Alex Cross Omnibus: Roses Are Red; Violets Are Blue

by James Patterson

ROSES ARE RED





A series of bank robberies ends in murder and Alex Cross must pit his wits against the bizarre and sadistic mastermind behind the crime. Torn between dedication to his job and commitment to his family, Cross cannot ignore the case, despite the risks he know will come with hunting down a killer - and the heartbreaking cost.





In ROSES ARE RED James Patterson takes us deep inside the crazy world of the psychopath - where mind games lead to violence and the slightest mistake will be punished with death.





VIOLETS ARE BLUE





The Mastermind is back - and he's hot on Alex Cross's trail. His threats make Alex angry - and deeply concerned about his family's safety.





Meanwhile, Alex Cross is involved in his most bizarre investigation yet. Two San Francisco joggers are found dead - bitten and hung by their feet to drain the blood. Is this the work of a cult or modern-day vampires? Alex teams up with Jamilla Hughes, a savvy female detective, and the FBI's Kyle Craig.





But Alex Cross has never been closer to defeat, or in greater danger. In a shocking conclusion, he must survive a deadly confrontation - and will learn at last the terrible secret of the Mastermind.

448 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2009

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

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

ROSES ARE RED is of roughly the same literary quality as a Harlequin romance; even still, it's the best Alex Cross novel (up to this point) since KISS THE GIRLS. Finally, we get a bad guy who's actually somewhat interesting and can give Cross a run for his money. Story-wise, the book is entertaining enough...if you can get past Patterson's frequently abysmal writing.

VIOLETS ARE BLUE is better than average as far as these early Alex Cross novels go, but still pretty darn tepid. Once again, Cross is pitted against multiple serial killers, though VIOLETS ARE BLUE also throws a weird vampire element into the mix. I appreciate Patterson's attempts to change things up a bit, but his limitations as a writer ensure that all his villains sound and think more-or-less the same, regardless of whatever cosmetic differences or particular fetishes he gives them.
VIOLETS ARE BLUE is helped by its darker tone and relatively few scenes involving Cross' cloyingly cutesy family life. For some reason, though, Patterson introduces a new love interest at what I felt was a highly inopportune time--what with his previous girlfriend having just been murdered and the fact that her killer is still stalking him and his family. All things considered, I find it odd that Cross doesn't take a few more precautions...
As with most of the other books in this series, Cross stays so busy that it's easy not to notice how little he actually accomplishes. All too often, he only catches the killers because they come after HIM, and not the other way around.

[simsim308 · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of JP better novels of the Alex Cross series. The mastermind character is mind boggling.