Synopsis
(from the publisher):
When the home of Alex Cross's oldest friend, Ellie Cox, is turned into
the worst murder scene Alex has ever seen, the destruction leads him to
believe that he's chasing a horrible new breed of killer. As Alex and
his girlfriend, Brianna Stone, become entangled in the deadly Nigerian
underworld of Washington D.C., what they discover is shocking: a
stunningly organized gang of lethal teenagers headed by a powerful,
diabolical man-the African warlord known as the Tiger. Just when the
detectives think they're closing in on the elusive murderer, the Tiger
disappears into thin air. Tracking him to Africa, Alex knows that he
must follow. Alone.
— ◊ —
— ◊ —
Cross
Country
An
Alex Cross Mystery
James
Patterson
Little,
Brown (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-316-01872-4 (0316018724)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-01872-2 (9780316018722)
Publication Date: November 2008
List Price: $27.99
— ◊ —
Review:
Alex Cross is drawn into the ruthless underworld of Washington D.C. on
the hunt for a man known only as "The Tiger" in Cross Country,
the 14th thriller featuring the forensic detective in this series by
James Patterson.
When Ellie Cox, a college friend of Cross, is killed and mutilated
along with her family, the crime attributed to a gang of fearless,
riotous teenage boys, Cross knows that he will hunt down their leader,
a mysterious figure called the Tiger, no matter how long it takes or
where it takes him. Anyone who was known writing about, or checking
into the background of, an organization or individuals dealing in
drugs, oil, money laundering, and more in the nation's capital become a
target for this diabolical warlord. The cold-blooded, brutal murderers
he had encountered in the past do not compare with the callous
ruthlessness he would soon be a part of. Cross' quest ultimately takes
him to Africa where he meets a reporter who had known Ellie and was
also seeking information about the Tiger and his murderous escapades
for the press. The person or persons giving the orders on what family
should be killed next remains, however, a mystery. Alex turns to the
CIA for help but their help is in short supply. Soon Cross the hunter
becomes Cross the hunted in the decrepit, dilapidated, and decaying
cities of Africa. He is arrested, jailed and tortured for three days,
before the CIA is able to get him released. Cross sees the most
horrible situations for men, women and children that could possibly
exist. And he is forced not only to watch it as it happens, but to
become a part of it.
Cross
Country is one of the most
perplexing entries in this long-running series. In many ways it is
atypical and fans of the Cross mysteries may be disappointed that the
plot is more action-oriented adventure than psychological thriller. As
in previous books, Cross is expected to deal with the worst kind of
criminal, but here, the images evoked are far more horrific than
anything previously written. It's really overwhelming. One might wish
that Cross finally marry his sweetheart and take Nana and the kids on a
long vacation together somewhere sunny and warm, far away from what he
experiences here, and leave the horror of murder to someone else. But
what makes Cross such a powerful character in crime fiction is that he
perseveres, always certain that his work makes a difference, if only to
just one person.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Cross Country and to Margo Nauert for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read Cross Country? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series …
Along
Came a
Spider
Little Brown (Hardcover), March 1993
ISBN-10: 0-316-69364-2 (0316693642)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-69364-6 (9780316693646)
Kiss
the
Girls
Little Brown (Hardcover), December 1994
ISBN-10: 0-316-69370-7 (0316693707)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-69370-7 (9780316693707)
Jack
and
Jill
Little Brown (Hardcover), September 1996
ISBN-10: 0-316-69371-5 (0316693715)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-69371-4 (9780316693714)
Cat
and
Mouse
Little Brown (Hardcover), November 1997
ISBN-10: 0-316-69329-4 (0316693294)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-69329-5 (9780316693295)
Pop
Goes
the
Weasel
Little Brown (Hardcover), October 1999
ISBN-10: 0-316-69328-6 (0316693286)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-69328-8 (9780316693288)
Roses
are
Red
Little Brown (Hardcover), November 2000
ISBN-10: 0-316-69325-1 (0316693251)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-69325-7 (9780316693257)
Violets
are Blue
Little Brown (Hardcover), November 2001
ISBN-10: 0-316-69323-5 (0316693235)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-69323-3 (9780316693233)
Four
Blind Mice
Little Brown (Hardcover), November 2002
ISBN-10: 0-316-69300-6 (0316693006)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-69300-4 (9780316693004)
The
Big
Bad Wolf
Little Brown (Hardcover), January 2003
ISBN-10: 0-316-60290-6 (0316602906)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-60290-7 (9780316602907)
London
Bridges
Little Brown (Hardcover), November 2004
ISBN-10: 0-316-71059-8 (0316710598)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-71059-6 (9780316710596)
Mary
Mary
Little Brown (Hardcover), November 2005
ISBN-10: 0-316-15976-X (031615976X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-15976-0 (9780316159760)
Cross
Little Brown (Hardcover), November 2006
ISBN-10: 0-316-15979-4 (0316159794)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-15979-1 (9780316159791)
Double
Cross
Little Brown (Hardcover), November 2007
ISBN-10: 0-316-01505-9 (0316015059)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-01505-9 (9780316015059)
Cross Country
Little, Brown (Hardcover), November 2008
ISBN-10: 0-316-01872-4 (0316018724)
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-01872-2 (9780316018722)
Omnimystery
keywords for Cross Country
...
Location(s) referenced: Washington
DC.
