1st to Die question

I used to really like him and his books. However as time went on, they all began to merge into one another, and it seemed as if the plots could easily be in any of his books.
Also I began to find some inconsistent plots.
I think on another thread somebody mentioned that the way Alex Cross' wife died has changed in a couple of books and I seem to remember when I was reading about the mastermind, Kyle, that I thought he had died in a book and then voila he was alive again. However that could have just been me, misremembering.

I recently started reading Patterson's books. I do enjoy that his books are quick to read with my schedule.
However his novels are fast paced and I agree that some plots tend to be similar in some of his novels.

I enjoyed reading the Michael Bennett series much more than the Alex Cross series.

Most of his books he doesn't even write anymore. He writes out the plot on a sheet of paper and gets someone else to write the book. Hence many of his books have his and another authors names on them. He has said that he has so many ideas and not enough time to turn them into books. Since he started doing this, there have been plot inconsistencies and character inconsistencies appearing everywhere. I stopped reading his books some years ago because of this. It smacks of greed if you ask me.

I would say to anyone who enjoys a thriller, read his first dozen books then give him a miss after that.

I enjoyed the first one, then noticed the aforementioned plot similarities and villain predictability in the next book I read. If Mr. Patterson doesn't have time to write his own books, I don't have time to read them. He has placed quantity over quality, and it shows.

LIKED: I liked the first couple of Alex Cross books until the movie 'Kiss the Girls' f'd up the characterization for me. Not that I don't like Mr. Freeman, but his age didn't work for me, and ever after intruded on any further reading of the Cross series.

DISLIKE: I find James Patterson's prolificacy obscene, and his collaborative co-authoring even more so-- to the extent that I haven't read him in years, and have no plans to do so in future.

Life is too short to read Patterson.

Do like: His books are concise but very suspenseful.

Don't like: Some of the books are very graphic and violent.

First, I've only read the Murder club books & love the majority of them. Could not get into Alex Cross & have only read one of his stand alones, which I liked. Really enjoyed the first books but lately not so much. I also don't care for the fact that he rarely writes any of the books anymore. The thing I really admire about him is what he's been doing to increase literacy & love of reading in our young children & teen ages. If you don't enjoy reading, you limit your life so anyone who gets more young people to read is a hero to me.

Agreed. I have read the first 3 murder club series, a witch and wizard and a couple of Alex Cross - I liked them all (apart from Witch & Wizard) . I especially like Lindsay from murder club.
BUT they are formulaic and I can't see myself reading any more...I feel like I've already 'got the picture' and don't need to pursue the series further.

JP Rocks, despite all the slip-ups. Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club and Michael Bennett are one of JP's best, but when he decided to bring to the limelight obscure writers (no offence), things started going downhill.

Nevertheless, I do like him, very much.

He gets inconsistent and predictable in the latter parts. I'm not sure if its all the ghost writing but I think that's the reason.

I love the Alex Cross series I'm ready to read Cross fire in the Alex Cross series and I love the Women Murder Club Series with Lindsay I love her in he books

I have a love/hate relationship with the short chapters! Sometimes it's nice, like before bed. But other times, it's annoying. I guess on an e-reader it would be convenient, but I usually read hard copies.

I like that he does "series" of books like Alex Cross & The Women's Murder Club. The other books that he does sometimes feels like they're just thrown out there from nowhere, not that they're bad.

Last, most important, he's trying to get kids into reading. I think this is SUPER important! Too many kids are losing their reading skills. My 9 year old cousin (10 in July) had to read for 30 mins a day, everyday for homework. NOT her favorite thing to do. I help care for her, so I have a book that I bring with me. I turn the ringer on my phone off, turn the timer on and we snuggle and read for 30 mins. It's a lot easier when she's not alone. And NO TV because it distracts her too easily. I've yet to finish that book and she's out of school soon. Looks like I'll be bringing it back this fall!

I read the first Alex cross series could not finish, read the murder club series 1st then 2nd and now I have given up on entirely. Writing is inconsistent, stories are predictable and characters are cliched. I am done with his books.