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Cross Country (Alex Cross #14)
by
James Patterson (Goodreads Author)
Detective Alex Cross pursues the most ruthless killer he's ever encountered-to a land of sheer terror and back. It's the worst crime scene Alex Cross has ever seen, and then more killings, each one more ruthless than the last, quickly follow. After one death comes terrifyingly close to home, Alex realizes he's chasing a horrible new breed of killer. </BR></BR>
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Mass Market Paperback, 448 pages
Published
October 1st 2009
by Vision
(first published January 1st 2008)
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I decided while I was reading the latest book in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson that reading Mr. Patterson's work is similar to eating at McDonald's. You know with both that there won't be any grand expectations in the experience you will gain with both, yet somehow there is an unseen force that compels one in either reading another Patterson novel or eating something from Mickey D's. After you finish reading Patterson's book (and eating at Mickey D's), you know the memory of the exper...more
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Jennifer
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommended to Jennifer by:
jennsicurella@verizon.net
Shelves:
mystery
As readers, we have to be willing to suspend our disbelieve once in a while for the enjoyment of a book. Cross Country, the 14th Alex Cross novel, asks readers to go well beyond normal suspension and travels very far into unrealistic territory.
Alex Cross, devoted family man who often feels guilty for abandoning his children for a day or two, travels to Africa on a case. He ventures into known danger, leaving his family, friends, girlfriend, police job and psychiatric patients behind to...more
Alex Cross, devoted family man who often feels guilty for abandoning his children for a day or two, travels to Africa on a case. He ventures into known danger, leaving his family, friends, girlfriend, police job and psychiatric patients behind to...more
So, this may be blasphemous, but I thought this book was pretty lame. I have to admit, I don't normally read thrillers or mysteries and this is my first Patterson book, but honestly, I don't think it lives up to the hype. Granted, I read the book in two days, but not because the storyline was particularly compelling. It was more because the chapters are so short that I just had to keep going. Patterson does a good job of ending each chapter with a question or cliffhanger, but overall it wasn't ...more
The books with Alex Cross are the best of James Patterson's work. Recently I've been disappointed in a lot of the collaborative efforts where Patterson authors books with a second author. I read that a lot of these are just "ghost" books - Patterson provides the outlines and the other authors write most of the novels, and it definitely shows. Stick with the books that don't have a second author's name on them if you want to read the best that Patterson has to offer.
I've always liked the Alex Cross books, but this one was a dud. Alex takes it upon himself to follow a murderer he's after to Africa. While in Africa, he gets beaten up, jailed & threatened countless times. It seemed to me that the plot was a way for Patterson to let us all know about the horrible violence & living conditions in Africa. I thought Alex acted so out of character. I think I just finished reading it for old times sake.
OK, allow me to begin by confessing that I am a devout James Patterson fan and that the Alex Cross storyline is my favorite. That being said, I enjoyed this book a bit more then most of the other reviewers. In fact, it was one of my favorite Alex Cross books. I read it in one day...at the risk of losing my job security. LOL!
"Cross Country" was all about exposure. This riveting story shows the reader a side - a more vulnerable side - of Alex Cross then one is accustomed. It al...more
"Cross Country" was all about exposure. This riveting story shows the reader a side - a more vulnerable side - of Alex Cross then one is accustomed. It al...more
I haven't read James Patterson in a long time and after this book, I am wondering if I will pick him up again.
Did I stay up too late reading this book and fly through it to find out what would happen next? Yes, but there were so many things wrong with this book, I don't know where to start.
The story became far-fetched so often that I almost abandoned the book (how many times can Alex get beat up in this book? Who in their right mind would run around Africa for so long and leave t...more
Did I stay up too late reading this book and fly through it to find out what would happen next? Yes, but there were so many things wrong with this book, I don't know where to start.
The story became far-fetched so often that I almost abandoned the book (how many times can Alex get beat up in this book? Who in their right mind would run around Africa for so long and leave t...more
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I am a HUGE fan of James Patterson's Alex Cross series. I look forward to each of the new releases with great anticipation. However, I must say, I was completely disappointed by this addition. I wish I had read the reviews before reading this. It was a quick read with the usual Patterson short chapters But, the woven storyline was completely missing.
Some stand out issues for me:
(1) The murders were too gruesome and violent - completely out of character for Patterson's wr...more
Some stand out issues for me:
(1) The murders were too gruesome and violent - completely out of character for Patterson's wr...more
This book was worthwhile in the sense that it continued the Alex Cross saga, but other than that, it wasn't very satisfying. More far-fetched than usual, and yet the books have started becoming monotonous. I'm ready to move on to other series.
Alex Cross returns for another adventure, only to find himself dragged into the political upheavals that are still tearing up post-colonial Africa in countries such as Nigeria and the Sudan. It all begins as Dr. Cross is drawn into an investigation of a family that is butchered in their ransacked home in Georgetown. While doing the initial walk-through, it does not take long for Alex to realize that he knows the mother of the family, Ellie Cox. In fact, she was his college sweetheart.
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Off ill for a month with a nasty, virulent virus (aka The Flu), I found my concentration lacking, but still desirous to read, I picked up the latest volume from “The World’s Bestselling Thriller Writer” (as the cover deems him), James Patterson. This is the thirteenth Alex Cross novel – the character created by Patterson in Along Came A Spider, back when Patterson wasn’t the commercial factory he is today – and sees Cross trailing an African killer, The Tiger, who swarms with a legion of killer ...more
Is it so bad I've started rooting for the killers?
Can James Patterson go one book without finding a new, utterly vacuous love interest for Alex Cross? When will Alex Cross learn if people want him dead that badly, maybe he should leave well enough alone? He almost got killed half a dozen times, if not more, in this book, and his family was almost murdered too. You'd think that would have taught him not to stick its nose where it didn't belong. He had no reason to go to Africa, except to risk hi...more
Can James Patterson go one book without finding a new, utterly vacuous love interest for Alex Cross? When will Alex Cross learn if people want him dead that badly, maybe he should leave well enough alone? He almost got killed half a dozen times, if not more, in this book, and his family was almost murdered too. You'd think that would have taught him not to stick its nose where it didn't belong. He had no reason to go to Africa, except to risk hi...more
This story talks about two massacre-style murder cases which had happened. The first one was in Washington D.C. It was Alex Cross's college friend called Ellie Cox, who had been murdered along with her family. After that Alex Cross decides to hunt down whoever is responsible for these murder cases. He starts off investigating in Africa after he knew that there is a Nigerian criminal and leader of a gang of teenager's killers was responsible for all of this violence.
Alex decides to travel t...more
Alex decides to travel t...more
A quote from the book best describes "Cross Country." "It was baffling, it was incomprehensible. Just wrong on so many levels."
The only reason I can think of that MIGHT have inspired James Patterson to write this awful book is that he might recently have become aware of the plight of millions of people in various African countries and thought he could use his popular character, Alex Cross, to shed light on a truly appalling situation.
However, that said, i...more
The only reason I can think of that MIGHT have inspired James Patterson to write this awful book is that he might recently have become aware of the plight of millions of people in various African countries and thought he could use his popular character, Alex Cross, to shed light on a truly appalling situation.
However, that said, i...more
Kyle Hendrickson
Ms. Campanella
English 3, Period 5
8 November 2010
Cross Country Review
James Patterson has done it again. James Petterson has written many books in the cross series and each one better then the last. The book I read was Cross Country and by far the best one yet. It is classified as a Fiction/literature in your local Barnes & Noble The book was very well written and descriptive in its own eccentric and yet gruesome way. The
The book starts...more
Ms. Campanella
English 3, Period 5
8 November 2010
Cross Country Review
James Patterson has done it again. James Petterson has written many books in the cross series and each one better then the last. The book I read was Cross Country and by far the best one yet. It is classified as a Fiction/literature in your local Barnes & Noble The book was very well written and descriptive in its own eccentric and yet gruesome way. The
The book starts...more
James Patterson- Cross Country (Vision 2009) 4 Stars
Just when Detective Alex Cross thought that he had seen the worst of the worst, a crime scene comes along that knocks him off his feet. It is by far the most horrific crime scene he has ever scene. An old girlfriend of his is murdered and her whole family is killed along with her. The Dragon Slayer is on the case and he will not let up until he has either died or solved the case. Another scene much like the first comes along and he ...more
Just when Detective Alex Cross thought that he had seen the worst of the worst, a crime scene comes along that knocks him off his feet. It is by far the most horrific crime scene he has ever scene. An old girlfriend of his is murdered and her whole family is killed along with her. The Dragon Slayer is on the case and he will not let up until he has either died or solved the case. Another scene much like the first comes along and he ...more
Alex Cross and his new girlfriend/partner are hunting an international killer. after his longtime friend Ellie Cox and her family are brutally murdered, Alex is devastated. Despite warnings from his grandmother, Alex makes up his mind to chase down this killer if it's the last thing he does...literally. apparently, the Tiger, the only name this killer goes by, knows all about Alex and trys, in vain, to stop Alex from reaching Africa at all costs.
Will Alex make it out of Africa alive?...more
Will Alex make it out of Africa alive?...more
Get ready to follow detective Alex Cross into an an incredible chase of a insanely vicious killer into Africa. And then when he becomes the hunted instead, after getting back to home soil.
In the entire story it almost appears like Alex Cross does not have any particular plan in mind in catching the killer in Africa. He simply seems to shows up in places, meets people by chance, then things happen, the bad guys find him instead, do all sorts of bad things to him that no ordinary man...more
In the entire story it almost appears like Alex Cross does not have any particular plan in mind in catching the killer in Africa. He simply seems to shows up in places, meets people by chance, then things happen, the bad guys find him instead, do all sorts of bad things to him that no ordinary man...more
I have never read any books by this author before, so I figured I'd give him a try.
Overall I liked the book and the story. It got a little muddled at the end, but perhaps this is because (as I found out later) there are many books in this series and I imagine a bit of character development has happened that I didn't know about. It still stood on its own, but I'm sure I would've enjoyed it more having read some other books first. The end of the book referenced another character whi...more
Overall I liked the book and the story. It got a little muddled at the end, but perhaps this is because (as I found out later) there are many books in this series and I imagine a bit of character development has happened that I didn't know about. It still stood on its own, but I'm sure I would've enjoyed it more having read some other books first. The end of the book referenced another character whi...more
Let me compare this book to the Road to Hana. The Road to Hana is a "must" for people making that once in a lifetime trip to Hawaii, specifically Maui. It's a little over 35 miles but takes forever because of all the curves and hills. There's some of the most fabulous scenery along the way you'll ever see. However, once you get there, Hana itself -- ain't much.
"Cross Country" is a true page-turner as only a Patterson novel can be. I stayed up a lot later than usual seve...more
"Cross Country" is a true page-turner as only a Patterson novel can be. I stayed up a lot later than usual seve...more
In the fourteenth installment of the Alex Cross series, James Patterson delivers an action-packed suspense which doubly entertains and heightens the reader's socio-political awareness. Cross Country opens as Alex arrives on scene to investigate the brutal and sadistic mass murder of a Georgetown family. The case immediately becomes personal when he recognizes the matriarch as his collegiate lover, Ellie, an established professor and published author. Quite naturally, he vows to find the killer(s...more
I was reading On Beauty when Emily said that a friend had lent her this book and she wondered if I wanted to read it. I just had to read it right away. So, I decided to give it a try since I usually like Patterson's books. When I first started to read the book and discovered that it was going to involve going to Africa and the horrible crimes that were taking place there, I was not so sure that I wanted to read it. After I got into it, however, I found that I enjoyed it. Cross goes to a horr...more
Yep. I'm still a completist, so I read this Alex Cross book too.
Much better than many of the Alex Cross series. I'll give Patterson some credit for trying to bring some political issues to a greater light and for dropping most of the detailed product placement that has started to fill so many pages in the last few books.
The story is far fetched especially the deep motivation to put his life (and family's life of the line).
And yes, the chapter lengths still...more
Much better than many of the Alex Cross series. I'll give Patterson some credit for trying to bring some political issues to a greater light and for dropping most of the detailed product placement that has started to fill so many pages in the last few books.
The story is far fetched especially the deep motivation to put his life (and family's life of the line).
And yes, the chapter lengths still...more
Patterson's works are truly real page-turners, and Cross Country is certainly no exception. I read all 406 pages in a couple of days, simply because it is next to impossible to put down. I don't know for certain whether or not the information that Patterson provides regarding the conditions in African countries is 100% accurate; I wouldn't, but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt, and it is obvious that he did a massive amount of research to complete this novel, and I definitely commend him...more
Many readers think that the Alex Cross character was unbelievably out of place in Africa. Why? Someone’s gotta go. Isn’t he Alex Cross? Isn’t this a fictional thriller and part of an unending series? Maybe those readers have a problem with Patterson’s depiction of the gross and depraved conditions in the depicted African countries where the human condition is in constant upheaval and human life isn’t valued much and the bad guys rape and ravish the general populace with minimal interference (and...more
Kambin Pillay
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Less squeamish fans of the thriller genre
Recommended to Kambin by:
I've read a few of his other books
This is pretty much what you'd expect from Patterson, whose scenes of violence have become more graphic of late. In my view he's stepped out of his comfort zone in a few ways with this book, and I eagerly anticipate future instalments in the series to see where his style develops to. Some examples:
1/ He allowed a female character to die, although, in hindsight, it was the best solution so as not to complicate future books in the series. This differs from when he killed off Cross' ...more
1/ He allowed a female character to die, although, in hindsight, it was the best solution so as not to complicate future books in the series. This differs from when he killed off Cross' ...more
The Kill Team enter...
This may sound really dumb, but I just realized I read the most recent book in the Alex Cross series first. I bought this book cheap at a used book store and simply started reading it with out thinking to check that first. As many James Patterson Fans can tell you, his books are not obviously numbered. Well, earlier today I searched it to see what book I needed to read next, and found out that this is actually the 14th book in the series. Now I get to go find all of the other 13 books that prece...more
I am a total fan of James Patterson, so my viewpoint is s little buyest!
My English teacher recommended it to me last year and for some reason it's totally addicting. My only problem is that he keeps on repeating the same story line! It’s super frustrating. This book is set in Africa but yet it still has the same storyline as just about every book in the while series. ready here it is: sick puppy psycho killer, Alex knows one of the people affected/it reminds him of his wife, Alex goes h...more
My English teacher recommended it to me last year and for some reason it's totally addicting. My only problem is that he keeps on repeating the same story line! It’s super frustrating. This book is set in Africa but yet it still has the same storyline as just about every book in the while series. ready here it is: sick puppy psycho killer, Alex knows one of the people affected/it reminds him of his wife, Alex goes h...more
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The subject of a Time magazine feature called, "The Man Who Can't Miss," James Patterson is the bestselling author of the past year, bar none, with more than 16 million books sold in North America alone. In 2007, one of every fifteen hardcover fiction books sold was a Patterson title. In the past three years, James has sold more books than ...more
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Offical UK Site
The subject of a Time magazine feature called, "The Man Who Can't Miss," James Patterson is the bestselling author of the past year, bar none, with more than 16 million books sold in North America alone. In 2007, one of every fifteen hardcover fiction books sold was a Patterson title. In the past three years, James has sold more books than ...more
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