The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross, #9)

Title: The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross, #9)

Author: James Patterson

Published in: 2003

Date read: 29th May 2013

Score: 4/5

Genre: Crime, Detective, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Big Bad Wolf" by James Patterson, published in 2003, is the ninth novel in the Alex Cross series. It plunges Detective and forensic psychologist Alex Cross into a terrifying new case involving an organized and ruthless group of kidnappers who target wealthy individuals globally, seemingly operating beyond the reach of conventional law enforcement.

The story begins with a series of high-profile abductions of powerful and influential figures – including a Supreme Court Justice, a Russian oligarch, and an Arab sheikh – from various locations around the world. These kidnappings are executed with chilling precision and no trace left behind, baffling international authorities.

The victims are not simply taken for ransom; they are subjected to a horrifying form of human trafficking and exploitation, forced into a modern-day slavery ring where they are used for leverage, torture, or sold to the highest bidder. This monstrous operation earns the shadowy leader the moniker of the "Wolf" from the media.

Alex Cross is brought into the investigation by the FBI, recognizing his unique profiling skills and his ability to think outside the box. He soon discovers that the Wolf's network is incredibly vast and sophisticated, operating with military precision and seemingly limitless resources. The Wolf himself is a chillingly intelligent and utterly amoral mastermind who delights in the suffering of his victims and the power he wields over the world's elite.

As Cross delves deeper, he uncovers a horrific pattern of brutalization and sexual slavery, pushing him to his emotional limits. The case becomes deeply personal when the Wolf begins to taunt Cross, and the investigation leads him to suspect that the organization has roots that reach even into Washington D.C.'s highest echelons.

Cross works tirelessly with his partner, John Sampson, and a tenacious FBI agent, Jamilla Hughes, to track the elusive Wolf. They face immense danger, clashing with the Wolf's ruthless operatives and navigating a labyrinthine world of international crime and political intrigue.

The novel is a fast-paced, relentless thriller, filled with Patterson's signature short chapters and multiple perspectives, keeping the tension high. The climax is a desperate and explosive confrontation as Cross finally corners the "Wolf," leading to a brutal showdown that forces him to face the very embodiment of evil and expose the full extent of his horrifying empire. "The Big Bad Wolf" is one of the more intense and globally-scaled entries in the Alex Cross series.

Comments:
I am struggling to remember this one without jumping into another one. Perhaps that is a flaw in reading one after the other.

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)