Cross Fire (Alex Cross, #17)

Title: Cross Fire (Alex Cross, #17)

Author: James Patterson

Published in: 2010

Date read: 30th October 2013

Score: 5/5

Genre: Detective, Crime, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Cross Fire" by James Patterson intensifies the dangers faced by Alex Cross as he becomes embroiled in a deadly plot involving a serial sniper targeting the Washington D.C. elite, while also dealing with personal upheaval.

The novel opens with a chilling series of assassinations. A highly skilled sniper begins systematically killing high-profile figures in Washington D.C., including a powerful congressman and a famous actress. The killings are precise, public, and seemingly random in terms of the victims' backgrounds, but they spread immense fear and confusion.

Detective Alex Cross and his new partner, Detective Bree Stone (who is also his fiancée), are assigned to the case. As they investigate, they discover that the sniper, dubbed "The Assassin," leaves no discernible pattern or motive, making the hunt incredibly difficult. The city is on edge, and the pressure on law enforcement to catch the killer is immense.

However, the case takes a terrifyingly personal turn for Alex. The assassin begins to make it clear that they are targeting Cross himself, and the killings are a twisted game designed to draw him out and punish him. This personal connection makes an already dangerous investigation even more perilous, as Alex must protect his family while pursuing a killer who seems to know his every move.

Adding to the chaos, the relationship between Alex and Bree is navigating the complexities of their upcoming wedding. Their professional and personal lives become inextricably intertwined as they work together on the perilous case, and the stress of the investigation tests their bond.

As Cross delves deeper, he uncovers a complex and shocking conspiracy behind the assassinations. The sniper's motives are tied to a vast network of power and corruption, and the targets were not as random as they initially appeared. Alex must race against time to unmask the true identity of "The Assassin" and expose the dark forces pulling the strings, all while his own life, and the lives of those he loves, are caught in the crossfire. The novel culminates in a high-stakes confrontation that pushes Alex to his physical and psychological limits.

Comments:
Excellent again - nothing more to add as it is just keeping the winning formula going.

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)