Hope to Die

Alex Cross #22

by James Patterson

Detective Alex Cross is being stalked by a psychotic genius, forced to play the deadliest game of his career. Cross's family – his loving wife Bree, the wise and lively Nana Mama, and his precious children--have been ripped away. Terrified and desperate, Cross must give this mad man what he wants if he has any chance of saving the most important people in his life. The stakes have never been What will Cross sacrifice to save the ones he loves?Widely praised by the greatest crime and thriller writers of our time, Cross My Heart set a jaw-dropping story in motion. Hope to Die propels Alex Cross's greatest challenge to its astonishing finish, proving why Jeffery Deaver says "nobody does it better" than James Patterson.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

400 pages, Hardcover

First published November 24, 2014

About the author

Official US Site
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JIMMY Patterson Books
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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.

Reviews

[Melanie Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know if James Patterson hung up his golf pants at the Palm Beach Country Club or if he finally decided he's had too much sun/surf/pina colada's or what, but apparently he locked himself in a cave and wrote a dang good book. It was fantastic. I felt like I was reading ALONG CAME A SPIDER again and was reminded why I buy Every.Single.Book. of Patterson's like a crack addict waiting for my next fix. It's because I was waiting on a book reminiscent of his old writing - you know, before he became the "Rock-Star of Authors". I won't rehash the plot because you already know it. Crazy madman takes Alex's family and threatens them unless Alex comes to him so crazy person can kill him. The difference is in the details, plot twists and just plain creepiness of the book. Next time I see a pig, I am giving him the stink-eye.

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hope To Die" by James Patterson is the twenty second book in the famous Alex Cross series and for me definitely one of the better ones.
The last few I've read have focused a lot on Alex's family and they became a little tedious but this one was like the earlier books in the series where Alex is chasing the bad guy and it's a race against time. Entertaining, fast paced and with easy to follow quick chapters, I'd happily recommend "Hope to Die" and I'm really pleased to see Alex return to full form in this highly enjoyable book.

Thank you to friend and fellow reader Rachel Hall for her copy of the book.

5 stars

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's nothing like a book by James Patterson for an exciting, fast, fun read. Just don't try and take them seriously because they do not stand up to analysis! But gosh they are entertaining.
This one is a particularly good example as Alex Cross pits himself against an evil mass murderer who has kidnapped his whole family and threatens to return them one at a time - dead. Alex is remarkably smooth considering the potential for loss, and the murderer demonstrates a talent for the gory and unlikely when he kills. I seem to have read a lot of books recently that include death by pigs - the first time I thought the author was making it up but it seems so popular in modern crime books I guess it must be true.
Anyway I thoroughly enjoyed this one as I think I have all the Pattersons I have read so far!

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read Alex Cross from the beginning and it's time to end this series. How many times can a man's family be in serious peril and he STILL won't retire? Always the same story: his poor 90-something year old grandma, his children, and current partner all in the hands of various madmen and it's that same story over and over. I am bored!

[Mike French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex Cross is BACK! I was very disappointed with the ending is "Cross My Heart",but "Hope To Die" is a 5 star book from start to finish. Many of GR friends agreed with me on "Cross My Heart" and I think you will agree with me again. "Hope To Die" is a MUST READ!!!

[Donald Grant · Rating 1 out of 5]

So how many books does an author get to write before editors ignore their work and just put it out there? Obviously, James Patterson hit that number a long time ago.

I have read all of the Alex Cross books. I used to read the Women’s Murder Club books until they became writing by formula. I refuse to read the books co-authored by him after the first one, they are terrible. Now I ask myself, am I going to give up on Alex Cross?

Hope to Die is the continuation of Cross My Heart, which was atrocious. There are so many holes in this story that it should have been called, No Hope, Dead. Besides the flaws in police procedure, the under-played reaction of Cross to his situation and the total predictability of the story, there are too many facts that are just wrong. An example, Patterson describes Cross as “six feet two inches with a thirty inch reach”. I am only five feet eleven inches and I have a thirty five inch reach without stepping up on my toes.

So as not to reveal anything that might spoil the book for anyone who has not read it, I am going to stick to the flaws in the editing that make this a terrible read.

Patterson begins one chapter by describing “three birches that grew close together”. Hello, that is how birches are, planted three together, which everyone already knows. In that same chapter he says, “the dog went to the stove and lay down by the stove”. I didn’t think he went to the stove and lay down by the TV! In one chapter he tells us the alias used by the antagonist has shown up seven times in a internet search, a few chapters later he tells us this again.

The worst part of bad writing/non-editing is the chapter dealing with Alex Cross having to kill someone at the direction of Marcus Sunday (the antagonist). This chapter is written in first person so we are in Alex’s head. Okay so maybe I need to say spoiler alert here. We know and Alex knows that his killing is an act, but the thoughts in his head are portrayed as if they are. NO! Alex would not be having the emotions and physical response Patterson gives us knowing he is faking a killing.

If all of this were not bad enough, the ending is lame. For two books we have had a methodical, diabolical killer who is meticulous in his planning. He would not have put himself in the situation that he does to end this story.

James Patterson is a prolific writer and he used to be a good one. It is sad to see that all change.

This one gets one star.

[Amanda Patterson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hope to Die is the continuation of Cross My Heart, which also received 1/5 from me. I said I wouldn't read this book, but I did. It was there in my book review box and I wanted to see if Alex Cross could make amends.
Thierry Mulch has kidnapped Cross's family and asks Cross to kill people in order to save them. What happens next is too ridiculous to describe. Bad plotting, ridiculous premises, and thin characters fall through this sieve of a book.
I wish I hadn't read it.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

ENOUGH~! I am tired of reading about the horrors of Alex Cross's mental torture concerning his family. There should not be a threat of harm to this family in any future books about Alex Cross. As a reader, I have suffered enough with this man and his family. Patterson needs to move on to other crimes in the D.C. area. Having purchased ALL of the Alex Cross books, I can tell you that I will NOT buy anymore that deal with harm to this family. ENOUGH~!

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The psychotic and evil Thierry Mulch had kidnapped Detective Alex Cross’ entire family – his beautiful wife Bree, Nana Mama and the children, Damon, Jannie and Ali had all been taken from Cross. He was distraught, terrified and also bewildered as he tried to ascertain the reason behind it all. With his entire squad behind him, working the case with feverish speed; the FBI and every law enforcement agency getting into the act; still Cross felt helpless.

But then circumstances changed – bodies were found – and Cross was forced to play a dangerous game that he felt he had no way of avoiding. Suddenly, and knowing the lives of his family were on the line, he was following orders. But these were not his usual orders – not from the police department. Could he follow the killer’s plans for him and follow his own agenda as well?

With the clock racing faster, Cross was determined to find this madman at all costs. But the fine line was a difficult one to travel – he let his desperation fuel his adrenalin – to think would mean he would collapse. Would his race against time succeed? Or were his family members gone from him forever?

Brilliant! A true James Patterson thriller once again…just the way I love them. Taut with tension, with a rocketing pace and unique twists throughout, it was heart thumping and thrilling. Highly recommended.

[✨Susan✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read many of the Alex Cross novels but James Patterson has such a fluidity to his writing that It did not feel like I was reading a book late in a series.

Dr. Cross's whole family has been kidnapped by someone with no demands, which adds to the difficulty of figuring out why this person has specifically targeted him. He is personally attached to the case so he must automatically remove himself as an active investigator, this in turn makes it more difficult for him to find his family. Cross starts to tap into alternative methods and does an amazing job of using unlikely resources to do his ground work. The interesting part of this whole scenario is that Cross is being tested like a lab rat.

A smart and tenable story with dynamic charaters and a suspenseful ending. Definitely recommend to JP and or Cross readers.

[Quantum Thief- Behind the Mask · Rating 5 out of 5]

dear god I hope this is not the last book :/ Anyway I am dying to get my hands on this :)

[Brittany McCann · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for Nana F'n Mama! Hells yes! Thank you for giving the people (me) what they want!

The fact that I am still entertained on the 22nd book of the Alex Cross series says something about staying power and character development.

They were some major holes in this one, but it was a great follow on to Cross My Heart, and I was well convinced that someone may be back on the market for a bit.

I did like some of the links in personalities. The killer's narration was not super strong in this one though.

Overall this is probably closer to a 4 star, but Nana Mama makes it rise up!

[Suzzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I would have to go change into black clothing during a large part of this book. This was an insane reading experience because of the attachment to the characters since it is over twenty books into the series. This one was action packed throughout and leaves readers on the edge wondering how the plot was going to play out.

My quick and simple overall: one of the best books in the Alex Cross series hands down!

[Cameron Mitchell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was I the only one who was hoping the villain would succeed? I decided to read this book out of the hope that one of the Cross family members would die, that being the only imaginable way to create any meaningful change in the character and the series. I dared hope that maybe James Patterson has finally come to his senses and will attempt to elevate this newest story above the usual manufactured crap? Perhaps?

But, alas, I find myself disappointed.

House Cross finds itself back at square one, the same idyllic, perfect-world family whose problems always manage to wrap themselves up by the end of four hundred pages. This book suffers from all the problems the author's other works suffer from. James Patterson cannot write believable characters (none of the ones in this book seem to have any kind of psychological fallback from their horrific experiences), the dialogue is atrocious ("Fuck, man, I am so fucking sorry about the world of shit that's whirling around you now, my brother"), and the plot (as always) reads like Patterson took it out of a manual titled "How to Write a Thriller Novel in Five Easy Steps!"

How many times has Patterson waved around the possibility of Nana Mama's death? Being that she is one of my favourite characters in the series, the idea of her death is tragic to me. But, realistically, there is only so much one can believe she'd survive. This wouldn't particularly bother me if it didn't come along with all the other gimmicks that the author uses to create a false sense of tension. Every book, he dangles something for the reader to seize on, a hope that something meaningful might occur, and every time things go back to the status quo against all odds.

This is the second time recently that the author has used cliffhangers to tease a change in one of his series, and both have turned out to be gimmicky tricks intended simply to get another bestseller. James Patterson's writing is commercialized crap, full of cheesy gimmicks and stock plotlines and characters, that serves no purpose other than to make the author a profit.

Yet we all keep buying his books, so I suppose he's doing something right!

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 22nd book in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson. Having read and enjoyed his books from the start of his career I have been very dissatisfied in recent years as the Patterson book factory has released book after book concentrating on quantity rather than quality with a varying level of authors talent.
This book however was more like the old James Patterson with thrills spills, good characters told in the usual style of short punchy chapters.
Maybe the difference is this one was written by him alone.

[Monnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark this day on the calendar, folks: It's the first time in a while that I've given a James Patterson book 5 stars. His series featuring Detective Alex Cross is one of my favorites, to be sure - partly, I think, because he writes these books all on his own as opposed to "share-cropping" with co-writers with varying degrees of success.

This rating also comes after reading, and being quite annoyed with, the previous book in the series, Cross My Heart. It was good, but the cliffhanger of an ending, as I said at the time, so reeked of promotion for this one that I almost vowed on principle not to read the follow-up.

Well, truth is I'm glad I did. At the end of Cross My Heart, the 21st in the series, Cross had lost his entire family to kidnappings by a demented killer. That scenario is continued here as he works nonstop to find them (hopefully alive); and as might be expected, the tension gets hot and heavy. In fact, if I have a complaint, it's that the drama "crosses" the line of excessive - but even that really didn't take away that nonstop, edge-of-the-seat excitement.

Cross is being stalked and mentally tortured by someone who clearly has a psychotic streak; early on, as two mutilated bodies turn up that are presumed to be Cross's wife Bree and his son Damion, Cross is so emotionally devastated that he's barely able to function. But function he must if he has even the slightest chance of catching the diabolical killer and find his precious Nana Mama and the rest of his children alive.

To be fair, there are more than a few "holes" in the story - from lapses in police procedure to how the killer manages to accomplish everything given time and circumstances to wasting too much space on repetition. Still, the action moves along fast, thanks mostly to Patterson's way with words. While I'm basically not an OCD personality, I admit that having to stop reading anywhere other than at the beginning of a new chapter when life interferes makes me crazy; short chapters make it easy to avoid that mental upset. And since I've always been a critic of what I consider to be short-changing readers by filling up to 20% of the advertised number of pages with sample chapters from other books, I'll note that the pages devoted to previews are far fewer here.

I'll also point out that while this book can stand alone, it's meant to be the second of a two-parter. To get the biggest bang for your bucks, then, I suggest reading Cross Your Heart before tackling this one. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patterson returns to his earliest, and longest running, series to tie off the many loose ends from CROSS MY HEART. Giving brief summaries for the reader, the story picks up where last we left Cross, in a state of despair. His family kidnapped, a killer on the loose, and execution-style photos in his possession. He will do anything he can to find them; follow any lead. While Cross goes outside his normal practice and barters with the killer, the reader sees the true desperation in Cross's life. Nothing could be more important to him than his family. Cross follows the leads wherever they take him, tracing the killer's secret history into the back country and eventually down into the bayous of Louisiana. It is then that things ramp up, as Cross prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice to bring his family home; leave himself blowing in the wind and up for trade. A well-constructed conclusion to the fast-paced Alex Cross novel that left readers tearing out their hair. Not to be missed and surely not to be compared to other books in the series.

Patterson is on a roll, of sorts. Having churned out some drivel in the past, he is now able to rectify this with some down to earth writing. And, as luck would have it, he cannot rest his laurels on anyone else this time. This book defies the usual Alex Cross style, in a way, in that it is not quick two-pager chapters all the way through. It has depth, as does our protagonist, allowing the reader to see just how complex and exciting this adventure can be. A single-case focus in this novel also keeps the pace easier to handle, as the reader need not divide the brain into too many sub-parts to keep the larger story straight. A nice change for Patterson, but can he keep it going?

Kudos, Mr. Patterson, as you have found your stride. Can it be kept, remains to be seen.

[Jon Kurtz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hope to Die is the sequel to Cross My Heart. It represents the 22nd installment in the wildly successful Alex Cross series by James Patterson. With that in mind, I called up my review of book 21, which I read in 2014. It seems to apply in this instance as well. To summarize: I love Patterson's machine gun writing style, but find the premise of the Alex Cross series tired and unrealistic, i.e. a cunning criminal crosses Cross, kidnapping and conceptually killing Cross' kin. Convoluted? Not really. Familiar? You bet. Crestfallen, Cross comes close to collapsing with concern. Calling upon his copious cranial components, Cross keeps coming, climactically crushing the callous creep.
>
To Mr. Patterson and publishers: The action and interplay among the characters is wonderful, yet I can no longer see past the concept. Killers continue to stalk the stalker and his family with a predictable outcome. I have the sense that the 21st and 22nd installments of this successful series are more about profit than passion.

Expanded scale rating - 3.0.

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the BEST Alex Cross book that I've read from this series. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to all James Patterson fans. It will keep you guessing until the end. Enjoy the ride!

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hope To Die is the 22nd book in the popular Alex Cross series by prolific American author, James Patterson. It follows on directly from the cliff-hanger that ended Cross My Heart, so cannot really be read without reading that book first. Thierry Mulch has kidnapped and supposedly killed all the members of Alex Cross’s family. But Ava, the runaway Nana Mama took in, gives Alex hope that all is not lost.

Before they can even start searching for where the five might be held, though, another blow hits Alex: a mutilated body is found, unidentifiable, but a body that looks like his beloved Bree, her build, her clothing, her jewellery. And then another, again unidentifiable, but resembling his eldest, Damon. And demands from Mulch, a heinous deed to be committed if Alex is ever to see the rest of his family alive.

If the reader can suspend disbelief regards the place and manner the hostages are held, Cross’s post-crash climb, the extreme convenience of the former profession of Mulch’s accomplice and the current career of Gloria Jones, then some quite good investigation keeps the story rolling at a fast pace. But the “danger to loved ones due to his profession” card, taken to the extreme in this installment, has been rather overplayed in this series and really is getting a bit tired. Maybe now Cross will put in a burglar alarm and teach his family some basic security?

Patterson employs his trademark short chapters and Cross does a lot of travelling around the country in this one, even surviving a car crash and “Duel”-type mountainside descent. Atticus Jones is a delightful character and Patterson introduces a new detective in Tessa Aalijah who proves quite resourceful. Readers will be grateful there is no annoying cliff-hanger ending, this time.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good and very intense. I’m thrilled that after so many books in the Alex Cross series and reading these through so many years of my life that I am still enjoying them so much. There aren’t very many series that I have been reading for so long that I haven’t lost interest in either because the author lost motivation or my motivation changed over time. For example, the Kay Scarpetta series. I loved the earlier books. Maybe I would not love them if I read them now or maybe I would and it’s just the later books that lost their way. Regardless, Alex Cross still grabs me and won’t let go. I don’t tend to read any of the Paterson/any other novelist co-authored books as they don’t appeal to me as much and I don’t hear as much positive feedback. So I’ll keep cheering Alex Cross on for now.

[AJourneyWithoutMap · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a numbing fall to the depths of disappointment with Cross My Heart (Alex Cross), the 21st installment in the Alex Cross series, bestselling author James Patterson returns with his most famous character in a sizzling sequel which will restore the confidence of the faithful in his skill as a master-storyteller, and earn him many more new fans. With his reputation as the world's most popular thriller writer at stake, Hope to Die is a high-risk gamble which will either bury the fiasco that was Cross My Heart (Alex Cross) or put the final nail in the coffin of a legendary fictional character, Alex Cross.

Which way will the scale swing?

Simply put, James Patterson seems totally unfazed by the rampant criticism with which Cross My Heart (Alex Cross) was received. This is apparent as the story continues in the same vein and in the same JP trademark short chapters. Patterson really surprised me by entering enemy territory with Marcus Sunday and his true-crime book The Perfect Criminal hogging the limelight in the introductory chapters. As the story progresses he captures in vivid details, though blurred at times by the necessity of the plot, the fate that befell the Cross family in Cross My Heart (Alex Cross). The picture becomes clearer with each new chapter, focusing on plot of the villain to wreak a final storm on Alex Cross while Alex is working on his own plan to unleash a befitting retribution.

Hope to Die (Alex Cross # 22) by James Patterson is explosive, riveting and enthralling with high-octane action sequences, superb dialogue and a fantastic storyline. Alex Cross is simply superb, as always, and the pain he feels comes right through the pages of the book. I have always loved the Patterson books for the simple reason that they are entertaining. Hope to Die is no different and I get hooked from the beginning. Pure habit forces me to flip to the last page and see how it ends. Hope to Die is one of the best Alex Cross novels, with an intimate and equal portrayal of all the main characters. With a climax that is both surprising and unexpected, a far cry from the frustration of Cross My Heart (Alex Cross), Hope to Die is one of James Patterson's best novels in a long time.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Old reviews went missing. How does save not working?

Great series; one of my favorite Patterson books.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madness, murder, and mayhem ensue in this Patterson read! And yes, the book is appropriately titled, “Hope to Die,” it leaves you wondering who - if anyone shall survive. 4 stars❤️

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved this one!

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hope to Die picks up where Cross My Heart ended (I only got the title tie-in now), with Alex Cross falling apart because his family has been kidnapped. Then some mutilated bodies are found with their possessions, nearly pushing Alex over the edge. Ava returns to help, and a Baltimore detective jumps in too. Some excellent supportng characters: Atticus Jones and his daughter. Between John Sampson, his FBI friends, his tenacity and Ava's creativity, Alex is able to discover the identity of the man torturing him. 3.5 stars.

[Maryann Bosah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gripping story that you do not want to put down till you get to the end. A great follow up to Cross My heart

[Yvonne Tulley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was scared to start this, after the ending of Cross My Heart. I really loved this book. A few anxious moments and I love the 'fear' factor. Great read.

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story appears to be about inflicting more pain than humanly possible. The tortures and deaths are discounted and all that appears to matter is belief in god. 1 of 10 stars

[Milo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Review Can Also Be Found Here: https://thefictionalhangoutsite.wordp...

I’ve been reading the Alex Cross series for a while now, and as it happens, have only missed five out of twenty two at least going what I can remember registering on Goodreads, including the latest Cross Justice. The others are Violets Are Blue, Four Blind Mice, The Big Bad Wolf, London Bridges, so it’s safe to say that I’m a big fan of the series even if the more recent entries have been hit and miss in places. Thankfully though Hope to Die was a return to form for the series after the OK instalment of Cross My Heart, delivering another nonstop action packed read from the master of creating a fast-paced novel, literally, one thing that’s common about all of Patterson’s many, many books is that they’re never slow, and Hope to Die is no exception.

Following the cliffhanger that was met with mixed receptions at the end of Cross My Heart Alex Cross’s life is collapsing around him. The Detective is missing his Wife, Bree, who’s been kidnapped by a psychotic assassin along with Nana Mama and his children. If he’s to get his family back Alex may be forced to play by the killer’s own rules, and what follows is an incredibly intense game of cat and mouse that nearly tips Alex over the edge. He’s not alone though, and has support from Ava, John Sampson and his allies in the FBI, making the book a compelling and engaging read. It helps that the antagonist is also in true Patterson style, pulled off well as incredibly evil and feels refreshingly memorable.

There are a few bits and pieces here that don’t work, with character inclusions that could have been avoided, but on the whole Hope to Die is a strong read. The climax of the book is exciting and rewards readers who didn’t jump ship with Cross My Heart, like a few people in the Goodreads reviews section said that they were going to do, and Patterson finds a way of pulling back readers who had a waning interest in the series. If you haven’t read at least one Alex Cross novel and you’re a crime fan then you’re missing out on something really awesome – by and large they can be read as standalones, but there are some that interlink and this one follows on from the end of Cross My Heart very well, so you’re better off going back a few before you get to this one.

As usual when writing a review for an Alex Cross novel, or any series that has had more than five or so entries, it’s difficult to try and come up with something new to say that hasn’t already been said before, and that’s more the case than ever with Hope to Die. Chances are if you’re a Patterson fan you’ll have read this one already and if not you’re not going to read it, but on the whole, the book still remains an enjoyable read and as usual with this series, a super quick one.