Kill Alex Cross (Alex Cross, #18)

Title: Kill Alex Cross (Alex Cross, #18)

Author: James Patterson

Published in: 2011

Date read: 13th November 2017

Score: 4/5

Genre: Crime, Detective, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Kill Alex Cross" by James Patterson is the 18th novel in the hugely popular Alex Cross series. Published in 2011, this instalment puts the beloved forensic psychologist and detective in the direct crosshairs of a national crisis, forcing him to make impossible choices.

The story begins with a terrifying scenario: the President's children, Zoe and Ethan Coyle, are abducted from their elite private school in Washington D.C. Alex Cross is among the first detectives on the scene, but to his frustration, he finds himself immediately shunted to the fringes of the investigation. Powerful forces within the FBI, Secret Service, and even the CIA seem determined to keep him off the case and in the dark, despite his expertise in kidnapping cases.

As Alex struggles to understand why he's being side-lined, a second, equally catastrophic crisis erupts in the capital: a deadly contagion contaminates a significant portion of Washington D.C.'s water supply, crippling half the city. This attack is quickly linked to a shadowy terrorist organization with an agenda far more devastating than mere ransom.

Alex realizes that these two seemingly separate events might be connected and that someone may be about to unleash the most devastating attack the United States has ever experienced. With the clock ticking on both the kidnapped children and the impending biological threat, Alex finds himself in a desperate race against time.

Despite being officially kept out of the main investigation, Alex uses his connections, his street smarts, and his unparalleled psychological insights to work the cases from the outside. He understands that the lives of the President's children, and potentially thousands of D.C. residents, hang in the balance.

The novel features Patterson's signature short, punchy chapters, driving the narrative forward at a relentless pace. Alex is forced to make a desperate decision that goes against everything he believes, potentially altering the fate of the entire country. The stakes are incredibly high, as the personal and professional collide for Alex.

The plot involves uncovering the motives of the kidnappers and the terrorists, and the thrilling pursuit of those responsible. Alex must outwit not only dangerous criminals but also the political manoeuvring and bureaucratic obstacles that threaten to impede his progress. The title "Kill Alex Cross" hints at the extreme personal danger he faces throughout the book, as his relentless pursuit of justice puts a target squarely on his back.

Comments:
Thumbs up, high speed and very entertaining. Best for a while.

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)