Four Blind Mice

After putting his latest nemesis in prison, Alex Cross is ready to resign from the Washington Police Force and perhaps, at long last, pursue a possible love interest. [return][return]Before that could happen, John Sampson turns up at the house with a plea for help. His friend and mentor, Sergeant Ellis Cooper from the army base camp, is standing trial for the savage murder of three young military wives.[return][return]Everyone who knew Cooper couldn t believe it, but the evidence is stacked firmly against him. Cooper is found guilty and executed before Alex and Sampson could do anything about it.[return][return]The duo did find cases where several Vietnam veterans were tried and executed for crimes that seem completely out of their character. It would appear that Cooper was only the tip of the iceberg. They also found strange irregularities, like a witness who was left out of the trial altogether. Clearly, the army is trying to cover something up, perhaps something that happened years ago in Vietnam.[return][return]While Alex and Sampson scurry around like good Washington detectives, the POV swivels to the real killers. There are three of them, all Nam vets and severely cracked in the head as only brilliant serial killers can be. It gave us some background on them while hinting on the fourth blind mice who is ordering all these executions .[return][return]James Patterson is the master of action flick novels. Once might accuse him of penning something that can easily make the transition to big screen, and I have to admit that I see Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross whenever I read a Cross novel. He s obviously not serious high-browed literature, but if a book has you sitting up till the wee hours of the morning, then the author probably accomplished what he set out to do. [return][return]But there is such thing as too much of a good thing. While the plot ran its course with the usual Patterson trademark, I found myself more interested in his personal life. There the efficient and irrepressible Nana, the three lovable kids, and what s this? A love interest? Folks who have followed the series would know what heartbreak that caused the last time, and are just waiting for something to go wrong before the end of the book.[return][return]But does it? I guess I ll leave that to you to find out.[return]return