Cross Country

By: James Patterson

Narrated by: Peter J. Fernandez, Dion Graham

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

When the home of Alex Cross' oldest friend, Ellie Cox, is turned into the worst murder scene Alex has ever seen, the destruction leads him to believe that he's chasing a horrible new breed of killer. As Alex and his girlfriend, Brianna Stone, become entangled in the deadly Nigerian underworld of Washington DC, what they discover is shocking: a stunningly organized gang of lethal teenagers headed by a powerful, diabolical man - the African warlord known as the Tiger. Just when the detectives think they're closing in on the elusive murderer, the Tiger disappears into thin air. Tracking him to Africa, Alex knows that he must follow. Alone.

©2008 James Patterson (P)2008 Hachette Audio

Good read

I love the narrators. They truly encompass the characters. This story was hard to listen to. The inhumane acts people are capable of is appalling. Very intense.

Too absurd

They were so many times during the story that I shook my head and stopped it, and said this is so ridiculous. No one, no one would do this. Plus he would be dead. Alex cross should’ve been dead 10 times. So to try to save him as a character what is one more absurdity in the story. That said, I adore James Patterson I love most of his books, but not this one.

Wild ride-Christine was right!

There was nothing crazy or unstable about Christine, and this is the very mess she didn’t want to be a part of anymore. Especially after all she went through having seen her husband murdered and being kidnapped for a year, while pregnant. Imagine Alex having to tell her that Ali was murdered by someone he was chasing?! No one should wonder why Christine didn’t want anything to do with Alex’s vocation and the crazy people he chase (and that chase him!). Least of all Alex, he should have been more understanding towards her. Still hoping to hear from Christine again; there was nothing crazy about her. They need to rehabilitate her character.

The story was very good and filled with unexpected twist and turns. I love and recommend it, it’s one of my favorite Alex Cross books! I hated the way Alex was treated in Africa, and the fact that he went through all of that treatment to no avail. I liked the way the story bought out the corruption and treachery behind diamonds and oil in Africa. There’s been so much through the years. NanaMomma fighting Alex not to go was hilarious! Can’t stress enough how much I love his kids. Ali is just too adorable! You’d think Alex would think more about his family but he’s too addicted to danger and the adrenaline it gives him. I also think he loves just figuring it all out and putting the pieces together.

This story lacked…

I am personally a little late to the Alex cross books series. I started them at the end of last year and was making a point to read or listen to one to two a month so most of the stories are very fresh. While I truly loved the way this series started some of these later books, feel as though it is lacking somewhere.

This book is one of them. There were several points in the story that I truly felt like the book could end. There were times where the story was dragging, and felt very repetitive. I truly do not understand with the decisions that cross makes in this book, how he is still alive. He has begun to play the victim role in a game he has self created. In this story specifically he is told once or twice a chapter to leave and go home, well, almost dying, and still makes the same decision to screw around and put his family at risk. Not to mention what happened with him considering the part time detective work while running his own private therapy office?

I’ve grown disappointed in the stories & decisions Patterson has written for this character. I am not at all surprised the next one in this series is about him getting in some predicament that gets him legally in trouble.

I am hoping for a better out come in these future installments.

I’m conclusion, if you’re a new reader skip this one. It didn’t have any depth, it didn’t grow from much of a past story line & more than that I truly believe you can skip it without missing much in the arc of the Cross series.

this book couldn't finish soon enough for me!

The performance was good but the substance was made me wish the book was only an hour long! I've loved every Alex Cross book to this point. it was a ridiculous plot and no one is dumb enough to take that much of a pounding and stick around in a country where they have absolutely no legal jurisdiction! over the top and a waste of 6 hours of my time.

Love the Cross series

It would have been better if the women voices were more feminine and more distinguished from the mens. The voice of the tiger was very good. The story was very suspenseful.

Not Patterson's Best

The book read like a social commentary not a detective novel. The ending was abrupt and underdeveloped.

Disapppointing

Unbelievable storyline, Africa? for what? Just don't think it's something Alex Cross would do for a casual friend! But on the other hand, it does make me stop and think about how psyco killers can now be international. Scary!

Never again

I’ve listened or read every Alex cross book till this one -never again. Patterson has created a narcissistic, can’t get a hint or learn from his mistakes, placing his family in danger every novel, fool. Come on, traveling to Africa alone so Patterson can make himself feel better that he told the world how awful it is there. The narrator for the tiger killing scenes? I thought I was listening to a bad “snl” skit.

Alex Cross

Alex Cross is not a very smart detective for someone with his experience. He continually go into situations without firepower, planning, or back up. Not very believable. The villains in each story take on super human characteristics. There is no way Kyle Craig could elude the FBI, CIA, and Metro police thus long. In real life he would have been killed or captured by now.