Book review: Target Alex Cross by James Patterson. Can you believe this is the 26th book in the Alex Cross series?

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BLURB

TARGET: HEAD OF STATE

Men and women from across the nation line the streets of Washington D.C. to mourn the unexpected death of the President. Hit by painful memories of the loss of his first wife, Alex Cross is left reeling by this tragedy.

TARGET: UNITED STATES CABINET

A sniper's bullet strikes another devastating blow to the heart of Washington with the assassination of a prominent Senator. The shock of this attack puts huge pressure on the police to deliver a speedy response, and as Chief of Detectives, Alex's wife Bree Stone is given an ultimatum: solve the case, or lose her job.

TARGET: ALEX CROSS

The new President calls on Alex Cross to lead an unparalleled FBI investigation to help capture America's most wanted criminal. Alex has a terrible feeling that the assassination is just the beginning of a much larger plan. All too soon this fear springs to life as a terrifying chain of events plunges the government and the entire country into chaos.

The stakes have never been higher for Alex Cross as his courage, his training and his capacity for battle are stretched to their limits in the most important case of his life.

What I think

From it's super smooth front cover to it's haunting opening at the funeral of the President of the USA (Not Trump) to the thrill and Adrenalin packed rush of tension that follows when it becomes apparent that the USA is under threat from terrorists converging on the country this is an unputtdownable read. Patterson has regained some of the nuanced writing from his early works and  there is no-one as skilled at weaving plots so skillfully together. The narratives are fresh and convincing, the characters diverse and relatable and the plotting is flawless. (envious - only a little!) 

Target Alex Cross is slick, topical and entertaining. Apart from the thrill of the cat and mouse between Alex and the terrorists, what really draw me in is the human touch: From Nana Mamas hardy no nonsense cooking, to Damon's first love to Ali's exuberance and the touching love between Alex and Bree, I  find Cross' home-life as entertaining as the thrill of the chase. It grounds the reader in the humanity of the narrative and , in these troubled times, I think we desperately need this. But there is something 'off' lurking in the undergrowth - or perhaps it's in plain sight. Patterson keeps us on tenterhooks wondering just what the end game will be. 

Full of thrills, twisty as hell and cutely homely to boot. What more could you want? 

Author Bio

Photo by Rankin

James Patterson is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past decade: the Women's Murder Club, the Alex Cross novels and Maximum Ride, and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand-alone thrillers. James is passionate about encouraging both adults and children alike to read. This has led to him forming a partnership with the National Literacy Trust, an independent, UK-based charity that changes lives through literacy. He lives in Florida with his wife and son.