Criss Cross by James Patterson

A killer with all the skills of a master detective has made Alex Cross the subject of his deranged "investigation."

In a Virginia penitentiary, Alex Cross and his partner, John Sampson, witness the execution of a killer they helped convict. Hours later, they are called to the scene of a copycat crime. A note signed "M" rests on the corpse. "You messed up big time, Dr. Cross."

Was an innocent man just put to death? Alex soon realizes he may have much to answer for, as "M" lures the detective out of the capital to the sites of multiple homicides, all marked with distressingly familiar details -- details that conjure up decades-old cases. Details that conjure up Cross family secrets. Details that make clear that M is after a prize so dear that -- were the killer to attain it -- Alex's heart would no longer have reason to beat.

Wow - M is back on the loose! Can't wait to read the next book now. Now how to work it into one of my reading challenge prompt?!

“The past will hunt you down” it says right there on the cover and I wish it was sarcasm by Patterson to put it there. Because the past hunts only him down.Let's start at the beginning, though: In typical Patterson redneck manner, he lets Cross witness the state-sponsored murder of a killer he put away - right after Cross framed the guy... Cross himself about the framing part:“You might ask if I believed the ends justified the means, and I'd answer that in this case, yes.”Wow, just wow. But, hey, we're not yet done with such crap because next to believing in state-sponsored murder, god and similar sources of evil, e. g. patriotism, Cross is just plain unbelievably dumb (how that reflects on his creator is left as an exercise to the reader...). An example: Right before heading deep down into an underground bunker (!) of one of those “preppers”, he asks his friend Sampson:“I'm not back in an hour, use the Find My Friends app and come get me.”Yes, riiiiiight... Since our author obviously thinks he needs to be up-to-date with blackmail practices, he showcases his deep knowledge about crypto-currencies by letting a nerd (of all things...) say the following:“The Ethereum stopped moving,” he [the nerd] said. “Okay,” I said. “Where is it?” “In two hundred and fourteen accounts spread out all over the world. Some of it has been downloaded to so-called hard wallets, but I have the codes for them. Not a Bitcoin of it has been spent, though. As far as I can tell.” “So it's just sitting there?”You're not required to know but Ethereum and Bitcoin are two different crypto-currencies and the above is like saying “he didn't spend a Dollar from the thousands of Euro”. It just makes no sense and simply displays how ignorant the author actually is.But let's put these blunders aside - is it a decent story? Well, it's not too bad but, unfortunately, we've ready it all before - Jannie running? Check! Nana Mama being an annoying wise-crack? Check! Ali being... Well, I won't spoil that one for you but, hey, “the (history) book on the shelf, Is always repeating itself” - WATERLOO! (Yes, Abba is much more entertaining!)Patterson doesn't stop at repeating himself, though, no: He even puts in large portions of previous investigations, including some Kyle Craig crap and other rehashed nonsense.And then there's the ending... Again, I won't “spoil” (haha!) it for you but, honestly? How cheap can one author get?Seriously, James Patterson is dead to me. And nothing of value was lost. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram