Pop Goes the Weasel (Alex Cross, #5)

Title: Pop Goes the Weasel (Alex Cross, #5)

Author: James Patterson

Published in: 1999

Date read: 23rd September 2004

Score: 4/5

Genre: Crime, Detective, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Pop Goes the Weasel" by James Patterson, published in 1999, is the fifth novel in the Alex Cross series. This installment sees Detective Alex Cross facing a sophisticated and utterly chilling serial killer operating in Washington D.C., who targets victims based on a twisted, predatory game.

The story introduces Geoffrey Shafer, a seemingly charming and wealthy British diplomat. However, beneath this veneer of respectability lies a ruthless and calculating psychopath who refers to himself as the "Mastermind." Shafer orchestrates a series of horrifying abductions and murders, carefully selecting his victims from diverse backgrounds, turning his crimes into a macabre game of hunt and kill. He operates with extreme precision, leaving minimal clues, and often manipulates others to unknowingly assist in his schemes.

Alex Cross and his partner, Detective John Sampson, are assigned to the case, which quickly spirals into a city-wide panic as the bodies mount. What makes the case particularly disturbing is the killer's apparent lack of a clear motive and the seemingly random nature of the victims, though Alex suspects a deeper, more personal connection to the killings.

As the investigation progresses, Alex uncovers a disturbing pattern: Shafer is not just a killer but a sexual sadist who delights in the suffering and degradation of his victims before their deaths. He views his crimes as elaborate, theatrical productions. The title "Pop Goes the Weasel" alludes to the nursery rhyme, reflecting the killer's twisted, playful approach to his horrific acts.

The case takes a deeply personal turn for Alex when Shafer begins to target people connected to him, specifically Christine Johnson, Alex's former girlfriend and a lawyer. This forces Alex to confront the killer not just as a detective, but as a man desperately trying to protect those he cares about.

The novel is a tense cat-and-mouse game between Cross and Shafer. Alex must delve into the killer's psychological profile, trying to understand his unique pathology and predict his next move. Shafer, with his diplomatic immunity, poses an additional challenge, often taunting Alex and staying just out of reach.

The climax involves a desperate race to save Christine and stop Shafer before he can execute his ultimate, horrifying plan, leading to a brutal and climactic confrontation. "Pop Goes the Weasel" is a dark, fast-paced thriller that showcases Patterson's ability to create truly disturbing villains and put Alex Cross in increasingly personal peril.

Comments:
Another great story, James Patterson's ability to make you hate a character really comes to light here. He really develops the antagonist here to the point that you really get impatient for them to receive their comeuppance.

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)