The Mastermind orchestrates a series of bank robberies that are notable for their precise demands-and their explosive violence when demands are not...
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reviews
Dec 11, 2010
Scifidave
rated it: 
I felt this wasn't the best of the Alex Cross series, but it was very good. The wirting pattern makes it easy to set the book down and come back to it.
The one thing that annoys me is that the biggest bad guy never seems to get his nailed. While in some of the books, some of the bad guys are figured out and brought to justice, but dang I want to see the worst of the worst - the mastermind - nailed. I know this makes it possible for a same theme sequel, but it leaves an unsatisfactory More...
The one thing that annoys me is that the biggest bad guy never seems to get his nailed. While in some of the books, some of the bad guys are figured out and brought to justice, but dang I want to see the worst of the worst - the mastermind - nailed. I know this makes it possible for a same theme sequel, but it leaves an unsatisfactory More...
Apr 08, 2010
Ron
rated it: 
This book is about a man named Alex Cross, who is a homicide detective, who recently saved his beloved, from a mass murderer named, Weasel. In the book, Alex Cross comes across a new case, where a so called, "Mastermind," robs banks and kills all the hostages. As he investigates the case, he recently breaks up with his beloved, and is depressed. One of Alex Cross's main external conflicts, is for him to find the Mastermind and send him to jail. One of his internal conflicts, is him try
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Oct 04, 2009
Tony
rated it:
James Patterson- Roses Are Red (Little, Brown and Company 2000) 3 Stars
Alex Cross has just broken with his fiancé and when she takes off he is left with his baby son. As if the breakup were not enough he is drawn into a tangled web of deception and betrayal. The Mastermind is robbing banks using pawns and then killing off the pawns as well as any others that he chooses to die. For him Cross is the perfect adversary.
This is actually the villain I have been waiting for havi More...
Alex Cross has just broken with his fiancé and when she takes off he is left with his baby son. As if the breakup were not enough he is drawn into a tangled web of deception and betrayal. The Mastermind is robbing banks using pawns and then killing off the pawns as well as any others that he chooses to die. For him Cross is the perfect adversary.
This is actually the villain I have been waiting for havi More...
Dec 01, 2011
Matty
rated it:
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Sep 01, 2008
Margaret
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Aug 09, 2010
Paul 'Pezski'
rated it: 
A couple of friends have been recommending Patterson to me for ages, so when I saw this and the sequel - Violets are Blue - together in a charity shop i picked up the pair. Patterson writes in short, punchy chapters and vivid detail, and i flew through the book, pulled forward by the pace. It was, however, an entirely unsatisfying experience. The writing is incredibly formulaic - detective battling personal problems? check. the only man who can solve the case? check? increasing complications in
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Jan 26, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
I am a big fan of the Alex Cross books by Patterson and I overall enjoyed this installment. It has the Patterson trademarked short sweet chapters, that I love because it makes the book breeze by. Good plot development and overall I liked it. Spoilers coming...
I have to say that though I did enjoy the book two things stuck out at me that I wish would have been better. The first is the plot development with the Cross family seemed a little thin and forced. Jannie's medical condition wa More...
I have to say that though I did enjoy the book two things stuck out at me that I wish would have been better. The first is the plot development with the Cross family seemed a little thin and forced. Jannie's medical condition wa More...
Oct 29, 2010
Tommy
rated it: 
Roses are Red by James Patterson is simply a very good book. This book is written in an interesting way, incorporating repetition and suspense in a positive way. It was a quick read, mostly because the chapters were each about three pages long, and there wasn’t any difficulty comprehending or trying to understand the plot, although you still had to think because there is a detective theme. The main character, Alex Cross, is a detective in Washington D.C. who is on the hunt for the Mastermind beh
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Aug 02, 2008
Elaine
rated it:
I can not begin to describe how much I hated this book. Uninteresting, the main character wasn't particularly appealing, and the writing is terrible. The end is a cliffhanger, and I could care less about getting the next book to find out the end of the story. This is the first James Patterson book I read, and the last.
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Mar 01, 2008
Tanya
rated it:
HOLY COW...My mouth literally dropped open when I read the last sentence in this book! To be completely honest, I read that same sentence like 5 times! Holy chit, batman! I am off to start the next book, Violets are Blue to see where this goes! Holy cow!
Apr 18, 2007
Betty
rated it:
I love the Alex Cross character. He has a family which Patterson includes in the background of what's going on. Everyone has problems at work as well as at home. Cross is on the case to find the "Mastermind" while dealing with his own personal issues.
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Jul 01, 2011
Terrible. True garbage. It's just trash. James Patterson cannot write worth a damn. He uses these cardboard, stiff characters and generates wannabe suspense that really isn't much suspense. The 'romance' moves much too quickly to the point where it's unbelievably unrealistic. Really, MUST he cram a sex scene(s) into all of his books? There aren't really any motives for some murders and it's just a horrifically horrible book. Do NOT read. There are actually some GOOD books, preferably by Michael
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Aug 04, 2010
Primadonna
rated it:
I am tempted to give it a 1. But I remember that at some point, I did enjoy reading it. Just OK, I guess.
I just don't like the fact that the real Mastermind is someone closer and more familiar, because I couldn't see how he could arrange everything. Perhaps you can read more in the next book but I think I won't be reading any Alex Cross' books in near future.
First, his personal life is a mess. Wife dead, he still doesn't know who killed her. His lover was kidnapped for a More...
I just don't like the fact that the real Mastermind is someone closer and more familiar, because I couldn't see how he could arrange everything. Perhaps you can read more in the next book but I think I won't be reading any Alex Cross' books in near future.
First, his personal life is a mess. Wife dead, he still doesn't know who killed her. His lover was kidnapped for a More...
Jan 09, 2010
Bree
rated it:
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Oct 16, 2011
Nicole
rated it:
I love me some James Patterson. His books are easy to read and suspenseful, leaving you wondering whodunit, allll the time. This round was no different. It is the 6th installment in the Alex Cross series, of which I have not read in any particular order and I still didn't feel as if I was missing something. Mr. Patterson does a great job at filling in the blanks in his sequntial novels. In Roses are Red, someone is robbing banks, while simultaneously murdering family members of the bank man
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Feb 22, 2009
Sheniqua
rated it:
this book is about murders. In the beginning, the detectives are looking for the Mastermind, who is the main killer.
this book is really awsome. It starts right off in the begginning, on the very first page, in a murder seen. It catches the attention of the reader. Not only that but it also keeps throughout the whole book...well at least it kept mine. It's actually one of my top favorite books. i love it so much, i read it four times, and i plan on reading it agin. it actually brings More...
this book is really awsome. It starts right off in the begginning, on the very first page, in a murder seen. It catches the attention of the reader. Not only that but it also keeps throughout the whole book...well at least it kept mine. It's actually one of my top favorite books. i love it so much, i read it four times, and i plan on reading it agin. it actually brings More...
Oct 14, 2010
David
rated it:
This isn't a book with literary merit, but it is a book that will have you keep the pages turning! It took a few minutes for the ending to kick in. Only then did I actually gasp, which I like.
I do have a problem with Patterson always trying to develop characters, and it always falling flat. He should stick to the thrills, as the other parts are distracting. I will probably read with the sequel, and I hope that it explains just how the Mastermind did what he did, because although the en More...
I do have a problem with Patterson always trying to develop characters, and it always falling flat. He should stick to the thrills, as the other parts are distracting. I will probably read with the sequel, and I hope that it explains just how the Mastermind did what he did, because although the en More...
Jan 05, 2011
Barbra
rated it:
Another quick-read book by this author. The ending was so unexpected that I had to go back and reread it. Good thriller in the Alex Cross series.
Back Cover Blurb:
A series of meticulously planned bank robberies ends in murder, and Alex Cross must pit his wits against the bizarre and sadistic mastermind behind the crimes. Although torn between dedication to his job and commitment to his family, Cross cannot ignore the case, despite the risks he knows will come with hunting down a More...
Back Cover Blurb:
A series of meticulously planned bank robberies ends in murder, and Alex Cross must pit his wits against the bizarre and sadistic mastermind behind the crimes. Although torn between dedication to his job and commitment to his family, Cross cannot ignore the case, despite the risks he knows will come with hunting down a More...
May 29, 2011
Kasia
rated it:
The sixth installment of this fantastic series managed to draw me even more into the complex world of Alex Cross and his perilous adventures. When I start reading these books I cannot stop, it's a mind coma that takes over and I'm putty in the plot's hands. Worst thing is that the moment the ending comes I want more and more, Patterson is truing me into a greedy reader! That said I totally loved "Roses are Red" and the ending, it was a shocker! I sat there with my mouth gaping open, mu
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Dec 16, 2009
Kevin
rated it:
Roses are Red by James Patterson is an exciting mystery that is led by D.C’s top detective Alex Cross. A group of professional bank robbers and their leader “The Mastermind” plan and execute perfect robberies while committing malicious murders of “innocent” people. Crosses life is a mess throughout the book as he deals with family problems while trying to stop the craziest psychopath he has every seen. This book is not only a great read but it also shows the importance of family life and how qui
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Jul 25, 2009
Δx Δp ≥ ½ ħ
rated it:
thriller cepat dan kejam yang tidak akan membuat para pembacanya dapat membaca buku ini dengan duduk manis, sangat menggelisahkan
Menurut saia, sangat sedikit buku thriller dengan tingkat suspense tinggi yang terjaga dari awal hingga akhir. Buku-buku "Silence of the Lambs"-nya Thomas Harris, "Messiah"-nya Boris Starling, "Red Leaves"-nya Thomas H. Cook, dan beberapa karya lainnya adalah sedikit dari karya yang bila melampaui kengerian dalam novel ini.
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Menurut saia, sangat sedikit buku thriller dengan tingkat suspense tinggi yang terjaga dari awal hingga akhir. Buku-buku "Silence of the Lambs"-nya Thomas Harris, "Messiah"-nya Boris Starling, "Red Leaves"-nya Thomas H. Cook, dan beberapa karya lainnya adalah sedikit dari karya yang bila melampaui kengerian dalam novel ini.
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Jun 18, 2008
Kevin
rated it:
Nothing seems to be going right in the life of our hero Alex Cross... his fiancee Christine leaves him, his daughter Jannie suffers several gran mal seizures, and a series of bank robberies/murders have been taking place around the D.C. area. However, there is a twist to these cases. It seems that there is one mastermind behind them all that doesn't participate in the actual robberies/murders. Instead, he orchestrates it all and then disposes of his crew when he's done with them. Cross must now
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Sep 04, 2007
Karschtl
rated it:
James Patterson likes to title his Alex-Cross-books with nursery rhymes. For this book (and it's sequel) he borrowed from the following poem.
"Roses are red
Violets are blue
Sugar is sweet
And so are you"
My first encounter with Alex Cross and Patterson was with "Kiss the Girls", after that his books were on my auto-buy-list. No matter what the exact content, an Alex Cross thriller can only be good.
Patterson's trick is to write More...
"Roses are red
Violets are blue
Sugar is sweet
And so are you"
My first encounter with Alex Cross and Patterson was with "Kiss the Girls", after that his books were on my auto-buy-list. No matter what the exact content, an Alex Cross thriller can only be good.
Patterson's trick is to write More...
Jun 19, 2007
stephanie
rated it:
decent cross book. felt a little like a filler - he didn't know what to do after the whole weasel incident, and then he had to do something before he resolved that (look how long it took him to even get to his wife's murder - hell, it isn't even out in paperback yet!) but the thing is, the whole plot kind of sucked.
the only good thing was someone that i thought was going to turn up a criminal since book one ACTUALLY turns out to be a criminal. but damn if i have to read all the othe More...
the only good thing was someone that i thought was going to turn up a criminal since book one ACTUALLY turns out to be a criminal. but damn if i have to read all the othe More...
Jun 30, 2011
Derek
rated it:
A twisting tale by the author this time. Just when you thought you had it all figured out, you get some new information that changes everything. There is too much going on in the story though. Janie, the daughter of Alex Cross, gets sick. Although there are serious concerns for her health the problem feels to forced when included with everything else going on in the story. The author does end the book with a cliffhanger, an unusual aspect of this author. It is amazing and as a result sets
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Jul 20, 2009
Jamie
rated it:
I have been craving a good mystery novel and picked this up from a pile of hand me downs. I've never been so disoriented by a writing style (and not in a positive way). The chapters are barely 2-3 pages long, chocked full of dialogue and not much character development. There's gruesome violence and fast pace action. It was like reading an episode of Law & Order: SVU. Gorey, not too deep, twisted characters that make you question humanity but nothing really motivated me to want to read the whole
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Sep 25, 2010
Isabel
rated it:
I listened to this as an audiobook and the voice of the reader made it even better because she had a super-creepy voice. This book was a lot like The Pawn, by Steven James, but better, because whereas The Pawn was kind of predictable, in Roses Are Red, the ending was a complete surprise. This was an awesome book, but it was disgusting in some parts, in terms of discriptions of murders and things like that. I would reccomend this book to anyone with a strong stomach who likes mysteries.
Aug 08, 2011
Splexy
rated it:
How I came to read this book is pretty interesting in that one of my ex-boyfrends introduced me to James Patterson through this book. I was literally reading this book in the tv light at night because it was so good. I liked that I had no idea who the killer was...and James Patterson has a way of writing and tricking you. I thought i knew who the killer was but when I read the second part to this book.....I was so wrong...Please read this and part 2 (Violets are Blue)!
Nov 13, 2010
Christina
rated it:
#48
And...I'm bored COMPLETELY with the egocentric "I'm smarter than all of you" serial killers now. Alex Cross seems to attract them like moths to a flame & it is getting tiresome. Perhaps that is the downside of reading books in a series back to back to back like this. Characters get too predictable after a bit. Time for a break to make these seem fresh & interesting again. Or, hopefully, Patterson finds a different path to follow with Cross. I'm also tiring of his family/lo More...
And...I'm bored COMPLETELY with the egocentric "I'm smarter than all of you" serial killers now. Alex Cross seems to attract them like moths to a flame & it is getting tiresome. Perhaps that is the downside of reading books in a series back to back to back like this. Characters get too predictable after a bit. Time for a break to make these seem fresh & interesting again. Or, hopefully, Patterson finds a different path to follow with Cross. I'm also tiring of his family/lo More...
Sep 24, 2010
Amanda
rated it:
This book was alright. I've read another book in the Alex Cross series that comes after this one, and the writing was better in that book. I normally like short chapters, but these chapters were only two or three pages long and I found that a bit annoying. I also wasn't a big fan of the ending. I know that it's a series and some things are going to carry over into other books, but I like it when a book has a definite ending, and I think it's possible to do that in a series.
