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Alex Cross #5
Pop Goes the Weasel
Detective Alex Cross is in love. But his happiness is threatened by a series of chilling murders in Washington, D.C., murders with a pattern so twisted, it leaves investigators reeling. Cross's ingenious pursuit of the killer produces a suspect-a British diplomat named Geoffrey Shafer. But proving that Shafer is the murderer becomes a potentially deadly task. As the diplomat engages in a brilliant series of surprising countermoves, in and out of the courtroom, Alex and his fiancee become hopelessly entangled with the most memorable nemesis Alex Cross has ever faced. Pop Goes the Weasel reveals James Patterson at the peak of his power.
Here is a chilling villain no reader will forget, a love story of great tenderness, and a plot of relentless suspense and heart-pounding pace. To read Pop Goes the Weasel is to discover why James Patterson is one of the world's greatest suspense writers.
492 pages, Unknown Binding
First published October 19, 1999
3295 people are currently reading
19723 people want to read
About the author
James Patterson
955 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 1,740 reviews
August 27, 2017
Not the best Alex Cross book I have read but it was still totally readable and very entertaining. I like Alex Cross and his little family and I enjoyed the side story of his relationship with Christine. The main story of the Four Horsemen was, in true Patterson form, way over the top but still absolutely engrossing and page turning.
I am steadily working my way through the Alex Cross series. I pick one up every time I feel like a good book which will entertain me without me having to think. So far I have not been let down:)
I am steadily working my way through the Alex Cross series. I pick one up every time I feel like a good book which will entertain me without me having to think. So far I have not been let down:)
July 10, 2023
Well, that was a weird ending.
Another excellent Alex Cross addition to the series with a brilliant and sick psycho killer and Alex distraught most of the book. It was great to see a support system come through to assist him on this one. I hope we get to see more of a resolution to events in this book.
Overall this was another wonderful adventure, but it felt less "wrapped up" in MANY ways with many unanswered questions and a weird ending that was somewhat strange for sure.
Looking forward to continuing the journey of Cross.
4 Stars
Another excellent Alex Cross addition to the series with a brilliant and sick psycho killer and Alex distraught most of the book. It was great to see a support system come through to assist him on this one. I hope we get to see more of a resolution to events in this book.
Overall this was another wonderful adventure, but it felt less "wrapped up" in MANY ways with many unanswered questions and a weird ending that was somewhat strange for sure.
Looking forward to continuing the journey of Cross.
4 Stars
September 7, 2011
Pop Goes the Weasel is the 5th book featuring Alex Cross. This book is written a bit differently, in that, the reader knows who-did-it right away, Cross figures it out quickly; however, diplomatic immunity forces the plot more towards 'will he be made to pay for his crimes' rather than, 'will he be caught'. The abrupt twist at the end was a fabulous way to end the book.....also, it means that I can't wait to pick up the 6th.
November 27, 2012
"Pop Goes the Weasel" is a very easy book to read. I got it done in two days. The story line sometimes made me mad, due to the fact that the killer kept getting away with everything. The ending was happy though. I recommend this book to people who like to read mysteries because the one in this book is very intense.
May 3, 2023
What a ride! I really enjoyed this book a lot, the 5th in the series and it was brilliant. I know a lot of people don't rate this one so high because the writing is a little flat and it's far fetched but I thought it was just so much fun. I thought the killer was really interesting playing a deadly game with people lives he didn't know what he was going to do next which helped with the suspense.
I do have a soft spot for Alex Cross I think he is a really well written hero, he's not always right, he doesn't always make the right choice but his heart is always in the right place. This reads so quickly the chapters are so short so and it was really hard to put down. It gets more and more gruesome throughout but it's not too bad, gore isn't used for shock factor.
The only thing I would say about this one it could have been a little longer I would have liked to know more about the in's and out's of the game and more about the other players.
The final section of this book was done perfectly, it was suspenseful, high stake and exciting. I thought the ending was a little far-fetched and strange but it was perfect to me because it just is like a TV drama and the dramatics were so fun!
I do have a soft spot for Alex Cross I think he is a really well written hero, he's not always right, he doesn't always make the right choice but his heart is always in the right place. This reads so quickly the chapters are so short so and it was really hard to put down. It gets more and more gruesome throughout but it's not too bad, gore isn't used for shock factor.
The only thing I would say about this one it could have been a little longer I would have liked to know more about the in's and out's of the game and more about the other players.
The final section of this book was done perfectly, it was suspenseful, high stake and exciting. I thought the ending was a little far-fetched and strange but it was perfect to me because it just is like a TV drama and the dramatics were so fun!
April 13, 2018
Not bad at all. Moved quickly and I enjoyed the four horsemen concept for the killers. Alex is a great character to read about and the personalism of this installment made for a more edge of your seat read. But I found it predictable so that’s why I went to three stars. It was still interesting though.
My quick and simple overall: an interesting quick read you can read in one afternoon.
My quick and simple overall: an interesting quick read you can read in one afternoon.
December 31, 2022
SPOILERS AHEAD
I would say the story was entertaining and also ridiculous. We know straight at the start that Geoffrey Shafer a British Embassy official has become insane. Apparently a common occurrence amongst British diplomats. He plays a game called the Four Horsemen and he is Death. Surprise, Surprise. The game involves throwing dice with the numbers that come up requiring an action. The rules are never really explained in detail.
Thanks to the incompetence of the police and a seemingly complete lack of forensic evidence his body count mounts. Cross investigates and also is involved with Christine his kids school principal. He proposes, she accepts eventually and the whole family go to Bermuda. She is kidnapped by Shafer where apparently the police on a small island cannot trace a white rental van.
Shafer murders Cross’s partner Patsy. They catch him with her blood on him but due to the weirdness of the American justice system is inadmissible as evidence. WTF. Shafer waives diplomatic immunity and stands trial and is found not guilty. His wife Lucy leaves him with his three children going back to England.
Shafer then meets up with the other horsemen and kill’s them in Jamaica. A fight ensues in the sea with Cross and Shafer and it appears that Shafer is drowned. Of course he survives and murders his wife and twins in a supermarket in Chelsea, England. We then are expected to believe that after missing a year Christine is alive, unharmed with a baby called Alex while being held captive by Rastafarian bandits. WTF??
Everyone else Shafer has murdered his victims except Christine who is held captive for a year. He is a homicidal maniac high most of the time on a cocktail of drugs. Still I will read the sequel and see how Alex Cross kills him and more about his perfect family. Complete bollocks but very entertaining.
I would say the story was entertaining and also ridiculous. We know straight at the start that Geoffrey Shafer a British Embassy official has become insane. Apparently a common occurrence amongst British diplomats. He plays a game called the Four Horsemen and he is Death. Surprise, Surprise. The game involves throwing dice with the numbers that come up requiring an action. The rules are never really explained in detail.
Thanks to the incompetence of the police and a seemingly complete lack of forensic evidence his body count mounts. Cross investigates and also is involved with Christine his kids school principal. He proposes, she accepts eventually and the whole family go to Bermuda. She is kidnapped by Shafer where apparently the police on a small island cannot trace a white rental van.
Shafer murders Cross’s partner Patsy. They catch him with her blood on him but due to the weirdness of the American justice system is inadmissible as evidence. WTF. Shafer waives diplomatic immunity and stands trial and is found not guilty. His wife Lucy leaves him with his three children going back to England.
Shafer then meets up with the other horsemen and kill’s them in Jamaica. A fight ensues in the sea with Cross and Shafer and it appears that Shafer is drowned. Of course he survives and murders his wife and twins in a supermarket in Chelsea, England. We then are expected to believe that after missing a year Christine is alive, unharmed with a baby called Alex while being held captive by Rastafarian bandits. WTF??
Everyone else Shafer has murdered his victims except Christine who is held captive for a year. He is a homicidal maniac high most of the time on a cocktail of drugs. Still I will read the sequel and see how Alex Cross kills him and more about his perfect family. Complete bollocks but very entertaining.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2019
I started reading this series during The Great American Read. I was familiar with James Patterson, mostly because his name is splashed all over so many books as author, co-author, or whatever you want to call his publication style, but I had never actually read one of his books. I discovered quickly that I actually like Alex Cross, a Washington D.C. psychologist who becomes a detective. Cross investigates some gritty, hard-hitting cases. The series reads like a television thriller series or an over-the-top movie.....a cop soap opera. Devious serial killers. Crooks who keep popping up in Cross' life to cause damage. Bad cops. Thugs. And every time Cross gets a girlfriend bad things happen. Every. Time.
Despite the plots getting cheesy in places, I'm enjoying reading through this series. Pop Goes the Weasel gave me some trouble though, but not because of the plot, characters or writing. I actually had a hard time finding a copy of the book. I'm on a personal book buying ban at the moment (I own way too many physical books -- thousands of them -- so I'm not buying anything I'm only going to read once) so buying this book was not an option. My local library and its various branches do not own a physical copy of this book. So I turned to the digital offerings.....the ebook had a huge waiting list (Drat! People have discovered the joy of the library's digital site! lol). I finally checked out the audio book version only to discover it's abridged. Heavily abridged. The full audio book is almost 10 hours long. The version I listened to is only 5 1/2 hours long, which means they cut out half the story. Rather than wait weeks in a queue for the ebook....I chose to listen to the abridged story. I found it a bit annoying that they chose to leave in a steamy sex scene between Alex and his girlfriend Christine while obviously cutting out a lot of the meat of the story. Sigh. But....at least I can move on with the series now rather than sitting in a queue for a couple months waiting on an ebook.
Pop Goes the Weasel is the 5th book in the Alex Cross series. There are 26 books in the series, with a new book, Criss Cross, coming out in 2019. I have a lot of reading to do to catch up with this series....another reason I didn't want to wait for the library's ebook. This time, Cross is investigating a string of violent murders in D.C. They are calling the killer The Weasel. Just as Cross is narrowing in on a suspect, his girlfriend is kidnapped (Please stop dating, Cross....it never ever ends well!). Turns out this killer will be one of the most gruesome and diabolical criminals that Alex Cross will ever come across. And he's playing a game of life and death with Alex Cross.
I enjoyed this story.....well, I enjoyed the parts of this story I got to hear. This version is just too heavily abridged. The narrators give a great performance....the plot was interesting (despite the girlfriend in danger plot device coming up yet again...sigh) and the investigation filled with action and suspense. I'm going middle of the road with my rating on this one....just because half the story is missing. I'm confused why both libraries I use (my local and a nearby large metro library system) only have an abridged audio version of this book while the rest of the series is available unabridged? Frustrating! Especially when the after effects of this story continue through the rest of the series. Grumble, grumble.
On to the next book in the series -- Roses are Red.
Despite the plots getting cheesy in places, I'm enjoying reading through this series. Pop Goes the Weasel gave me some trouble though, but not because of the plot, characters or writing. I actually had a hard time finding a copy of the book. I'm on a personal book buying ban at the moment (I own way too many physical books -- thousands of them -- so I'm not buying anything I'm only going to read once) so buying this book was not an option. My local library and its various branches do not own a physical copy of this book. So I turned to the digital offerings.....the ebook had a huge waiting list (Drat! People have discovered the joy of the library's digital site! lol). I finally checked out the audio book version only to discover it's abridged. Heavily abridged. The full audio book is almost 10 hours long. The version I listened to is only 5 1/2 hours long, which means they cut out half the story. Rather than wait weeks in a queue for the ebook....I chose to listen to the abridged story. I found it a bit annoying that they chose to leave in a steamy sex scene between Alex and his girlfriend Christine while obviously cutting out a lot of the meat of the story. Sigh. But....at least I can move on with the series now rather than sitting in a queue for a couple months waiting on an ebook.
Pop Goes the Weasel is the 5th book in the Alex Cross series. There are 26 books in the series, with a new book, Criss Cross, coming out in 2019. I have a lot of reading to do to catch up with this series....another reason I didn't want to wait for the library's ebook. This time, Cross is investigating a string of violent murders in D.C. They are calling the killer The Weasel. Just as Cross is narrowing in on a suspect, his girlfriend is kidnapped (Please stop dating, Cross....it never ever ends well!). Turns out this killer will be one of the most gruesome and diabolical criminals that Alex Cross will ever come across. And he's playing a game of life and death with Alex Cross.
I enjoyed this story.....well, I enjoyed the parts of this story I got to hear. This version is just too heavily abridged. The narrators give a great performance....the plot was interesting (despite the girlfriend in danger plot device coming up yet again...sigh) and the investigation filled with action and suspense. I'm going middle of the road with my rating on this one....just because half the story is missing. I'm confused why both libraries I use (my local and a nearby large metro library system) only have an abridged audio version of this book while the rest of the series is available unabridged? Frustrating! Especially when the after effects of this story continue through the rest of the series. Grumble, grumble.
On to the next book in the series -- Roses are Red.
February 26, 2018
Book 5 in the Alex Cross series.
If you have enjoyed the Alex Cross books in the past then you'll enjoy this one.
Alex, once again, is up to his neck in it. Hunting down a psychopathic serial killer with the obligatory damsel in distress to rescue. This time it's more personal, the damsel in need of rescuing is his new fiancé Christine Johnson.
Inside you will find drugs, not much sex, a lot of dead young females and a very sick psychopath. All in a day's work for Alex.
This is a slick, easy read but it will not exercise the gray matter between your ears.
This is not James Patterson finest work.
Recommended for lovers of Alex Cross. 3 stars was the best I could do.
If you have enjoyed the Alex Cross books in the past then you'll enjoy this one.
Alex, once again, is up to his neck in it. Hunting down a psychopathic serial killer with the obligatory damsel in distress to rescue. This time it's more personal, the damsel in need of rescuing is his new fiancé Christine Johnson.
Inside you will find drugs, not much sex, a lot of dead young females and a very sick psychopath. All in a day's work for Alex.
This is a slick, easy read but it will not exercise the gray matter between your ears.
This is not James Patterson finest work.
Recommended for lovers of Alex Cross. 3 stars was the best I could do.
April 6, 2020
It had an exciting plot and was Interesting to some extent but being the forth book in a series, it fell flat for me.
The Killer was interesting and some parts of the book held my attention but my constant checking of how many pages I have left made me question if I am really invested in the story... Then the easy ending was just meh and felt a little to convenient.
I would suggest you read it as a series, instead of a stand alone.
BLOG ---> https://kenyanlibrary.wordpress.com/
Thanks for reading :)
The Killer was interesting and some parts of the book held my attention but my constant checking of how many pages I have left made me question if I am really invested in the story... Then the easy ending was just meh and felt a little to convenient.
I would suggest you read it as a series, instead of a stand alone.
BLOG ---> https://kenyanlibrary.wordpress.com/
Thanks for reading :)
April 27, 2020
Alex Cross - book 5: Alex Cross has been investigating a series of Jane Doe murders in a mostly Black and poor area of Washington, when it begins to come to light that the 100+ murders may have been committed by the same seriously psychotic individual, nicknamed 'the Weasel'. Alex also has come to realise that his own department seems to not have the decency, resources or political will to even consider the cases are the work of a serial murder. Pop Goes The Weasel in a typical Patterson page-turning style tells the tale of the hunt for this killer or killers and how it ends up getting really personal for Alex. 5 out of 12.
May 9, 2017
I can't stand the character, Alex Cross, however I really enjoyed the story line and the villain of Pop Goes the Weasel.
Alex Cross is facing a new killer, one that is totally random in his killings. He seems to blend into the crowds and no one notices him. The reader knows right away that the villain is British diplomat, Geoffrey Shafer, however the whole point is whether or not Alex Cross can figure out who the Weasel is.
I don't like Alex Cross. He doesn't seem realistic at all - perfect father, boyfriend, investigator, psychologist and he can't do any wrong. I don't like reading the parts with his family and with his girlfriend, Christine. It just makes my eyes roll.
I liked the villain, Geoffrey Shafer, he was so smug and evil. I also enjoyed how this book was more than the hunting down of the killer
Alex Cross is facing a new killer, one that is totally random in his killings. He seems to blend into the crowds and no one notices him. The reader knows right away that the villain is British diplomat, Geoffrey Shafer, however the whole point is whether or not Alex Cross can figure out who the Weasel is.
I don't like Alex Cross. He doesn't seem realistic at all - perfect father, boyfriend, investigator, psychologist and he can't do any wrong. I don't like reading the parts with his family and with his girlfriend, Christine. It just makes my eyes roll.
I liked the villain, Geoffrey Shafer, he was so smug and evil. I also enjoyed how this book was more than the hunting down of the killer
July 12, 2007
I could not get past page 12 before I wanted to hurl this piece of drivel down a well then toss a rock after it to prevent it's accidental discovery.
I didn't know it was possible to create such horrible sterotypes and to write with this level of immaturity.
Maybe I should have read further, but after hearing the young black kid actually say, "Yo, yo, yo" I had to find better things to do with my time.
I didn't know it was possible to create such horrible sterotypes and to write with this level of immaturity.
Maybe I should have read further, but after hearing the young black kid actually say, "Yo, yo, yo" I had to find better things to do with my time.
April 8, 2011
This dark & gritty unabridged audiobook was the perfect choice for a dreary, misty morning ride to work. This was my first glimpse into the world of Alex Cross and once I finished this book I realized I've been missing out on some potentially excellent reads. Most hardboiled mysteries are too dry for my tastes and my mind starts drifting away but this one hooked me from the beginning with its attention to characterization and the emotional affects of crime on the victims left behind.
The story, though grueling, moves along at a fast pace and held my attention throughout. Police Officer Alex Cross is a compelling and sympathetic character chasing down one of the evilest serial killers I've encountered in quite a while. The killer fancies himself as "Death" in a role playing game he and his three cronies call "The Four Horsemen". "Death" takes his role far too seriously and is a truly revolting, heartless, selfish and sadistic character. My only complaint is the plot twist that occurs on Disk 4 which was very predictable due to the author's overuse of happy adjectives in the previous chapters.
The book only slowed down a bit for me during the trial but I've never been a fan of court room drama anyway and the ending left me wanting more (which is a good thing if there's a sequel -- not so good if this is the end!). All in all I'm thrilled to discover a new author with a considerable backlist to devour.
The story, though grueling, moves along at a fast pace and held my attention throughout. Police Officer Alex Cross is a compelling and sympathetic character chasing down one of the evilest serial killers I've encountered in quite a while. The killer fancies himself as "Death" in a role playing game he and his three cronies call "The Four Horsemen". "Death" takes his role far too seriously and is a truly revolting, heartless, selfish and sadistic character. My only complaint is the plot twist that occurs on Disk 4 which was very predictable due to the author's overuse of happy adjectives in the previous chapters.
The book only slowed down a bit for me during the trial but I've never been a fan of court room drama anyway and the ending left me wanting more (which is a good thing if there's a sequel -- not so good if this is the end!). All in all I'm thrilled to discover a new author with a considerable backlist to devour.
July 23, 2011
Years ago, I gave up on Patterson after reading 1/5 of this book. I suppose seeing the author's name on the new release shelf 365 days a year makes it difficult to ignore him, and I decided to give this book another try. The first time was in audio form, which seems to highlight the worst traits of James Patterson - this being the inane dialog and the totally unbelievable villains. Seriously, I've read graphic novels and other comic books with more lifelike villains than Geoffrey Shaffer (AKA the Weasel). Truth be told, it's not as unbearable when you sit down and read the books. JP's books are designed to go fast because the writing is so amazingly shallow. You can read a page in 20 seconds and catch every detail. To the author's credit: Alex Cross is a great protagonist. His background, his unique family and his relationship with a school principal are all surprisingly well done. He also is excellent at maintaining suspense and orchestrating his plots. Too bad that a book should be more than this. As I've told friends who do like this author, I might be more inclined to like him if I hadn't read gobs of similar books that were much more satisfying.
December 10, 2017
Pop Goes the Weasel was so freaking good. In this book, Alex proposes to the love of his life, Christine. Which at first I didn't really care about their relationship but this book totally made me fall even more in love with his family and I didn't mind Christine being the new addition to. The ending was so good and happy for his family. But then that god damn epilogue was so freaking good. It made me sad as well because of Death. Death is the new villain in this book. He is apart of the Four Horseman and he enjoys killing on a daily basis. Death's real name is Geoffrey Shafer. Shafer is a crazy motherfucker who thinks it's a game every night when he goes out hunting to kill. He's super creepy and the epilogue is basically about him seeking revenge on his family.
I really wanted Shafer to die the entire time while reading this book and I'm really mad that he is alive. If he's mentioned in the next book (or any other book within this series) I hope he dies.
I really wanted Shafer to die the entire time while reading this book and I'm really mad that he is alive. If he's mentioned in the next book (or any other book within this series) I hope he dies.
November 9, 2020
Pop goes the weasel because the weasel goes pop! Holy, cow! Why didn’t I discover this Alex Cross series before now?
In this savage, twisted tale, we’re given all of the good stuff - that being pure psycho craziness, a touch of sex, a lot of murder and even more mayhem! And yes, kids, there’s a bit of romance added to give it some flavor. 5stars
In this savage, twisted tale, we’re given all of the good stuff - that being pure psycho craziness, a touch of sex, a lot of murder and even more mayhem! And yes, kids, there’s a bit of romance added to give it some flavor. 5stars
April 1, 2017
Another fast pace Alex cross book, omg wasn't expecting the ending I got on this one but nice to see some happy outcome for Alex.
January 11, 2025
Another tense, exciting Alex Cross adventure from James Patterson. It was a little predictable in places but enough to spoil my enjoyment. And that ending! Oh, you swine, Patterson…
May 16, 2014
Originally on my book blog!
Can I just flail instead of write a review? This was a masterpiece and you should believe me because I don’t use that word often. Everything was fabulous in this book. The characters (that’s nothing new), the plot (also nothing new), the plot twists (go figure), and the ending (SHOCKER, THAT).
No really, this book was like fictional quicksand (as opposed to real quicksand that actually takes a really long time to swallow you up.) This book took a full two minutes, if that, to make me want to read the rest of it in one sitting. I read the back of the book before I started reading it and I saw that they put Shafer’s name on the back and I was like “um??? I know who the killer is so???” but it’s so much more than that. I wanted to keep reading to find out WHY he killed them, WHY he was such a creepo, and WHY he picked him victims.
Alex and Christine are ~in love~ and they are perfect together. They have a very grown up relationship and they took their relationship slow. I love them together. I love Christine’s relationship with Jannie and Damon because that’s a healthy relationship. Parents: if you are going to have step kids due to a marriage with previous kids from it, read about this relationship. They are doing it right. There are some books that if they aren’t filled with suspense, they may get boring or tedious, but this series is not like that. When the suspense is not happening, I still greatly enjoy the books because of how well the relationships are written.
This series has shed a lot on how marginalized groups feel about cops and the justice system as a whole. Patterson doesn’t go out and say “the cops don’t care about marginalized groups” because he doesn’t have to.
I know not everyone spends their days reading articles of things like this, but I try to keep up on important things and I see things like this frequently. It may be uncomfortable for other people to read, but I think it’s important for Patterson to put these things in the books, especially when Alex Cross lives in a place where it happens daily.
BUT THE PLOT TWISTS. Okay, if you’re not really into the personal lives of Alex Cross and his family, or the ties to Real Life Issues, you can skim those and still enjoy the book because the plot twists are incredible. I don’t remember the last time I read a book where the plot twists surprised me this much. If you’re a fan of plot twists, you’d be a fan of this book.
The ending was as perfect as a book with several murders and sadness could be. I wasn’t sure how they would end a book like this, but the ending was better than I thought it would be. Probably the best ending of the series so far. As soon as I set the book down, all I wanted to do was go grab the next one and start reading it but I can’t because it’s a 3 hour drive from here.
I totally recommend this book to anyone that doesn’t mind murder and some gruesome scenes.
Have you read any books in this series? If so, did you like them?
Can I just flail instead of write a review? This was a masterpiece and you should believe me because I don’t use that word often. Everything was fabulous in this book. The characters (that’s nothing new), the plot (also nothing new), the plot twists (go figure), and the ending (SHOCKER, THAT).
No really, this book was like fictional quicksand (as opposed to real quicksand that actually takes a really long time to swallow you up.) This book took a full two minutes, if that, to make me want to read the rest of it in one sitting. I read the back of the book before I started reading it and I saw that they put Shafer’s name on the back and I was like “um??? I know who the killer is so???” but it’s so much more than that. I wanted to keep reading to find out WHY he killed them, WHY he was such a creepo, and WHY he picked him victims.
Alex and Christine are ~in love~ and they are perfect together. They have a very grown up relationship and they took their relationship slow. I love them together. I love Christine’s relationship with Jannie and Damon because that’s a healthy relationship. Parents: if you are going to have step kids due to a marriage with previous kids from it, read about this relationship. They are doing it right. There are some books that if they aren’t filled with suspense, they may get boring or tedious, but this series is not like that. When the suspense is not happening, I still greatly enjoy the books because of how well the relationships are written.
This series has shed a lot on how marginalized groups feel about cops and the justice system as a whole. Patterson doesn’t go out and say “the cops don’t care about marginalized groups” because he doesn’t have to.
“The police won’t do nothin’. You never come back here again after today. Never happen. You don’t care about us. We’re nothin’ to nobody.”
I know not everyone spends their days reading articles of things like this, but I try to keep up on important things and I see things like this frequently. It may be uncomfortable for other people to read, but I think it’s important for Patterson to put these things in the books, especially when Alex Cross lives in a place where it happens daily.
BUT THE PLOT TWISTS. Okay, if you’re not really into the personal lives of Alex Cross and his family, or the ties to Real Life Issues, you can skim those and still enjoy the book because the plot twists are incredible. I don’t remember the last time I read a book where the plot twists surprised me this much. If you’re a fan of plot twists, you’d be a fan of this book.
The ending was as perfect as a book with several murders and sadness could be. I wasn’t sure how they would end a book like this, but the ending was better than I thought it would be. Probably the best ending of the series so far. As soon as I set the book down, all I wanted to do was go grab the next one and start reading it but I can’t because it’s a 3 hour drive from here.
I totally recommend this book to anyone that doesn’t mind murder and some gruesome scenes.
Have you read any books in this series? If so, did you like them?
May 30, 2025
Wow... this one was crazy! The story was exciting! Death was his calling card.
January 25, 2015
A new serial killer, Alex Cross, more mystery, thrilling turn of events? Count me in!!
This is the perfect example of a flowing story you can lose yourself in. The plot is told by multiple POVs (Alex Cross', Geoffrey Shafer's, Bayer's, Patty Hampton's) but you never awake from the spell this book puts on you. It's never disturbing, never out of place.
There's something I appreciate about James Patterson's work: it's always interesting. There's no need for me to read a third of the book or half of the book for me to get hooked or excited. I'm hooked starting with the first sentence. This is how it should be.
This is the perfect example of a flowing story you can lose yourself in. The plot is told by multiple POVs (Alex Cross', Geoffrey Shafer's, Bayer's, Patty Hampton's) but you never awake from the spell this book puts on you. It's never disturbing, never out of place.
There's something I appreciate about James Patterson's work: it's always interesting. There's no need for me to read a third of the book or half of the book for me to get hooked or excited. I'm hooked starting with the first sentence. This is how it should be.
August 5, 2018
Reading a series pop pop pop helps me, forces me to stay objective, maybe. A pretty good story, but a step behind the others.
June 2, 2023
Alex Cross #5 is a mystery, inside a mystery, all inside a complex game.
Posing as a cab driver, the Weasel has been terrorising the streets of Washington. His victims turn up in the poorer end of town, naked and wounded.
For a while now, Alex, partner Sampson and a couple of detective friends have been trying to catch the Weasel. Unofficially- as the chief has warned them off from the investigation. Of course, that won't stop their plight, though!!
Our killer is actually a British diplomat, involved in a role playing game. However, he's playing by his own rules.
Soon, Alex becomes an unwilling participant, and he's about to lose everything that he holds dear ...
This was absolutely exhilarating! We get a brand new Alex, personality wise. Fiancee Christine is abducted and our usually upbeat hero is now distraught. His emotions are all over the place that really reflects on his homelife and work ethic.
There's no way that I would actively get involved in a role play game such as The Four Kingsmen. So gruesome!!
James Patterson really knocked this one out of the park!! A bit of a disjointed plot line, but it works.
🌟🌟🌟🌟✨/5
Posing as a cab driver, the Weasel has been terrorising the streets of Washington. His victims turn up in the poorer end of town, naked and wounded.
For a while now, Alex, partner Sampson and a couple of detective friends have been trying to catch the Weasel. Unofficially- as the chief has warned them off from the investigation. Of course, that won't stop their plight, though!!
Our killer is actually a British diplomat, involved in a role playing game. However, he's playing by his own rules.
Soon, Alex becomes an unwilling participant, and he's about to lose everything that he holds dear ...
This was absolutely exhilarating! We get a brand new Alex, personality wise. Fiancee Christine is abducted and our usually upbeat hero is now distraught. His emotions are all over the place that really reflects on his homelife and work ethic.
There's no way that I would actively get involved in a role play game such as The Four Kingsmen. So gruesome!!
James Patterson really knocked this one out of the park!! A bit of a disjointed plot line, but it works.
🌟🌟🌟🌟✨/5
July 26, 2022
Another high impact, fast paced thriller in the Alex Cross series. Patterson's gift is undeniable, of course, but after five books in it seems like each villain is the most formidable Cross has ever faced - almost unstoppable. Without spoilers, I can't elaborate. The love interest impact in this one is dramatic - heartbreaking and heartwarming. Given the author's pattern with this character, it's hard to hold out hope but again no spoilers. Pop Goes the Weasel is interesting in that the villain/s are lost in the world of gaming. I enjoyed the connection to the Four Horsemen. And as always, I simply adore Cross's family. Looking forward to book 6.
November 15, 2022
Wow, what a book! Been quite while since I've read an Alex Cross. This is quite a good one.
In this thriller, Alex Cross and his beloved fiancé' find themselves tangled in a complex murder investigation, threatening not only public safety but their chance at happiness together.
Nice to see Alex so happy, but his happiness is threatened by a series of chilling murders, one with a such a crazy twist and turn - bone chilling murders, it leaves investigators stumped. Cross's smart
pursuit of the killer produces a suspect: a British diplomat named Geoffrey Shafer.
However, proving that Shafer is the murderer become a very scary task and deadly. As the diplomat engages in a brilliant series of surprising countermoves, both in and out of the courtroom. Alex and Bree, his fiancé become big time entangled with the most memorable nemesis Alex has ever faced.
I really liked this book, recommend.
In this thriller, Alex Cross and his beloved fiancé' find themselves tangled in a complex murder investigation, threatening not only public safety but their chance at happiness together.
Nice to see Alex so happy, but his happiness is threatened by a series of chilling murders, one with a such a crazy twist and turn - bone chilling murders, it leaves investigators stumped. Cross's smart
pursuit of the killer produces a suspect: a British diplomat named Geoffrey Shafer.
However, proving that Shafer is the murderer become a very scary task and deadly. As the diplomat engages in a brilliant series of surprising countermoves, both in and out of the courtroom. Alex and Bree, his fiancé become big time entangled with the most memorable nemesis Alex has ever faced.
I really liked this book, recommend.
August 6, 2013
I'm embarrassed to give this book three stars. The writing is just so awful... But yet, I will grudgingly admit that I enjoyed POP GOES THE WEASEL, despite my opinion that Patterson wastes a lot of great opportunities here. I thought the RPG angle was cool, but horribly underutilized (all the guy ever does is just throw a friggin' dice! How lame is that?!) Ditto the murder trial angle. Ditto the kidnapping angle. Ditto "The Four Horsemen" angle.
Ditto just about everything.
But, still, it was a definite improvement over the last couple of Alex Cross novels (why, oh why, do I continue on with them?) The second half of the book, especially, did a fairly good job of retaining my interest. So, I will give credit where credit is due and award Mr. Patterson a passing grade of three stars. Even though I feel that doing so reflects poorly on my intelligence.
Ditto just about everything.
But, still, it was a definite improvement over the last couple of Alex Cross novels (why, oh why, do I continue on with them?) The second half of the book, especially, did a fairly good job of retaining my interest. So, I will give credit where credit is due and award Mr. Patterson a passing grade of three stars. Even though I feel that doing so reflects poorly on my intelligence.
September 28, 2012
This is a great read...Patterson's usual excitment. The only thing that annoys me about his Alex Cross books is the space he insists on using to talk about his family and love life. Skip all that and get on with the crime story!!! The old Patterson books are all like this...the newer ones are simply junk...stuff he has put his name on but must be written by his co-authors, cause it's pretty bad in my eyes. Anyhow, it was entertaining to read the "old" Patterson who was a MASTER at this genre. I had read this one b-4, years ago, but since I can't remember what I had for breakfast anymore, it's no problem to re-read a book...it's just like new to me!
October 23, 2024
Alex needs to give up the detective work not as good as first few books not sure if I'll bother reading the next will keep ye posted x
October 28, 2025
Once again, Alex Cross comes across a very devious and evil opponent who seems to always win somehow. I like the series so far, and each one makes me want to go on to the next book in the series, which seems to somewhat continue the story.
The only downside to me is that it often seems to drag a bit too long, like the author doesn't trust the reader to get the point or something. This was especially true with Alex's love affair with Christine, the principal of the school that his kids go to. Everyone loves her, especially his family. She's his first love since the death of his wife, and he's finally coming out of his funk. But it builds so much, and she's raised up so high, that we know something will happen to her. And perhaps this is on purpose, to build suspense and keep us reading to find out what will happen, but for me, it was a bit overdone.
But it did work, and parts of it were pretty emotional, so I kept reading, and now I'm about to start on the next one in the series.
The only downside to me is that it often seems to drag a bit too long, like the author doesn't trust the reader to get the point or something. This was especially true with Alex's love affair with Christine, the principal of the school that his kids go to. Everyone loves her, especially his family. She's his first love since the death of his wife, and he's finally coming out of his funk. But it builds so much, and she's raised up so high, that we know something will happen to her. And perhaps this is on purpose, to build suspense and keep us reading to find out what will happen, but for me, it was a bit overdone.
But it did work, and parts of it were pretty emotional, so I kept reading, and now I'm about to start on the next one in the series.
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