** spoiler alert ** At times, I've been a bit of a fan of Alex Cross. After reading thisd one, I'm not sure why. The title is a play on Cross' promise (that the reader knows he will be unable to keep) to better balance his work and family life.

So, what's my gripe.. First, Cross does NO real detective work in this novel. No profiling, etc. Everything he gets, someone else gives him... and those investigating don't solve some sort of complex mystery-- instead-- the bad guy's identity is handed to them on a silver platter-- a high level political figure...

Once again, as in at least one earlier Cross story-- Nana goes to the hospital and much of the story dwells on whether or not she will survive. While she is an interesting character-- after awhile the reader is rooting for her to go ahead and die so that we can return to the crime\mystery element of the story.

Patterson tries to offer us gore and fear on a Hannibal Lecter level, using a wood chipper to dispose of victims-- but he is like a kindergartner shooting a basketball placed at regulation level.. he just bounces off the rim at best.

Further, the short chapters and change of viewpoints are disjointed and make it appear that Mr. Patterson is off his ADD medication and therefore unfocused because so many of the chapters break at odd places. some chapters are only a page and a half long...

I've read novels in this series that I enjoyed.. sadly, this one didn't do it for me.. the resolution at the end-- having the Secret Service agent take out the bad guy and then commit suicide.. well.. it just lacked a punch... This novel just didn't do it for me.