Four Blind Mice (Alex Cross, #8)

Title: Four Blind Mice (Alex Cross, #8)

Author: James Patterson

Published in: 2002

Date read: 13th November 2004

Score: 4/5

Genre: Crime, Detective, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Four Blind Mice" by James Patterson is the eighth novel in the Alex Cross series, pulling the Washington D.C. detective into a complex and deeply personal military mystery.

The story begins with Alex Cross being drawn into a bizarre murder case involving a retired sergeant, Ellias Creaseman, who is found brutally murdered. The method of killing is highly unusual, suggesting a ritualistic element, and quickly points to a pattern of similar, unsolved murders that have occurred over many years.

As Cross investigates, he discovers that the victims are all former soldiers who served in a specific unit during the Vietnam War. This leads him to suspect a serial killer with a military background, possibly seeking revenge for past grievances. The mystery deepens as a former Army CID investigator, Archibald Franklin, contacts Cross, claiming to have crucial information about the killings, hinting at a cover-up and a shadowy figure from their past.

The title "Four Blind Mice" refers to a group of four men from the Vietnam War era who were involved in a horrific incident that has been suppressed for decades. As Cross and his partner, John Sampson, delve into the military records and interview reluctant veterans, they uncover a dark secret from the Vietnam War: a series of atrocities committed by an elite, rogue military unit, and a subsequent cover-up.

The investigation takes Cross and Sampson to a secluded military retirement community where the few surviving members of the unit reside. They encounter a wall of silence, fear, and deeply ingrained loyalty among the veterans, making it incredibly difficult to extract the truth. Cross faces a formidable opponent, a highly skilled and intelligent killer who believes they are enacting justice for past wrongs, and who is always one step ahead.

The novel builds to a dramatic climax where Cross must confront the killer and unravel the full scope of the conspiracy, which reaches into the highest levels of the military establishment. "Four Blind Mice" is a story about the lingering scars of war, the complexities of justice and revenge, and the lengths to which some will go to bury their past, forcing Alex Cross to confront a hidden history that has finally come to light.

Comments:
Fantastic book, a really gritty story from these two detectives.

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)