Huge Alex Cross fan...this one just didn’t make me want to keep going and suddenly ending was weird. Maybe the churning out of too many books with so many collaborators had watered down Alex?
Z ( )

In the aftermath of the unexpected death of the U.S. President, Alex Cross is tapped by the FBI to help investigate into the professional assassination of GOP California senator, Betsy Walker, in Washington D.C. As the local Chief of Detectives, Alex's wife Bree Stone is also on the case. The first break in the case is when the assassin himself is killed by a fellow professional, who was seen entering the country. The rest of the book is quite a Patterson thrill ride as the country's senior political leadership is targeted in a coordinated way by other top assassins, who subsequently become targets themselves. When the Attorney General assumes the Presidency and declares martial law, there is great anxiety in the country and at home. Alex, Bree, the FBI's Ted Mahoney get all the resources they need, especially the FBI's top tech guy and make a number of remarkable breakthroughs as they seek the culprit(s) responsible. Too preposterous for 4 stars. ( )

Good Stuff, liked the plot ( )

Good Stuff, liked the plot ( )

Recently have been asking myself why I keep buying and reading James Patterson's new books. They are mind candy and generally nothing more. Well, this one just answered why. It is one of the better Patterson novels in quite awhile. Really solid interesting story, for a change on an Alex Cross novel he isn't on every page and doesn't have his Superman cape on either. This is a real fairly in depth very interesting story with some very interesting characters. While they are not really fully developed they are developed and fleshed out as much a necessary to be more than a card board person slotted for a specific role. The writing is solid and the pace is classic James Patterson. More than anything this reminds me of why years ago I became hooked on James Patterson. The story has interesting ebbs and flows and leaves one guessing until the very end as to what is really happening and why. All through the story hints are dropped and a few false clues manage to get the reader trying to guess where the story is going next and who is behind the plot.

If you are a James Patterson fan, especially of his earlier writing and early Alex Cross novels, this is a must read as it is James Patterson at his best doing what he does best; being a great story teller. ( )