George L. Johnson

Not all installments in the Alex Cross series are created equal. 'Alex Cross, Run' ranks as one of the very best, in my book. The fine old story formula is here, well executed, involving clever, creative bad guys, and involving the Cross family in just the right amounts. A great performance by Boatman and Boyer, too. All in all, a very nice recovery from the horrendous movie experience with nonactor crossdresser Tyler Perry last year.

As a longtime fan of the series, I know some of the Delaware-Sturgis stories can be slow. Guilt is well beyond slow, however, reaching rather deeply into B-O-R-I-N-G.

This book doesn't quite live up to its publishing hype, or - in my opinion - to the many highly positive reviews. Although the suspense builds very well in the second half, the first half is confusing at first, then settles into a long and tedious drag that, so slowly, finally becomes more promising.

The growing terror for an OCD victim getting to know someone, perhaps anyone.

She should have at least slightly varied Cathy's voice and presence between the two periods of time depicted. That's the confusing part, which I suspect would not have been so puzzling in print. However, I doubt I would have been patient enough to keep reading beyond chapter 40.

The basic story is quite thrilling.

Patterson has brought back the best characteristics of his favorite character, Dr. Alex Cross. The family ideals have been extended to include the First Family, and there's just enough of the somewhat overdone Nana Mama. The pace is aggressive and the book is almost all thriller. Wish it was longer .... Patterson has taken to making a fortune writing too-short books, which he knows will sell, and he sells more of them, because of his gift for telling thrilling stories.