CROSS COUNTRY by James Patterson
Of all the many, many books authored by James Patterson my favorite ones are those which involve the character of police detective Alex Cross. This is Patterson’s longest running series and his most successful. So it was with much anticipation that I opened the pages to the latest Alex Cross story CROSS COUNTRY. What I found there was disappointing to say the least.
The book starts out with a horrific murder in Washington, DC. that involves Cross’ first love Ellie Cox and her family. They have been butchered in a massacre that is the worst atrocity Cross has ever seen. He is stunned by the violence and repelled by the viciousness.
Just as Cross and his fellow detectives, including his girlfriend Bree Stone, are absorbing the facts of this case another murder spree of this type occurs. Word is the killers are young boys from Nigeria who are being led by a man known as “the Tiger.” Cross feels more than obligated to solve the crimes(s) due to his relationship with Ellie, so he actually takes his pursuit to Nigeria.
Having Cross leave the country and pursue “the Tiger” in Nigeria does not make a lot of sense. He is virtually on his own there and does not have the influence or clout that he has back in DC where the murders actually occurred. Plus when he gets to Nigeria he gets caught up in plots and sub-plots which he could have avoided.
In this book Alex Cross might as well be known as James Bond. He is continually getting into one tight spot after another, but always is miraculously saved. These incidents are neither plausible nor believable. They stretch the readers’ patience and make the whole book seem silly.
Patterson may have taken Cross on some wild adventures in the past but nothing like the fairy tale trips he endures in this book. Patterson has stretched the limits of believability in the past but this is the first time he has trampled over them into never-never land.
James Patterson is one of the most readable writers around today. He blocks out his stories in short chapters and always keeps the action and suspense on the high side. This is what has made him the popular success that he is. But this time he has gone too far. Cross has gone down the rabbit hole into wonderland as far as credibility is concerned and that makes CROSS COUNTRY the least likeable of any of Patterson’s Cross books.
The suspense and action are still there but the believability is not. Hopefully the next installment will get things back on track.
CROSS COUTNRY is published by Little, Brown and Company. It contains 416 pages ad sells for $27.99.