I was so excited to get my hands on the latest installment of the Alex Cross series that I didn't realise that I haven't read the previous one! Will have to read them out of order - oh well..

Alex Cross John Sampson and FBI Special Agent Ned Mahony investigate a double homicide which has taken place in a local school. The school principal is one of the deceased and his ex wife is the main suspect.
As usual, there are a couple of other storylines mixed in - Bree has a series of unsolved rapes to deal with. Alex continues to see clients privately as a psychologist. Nana Mama is in the kitchen as usual and the children are growing up fast.

I love dipping back into a series like this. You know the characters already, so that is familiar. It's easier to keep track when there are loads of characters and you can just concentrate on the storytelling. I like Patterson's writing style of short chapters and multiple storylines. It makes for a fast paced read with plenty of twists and turns, tension and in this one a tragic loss (no spoilers).

As good as usual. Going back to number 27 now, so that I'll be ready for number 29 in 2021.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an advance copy of Deadly Cross, the twenty eighth novel to feature psychologist Dr Alex Cross.

Alex Cross is called in as a consultant to the FBI when DC socialite Kay Willingham, former wife of the vice president and educator with political ambitions Randolph Christopher are found shot dead in her car. He is already consulting with Metro PD on the unsolved murders of a string of teenage girls and is feeling the stress of too much work, especially when he has to go to Alabama to further investigate Kay Willingham’s murder.

I thoroughly enjoyed Deadly Cross which is the usual mixture of twisted crime and family life. The novel ends up with three distinct investigations with the Willingham investigation taking centre stage, not least because Cross has history with her. This is classic misdirection as the reader is never sure which elements are interlinked and which are entirely separate. The solutions came as a complete surprise to me so I was glued to the pages throughout trying to work it all out, and failed as usual. This is a well thought out novel with plenty of twists and turns, including extra crimes uncovered during the investigation. Some of these discoveries are a touch perfunctory in their explanations but they keep the momentum and thrills to a maximum.

The twists don’t stop with the investigation as there are several developments within the extended family. One had me crying and another had me thinking, what a clever move that opens up so many possibilities for future novels. The family dynamic can, at times, be cloying and syrupy but works well in these particular circumstances.

Deadly Cross is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I was so excited to receive an ARC for the new Alex Cross book and it was as good as I had hoped. I absolutely adore this series and feel like I know Alex, Bree, Nana Mama and the gang.

Bree is under a great deal of pressure from her boss, the Commissioner. There are unsolved rapes and murders of young girls dating back over the last 15 years and the Metro don’t appear to be any closer to solving the case. Bree is also investigating attacks on public figures who are being targeted.

Meanwhile, Alex, John Sampson and Ned Mahoney are investigating a double homicide. Kay Willingham was a Georgetown socialite, philanthropist, and ex-wife of the sitting vice-president led a public life. Murdered alongside her is Randall Christopher, a respected educator with political ambitions.

Who could have brutally murdered them and why? The search for answers takes Alex and Ned to Kay’s hometown of Alabama.

While there was a lot going on in this book, it never lost its pace and not did it confuse the reader. Another fantastic Alex Cross book!!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

The master storyteller does it again! No 28 in the Alex Cross series and this one is as thrilling, clever and engaging as all the previous ones. How does James Patterson do it? He is a writing genius; you know as soon as you open a Alex Cross book that you are in safe hands and in for a wonderful reading treat. it is always such a joy to be back with the Cross family and the author is so skilled at combining hard-hitting police drama with family life that you feel like you really know the characters. This one does pull on the heart strings for hardened fans who know the characters but that just adds to the layers of the book. As soon as I finish a Cross novel I feel bereft and need the next one; thank goodness they are in the hands of a truly amazing author and we know there will be more to come.

Huge thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this wonderful book.

What more could you ask for James Patterson and Alex Cross, Samson and the rest of the crew. Some sad news for Samson but nevertheless a terrific storyline. Well done Mr Patterson you keep writing them and we will keep reading them!

Alex Cross is a legend and is back with a story that intertwines with other stories.
Great read - for fans of Alex Cross, this will not disappoint.
I feel like I have grown up with Alex and his family, and they all blend in with the story, whilst finding out more about them all.
Great read - can't wait for the next instalment.

Alex Cross is a hero for every James Patterson book reader.
In this latest book it looks at his family relationships and those he has with his best lifelong friend and fellow cop John Sampson.
The book follows the murders of two prominent society members and looks like a case of a wife angry at her husbands betrayal so did she kill them
Alex and FBI agent Ned Mahoney are also helping his wife Bree in her role as chief of detectives and investigating the recent murders and deaths of local girls
Can they be linked ?
Every time a new Alex Cross novel is published my heart jumps for joy and this one was back to grass roots policing rather than the psychological thrillers he is also known for

Alex Cross is called to a double homicide outside a charter school in Washington DC. He knows the victims - Randall Christopher was the principal of the school; Cross’ daughter Jannie attends it. Kay Willingham was the glamorous ex-wife of the Vice President. The couple have been shot in the back seat of Kay’s Bentley convertible. The prime suspect is the principal’s wife who admitted being in the area that night but Cross isn’t convinced. Soon Cross, his wife Chief of Detectives Bree Stone and his partner John Sampson are soon involved in another two investigations the rape and murder of several young women in the area and the shooting of some high profile people in the Capital including a Congresswoman. Then the team are rocked by a tragedy close to home.

The Alex Cross series by James Patterson is one of my long standing favourites and this didn’t disappoint. Plenty of twist and turns to keep you turning the pages.

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK Cornerstone and James Patterson for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Dr Alex Cross is called to work on a Homicide case by his wife Chief of Detectives Bree Stone, as he knows both high profile victims. Both shot and all valuables stolen. Alex calls in best friend and former partner at DC Homicide, John Sampson to work the case. Whilst Bree works on a seemingly unrelated case involving kidnapping and murder... Lots of twists and turns going on through this investigation. Alex getting in some hairy situations, which isn't new to him. John goes through personal heartbreak due to a close bereavement, effecting both families...

Another great read from James Patterson. If you've not read any of the Alex Cross books before this won't effect your reading of this book, a definite should read.

This is the 28th book in the Alex Cross series.... 28th! Only a really good series can last this long. The Alex Cross series of books, has lasted so long and stood the test of time due to its originality and excellent writing. You might imagine a police procedural/thriller would be feeling a little stale to read nowadays but this trope is 100% fresh anytime a new AC novel comes out. James Patterson writes with the confidence of longevity and masterful storytelling. 

Deadly Cross is a fabulous entry into this series - it's gritty, detail oriented and heavy of the police procedural side of things, more so than the immediately previous entries. This is the work I love from JP. It felt like his earlier work, which in my opinion is the best of his work.

When Alex's former patient turns up dead, he sets out to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death. She is an ex-patient of his, and as the blurb speculates - maybe more? She was once a high flyer on the political scene, thanks to her marriage to the vice president and as a socialite and philanthropist, she lived her life in the spotlight. How has she ended up murdered? Alex must find out.

I enjoyed this a lot. It was a great read, kept me hooked, and in fact I read it very quickly. (I don't read that fast, but this one took me about 2 days). If you are already a fan of JP then definitely check this out. If you aren't aware of his work, or haven't got round to reading any of his books yet, then I can 100% recommend this to you.

The series is fab when read it as a whole, but each can be read as a standalone, so pick this one up for a thrilling chase and a bit of that old detective/psychologist we know and love.

Absolutely loved this. Alex cross is a legend. Always wait in anticipation for a new instalment & this one certainly didn’t disappoint. Amazing.

I wait for new Alex Cross books with a degree of impatience. This one didn't disappoint. There is less of the psychological insight in this one, and more of the dogged police work, but still a great read.

I was delighted when this one came out hard on the heels of his last. In this book, he has his work cut out for him as there are a number of intertwined plots and personal issues, and when one of the victims is someone from his past, he finds himself the subject of some possibly harmful speculation.

I can't say too much as, if you are already a fan, you will intend to read it, and if not, I don't want to spoil anything. Be aware, though. You'll be drawn in.

For fans of police drama, thrillers, mystery and procedurals.