I think this is one of my favorite so far in this series.

It truly stands out among the others. The story is engaging and full of excitement. The characters are well-developed and their interactions are both interesting and believable.

The plot twists and turns, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout. I love how the author has created a unique and immersive world that I can't help but get lost in.

Every time I pick up this book, I am immediately drawn in and don't want to put it down. It has become a must-read for me whenever I'm in the mood for a great story.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. It's definitely one that you won't want to miss.

Yet another awesome Alex Cross book has graced the literary scene. It contains some truly intense parts that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. I'm glad to see that Alex is in a happy state in this book. However, I find myself having a hard time liking Christine. The main reason for this is that I think she is moving too fast in her relationship with Alex after her husband was brutally murdered. It just seems a bit rushed and not entirely believable.

Moreover, Alex also appears to fall for every woman he lays eyes on so far. This makes it a little difficult to believe that he is REALLY in love with Christine. It gives the impression that his feelings might not be as deep and genuine as they should be. But all that aside, this was still a great book. The story was engaging, the characters were well-developed, and the plot had enough twists and turns to keep me interested from start to finish. I'm really looking forward to the next one in the series!

The 4th novel in the Alex Cross series marks the return of the very first serial killer, Sonjei.

This novel is filled with numerous twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. I never expected there to be an end to the reign of this brutal murderer.

The ploy set by the FBI and Cross to catch Pierce/Smith was truly ingenious and completely floored me.

However, I'm not entirely convinced that Pierce/Smith was necessarily psychotic. I believe he was fully aware of what he was doing when he committed those 20 plus murders, but perhaps he simply didn't know how to stop.

One thing that remains a mystery is whether he really killed Isabella because of her affair or if there was another, more complex reason. Maybe he loved her so much that he couldn't bear to lose her.

Either way, it's clear that the man was highly unstable, yet in some strange way, still sane.

I never tire of reading the Alex Cross novels. This series is definitely one that I would highly recommend to any mystery lover.

Alex finds himself in extremely dangerous territory at this moment. He has fallen deeply in love, which makes him question his determination to continue with the craziest job he has ever had.

Gary Soneji has returned. He has a strong desire to make a significant mark and he specifically wants Alex to suffer. Meanwhile, a sadistic killer known as Mr Smith is randomly killing people and is increasingly frustrating the FBI with the so-called 'clues' he leaves behind.

Just like in the other installments of the series, the police procedural aspects are quite interesting and there is an element of tension in the overall construction. However, unfortunately, Alex's obsession with blues and the rather obvious black references seem a bit forced. I can't help but have the feeling that the formula is starting to wear thin.

Yet, this series has many more books to come, so it clearly has some appeal. But at this moment, I just don't think I'm in the mood to endure more to discover exactly what that something is.

It has been more than 20 years since I read this book.

I vividly remember receiving it as a first edition hardcover for Christmas.

I was extremely excited to embark on this reading journey, and now I recall precisely why.

"Cat and Mouse" showcases James Patterson's writing at its absolute finest.

The narrative of the two serial killers is truly compelling, and the mystery of solving who is responsible for the "Mr. Smith" murders is highly intriguing.

However, the only aspect of the book that I'm not overly fond of is all the excessive, gushy, lovey-dovey stuff between the protagonist and his family.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that they are a happy family, but it seems as if every interaction is overly sweetened.

Nevertheless, overall, it is a great book with an excellent mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

It's a classic that has stood the test of time and is well worth a reread.

I really felt that a 5-star rating had to be given here. Alex Cross truly delivered this time, and in a very significant way. The story is filled with excitement from start to finish, with numerous twists and turns that I simply didn't anticipate. Despite these unexpected elements, the story remains firmly on track, leading up to a truly magnificent finish.

It even concludes with a huge bang, leaving readers eager for more. The Cross marathon will undoubtedly continue, and I can't wait to see what adventures lie ahead for this beloved character. If you're a fan of thrilling mysteries, then this book is an absolute must-read.

Alex Cross's worst nightmare, Gary Soneji, has returned with a vengeance, determined to get back at Cross for "ruining his life." Can he be stopped this time? While Cross is focused on Soneji, there's another killer on the loose, Mr. Smith, who is even more terrifying.

I have to admit, I was wrong about Soneji being my worst nightmare. Mr. Smith takes that title hands down. He's been all over the world, and no one knows how to stop him. Alex, Sampson, and Thomas Pierce are all trying to catch him, but they're constantly one step behind.

One of the things I love about this series is Alex Cross himself. He's been one of my favorite characters since I started reading in January. In this book, I discovered a new side of him - his sense of humor. It's not the kind that makes me laugh out loud, but the kind that makes me roll my eyes and think, "seriously, Alex?" or "you're such a dweeb." But it's endearing all the same.

Another thing I love about this book is the relationship between Alex and his kids. Patterson does a great job of portraying their healthy and loving bond. Jannie and Damon are so smart and witty, and their conversations with Alex are always a highlight of the book. I feel like I'm getting closer to Alex's family with each book.

The pacing of this book is also excellent. I couldn't put it down because I needed to know what was going to happen next. The "cat and mouse" game between Alex and Soneji was especially exciting, and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read the first three books in the series. It's a great addition to the series and definitely worthy of a 5-star rating. I can't wait to see what happens next in Alex Cross's life.

Originally seen on my book blog!

I have a deep passion for a great thriller. And currently, I have developed a profound love for Alex Cross.

This particular story was truly a page-turner. It had me completely engrossed from the very beginning until the end.

The plot was so thrilling and full of unexpected twists and turns that I simply couldn't put the book down.

As a result, I have decided that this summer, I will definitely have to explore and read some of the other Alex Cross stories.

I'm eager to see what other exciting adventures and mysteries await me in the world of Alex Cross.

I'm sure they will all be just as captivating and engaging as this one.

I can't wait to embark on this literary journey and discover more about this fascinating character and his thrilling escapades.

What if someone kills me merely because he is obsessed with wordplay? This is scarier than a psycho.

The book in this series, as usual, comes with a different case that can be read as standalone or serially. For more impact, please read the series in full.

So far, the thrilling aspect has been a bit less over time, but this is undoubtedly gripping and compulsive. The proof is that I can't stop reading this series without mixing it with other books at all. I am obsessed with this series.

Owing to the very unexpected plot twist and the mystery puzzle not being solved until it is solved by our handsome, smart, and hot single daddy Dr. Alex, who is very good with children and drives a classy sports car. I just hope James crafted a partner for this hot daddy.

The murder cases in this book are unthinkable, inhuman, and bloody. Sometimes it's disturbing, sometimes it infuriates you. James' books are very emotional as they are based on characters. So far, no flaw. Whether you will like his plot or his story line, it's thrilling from the outset, but then it seems to lose the thrilling pace. Nevertheless, it is still interesting, and at the 80% until the end, the plot twist made me go "what?!"

He had come here to murder Alex Cross and his family. He despised them more than ever. He was a famous kidnapper and murderer. The teenager's head exploded inside the telescopic circle. Beautiful. The head flew apart before his eyes. The thing that really mattered was the blood. Of all the killers, he was the scariest, single-minded, obsessive, and completely whacked-out.

None of the murders satisfied his need anymore. Somebody came in here and beat the living hell out of the kids. It was a nasty and disturbing puzzle, but a very intriguing one. Everything about the case was intense and highly unusual. Death by mutilation. He entered the chest via a classic "Y" incision. This freak is a classic loner, a human demon. He cut out her heart. That was the clue he left. He's smart as hell. That's what scares me. A madman was in control of the planet. It seemed like it anyway. He had operated on. THIS WAS it. The end. It had to be. I couldn't manage any sympathy, or even a modicum of clinical empathy. I despised him and his cruel, cold-blooded murders more than any of the other killers. May he rest in hell.

How do you catch a monster?

Wow! This was my first time delving into a book from the Alex Cross series, and I have to admit, I'm completely smitten! In fact, I'm positively smote!

The title, "Cat & Mouse," is truly perfect as it accurately describes the thrilling chase that unfolds within the pages of this book. It takes you on an exciting ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

The story is filled with twists and turns, and the characters are well-developed and engaging. You can't help but become invested in their lives and root for them as they face various challenges.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery or thriller. It's a page-turner that will leave you wanting more. Five stars all the way!

Wow,

I can't believe I used to have an affinity for this book. It turns out that all the aspects that I came to loathe about the later installments of this series are actually even more pronounced and worse in this particular volume. I've made an effort to keep spoilers to a minimum, focusing only on details that won't completely ruin the overall plot. Also, a fair warning - a significant portion of this review is a copy and paste from my review of the first Cross book since many of my concerns remain the same.

1. The fact that Patterson devotes half of the book to writing about how evil white people are truly drives me crazy. One has to keep in mind that Patterson was a 46-year-old, married, wealthy white male from Palm Beach, FL, writing about what it's like to be a 38-year-old single father living in a crime-ridden poor neighborhood in DC. Seriously!? If it were just Patterson's apparent self-hatred, I might just feel pity for him. However, he manages to repeatedly glorify reverse-racism while incorporating more racist cliches than I could have ever imagined possible. Just look at how many times fried chicken and ribs are mentioned in the first three or four books. Also, there's Alex's obsession with white women. And let's not even get started on the language and discussions about "the man," slavery, and why the blues is the only good music ever created. Oh, and every white cop is portrayed as an asshole.

2. *SPOILER ALERT* There are several plot issues as well:

- Despite numerous conversations about jurisdictional arguments and the territorial nature of the police, Cross once again jumps jurisdictions as if they don't exist. This time, there isn't even a lame "FBI" excuse.

- Why does every evil serial-killer criminal in the world have a thing for Cross? Granted, he's a sexy black man (apparently it's not racist because the book says so!), but seriously, at this point in the series, he hasn't caught that many bad guys, and yet they all come looking for him?

- The FBI knew who Smith was and still let him roam around freely? Okay, if you want hard and fast proof, fine. But when you know who he's targeting for his next victim, maybe it would be a good idea to put the guy under surveillance?

- The reasons for suspecting Mr. Smith's identity are weak. Equally weak is the "discovery" of how he chooses his victims. And the ending. And basically the whole Mr. Smith plot. If Patterson had just stuck with "arch nemesis escapes from jail (again)," he might have had something - another Batman/Joker rip-off anyways. Instead, he adds in a second, unnecessary killer, and it just drags on and on and on...

3. Cross is disgustingly perfect. He balances his family, women, and job flawlessly. He never gets angry with his kids or Nana, nor do they with him. He's gorgeous and impervious to beatings, shootings, and so on (sorry, I already forget which violence occurred in which book). In this book, he's firebombed and yet never misses a beat or becomes any less attractive.

He has no issues whatsoever except for the occasional "oh yeah, and I miss my wife." Another reader said this, and I must take the time to agree - why does every character have to have crappy relationships? Cross himself comes from a broken home and is a single dad due to a murdered wife. His love interest has a broken home, and everyone around her died of cancer.

4. Cross' women: While this particular woman manages to avoid death or maiming, it's only because she was attacked, her husband was killed, and she was held hostage in book #3. This continues the trend of "women existing only to cause Alex pain" in the series. Man, Alex Cross has it worse than Batman.

Also, it's 3 out of 3 when it comes to the description of "Alex hasn't felt this close to a woman since his wife died. Except for Jezzie. And Kate. And the next 3 women he hooks up with." But congrats to this one for lasting more than one book!

5. I truly hate the writing style. The tendency to switch from first person to third person (and many third persons at that) drives me nuts. Just pick one. I also don't like the short, abrupt chapters that seem to do nothing more than lengthen the book. Also, why does Patterson feel the need to randomly emphasize passages for no good reason? I mean, is there really a need to confuse the reader by adding italics not only for thoughts but also for sudden bursts of writing that seem to mean nothing? This gets even worse in the second and fourth books (I skipped #3 this time around), but it's already pretty annoying here too. See what I mean? Oh, and learn how to write a 4-year-old's thoughts so that she doesn't sound older and wiser than Nana. Actually, she and Nana might as well be the same character except that the girl is there to be cute and Nana is there to be racist. Because apparently being racist when you're old is okay.

All in all, this is a book that should be avoided - especially if you actually read and think about what you're reading. If you're the kind of person who just listens to the beat of the song and has no idea what the words are, you might like it just fine. And if you're white and feel guilty about it, you'll probably even find it "deep."

I truly adored the storyline of this fourth book.

The action and suspense within the story were simply captivating.

Some portions of it were rather gruesome, which added an element of intensity.

Soneji and Mr. Smith were both crazy yet astonishingly smart.

I had a mix of emotions for Alex. I felt sorry for him at times, and yet I was also happy for him.

The scenes featuring Alex and his family were heartwarming and endearing.

The ending was just perfect. It kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page.

Mr. Patterson, you have done an absolutely awesome job with this book.

It is a thrilling and engaging read that I would highly recommend to others.

The way you have crafted the story and developed the characters is truly remarkable.

Kudos to you!