Dentro de que no ofrece nada nuevo bajo el sol, pero es entretenido.

Género. Novela.

Lo que nos cuenta. En el libro "La hora de la araña" (publicación original: "Along Came a Spider", 1993), conocemos a Alex Cross. Él es el Segundo Jefe de la Brigada de Detectives de la policía de Washington D.C. y un doctor en Psiquiatría. Es afroamericano, criado en las calles y tiene una personalidad férrea. Cuando comienza a investigar el asesinato de una familia en un barrio popular, un crimen que tal vez haya sido cometido por el mismo asesino que hizo algo parecido días antes, es reclamado para intervenir en un caso muy distinto. Se trata del secuestro simultáneo de dos niños, cuyos padres son famosos y poderosos, en el colegio de élite al que asistían. La madre de la niña es una conocida actriz de Hollywood, y el padre del niño es el Secretario del Tesoro. Este es el primer libro de la serie de Alex Cross.

¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite: http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

As the BT author of the month, James Patterson was indeed someone I had heard of, but I had not yet had the opportunity to sample his work.

With a long interstate drive ahead of me, I made the decision to borrow one of his audiobooks. I simply clicked on the first one I found. This was not quite the way I usually select my books, but in this instance, I was fortunate.

Not only did this book hold my attention throughout the ten-plus hours of driving, but I also came to enjoy the main character, Alex Cross. I thought to myself that I would check if there were other books in this series. And the answer was a definite yes.

It seems that I am not the only one who wanted more of Alex Cross, as James Patterson has produced almost one book each year for the past 25 years. Luckily for me, I had stumbled upon the first book in the series.

Although I don't necessarily believe that I am eager enough to read the entire series, I could definitely envision myself listening to or reading more in the future.

This was a story filled with numerous twists and turns, plenty of action, an abundance of psychopaths, some violence (but nothing overly graphic), kidnappers, murders, and even a hint of romance. I don't typically read this genre, but it was entertaining, had a few surprises, and filled my drive time very nicely.

I knew without a doubt that I would absolutely love this book!!!

It has completely captured my attention and imagination. I can't contain my excitement as I can't wait to read the rest of the series. In fact, I have a strong feeling that I will end up reading all of James Patrerson's books.

The writing in this book is simply superb. It takes the reader on an amazing journey that is both thrilling and engaging. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to take my time with this book.

By doing so, I feel like I was able to really soak up and enjoy every single little bit of it. It's those small details and nuances that make the reading experience truly special. I can't wait to see what other adventures and stories James Patrerson has in store for us.

The first aspect that struck me while delving into the novel was the remarkable diversity of the vocabulary.

As it's my initial foray into the Alex Cross series, specifically the first book, I'm left wondering if the second installment will introduce new expressions, given that the first one is replete with linguistic gems.

I had a hunch that by paying close attention and conducting some minor research, I could enhance my proficiency in chat forums. However, I couldn't put the book down and continued reading voraciously until the suspense gradually began to unfold.

Halfway through the story, the narrative still had many mysteries intact. It was only later that I would discover how beautifully the plot was structured.

The challenge with this approach is that while the outcome is deliberately delayed, the payoff should ideally match the initial promise. In some respects, it does, but in others, it falls slightly short. I'll elaborate more on that later.

One thing I particularly liked about the hero, Alex Cross, is that despite being a qualified psychologist and a detective, he's not portrayed as the Greatest Detective In The World.

All of his attempts at guesswork seem rather ordinary, right up until the very end. His extensive study of the Gary personae didn't yield any major breakthroughs. This was a bold choice by the writer, demonstrating his confidence in the average reader (myself included) and in his own writing skills.

As a novice in the thriller genre, I quickly identified the Jezzie Flanaghan character as a double crosser.

I had previously read "The Forgotten," which features a character with a similar profile to Jezzie - a blonde, fit, beautiful, and seemingly irreproachable lady cop who appears to lay her soul bare to Alex Cross.

It's disconcerting to note that even with my limited exposure to thriller books, I'm already detecting predictable patterns that suggest a lack of imagination.

It's not as egregious as the comic book-level female characters who are essentially just men with boobs, but it's still a cause for concern.

Even now, at the conclusion of the book, I'm still unclear about Gary's master plan. I don't know what mistake he deliberately made.

He comes across as something of a bumbling fool, and it's difficult to believe the extent of his death toll. He desires both to be someone important and to amass wealth through ransom.

But this ransom money can't be spent openly, can it? So, what would be his plan after taking the money - to disappear and放弃 his newfound status? That doesn't quite make sense.

However, playing the role of a psychiatrist is an easy and popular ploy, but it's not something that can be sustained for long.

I think the concept of Gary's parasitic helpers in this story is quite unique. I haven't encountered anything similar in the movies I've watched.

At first, it seemed as if Gary had genuine followers, like Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises." But that wasn't the case. The introduction of new villains in the last third of the book added a new layer of excitement and kept me hooked until the very end.

Having said that, the author, James Patterson, does run into a bit of a snag when it comes to creating the final skirmish that would satisfy the more thrill-seeking readers.

This is a common problem faced by many thriller writers - the challenge of translating action effectively into book form. Fortunately, the author doesn't overreach.

Alex Cross sustains injuries, receives medical treatment, and then continues his quest, which, in the context of the nineties when the book was set, must have seemed highly realistic. And it still holds up today.

It was a few years ago when I read "Along Came The Spider."

I quickly realized that the plot was as predictable as those typical Hollywood thriller movies.

I simply could not find the book to be very engrossing.

The climax was a cliched twist that completely ruined whatever little good there might have been in the plot before.

However, the only aspect that appealed to me was the psychopathic villain, Gary Soneji.

In contrast, the detective, Alex Cross, was extremely boring.

All things considered, it was a below-average read that I would not recommend to others.

It failed to hold my interest and fell short in many aspects, especially when it came to the predictability of the plot and the lackluster character of Alex Cross.

Gary Soneji was the only saving grace, but it wasn't enough to make up for the overall shortcomings of the book.

The extremely attractive criminal story

Although I read it a long time ago, but still when I see its name, the hairs on my body stand on end

This criminal story has a unique charm that keeps pulling me in. It might be the thrilling plot, the complex characters, or the mysterious atmosphere it creates. Every time I think about it, I can't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. Even after all these years, it still has the power to make my heart race and my mind fill with curiosity. I wonder if there are other stories out there that can have such a lasting impact on me. Maybe I'll have to keep reading and exploring to find out.

I have watched the extended "Criminal Minds" series and also read it directly.

Only the series takes less than an hour of life (unfortunately, the book takes more), and its investigators subjectively appeal to me much more than Alex.

"Criminal Minds" is a captivating series that delves into the minds of criminals. The investigations are complex and engaging, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. The characters are well-developed, each with their own unique personalities and skills.

In contrast, while reading the book version, it can sometimes feel a bit slower-paced. However, it still offers in-depth insights into the cases and the psychological profiles of the criminals.

Overall, both the series and the book have their own merits, but for me, the series holds a special charm with its exciting storylines and likable investigators.

The first book in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson is truly a remarkable piece of work.

Dr. Alex Cross, the protagonist, is a highly skilled specialist in forensic psychology. He initially worked for the Washington DC police department, where his expertise and insights proved invaluable in solving complex cases. Later, he advanced to become an FBI senior agent, taking on even more challenging and high-profile investigations.

I have a particular affinity for the Alex Cross novels. What sets them apart for me is that they are still currently written by Patterson himself, rather than most of his other books which are largely written by co-authors. This gives the Alex Cross series a unique authenticity and a consistent writing style that I find truly engaging. I continue to eagerly anticipate each new installment, knowing that Patterson will deliver another thrilling and captivating story.

Wow, where do I even begin?

This book truly inspired me to pen a literary review for my English class, delving into the reasons why a book of this nature should never have found its way onto the bestsellers list.

If you happened to have enjoyed this book or the Alex Cross series, I must诚恳地advise you not to continue reading this review.

There are several major points that I need to highlight.

Firstly, Alex Cross is an incredibly dull, cliched, and somewhat racist character. His actions and thoughts lack depth and originality, making it difficult for readers to truly engage with him.

Secondly, the random italicization of words throughout the text is both tasteless and contextually inappropriate. It seems to be a desperate attempt to add emphasis, but instead, it only serves to disrupt the flow of the narrative.

The love scenes in the book are also incredibly off-putting. They are poorly written and lack any real passion or emotion, leaving readers feeling rather cold and uninterested.

In addition, the text is boring and repetitive, with dull and awkward dialogues that fail to bring the story to life.

There are also so many 90's references and dialogues that even Kevin Costner from "Bodyguard" would find it painful to read.

Finally, the plot is full of holes that are so large you could drive a truck through them. This lack of coherence and logical consistency makes it difficult for readers to suspend their disbelief and fully immerse themselves in the story.

I purchased the entire Alex Cross series at a book sale for approximately 13 dollars. However, I deeply regret this decision and wish that I had instead bought something truly entertaining, like silly putty.

When I was younger, specifically in my late teens or early 20s, I was far too squeamish to read Patterson. His killers tended to be far more gorey than what my sensitive nature could handle!

The books are undoubtedly not for the faint of heart or those with a weak stomach. The murders are described in graphic detail, and Patterson's murderers seem to have a perverse enjoyment of taking body parts. Additionally, there is a significant amount of swearing at the beginning. All these things used to put me off, but now I have developed a strange love for it.

The plot in this novel is truly insane. I mean that literally. I have a particular fondness for Patterson's serial killers because they are truly and certifiably crazy, and this/these killer/killers is/are no different. There is a case of multiple personality that really allows Dr/detective Cross to shine as both a psychologist and a cop, making the court process extremely captivating.

The kidnapping and murder twists had me completely engrossed throughout the entire book. Another aspect that I really appreciate about Patterson is that, for the most part, his detectives have to work hard to obtain their leads. Some authors will simply drop clues out of thin air for the sake of advancing the plot, but JP is not like that. I enjoy the actual detective work and canvassing that they have to undertake.

Along Came A Spider is the first Alex Cross novel. I must admit that I have not read them in order and have only read the more recent ones. Going back to the start was interesting for several reasons.

Firstly, it is quite evident that JP initially struggled to determine how black he wanted to make Cross. This is not really an issue in the later books. There was a great deal of discussion about being black, the projects, and some emphasis on the black officer program. Alex essentially states that they would be fine without it, in terms of survival, and how no one cared about project murders. All these are valid points. Despite that, other than a lot of early talk and an interracial couple debate, Alex is just another well-educated doctor/detective. Sampson is also a great character, and it was nice to be introduced to him for the first time, as well as hearing Nana Mama's story.

Secondly, it is also quite cool to read backwards because a killer from one of JP's later books is briefly introduced. Reading in order would showcase long-term character development, but reading in a random order provides interesting easter eggs. I now have a bit of a desire to start reading these in the correct order, just like I did with the Sandford books.

Anyway, I give most of Patterson's books 5 stars, and I have no hesitation in awarding them here as well. If anyone has not yet read JP and Alex Cross, I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

Alex Cross, a colorful detective sergeant in the Washington Homicide Department, is called upon to track down, along with his partner, John Sampson, a series of murders of blacks in the city's ghetto. However, the abduction of two important children, the son of the Minister of Economics and the daughter of an unknown actress, from their public school is a case that the mayor orders Cross and his partner to handle. Along the way, they will tragically discover that the two cases are ultimately connected. Who abducted the children and why? How did the boy die? Who is hiding behind these cases and how is he related to the abduction of the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh in 1932?

This is the first case of the famous detective of James Patterson, Alex Cross, who has fanatical readers and his books so far are 25 (the 26th is expected to be published within the year). The book "...And Then There Was a Spider" was written twenty-seven whole years ago and this shows in many places. I admit that having already read the series with the Women's Murder Club, the NYPD Red series and some of the author's standalone works, I expected intensity and suspense, if not strong twists. Yes, there is something, but especially until the courtroom scene, the plot seemed to me as disjointed and misdirected. The victim doesn't know what to do to outshine the abductor of his Lindbergh baby in notoriety: hold homers in a fast food joint, kill blacks like another angel of redemption since he chooses "burned papers", abduct children, what? A series of murders, the abduction of the children, the association of the abductor with Lindbergh (referred to as the "Son of Lindbergh"), the constant question "where is the girl" (with the distorted answer) but above all the justification of the split or multiple personality were elements that did not excite me (I will not mention the unjustified post-mortem physical and sexual abuse of the boy's body which was completely unnecessary and not "punished").

Especially the issue of personality has been exhausted in many similar style police books, with a precedent for me being "Primal Fear" (which was also published in Greek by Bell with the title "Fear of Instinct"). Therefore here, the continuous overlapping of personalities, sometimes with the good-natured Gary Murphy and sometimes with the satanic Gary Sonnett, did not convince me at all nor did it make me feel suspense for who is really inside the abductor's body. Also, the alternation of first-person (Cross) and third-person narration slightly disconnected me. And yes, there are gaps and holes in the development of the plot (who lit the burning cross, reminiscent of Ku Klux Klan days and mainly why? How can a person work as a teacher while in his family he mentions another profession and generally how can such a personality interact so much with his targets, the children? etc.).

Surely I wouldn't want another classic, cliched story with the known sequence: murders - suspects - culprit - confession, but in the book the development of the story seemed to me so weak and the presentation of the parallel events so clumsy that it impressed me how much the author has developed since then. The relatively big twist comes when it is discovered that the girl is no longer in the hands of the abductor, so new questions are born and the story starts to rise a little in intensity. However, the handling of this development was not very convincing, since whoever is connected with this matter did not have the right motive to do such a thing. Simply, a part of this truth was a revelation that I did not expect, and this was placed perfectly with the personal story of Alex Cross.

So Alex Cross is about 40, with a doctorate in psychology, lives and works in the ghetto of Washington with his two children, the four-year-old Janelle and the six-year-old Damon. His sharp-tongued, strict and old-fashioned grandmother raised him alone from the age of 8, while his wife, Maria, was murdered by unknown assailants three years ago, leaving him with traumatic memories. The man Alex Cross is an invasive, resourceful, intelligent personality, a father who struggles to balance the sometimes hard working hours with the upbringing of his children. Fortunately, the head of the Secret Service agents, Jezzie Flanagan, is a woman who comes in time to help him unwind, let go and, why not, fall in love again. This unconventional relationship of theirs gives the author the opportunity to describe the racial differences that existed then (but were they so intense and so widespread in the 1990s?) in American society, since their interracial relationship is not well received.

The book "...And Then There Was a Spider" is the first adventure with Alex Cross, it concerns the arrest and conviction of an abductor with a split personality while at the same time the unexpected disappearance of the abducted daughter of the Minister of Economics gives another dimension to the plot. Honestly, it is quite clear that this is the author's first steps in the police thriller, while details such as that they listen to cassettes or watch movies taking plenty of photographs describe an era so close and at the same time so distant to younger readers! The book was made into a movie in 2001, starring Morgan Freeman and Monica Potter (in Greek as "The Method of the Spider").

Not all that thrilling or entertaining, and I am neverrrr reading another book about a Black main character written by a white man again