I, Alex Cross By James Patterson Read by Tim Cain and Michael Cerveris Hachette Audio, (2009) An Abridged Recording on 4 CDs ISBN: 978-1-60024-766-8 Genre: Mystery, Thriller This book is also available in Large Print.

Reviewed by Israel Drazin - November 30, 2009

This book is undoubtedly James Patterson at his best. Patterson apparently wrote the Cross series by himself, in contrast to many of his other novels, and he creates in this mystery a tale filled with excitement, intrigue and pathos.

The volume has Patterson's characteristic short paragraphs, but the print is smaller, so readers will need about a third more time every hour to finish the book. But this is good, very good, since this book is very enjoyable.

Cross faces an unusual killer and his strange accomplices who commit bizarre murders, brutality by ex-federal cops, and weird methods of disposal of bodies. He encounters a sex cell where a single evening of sex cost as much as $20,000, and is well worth it.

Readers will enjoy reading the excitement surrounding Operation Coitus Interruptus that involved a host of federal, state and local police, and the consequences of the operation. Readers will wonder until the end about questions, such as: Who is the freakish murderer who bites his victims? Who are his accomplices? How is the White House tangled in the murders? Why is the FBI involved in local murders? What role does the US Secret Service play, the Vice President of the United States, and the President's Chief of Staff? Why does the federal government want Cross off the case? Is there a cover-up?

Patterson is superb at portraying Cross' interaction with his unusually close family, especially Nana, including the kisses, hugs and tears shed on occasions. If his usual depictions of this interaction deserve five stars, he should be awarded six stars for this volume.

Dr. Israel Drazin is the author of fifteen books, including a series of five volumes on the Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible and a series of four books on the twelfth century philosopher Moses Maimonides, the latest being Maimonides: Reason Above All, published by Gefen Publishing House, www.israelbooks.com.

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