Cross Fire By James Patterson Read by Andre Braugher & Jay O. Sanders Hachette Audio, (2010) An Unabridged Recording on 6 CDs Also inlcudes MP3 edition of Cross Fire and an MP3 edition of Double Cross ISBN: 978-1607886655 Genre: Mystery

Reviewed by Israel Drazin - February 2, 2011

James Patterson is at his best, most entertaining, suspenseful, and interesting when he writes by himself, without a co-author, and focuses his book on Alex Cross, as he does here. There are three principle plots. Kyle Craig undergoes plastic surgery and assumes the identity of FBI agent Max Siegel, who he kills, to get close to Cross, his nemesis, who surprisingly does not recognize him, to torment him and his family and then kill them. Second, two homeless people, a rather tall white man and a somewhat short man of color who is mentally challenged start killing prominent criminals in what appears to be vigilante justice. But is it? And are they working alone? Third, someone is killing people and carving mathematical formula on their dead bodies.

Cross is now working for the Washington police in their major crime unit and is in charge of the cases. After several killings, "Siegel" comes on the scene, aggravates Cross who does not recognize him as Craig and who does not want the FBI messing with his case and contaminating it. There are several less prominent but interesting plots as well, such as Alex's decision to marry Bee Stone, a police officer, and how the Craig and vigilante cases are interfering with their and the rest of their family's lives. For instance, while Alex and Bee are having a pre-wedding fling at a hotel, Craig calls him as Craig to tell him that he knows where he is, what he and Bee are doing, and is still fascinated with him and his family, meaning he intends to kill them. Cross' prior fling and mother of his son reappears saying that she misses her son; and she aggravates Cross no end.

• Don't Blink, by James Patterson and Howard Roughan.
  New York's Lombardo's Steak House is famous for three reasons--the menu, the clientele, and now, the gruesome murder of an infamous mob lawyer. Effortlessly, the assassin slips through the police's fingers, and his absence sparks a blaze of accusations about who ordered the hit...
  
  
• Violets are Blue, by James Patterson.
  This is Patterson's seventh novel featuring D.C. police Detective Alex Cross. In this case, Cross is faced with solving several murders that appear to have been carried out by vampires!