bet I can sell more books by only releasing half a book at a time. Insert zombie references throughout, insert over the top, barely fleshed-out 'physcos' with obscene violence and the book will sell. I am sure it will.
It is the blatant approach to sell more books and the complete disregard for his readers I find so disturbing. He attempts to elevate his tactics by stating "it had to be done to be true to the character and to himself". I read this as "I am really bored with writing, I do not want to put effort into my work any more and I bet I can sell more books by only releasing half a book at a time. Insert zombie references throughout, insert over the top, barely fleshed-out 'physcos' with obscene violence and the book will sell. I am sure it will.
December 4, 2013
This book is by far the rawest and edgiest of the Alex Cross series. Without doing a spoiler alert, I will just say that the ending was anything but satisfactory and this appears to be an attempt on Patterson's part to drum up more revenue. The Alex Cross series was my favorite one - I think that this will not be the case anymore.
August 11, 2021
Left Alex Cross lying around for a few years, reading this one makes me wonder why… this one continues in ‘Hope to die’!
Last week I finished these two books… this is a review for both because these two form a single storyline!
🚓
These are high-octane thrillers with a speed that equals a train, and that’s how they read as well: fast!
🚓
I hadn’t read an Alex Cross in about ten years, though I really think this is @jamespattersonbooks best series (next to his Women’s Murder Club & Michael Bennett series) so I was glad to step into the world of serial killers vs Cross again!
🚓🚓
Cross my Heart: Cross needs to stop a man that kills and kidnaps girls (and their clients) in brothels (escort houses) while Bree has to deal with kidnappings of babies. At the same time Cross’ family has been targeted by a madman!
Hope to die: after the events of Cross my Heart, Alex is heartwrecked because of what happened to his family. But he doesn’t give up and goes on a hunt for those responsible!
🚓🚓🚓
As I said these are fastpaced thrillers. And it was great to meet Cross’ family again after all these years (I need to pick up the other series as well after all that time) so I’m convinced I’ll be continuing the next weeks/months with Patterson!
🚓
One minor thing that kind of was a dealbreaker for me in Hope to sie: a certain character I wasn’t expecting in an Alex Cross novel (rather in a Stephen King) which played the part of a Deus ex Machina… that was for me a little too convenient so I hope it was a one off 😆😱
Last week I finished these two books… this is a review for both because these two form a single storyline!
🚓
These are high-octane thrillers with a speed that equals a train, and that’s how they read as well: fast!
🚓
I hadn’t read an Alex Cross in about ten years, though I really think this is @jamespattersonbooks best series (next to his Women’s Murder Club & Michael Bennett series) so I was glad to step into the world of serial killers vs Cross again!
🚓🚓
Cross my Heart: Cross needs to stop a man that kills and kidnaps girls (and their clients) in brothels (escort houses) while Bree has to deal with kidnappings of babies. At the same time Cross’ family has been targeted by a madman!
Hope to die: after the events of Cross my Heart, Alex is heartwrecked because of what happened to his family. But he doesn’t give up and goes on a hunt for those responsible!
🚓🚓🚓
As I said these are fastpaced thrillers. And it was great to meet Cross’ family again after all these years (I need to pick up the other series as well after all that time) so I’m convinced I’ll be continuing the next weeks/months with Patterson!
🚓
One minor thing that kind of was a dealbreaker for me in Hope to sie: a certain character I wasn’t expecting in an Alex Cross novel (rather in a Stephen King) which played the part of a Deus ex Machina… that was for me a little too convenient so I hope it was a one off 😆😱
May 6, 2020
Great book in the series and what a cliff hanger.
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