Cross Fire by James Patterson

Synopsis:

Wedding bells ring

Detective Alex Cross and Bree's wedding plans are put on hold when Alex is called to the scene of the perfectly executed assassination of two of Washington D.C.'s most corrupt: a dirty congressmen and an underhanded lobbyist. Next, the elusive gunman begins picking off other crooked politicians, sparking a blaze of theories--is the marksman a hero or a vigilante?

A murderer returns

The case explodes, and the FBI assigns agent Max Siegel to the investigation. As Alex and Siegel battle over jurisdiction, the murders continue. It becomes clear that they are the work of a professional who has detailed knowledge of his victims' movements--information that only a Washington insider could possess.

Caught in a lethal cross fire

As Alex contends with the sniper, Siegel, and the wedding, he receives a call from his deadliest adversary, Kyle Craig. The Mastermind is in D.C. and will not relent until he has eliminated Cross and his family for good. With a supercharged blend of action, deception, and suspense, Cross Fire is James Patterson's most visceral and exciting Alex Cross novel ever.

I didn’t know what to think of this book for the longest time while reading it. It wasn’t the best and it wasn’t the worst. It was just somewhere in the middle.

It was more of a suspense novel that kept you guessing. It kept you guessing the backstories of the killers and also when a big reveal would eventually take place.

I spent most of my time reading just waiting for the bomb to drop.

Max Siegel is one of the most important characters in this book and not in a good way. It was almost frustrating knowing the truth before Alex did because you wanted him to just guess what was going on.

That being said, it was still very entertaining. There was a lot of action and a lot of character growth with Bree’s character. We got to see more of her and her interactions with the Cross family which was nice.

Once I got to the end, I was beyond excited. I wont post spoilers here, but I will put them under the cut. I cannot wait to read the next one now.

4/5 stars

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Read ahead for Spoilers

I, Alex Cross by James Patterson

Synopsis:

Can Alex Cross survive his most chilling - and personal - case ever? Pulled out of a family celebration, Detective Alex Cross gets awful news: A beloved relative has been found brutally murdered. Vowing to catch the killer, he quickly learns that she was mixed up in one of Washington, D.C.'s wildest scenes. And she was not this killer's only victim . . .

The hunt for the murderer leads Alex and his girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone, to a place where every fantasy is possible, if you have the credentials to get in. Soon they confront some very important, very protected, and very dangerous people who will do anything to keep their secrets safe. As Alex closes in on the killer, he discovers evidence that points to the unimaginable - a revelation that could rock the entire world.

This book was refreshing after the last Cross book that I wasn’t a huge fan of. I was hooked from the first page.

The story was really interesting and it kept me guessing until the very end. I didn’t even guess who the murderer was until it was revealed. I loved that it kept me guessing and didn’t give it away early in the book. It kept the suspense up and kept me turning the page.

It was also nice to see a bit more of Alex and Bree’s relationship dynamic. I hope that Bree is around longer than Alex’s past love interests. I really enjoy her character and think she complements the other main character very well.

This was a very family-centric book. Most of the Cross books have some sort of family story-line. But this one had more than usual. It began with one of Alex’s relatives dying and carried on into other occurrences. It is always nice to read about how close his family is. It is refreshing.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It has been a positive in the series.

4/5 Stars

Memorable Quote: “Will I ever learn? Probably not in this lifetime.”

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Cross Country by James Patterson

Synopsis:

When the home of Alex Cross's longtime friend, Ellie Cox, is turned into the worst murder scene Alex has ever seen, he is devastated. The destruction leads him to believe that he's chasing a horrible new breed of killer. As Alex and his girlfriend Brianna Stone begin the hunt for the villain responsible for the killings, they quickly find themselves entangled in the deadly Nigerian underworld of Washington D.C.. What they discover is shocking: a strongly organized gang of teenage thugs headed by a powerful, diabolical man-The Tiger.

As the killing spree escalates, Alex and Brianna realize they are not dealing with any ordinary killer, but one who has brought his personal war of vengeance to America's capital. But just when the detectives think they're closing in on the elusive murderer, the Tiger disappears into thin air. Unable to let the killer get away with this narrow escape, Alex makes it his duty to bring the brutal butcher to justice. He knows that he must follow The Tiger. Alone.

When Alex arrives in Nigeria, he discovers a world where justice is as foreign as he is. Unprotected and alone in a strange country, bombarded on all sides by the murderous threats of The Tiger, Alex must draw on his fiercest instincts just to survive in a lawless world.

From the author Time magazine has called "the man who can't miss," Cross Country is the most breathtaking, heart-stopping, electrifying Alex Cross thriller yet.

 This was definitely not my favorite Cross book ever, so I don't have much to say about it. But, it did have some upsides.

There was definitely a lot of action in Cross Country. Once it started, it never really stopped. Alex was put through hell for trying to solve the case about The Tiger. He wasn’t let off easy at any point.

That was one of the only positives for me. 

I didn’t like The Tiger as a villain. He was unbelievable to me. That, and he was never really fully explained in my opinion.

Alex’s journey to Nigeria was also a bit much for me. It seemed pretty unnecessary, but it wasn’t out of character for him at least.

This book was weird. It did a good job at holding my attention even though I wasn’t really into it.

I guess it was just a semi-okay filler book in the series. The one before it was good, and I am hoping the next one is good as well.

2/5 Stars

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Double Cross by James Patterson

Synopsis:

Just when Alex Cross's life is calming down, he is drawn back into the game to confront a criminal mastermind like no other. The elaborate murders that have stunned Washington, DC, are the wildest that Alex Cross and his new girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone, have ever seen. This maniac adores an audience, and stages his killings as spectacles in public settings. Alex is pursuing a genius of terror who has the whole city on edge as it waits for his next move. And the killer loves the attention, no doubt-he even sets up his own Web site and live video feed to trumpet his madness.

And in Colorado, another criminal mastermind is planning a triumphant return. From his supermaximum-security prison cell, Kyle Craig has plotted for years to have one chance at an impossible escape. If he has to join forces with DC's Audience Killer to get back at the man who put him in that cell--Alex Cross--all the better.

Kyle Craig is like an annoying gnat that will not go away. It is kind of nice to have the continuity of one of Alex’s enemies throughout the series, but he is just so annoying. So, I cannot really tell if keeping him around is a pro or a con, but he did make this book pretty interesting.

The continuous guessing game throughout the book keeps you guessing until the end. There are so many little pieces that go into the crimes that are being committed, that it becomes really interesting when it is all revealed.

There was less family time in this one. Over the past few books, Alex has been with his family almost as much as he has been solving crimes. It was nice to go back to Alex just working on cases. I do love his family, but I think a book like this was a needed break.

I feel like I still don’t really know the reasons behind all of the murders, the first one in particular. I feel like it was starting to get explained and then never did aside from the murderers wanting to be famous. I wanted a better explanation of their connection to Kyle Craig as well.

Overall, it was a good read and kept me turning the page until the end. I wish there would have been a bit more explanation, but it was entertaining and I liked how it was more about the crimes/criminals than about Alex and his life outside of work.

4/5 Stars

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