"The Cat and the Mouse" is the fourth book by James Patterson featuring Alex Cross as the protagonist and it involves two stories: the ultimate encounter of the detective and psychologist Cross with Gary Soneji who was captured in "Along Came a Spider" but also the appearance of a ruthless killer known as Smith. It is a novel full of twists and a relatively multi-faceted story, as we not only have the two parallel narratives but also a series of mysteries related to the Smith case, offering unexpected twists to the unsuspecting reader! Why does Soneji kill innocent victims in central locations? What does he think he will gain? How will he attract the attention of the police in this way? Who is hiding behind the attack on detective Cross's house? Meanwhile, how does Smith manage to act undetected in Europe and America, leaving mutilated and perfectly arranged bodies everywhere around him? What happened in his life that made him start killing? Why does he make the FBI hunt for him and what pattern does he follow?

The lead detective in the Homicide Department of Washington and psychologist Alex Cross discovers that the schizophrenic Gary Soneji is behind a series of bloody mass murders and struggles to capture him. The narration is in the first person by Alex and in the third person. Step by step, he tries to better profile the killer to finally catch him and struggles to understand what message he wants to convey but above all why he leaves so much blood behind! Meanwhile, once again, FBI agent Kyle Craig asks him to solve the Smith case, something that Cross rejects once again, as he did in the previous book, "Jack and Jill". And just when you think the Soneji case is coming to an end, there is a big twist in the detective's life and the first-person narration is taken over by Thomas Pierce, an FBI agent who works in the Behavioral Science Unit, who is called by Kyle Craig to investigate a new mystery that has arisen. Thus, Cross's assistant and close friend, John Sampson, teams up with a very intelligent personality to identify the reasons for the change in the plot (about which I can't say more).

Most of the book deals with the investigation of the Smith case and there the developments are stormy. At first, I wondered why Pierce took over as the lead of the story while I was wondering why we are interested in Smith since the book has a central axis and a very solid one at that. Thomas Pierce has every reason to deal with the Smith case, as his first victim was his own wife, Eloise! Incidentally, I should mention that the solution to the pattern of the murders is not correctly translated into Greek and so the translator had to change the girl's name! Gradually, then, the author begins to show me the first examples of an exciting and thrilling writing style, like the one I knew in his later books. And suddenly, without expecting it, not only do the above and below come back but the Smith case becomes one with the life of Alex Cross! From then on, then, I feverishly turned the pages to see how the events would unfold, how the killer with the alias "Smith" would be identified and how one of the best books in the series so far would end! In fact, it is the first text that made me search online texts to have a complete picture of the plot, to see what would happen to certain characters and how their lives would develop in the next books. I just wonder why the killer had to travel all over Europe and America and not stay only in America, as the pattern he had in mind could be implemented in his own place.

On a personal level, Alex Cross once again shows himself to be tired of the violence he has to face daily, but this time the case is too personal to leave it unresolved. The paradox is that "Smith" imposes himself on his life in an almost heaven-sent and rather fantastic way. The detective's children are growing up while his relationship with the principal of his son's school, Christine Johnson, is completed. This part is quite sensitive, as her husband was murdered in "Jack and Jill" and now she is trying to get back into life with a man she already sympathized with. Her relationship with Cross passes the approval of his family and comes out victorious. To see, will the detective finally manage to be happy? The only negative is that at the end of the book they go on a family vacation to Bermuda and Christine becomes a victim of abduction but neither in the summaries did I read anything about this nor in the next book is anything like this mentioned! The book ends abruptly and I hoped that in the next one the story would start from that point. But no! After all, we'll see along the way what has happened (I hope).

"The Cat and the Mouse" is a continuous hunt with unexpected role and situation reversals, a novel full of unexpected developments, great surprises and plenty of blood, as Smith, one of the two killers in the story, is a surgeon and the author does not spare anatomical descriptions in the murders. It is a very complex story for demanding readers and so far I think it is the best in the series. The character of Cross begins to be solidified, the author has found where he wants to put the weight of the cases and what he wants to say and so here we have a layered, complex narration with twists until the very last page.

Now I am truly hooked.

This was such an outstanding, effortless, and creative book. From the very first page, I was completely captivated.

The characters were not only easy to fall in love with but also a breeze to follow, and the story was equally engaging. The author has an amazing talent for creating such clear and vivid mental images of the surroundings. It was as if I could see everything with my own eyes. Moreover, the actions of the characters felt so incredibly real, making it easy for me to immerse myself in the story.

I would without a doubt highly recommend both this author and this book to anyone looking for a great read. It's a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish and leave you wanting more.

No. Just no. No damned more Patterson. I keep thinking all those millions of people can't be wrong. With the jigajillion books he's written, I just must be choosing the wrong ones.

But no, they're so a waste of time. Badly written. Not suspenseful. Not interesting. Just not worth my time when there are soooo many other things to read.

Did you hear that Mr. Patterson? I'm done with you.

Gee, that must've hurt, huh?

It seems that my experience with Patterson's books has been quite disappointing. Despite the huge number of his works and the popularity he enjoys among many readers, I just can't seem to find the appeal. The writing style appears to be subpar, lacking the necessary finesse and artistry. The stories fail to build suspense or engage my interest, leaving me feeling bored and unfulfilled. With a vast array of other excellent books available, it's clear that Patterson's offerings are simply not worth my precious reading time. I hope he takes this feedback to heart and works on improving his craft.

I had the impression that the previous Alex Cross books were of a higher quality.

Nonetheless, I was still completely blindsided by the unexpected twist in this particular book.

It remained an entertaining read, but I can't help but be a bit worried that the remainder of the Alex Cross series will follow a similar pattern, with someone constantly targeting him or his family.

This repetitive theme might start to wear thin and make the series less engaging over time.

While the element of danger and mystery is a key part of the Alex Cross stories, I hope that the author can find new and innovative ways to keep the plots fresh and exciting.

Perhaps by introducing different types of antagonists or by exploring new aspects of Alex Cross's character and personal life.

Only time will tell if the series can continue to captivate readers and avoid becoming formulaic.

I firmly believe that this particular installment of the Alex Cross series was by far the best one to date.

The story was filled with intense action, mind-boggling mysteries, and heart-pounding suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

The character development was outstanding, with Alex Cross evolving and growing in ways that made him even more relatable and engaging.

The plot twists were unexpected and added an extra layer of excitement to the already thrilling narrative.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed and cannot wait to dive into the next Alex Cross book.

I'm sure it will be just as精彩 as this one.

I cannot fully comprehend Pierre's motive.

When the plot mainly focuses on Soneji's psychotic episodes and nature, and not Pierre's at all. It seems rather unexpected that Pierre would turn out to be the mastermind behind all the crimes.

However, despite this initial confusion, the story still manages to grip the reader's attention.

The way the events unfold and the revelations are made keep one on the edge of their seat.

Overall, it's a captivating read that earns a solid 4.5 ⭐️.

Perhaps with further exploration and analysis, a better understanding of Pierre's motives will emerge.

But for now, the mystery surrounding his actions adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story.

I have just completed reading one of the books from the Michael Bennett series. To be honest, I would firmly state that the Alex Cross series is significantly more intense. I almost didn't anticipate the level of brutality. It's as if I had forgotten how skillfully James Patterson can speak from the killer's perspective.

I definitely have a stronger preference for this book compared to the previous one in the series. I am truly looking forward to continuing my journey through the series.

This is indeed a great read! It has kept me on the edge of my seat, with its engaging plot and well-developed characters. I can't wait to see what else James Patterson has in store for us in the next installment of the Michael Bennett series.

Just like in the classic tale of Jack and Jill, the story of Cat and Mouse once again forces Alex to take on two extremely dangerous murderers. One of the killers is Gary Soneji, who was first introduced to us in the very first book, Along Came a Spider. He is suffering from AIDS and is determined to go out in a blaze of glory. Oh, and he has a burning desire for revenge on Alex Cross for incarcerating him.

Then there is Mr. Smith, who is wreaking havoc in France by kidnapping and killing people. He seems to take great pleasure in taunting the police. He calls them whenever there is a new victim and later reveals to them the location where they can find the body. It's like a twisted game, and it presents a thrilling challenge for Alex.

Well, indeed it was. This book was a relatively quick read, mainly because of the really short chapters. I absolutely loved this aspect as it made me devour the book at a much faster pace. Of course, Cat and Mouse also delivered some truly excellent twists and turns. Alex even manages to find love along the way, but to be honest, that part didn't really interest me. All I cared about was seeing the murders solved and the killers behind bars (or preferably dead).

I was able to anticipate some things, like the true identity of Mr. Smith (and I was overjoyed that I guessed correctly!), but there were other elements that completely took me by surprise. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book because I'm really enjoying this series so far. I can't wait to plunge into the next book and continue this exciting adventure with Alex Cross.

Ahhh, not bad.

Four days, I thought it was going to be longer.

That book is truly great.

It has managed to capture my attention from the very beginning.

The story is engaging and full of interesting characters.

Each page seems to bring a new surprise.

I find myself constantly eager to turn the next page and see what will happen next.

The author's writing style is also very captivating.

It flows smoothly and makes it easy for me to get lost in the world of the book.

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

It's definitely one that I will remember for a long time.

Ok, this was by far my favorite so far!

Guess who's back! Sonjei!!!! This man is freaking bonkers!!! He is crazy but smart as all get out. He set up a gun to shoot at a crowd while he is out to NY! CRAZINESS!!!

Alex and Samson, of course, go to where Sonjei says he is going to be but they only find the gun. Then the man goes to New York and starts killing people with a laced knife… Savage!

This book is supposed to be about Mr. Smith in London who is doing live autopsies and killing people but honestly I was more concerned with Sonjei! He is like the ultimate villain. I love it! I am actually somewhat sympathetic towards Sonjei… with the sexual assault in jail.

Then the Mr. Smith character gets more interesting!! It was freaking Pierce all along! I mean Holy Fu*k! He had a split personality because of the trauma. I mean part of me was a little suspicious that he was the only one really working this case and getting these emails, but holy hell. Dr. Smith was going all over and killing all these people and Alex knew that there had to be some sort of connection. It turns out the initials of the victims actually told Alex what the connection was.

I really loved this one! It had so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were well-developed and the plot was engaging. I can't wait to read more from this author.

The storyline of this work is indeed entertaining to a certain extent.

However, Patterson seems to go to great lengths to create the most extreme and crazy villains.

This excessive effort makes the characters seem unbelievable and even unbearable.

As a result, the whole work comes across as lacking in originality.

It feels as if Patterson is more focused on shocking the readers with outlandish villainy rather than developing a truly engaging and unique narrative.

This overemphasis on creating extreme villains detracts from the overall quality of the story and makes it less enjoyable for the reader.

In conclusion, while the initial concept may have had potential, Patterson's execution falls short due to the unconvincing and unoriginal portrayal of the villains.

I stayed up all night reading.

The only thing that halted me from completing it was when I glanced out of the window and noticed that the sun was already up.

Moreover, I still had an 8 am class to attend.

Consequently, I thought I had to catch at least an hour's sleep.

It was truly exciting, and I just couldn't put the book down.

Gary Soneji is simply sick, yet strangely fascinating.

His character and the story he is involved in keep pulling me in, making it impossible for me to resist reading further.

Even though I know I should go to sleep and prepare for my class, the allure of the book is too strong.

I find myself constantly turning the pages, eager to know what will happen next.

It's a dilemma between my desire to finish the book and my need for rest.

But in the end, I know I have to make a choice and try to get some sleep before my class.