Cross Country (Alex Cross, #14)

Title: Cross Country (Alex Cross, #14)

Author: James Patterson

Published in: 2008

Date read: 10th September 2013

Score: 4/5

Genre:

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Cross Country" by James Patterson finds Alex Cross pulled into a terrifying international investigation when a wealthy American family is brutally murdered in their Nigerian compound.

The story begins with the shocking news that the Harrison family, a prominent American clan with significant business interests, has been slaughtered in Nigeria. The savagery of the attack is unprecedented. Alex Cross's long-time friend and former partner, John Sampson, is personally connected to the family and immediately flies to Africa to assist. When the initial investigation stalls and the Nigerian authorities seem unable to cope with the scale of the crime, Sampson urges Cross to come to Africa to help.

Reluctantly, Alex travels to Nigeria, only to find himself in a world vastly different from his familiar Washington D.C. streets. He's confronted with rampant corruption, deeply entrenched violence, and a culture that makes traditional detective work incredibly difficult. The killers, a ruthless group known as the "Leopard," are far more sophisticated and brutal than anyone Alex has encountered before. They are seemingly untouchable, leaving a trail of death and fear.

As Alex and Sampson delve deeper, they uncover a horrifying conspiracy that extends far beyond a simple act of revenge or robbery. The Leopard's motivations are tied to a vast and illicit international network, and their targets are not just the wealthy, but anyone who stands in their way. The investigation takes Alex across the African continent and back to the United States as he tracks the elusive killers.

The case becomes intensely personal when the Leopard's reach extends to Alex's own family in America, putting his loved ones in grave danger. Cross must race against time to stop the Leopard's reign of terror, navigate the treacherous political landscape, and protect his family from an enemy that seems to be everywhere at once. "Cross Country" is a high-octane thriller that pushes Alex Cross out of his comfort zone and into a global battle against a truly monstrous adversary.

Comments:
This story was much more gritty and disturbing than some of the others. When Cross was in Nigeria, he was far more vulnerable and the writing really showed that.

Books that we've read by James Patterson (32):
Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross, #1) (1993), Kiss the Girls (Alex Cross, #2) (1995), Jack & Jill (Alex Cross, #3) (1996), Cat & Mouse (Alex Cross, #4) (1997), Pop Goes the Weasel (Alex Cross, #5) (1999), Roses Are Red (Alex Cross, #6) (2000), 1st to Die (Women's Murder Club, #1) (2001), Violets Are Blue (Alex Cross, #7) (2001), 2nd Chance (Women's Murder Club, #2) (2002), Four Blind Mice (Alex Cross, #8) (2002), The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross, #9) (2003), The Jester (2003), 3rd Degree (Women's Murder Club, #3) (2004), London Bridges (Alex Cross, #10) (2004), 4th of July (Women's Murder Club, #4) (2005), Mary, Mary (Alex Cross, #11) (2005), 5th Horseman (Women's Murder Club, #5) (2006), Cross (Alex Cross, #12) (2006), The 6th Target (Women's Murder Club, #6) (2007), Double Cross (Alex Cross, #13) (2007), 7th Heaven (Women's Murder Club, #7) (2008), Cross Country (Alex Cross, #14) (2008), 8th Confession (Women's Murder Club, #8) (2009), Alex Cross's Trial (Alex Cross, #15) (2009), I, Alex Cross (Alex Cross, #16) (2009), The 9th Judgment (Women's Murder Club, #9) (2010), Cross Fire (Alex Cross, #17) (2010), 10th Anniversary (Women's Murder Club, #10) (2011), Kill Alex Cross (Alex Cross, #18) (2011), 11th Hour (Women's Murder Club, #11) (2012), Merry Christmas, Alex Cross (Alex Cross, #19) (2012), Alex Cross, Run (Alex Cross, #20) (2013)