Mastermind

Alex Cross #6

by James Patterson

Il Mastermind è un serial Killer, è una «mente superiore», è «il migliore». Non deve neppure compiere i delitti: gli basta manipolare psicologicamente alcuni individui, mandarli «in missione» e poi sbarazzarsene. Il Mastermind è imprendibile, e il suo piano è infallibile. Ma qual è il vero scopo del suo piano?Soltanto chi sia disposto a capire potrà fermarlo, chi abbia il coraggio di scendere nel buio gelido dei suoi pensieri, chi sia capace di pensare con il suo cervello... Soltanto Alex Cross potrebbe riuscirci, ma il coraggioso profiler è stanco di entrare nelle menti degli assassini. Anche perché la sua famiglia e la donna che ama hanno bisogno di lui...

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

323 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Official 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.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alex Cross - book No. 6: Alex Cross works with the FBI investigating a run of really brutal bank robberies where it appears that the hostages are killed at will and on purpose. Roses are Red features the criminal 'Mastermind' and his devious machinations. It also includes the repercussions on Alex's personal life from the previous book 'Pop Goes the Weasel' as his girlfriend tries to come to terms to having been previously kidnapped. A typical rip-roaring page turning Patterson roller-coaster, with one of his most famous characters - Alex Cross. 6 out of 12.

2011 read

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY COW...My mouth literally dropped open when I read the last sentence in this book! To be completely honest, I read that same sentence like 5 times! Holy chit, batman! I am off to start the next book, Violets are Blue to see where this goes! Holy cow!

[Brittany McCann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bam! I had a slight hiatus from Alex Cross, and now I am back in the game! It is so hard to put this one down! I devoured the last half of the book! So much goes on that all ties together!

Ok, so The killer in this one is a guess I've had more than once for other books... That's all I'm going to say.

But still, when it was revealed, I was shocked! Great job James Patterson. Alex Cross is one of the greatest series I have ever read!

5 Stars

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always know I am enjoying a book when I find myself staying up past midnight to finish it. That's what happened with this one and though I regret the loss of sleep I do not regret one word of the reading:) I love hearing about Alex Cross's rather unusual little family and it was sweet to hear about a new addition. Apart from that the story was, as usual, action packed, fast moving and full of really nasty murders. Just what I like. The ending was particularly shocking and very sad. It was also a masterful cliff hanger which guarantees I have to read the next one.

[Suzzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This installment of the Alex Cross series has some pretty interesting crime plot and developments in Alex’s personal life. I feel like his personal life is going to be as interesting as the crime plots in the books of this series. Guy just can’t seem to get his love life under control and something is always popping up in his family life. The ending was upsetting though. Thought he may have found a good companion. I read the description of the next book and am looking forward to that one right away!

My quick and simple overall: quick read and good for an afternoon of entertainment.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me all over the place.

But then again, it is a book written by James Patterson so I wasn't really shocked.

Roses are Red was good but I don't know if it was my favorite. I've read so many and while this book didn't disappoint me at all - it's just way to hard to pick a favorite book right now. I'm only on book 6 so I can't really be like "OMG THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK OUT OF THE WHOLE GOD DAMN SERIES" because there's a shit ton of books within this series. I want to read them all and then when I get to the last book I will somehow try to pick my favorite child.

Now back to this book and yes this review will have spoilers.

Roses are Red sort of gives you a murdering duo. However, you just know the person planning these murders out as The Mastermind. But is there really just one guy behind all of this? Who knows.

Alex Cross is dealing with all of these robberies and murder scenes while also dealing with a crap ton of personal shit too. Christine is going through a post-traumatic stress situation with the whole kidnapping thing that happened a year ago. They, Alex and Christine, have had their baby in the last book (named Alex Junior) and he get's baptized in this one. However, the one thing I didn't see coming happened. Christine left. She fucking left Alex, the baby, the life, and moved to a different state. Now I didn't really like Christine in the beginning, then I foolishly started to like her in the last book, and now I hate her again.

Then there's Alex and his kids and I don't want to spoil anything about them - I was just sad for like a chapter or two guys. Go read it. Cry with me.

Other than that, there's the whole mastermind thing. It honestly confused me in some cases and I just wanted to figure out how everything was connected. And then the whole ending just blew my mind. I needed more. I hate cliffhangers.

I'm so glad that I have a lot of these books either in my room or on my Kindle because I don't have to wait to read it. I'm going to dive right into the next book right now.

[Lucy'sLilLibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really impressed with this book, it gets off to a flying start and it had me instantly hooked. Alex's personal life took a strange turn in the first couple of chapters and something that happened that felt out of the blue and because of the ending of the previous book it felt a bit misplaced. There was a little recapping but I do think these are a lot better in order.

I was suprised about how heart-warming some of the moments in this book were they had me almost choked up which I really wasn't expecting. I have really come to like Alex and care about his personal life and its weird - normally in the genre I skim the personal life stuff and move onto the more exciting stuff but for this series it really helps build the tension and the readers intrigue.

If you want a quick read this reads so fast - I think partly because the chapters are so short and snappy! I was also pretty impressed with the gore/detail this book goes into, the description of mutilation/acts on dead bodies was hard to read and it read like a horror a little bit so be warned.

I have to talk about the ending though - OH WOW! I really wasn't expecting such a twist and I am now glad that I didn't look at any reviews because it came as a complete surprise. This ends on a cliffhanger how could I not carry on with this series at this point I am loving it.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. I've read a handful of Patterson's books and none of them would qualify as good literature, but this one was particularly awful. The writing is cliched and one-dimensional, the characters are uninteresting, and the story tries to be so shocking that it actually ends up being predictable. There are not enough clues to actually figure out who the bad guy is, so basically you just have to wait until they tell you and then you aren't surprised and don't care. I didn't care when his girlfriend left, I didn't care when one of the main characters died because there is just no reason to care. Didn't care when his daughter had a brain tumor, in fact the kids were so unrealistic in how sweet and happy they were that every scene with them was more laughable than serious. I really don't understand why these books are so popular other than that the majority of people are practically illiterate. I have nothing against violence and murder and shocking stories, but at least make them interesting.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read quite a few from this series over the years, in completely random order, and then did go back to the beginning, as I have the first 15 or so downloaded, but hadn’t read any James Patterson for a few years, after overdosing on them in the past. It was therefore quite nice to go back to one of the early Alex Cross books, that he actually wrote himself, and remind myself that they are still pretty good easy thrillers. This one was published in 2000, but stands up pretty well.

Alex Cross is hosting his baby son’s christening party when his friend, FBI agent Kyle Craig, summons him to another crime scene. This is the last straw for his partner Christine, who is still traumatised from her prolonged kidnapping by the Weasel in the last book. Regardless, Cross knows he has to get involved: a team of bank robbers have been needlessly executing hostages and the police have no clues. When the first perpetrators are found dead, but the attacks continue, they discover that a shady figure called The Mastermind is coordinating the heists, and deliberately recruiting killers.

Cross has a lot going on here - the end of his relationship, his daughter is diagnosed with a serious medical condition, the FBI are taking over the case, led by an attractive new SAC, Betsey... Actually one of the problems I have with this series is just how fast he moves from one woman, that he’s supposed to be deeply in love with, on to the next with nary a look back. The other is that he rarely actually solves a case himself, having to be told where to look for the killer, or stumbling onto the answer by accident. I like detectives to actually detect. The denouement of this was a bit complicated and didn’t really make sense, then there’s the shock ending to take us into the next book, that I definitely didn’t see coming.

This was a fast read, and I’ll probably have forgotten much of the plot within weeks, which is why I have some difficulty being sure which of them I’ve already read, but it only took an evening (having read the first few chapters months ago then being distracted by more urgent review deadlines) and I did mostly enjoy it as Cross is a likeable hero and his family are entertaining characters. 3.5 rounded up for still being able to surprise me.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number six in the Alex Cross series.
This is Alex Cross and, as expected, he is up to his neck in it again. I don't know how James Patterson does it but with each book the villains get progressively more sadistic and vile.
Alex and his new, good looking, of course, female FBI sidekick are collectively pulling their hair out trying to catch the sadistic "mastermind". The mastermind is in the process of stealing a huge amount of money and leaving a heap of dead bodies in his wake. As if this wasn't enough for Alex to be going on with he is also having his heart broken, romanticly as well as health issues. All is not well in the Cross household.
Everything you would expect in a Alex Cross book is here, page turning, death, blood and the biggest, meanest monster this side of Mars.
The end was a real jaw dropper.

Things that I have issue with.
What is Samson, his best friend since childhood, doing in these books? All he seems to do is go around calling Alex "sugar". What is the point?
Why does his family have to be so sickly sweet. I live for the day when somebody, anybody, throws a conniption. WOW they're human after all.

A fast, entertaining easy read. A four star recommendation.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, all I got to say is, “how are you going to do me like that, Patterson?” I mean really?

I got no kiss goodbye, no farewell my friend, it was just “here’s the end and all is not happily ever after! No kiss goodbye with this one! All I got was a big smack across the face and a “see you next book,” kind of ending!🤣

Ok, well played, Mr. Patterson. Yes, I’m reading on. Roses are Red left me only wanting more! I still wish that I’d have discovered this series prior to now. 5 stars amazing read - my favorite so far in the series (mostly due to the cryptic ending!)❤️

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can not begin to describe how much I hated this book. Uninteresting, the main character wasn't particularly appealing, and the writing is terrible. The end is a cliffhanger, and I could care less about getting the next book to find out the end of the story. This is the first James Patterson book I read, and the last.

[-A · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Patterson doesn't disappoint. I like when he makes the reader keep on guessing. Guessing, guessing, guessing...

[Amanda McGill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow what a crazy ending!

Alex Cross is fighting a villain called The Mastermind. The Mastermind sets up a number of bank robberies and takes the bank employee's families as hostages. If everyone does what they are told then they are safe. If not, they die. There is no mercy or forgiveness.

I enjoyed the mystery of Roses are Red. I wished they spend more time talking about the history of the Mastermind. Maybe they will in the next novel?

I hate reading about Alex Cross's personal life. I really don't care. Some situations were unrealistic investigating a large crime while your daughter is fighting for her life in the hospital and don't get me started on his love life.

Excited to read the next novel and see what the Mastermind has in store!

[Margaret · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was sloppy. It was never explained why the Mastermind became the Mastermind. Solving the crimes was a series of unbelievable, unrealistic, and predictable lucky guesses by Alex Cross? In fact, the robberies and the hostage situations became predictable as well. The characters caught as the "Mastermind" came out of no where and were gone almost as soon as they were introduced providing no depth to the story. A lot of chapters with very poor development in the plot.

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this is going to be my last James Patterson novel. I think that there just comes a point where you realize you have outgrow certain authors and I haven't particularly cared for the last three Patterson novels I have read. Sad to me, because I remember staying up ALL NIGHT to read Kiss the Girls in college. I realized tonight that I don't want to read any more JP and I don't want to read any more John Grisham, so all of the rest of my unread novels of both of these guys (great writers that they are) are going to be going to other readers that want them via paperbackswap.com. How did I come to this conclusion? I really wasn't that razzed about this novel at all and I'm shocked that it was a best seller. First you think it's one guy, and it's not. Then you think it's another guy...and it's not. And the final shocking crime? Yeah, it's pretty bad, no question, but there are so many unanswered questions. The romance between Alex and Betsey was sweet, and maybe I would have been more emotionally vested in the Christine/baby Alex situation if I had read Pop Goes the Weasel, but that set aside (the fact that these Cross books should be read in order), this book just didn't rely a lot on evidence to follow the Mastermind (I guess because there wasn't much), the crimes all seemed to be the same with no real MO or pattern or differentiation, and really? I seriously could have lived without the necrophilia. The end didn't shock me one bit...again, another curse of reading this book out of the series order. But as a stand-alone book, it just didn't hold my attention very well. Sayonara, Dr. Cross.

[David Erickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt this wasn't the best of the Alex Cross series, but it was very good. The wirting pattern makes it easy to set the book down and come back to it.

The one thing that annoys me is that the biggest bad guy never seems to get his nailed. While in some of the books, some of the bad guys are figured out and brought to justice, but dang I want to see the worst of the worst - the mastermind - nailed. I know this makes it possible for a same theme sequel, but it leaves an unsatisfactory aftertaste.

I purposely purchased 'Violets are Blue' to see Alex catch the mastermind, but in looking up the novel, I discovered that he once again eludes capture. Then I learn the Weasel is still at large too. As Alex Cross says, he's in an ongoing nightmare he can't seem to shake, but us readers deserve a break too. Alex nails the current bad guys, but the really bad guys, the ones who torment him, never get caught.

I'm not sure I'm going to pick up the sequel to "Violets are Blue'. It's way past time for Patterson to let Alex finally nail the Weasel and the Mastermind and move on.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still enjoyable but definitely my least favourite of the series so far. I just couldn’t believe some of the decisions
made by some of the characters.

[Thom Swennes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally I like books to have complete stories. These stories have a beginning, middle and end and when I read the last page my mind evaluates or digests what I have read and I can then form an opinion. Roses are Red by James Patterson isn’t like his average stories. Most of Patterson’s novels begin by corralling the reader into his world and leading them down corridors with short chapters and never ending action. Along this fast paced ride through the hall of suspense the reader gets flash impressions of possible danger in different directions as through open doors and unfettered windows. This, eventually, leads the reader to a climax that gets the heart pumping and juices flowing. When the story comes to an end a feeling of wellbeing fills your mind and the world is once again a good and safe place. Roses are Red is different. An extensive and exhausting manhunt lasting four hundred pages ends where it began (minus a few cold victims) and the reader can start again in its sequel. It has all the elements of a memorable read and I highly recommend it to lovers of crime fiction.

[La Tonya Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Alex Cross is a magnificent person. This book is well written. It shows family dynamics, friendships, love, and the suspense of never knowing whom the killer truly is until the end. Days later you still can’t believe who the killer truly is.

The unanswered question is will Detective Cross ever figure it out.
Must read for anyone who likes suspense.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

did thaT JUST...............

[Lulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew!!! I'm ready to start on book 7 ... Violets Are Blue

[Rakesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I didn't expected the twist in the tale. A true page turner.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this heart-pounding but touchingly romantic thriller, Detective Alex Cross pursues the most complex and brilliant killer he's ever confronted--mysterious criminal who calls himself the Mastermind. In a series of crimes that has stunned Washington, D.C. bank robbers have been laying out precise demands when they enter the building and then killing the bank employees and their families if those instructions are not followed to the letter.

Alex Cross takes on a case, certain that this is no ordinary bank robber at work--the pathological need for control and perfection is too great. Cross is in the midst of a personal crises at home, but the case becomes all-consuming as he learns that the Mastermind is plotting one huge, last, perfect crime. It has a sad ending. This isn't my favorite of Patterson's books. I got behind and am trying big time to get in order and caught up. My library rarely has the books in order .....

[Kristie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line was interesting, but felt really slow at times. I have not read the previous books in the series, so I'm not as invested in the relationships or the series in general. That probably makes a big difference in my enjoyment of this book. I also guessed the bad guy about half way through, possibly because I didn't know any of the players so everyone was an equal suspect to me. This book does end on a cliffhanger, so you will need to read at least the next book to get a better conclusion. I am guessing that this is typical of the series, as you're supposed to read along as if it's all one long story. I may go back and try to begin from the beginning, but I'm in no real hurry to dive in.

[Kevin Wijas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roses are Red by James Patterson is an exciting mystery that is led by D.C’s top detective Alex Cross. A group of professional bank robbers and their leader “The Mastermind” plan and execute perfect robberies while committing malicious murders of “innocent” people. Crosses life is a mess throughout the book as he deals with family problems while trying to stop the craziest psychopath he has every seen. This book is not only a great read but it also shows the importance of family life and how quickly someone can be on the edge of dieing. It makes you realize how much you should cherish life and enjoy every minutes of it. James Patterson is an exciting author who makes reading become more of a movie in your head. His easy to read style of writing and his suspenseful scenes makes you feel as if you’re following the book through a video camera. “He dived off the deck-which was five floors above the street”… “Francis had made a dive five stories down to a shimmery blue swimming pool”(Page 362). He draws pictures in your head from everything from crazy murderers to his valued family situations. I could never put this book down since from chapter to chapter I couldn’t predict what was going to happen next. The only down side to this book was that some times I felt like the characters did things that put them in danger that could have been easily avoided if they had used common sense. If you’re a Law and Order or CSI crime lover, then this book is definitely for you. It doesn’t matter whether you’re fourteen or fifty, Patterson writes in a way so that anyone can enjoy it as long as you love a good mystery. So if you are an action junkie who loves unpredictable twist and turns, then Roses are Red is without a doubt a great book for you. I would give it 5 stars out of five. This book is an absolute thriller and roller coaster right up to the end.

[Nicole Leigh Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second James Patterson book and first in the Alex Cross series. I'll say that the other Patterson book I read, The Summerhouse, was pretty underwhelming. Fine, not bad, but forgettable. Roses are Red was much better. I will be visiting some more Alex Cross novels!

The storyline was compelling and intriguing. I was hooked to this fast paced crime drama from page one. I loved getting to know about Alex's personal life, too. He was a really good character and I could see in this novel why his series is so popular. His family is loveable, and his love life subplot felt pretty real. I was invested in Detective Cross all the way through.

I found Roses are Red pretty hard to put down. It was a real page turner that kept me on my toes. It felt like the perfect length, and packed a whole lot of investigation onto the pages of the short and binge-read-worthy chapters.

My biggest complaint for this book is that while I thought the ending was very good, it cut out too quickly! I got my answer and then.... ?!? Maybe this story is continued in the next one in the series so I can get some answers in Alex Cross #7 when I get to it one day. But I would have much preferred to get a full scope on how things were exactly connected and what played out at the end of this particular book. It was a solid answer to the mystery but then, sadly, it left me reeling with a lot of new questions.

(To be continued??)

[Ashley Baez Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one held my interest pretty well, but I’m not sure how I feel about the ending. This installment in the Alex Cross series definitely leaves you with a cliffhanger, and I’m hoping it plays out well in the next book rather than Patterson having thrown out a name for the shock factor. We will find out. Happy reading!

[Emma.catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadly not my favourite Alex cross book. I found the first half incredibly hard to get into however I’m very glad I persisted as the second half was more like the fast paced thriller I’m used to when reading a JP book. The ending absolutely made it for me and I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

[YOSY IRBEC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Till you read the last sentence of the book, you are not gonna know who that is..
After you read the last sentence of the book, you want to read it again..