Four Blind Mice

James Patterson has been slipping and Alex Cross is wearing thin. But, this book is so bad that by the end I was hoping, no praying that Alex Cross would get killed so Patterson couldn't write yet another dreary Alex Cross novel. The story line in this one is weak and so poorly constructed I was shocked it was published. I kept hoping it would get better but it never did it just kept getting worse and worse as it went on.. The one bright spot was Alex's new love intrest Jamila did not get kidnapped or killed...YET. On top of all this he has turned Kile Craig into a weak, imitation Hannibal Lecter want'ta'be who Cross goes to for advise though it's is never clear why. Then with people being murdered in the same way all over the country and with Cross and Sampson killing others and breaking into houses and bumbling around no one but Cross it seems can get the connection or any connection. PLEASE!!! And any Viet Nam Vet will be as insulted by the final reveal as I was I am sure. Now Cross is in the FBI and I can only imagine what kind of BS cases will come next. Well this is the last James Patterson book for me, they have been getting worse for some time now but this is one too many. Someone please tell Patterson to stop or at least take a break to try to recapture what he had when he started.
If you're smart you'll miss this Alex Cross outing. I sure wish I had.

I like Alex Cross. I loved the earlier stories, but after Roses are Red, I swore I would never, ever read another James Patterson book. It's an addiction. I read Violets are Blue, a slight redemption, but I was still borderline. Beach House was adequate, and the new series, 1st to Die and 2nd Chance were an interesting change. Four Blind Mice is a good book, ill-timed storyline, but such is life. I find myself looking forward to some more enjoyable quick reads/listens from Patterson (what is it, every six months?)....

If your like me you like a good mystery/thriller/suspense novel, but I have to say this wasnt it. In the last book I read by the author, Roses Are Red I thought he did a great job with everything a good book should have. That book started out with an FBI agent/friend showing up at his house to ask for help in a case, one which he was unable to refuse. In Four Blind Mice, theres another knock at the door and you guessed it, they need help and he cant refuse. Every case seems to be his last and the story was a bit boring. In short I'd pass.

Awful

This is one of the worst books I have ever read, and I am not a very picky reader.

Half the book is done in first person while the other half in third person making it very confusing. The villains seem to be very violent for no apparent reason. It seems that for the number of murders the villains committed it would take less then 30 years to find them. Especially considering that they paint their victims faces, making the links between the murders child?s play. Oh and here is the best part, all of the army investigators refuse to look at important evidence for no apparent reason.

James Patterson's Detective Cross series is one of my personal favorites. This outing in particular was well paced, Patterson's style lends itself well to audiobooks. The dialouge is well delivered by the narrators and contains only a minimal amount of sound effects. The military aspect of the novel was well written and believable (I come from a military background and I take, almost personal, offense when a writer gets it wrong). I would have given it five stars, but I reserve that for unique novels. Four Blind Mice is crime fiction formula at its best. A worthwhile listen.

Once again Alex Cross, that Beleagured Black Protagonist, saves the proverbial rear ends of the bumbling establishment. Come on! this guy can't write and his obvious hate for his own race is starting to get putrid. I would rather listen to six hours of Al Franken than another five minutes of this trash.

I am so confused on the hate that this book is getting. It was a good read! I liked it a lot. It was a little more violent than his past novels, with a horrible rape scene, but, this is the nature of the book. If you don't like the violence, don't pick up the Cross series. This was a good book....

As with his last couple of books, I feel like Patterson is just churning out his novels to meet a deadline. This one is no exception, and while it is entertaining, it pales in comparison with his early Alex Delaware novels. It is a good read to while away the time, and the narration is good. Just don't get excited if you think it will be a spinetingler like his first books.

Thank you Mr. Patterson! It is always a pleasure to read your books but this one it was at the very end that I got the who and the why. I usually can figure out the why or the who just before you comfirm the fact but with this book I was not sure until you told me who and why! I had so much fun with this book that I read it twice. I like all your books but this one was the best so far for me.

Alex Cross is tired. James Patterson is tired. Together, they are damned near worn out! Patterson is at his best when he is moving and twisting and turning, as he did in First to Die and Second Chance. Those are Patterson at his best. But this Alex Cross novel sounds like he'd like to write Alex off if only he could think of a satisfying way to do it. I found the central theme of the story so unbelievable when revealed, that it simply left me going "what the heck?" For the most part, I'm willing to give Jimmy a break when he constructs a plot, but this one just went too far. When I put it down, I was glad it was over. I doubt if I will be picking up another Alex Cross novel. Part of the problem is that the wisdom and humor that used to flow from the pages is lacking. The Nanna-Momma character who used to provide such wisdom and direction is an afterthought, as are the children. The time lines are not coherent. It is almost like this one was ghost-written. Get Second Chance or First to Die and pass this one up.