Even though the concept of Soneji's almost immortality seems a little too far-fetched for my taste, the book still maintained that typical Patterson pace and excitement that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

I really loved the two-in-one combo story. Although it was a bit too gory for my liking, it was all presented within the context of the extreme personalities of the characters, which made it somewhat understandable.

I thought I had figured out the twist early on, but in true Patterson style, he managed to surprise me. I never saw it coming at all.

Overall, it was a thrilling read and a must for any enthusiast who enjoys a clever and engaging story. It had all the elements that make Patterson's books so popular - fast-paced action, complex characters, and unexpected twists. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read.

This book is truly difficult to describe.

I can only liken it to a hot girl who engages in conversation with you, yet has extremely bad breath.

You can't help but stay around because, hey, she's talking to you, which is a bonus.

But in the end, you simply can't avoid the fact that you know kissing her would be like licking a public toilet.

So, you might wonder what is so likeable about the book?

The story is truly awesome, and Patterson has an unrivaled ability to write a thriller.

The story segments are excellent.

However, it is the big picture that causes it to fall apart.

I actually commented on this in an earlier review, expressing my fear that I could see the pattern emerging.

The moment Thomas Peirce was mentioned and it was stated that he was going to be a doctor, did anyone not know that he was going to end up being Mr. Smith?

And if you did know, should you start drinking before noon?

It was just so obvious and not a surprise at all.

This makes it very challenging as a reader because the line-by-line writing is so good, but it really sucks when you know how it is going to end just thirty pages in.

And at least for myself, it doesn't help that I still couldn't put it down.

Book 5 had better not have someone in the FBI, a cop, or another person "on" the investigation committing the deed.

And for Christ's sake, please move Alex, or install bars on your doors and windows.

Your kids were almost murdered, Nana almost died, and you have now been assaulted twice in your house.

Maybe if you are hunting crazy people, you should invest in some better security.

And that reminds me, after kids are attacked in their own home and beaten, I don't think they recover to normal so quickly.

Arghhh, I really liked reading it, but disliked it as a whole, even though I liked it. Damn you, pretty girl with bad breath.

I really need to take a break from the Alex Cross series.

This particular installment was not only extremely frustrating but also highly predictable. I find myself complaining about similar issues with every book in this series, and this one was particularly egregious.

I understand that Patterson is attempting to mislead the reader, creating twists that are supposed to come as a shock and enhance the story. However, it's not acceptable to do this by having the story and characters act in ways that are inconsistent with their normal behavior, especially when we are reading from a particular character's point of view.

In this book, the characters' very thoughts contradicted themselves later on, solely to provide the twist. Despite all of this, the outcome was still predictable. Towards the end, I actually found myself rooting against Cross, which is definitely not a good sign for the story and the writing.

It seems that the series may have run its course for me, at least for now. I hope that future installments can bring back the excitement and unpredictability that made the earlier books so enjoyable.

Patterson has truly outdone himself with this latest work.

He has managed to pull off a huge plot twist that is nothing short of remarkable. It is easily the best one I've seen in quite some time.

The way he weaves the story and then suddenly throws in this unexpected turn is masterful.

It keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, completely engaged and unable to put the book down.

The element of surprise is so well-executed that it makes the entire reading experience even more thrilling.

Patterson's ability to create such a captivating and unpredictable plot is a testament to his talent as a writer.

I can't wait to see what else he has in store for us in the future.

I listened to this book on Audible, and initially, I had high hopes of truly enjoying listening to the reader. At first, he gave off the impression of an old-fashioned, stereotypical private eye, which I thought was quite interesting. However, as the story unfolded, his nasally tone started to grate on me.

Moreover, the way he did the female voices was simply horrendous. He sounded like Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie, using that fake voice. I found his interpretations of Nana Mama and Christina to be terrible, but when it came to Alex's daughter, the voice was almost unbearable.

Despite these drawbacks in the narration, I did manage to enjoy the story itself. However, it felt disjointed, with the beginning focusing on Gary Seneji and the end centering around Mr. Smith. Nevertheless, I do intend to continue this series with book 5, Pop Goes the Weasel. But for the next book, I think I'll opt to read it in print rather than listen to the audio version.

#Yourfavoritepromptfromapastpopsugarchallenge #2017 #abookwithacatonthecover

I absolutely loved this book!!

It had a truly great story that kept me engaged from start to finish.

The plot was full of twists and turns, and I found myself constantly on the edge of my seat, eager to see what would happen next.

The characters were well-developed and relatable, which made it easy for me to become invested in their lives and emotions.

I also have to say that I am a huge fan of this author's books.

They always manage to capture my attention and transport me to another world.

The writing style is engaging and easy to follow, yet still manages to be descriptive and vivid.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story.

It's definitely one that I will be reading again and again.

I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next!

I really liked the book.

It took a bit of a wild turn in the middle, but it was truly a captivating cat and mouse game.

Once again, I am delving into the Alex Cross book series, and I have thoroughly enjoyed them up to this point.

The writing is excellent.

I am a little surprised by some of the word choices.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of cursing in books, but I understand.

After all, he's a tough detective/FBI agent/psychologist.

When I type it out, I think, "REALLY?"

However, the character is written so well that it all seems completely legitimate and believable.

I absolutely love the little glimpses into Alex's family life.

I would adore it if Samson had a more significant role in the stories.

It seems like he could be a huge asset to the storyline and add even more depth and interest.

I can't wait to see what else this series has in store.

The first half of the book truly merits a 4-star rating.

It presents a captivating narrative that keeps the reader engaged from the very beginning.

The story unfolds in a way that builds anticipation and curiosity.

However, when it comes to the second half of the book, although it has an interesting twist, it unfortunately seems rather unbelievable.

This lack of believability detracts from the overall reading experience, resulting in only a 3-star rating for this part.

It is also important to note that several guest characters in this book were previously guest characters in a previous book in the Alex Cross series titled Along Came a Spider.

Therefore, it would be highly advisable to read Along Came a Spider before delving into Cat and Mouse.

This way, readers can have a better understanding of the backstories and relationships of these characters, enhancing their enjoyment of the current book.

This is a truly great book with an incredibly captivating story.

From the moment I picked it up, I was completely immersed in its pages and found myself reluctant to put it down.

The narrative was so engaging that it held my attention firmly throughout.

Every character was well-developed, and their stories intertwined in a way that made it impossible not to be invested in their fates.

The plot was filled with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly guessing what would happen next.

It was a literary masterpiece that transported me to another world and allowed me to experience a range of emotions.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read that will leave them spellbound.

Since the new ALEX CROSS movie just premiered in my area, I made the decision to pick up CAT & MOUSE and turn it into an Alex Cross week.

On the positive side, the movie was quite good - far better than what most critics and die-hard Patterson fans are giving it credit for. It had engaging action sequences and a captivating storyline that kept me on the edge of my seat.

However, CAT & MOUSE was a huge disappointment. The writing was clumsy and ineffective. Phrases like "She looked slightly beyond great" seemed out of place and didn't add any real depth to the story. The plot was a convoluted mess, making it difficult to follow at times.

In this novel, Patterson attempts to write from the first-person perspective of three different characters and alternates between them. Then, for some chapters, he suddenly switches to a third-person viewpoint, which is both stylistically unappealing and lazy. I can't recall any other writers who would make such a strange choice.

Moreover, this is supposed to be an Alex Cross novel, but Alex Cross is absent for a third of the story. It feels like one of those TV episodes where the main actor takes a break and the writers have to rely on secondary characters to carry the plot.

The twist at the end was also rather weak. It only works because Patterson doesn't allow us to truly understand the characters' thoughts and motives, despite writing in the first-person. In my view, this is a form of cheating.

Worst of all, Alex Cross achieves virtually nothing throughout the course of the story, especially in the second half when he goes after the second serial killer. I had high hopes for CAT & MOUSE, especially since it promised a rematch between Cross and the villain from ALONG CAME A SPIDER, which was my favorite book in the series. But even that aspect of the story fell flat.

In conclusion, I would recommend skipping this book and instead going to see the ALEX CROSS movie. It's a much more enjoyable and satisfying experience.

I really enjoyed the book. It was written extremely well.

However, there were a couple of things that bothered me, mainly due to personal preference.

Firstly, it seemed that around the halfway point of the book, the main character (MC) undergoes a change. I won't go into more details than that.

Secondly, it almost felt as if this was two story ideas merged into one. Eventually, it comes together to some extent, or perhaps the author intended to mislead readers regarding which characters are which.

Thirdly, each chapter consisted of just one scene and was approximately 2 - 4 pages long. So, I wondered why there are over 120 chapters in this book.

Fourthly, it wasn't until more than halfway through that I realized the timelines of two separate plot lines weren't happening simultaneously. This was evident from how the Dr. Abel Sante chapter was written and the one that followed.

Despite my personal opinions on these matters, I still give this book a 5-star rating. Why? Because it was good, it kept you guessing (even though I made a correct guess on one specific thing. In a way, it made me sad that I had even thought of it), and you were never entirely sure where the story was headed next.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy the "thriller" or "detective" genres.

I'm completely giving up on Alex Cross (and James Patterson). It seems like a billion years ago that I was reading these books and made the decision to go through the whole series. Now, here I am at the third book, and I find myself googling "do the Alex Cross books get better?"

This act of googling feels like a sign to me. Maybe it's an indication that my initial excitement and anticipation for this series have started to wane. I had high hopes when I began, but somewhere along the way, something seems to have changed. The storylines might not be as engaging as I thought they would be, or perhaps the characters aren't developing in the way I expected.

Whatever the reason, I can't help but wonder if it's time to call it quits. Maybe I'll give it a little more time and see if things improve, but for now, I'm seriously considering throwing in the towel on Alex Cross and moving on to something else.