Four Blind Mice

Each book in the Alex Cross series is getting better and this one is no different. However I felt a few of the situations that Alex and Sampson put themselves into were unnecessary, that seasoned detectives like the 2 of them would have known better which therefore made the story less believable. Still I liked the angle discussing the Vietnam War and the atrocities committed and what can happen to men trained to kill during war time and peace time. The underlying mystery was sad, solid and good. The action and plot were well driven. This book came out in 2002 post the first in the series post 9/11 and I think the author was using the book to discuss war from the perspective of those who fought it in foreign lands and natives who lived show more through it in those foreign lands. All in all well done. show less

This book was a great revisit to Alex Cross' world and into the trauma experienced by soldiers when they return home. It did not get my usual 5 star rating, though, because the book seemed to be relying on too many formulas.

Still, it is a great page-turner. Alex Cross is deciding to resign from his policing job and instead go into another field. It may be psychology, it may be the FBI and he he leaning toward the FBI. Then his best friend, Sampson, urges him to help clear an old Army buddy from Death Row.

As the two lifelong friends investigate what appears to be a wrongful conviction they come up against the thick grey wall of the armed forces. Seems that Sampson's buddy was accused of a brutal murder of three women, including painting show more and posing the bodies, and nothing either Sampson or Cross say will change the verdict.

Along with this conviction are more Army men accused of similarly heinous crimes, all of whom plead innocent and all of whom are put to death by the State. All of them served in the Vietnam War.

And then we begin to see the co-plot of three men, veterans of this same War, who seem to be re-enacting something from their days in Vietnam. They have a horrible blood lust and seem to revel in tracking down and killing their victims.

In the personal side of this book, Nana is beginning to feel her age and it takes Alex everything he can do to get her to a doctor. In fact, the Doctor comes to visit Nana and only then does she agree to go to a hospital. And the possible interest from the previous book, Jamilla, begins a long-distance romance with Alex.

By the end, the resolution was just a bit too pat and complete, and the chance to hear the stories from the bad guys didn't happen. I would have loved a confession of some sort from them. show less

I don't really hold any expectation of James Patterson novels beyond basic entertainment at the afternoon television sitcom level - it passes the time, but rarely is memorable.

Thankfully this novel wasn't so bland as many of his others; a pretty decent story line, somewhat based in reality (there were some serious massacres in Vietnam which once found out about were covered up and despite ample evidence were never prosecuted) and enough mystery and suspense to keep the pages turning.

Like his over novels however the story isn't particularly deep, the characters are all rather like a thin sheet of paper - present but not much to them. So whilst it's entertaining to a point I wouldn't hold an expectation of being thrilled.

I would officially give this book 4.5 stars. It definitely kept my interest the whole way through (like most James Patterson novels). But like most James Patterson novels, it is pretty one dimensional which keeps me from giving it the 5 total stars it could get. I love when authors bring in historical facts (in this case about the Vietnam War) and I also have a family member serving so this story felt a little closer to home for me. I will be continuing to read on in the Cross series - they are always entertaining and I can get through them pretty quickly.

Cross is brought in on a case by his partner and friend John Sampson especially as they are about to meet the army’s ‘grey wall’. What neither man expected was a constant battle which could threaten their lives while trying to expose the truth. It also asks if this could be Cross’ last case for Metro PD?

Three young military wives have been brutally murdered on a girl’s night out and Sampson’s friend and mentor Sergeant Ellis Cooper has been found guilty of the crime. Cooper is sat on death row awaiting his fate. When Sampson and Cross start investigating and digging into the evidence that convicted Cooper, it all seems very convenient. They received an email from someone called ‘Foot Soldier’ which gave them more show more information than they would have liked. When Cooper is executed, he goes to his death protesting his innocence.

Cross and Sampson have kicked over a hornet’s nest and suspect there are a number of former army rangers who are acting as assassins, and they are setting other people up to take the fall. Cross and Sampson recognise whatever they do the killers seem to be many steps ahead of them. As the picture becomes clearer, they realise it is all about America’s history in Vietnam, a war which went very wrong for America. Someone is trying to remind the army of some of the things they did in the name of the American people.

Patterson once again delivers a breathless thriller that keeps you guessing throughout. It is a great read. show less

The more James Patterson I read, the more boggled my mind becomes about the fanatical popularity of this writer. Sure, the stories are always compelling, the action non-stop, our heroes Alex Cross and John Sampson (not to mention Nana Mama and the kids) are all stellar individuals we love to hunker down with - But can we continue to call it literature? I think not - there must be a genre title for this type of story telling. It is so simple, condescending - the 2-3 page chapters that lob whoppers of action, spoon-feeding it to us, but it just lacks depth, emotion, itellectual challenge, novelty, wit - the things that stay with you for a while after reading a great novel. In the same genre Jeffrey Deaver and Elizabeth George come to mind show more as a means of comparison to what I'm talking about. Reading Patterson feels like eating with a really bad cold (which I'm currently nursing - hence, the analogy) - I can taste the texture - it's meaty and salty or it's a dougnut and is sweet -but not the actual flavours, spices, essences, things that would make me wonder - what's in this - it tastes so GOOD?! I'll stop ramblng and close by saying that I suppose I'll never stop eating fast food or reading James Patterson, but it'll always be filet mignon and chocolate souflee that I will dream of. show less

After putting his latest nemesis in prison, Alex Cross is ready to resign from the Washington Police Force and perhaps, at long last, pursue a possible love interest.

Before that could happen, John Sampson turns up at the house with a plea for help. His friend and mentor, Sergeant Ellis Cooper from the army base camp, is standing trial for the savage murder of three young military wives.

Everyone who knew Cooper couldn’t believe it, but the evidence is stacked firmly against him. Cooper is found guilty and executed before Alex and Sampson could do anything about it.

The duo did find cases where several Vietnam veterans were tried and executed for crimes that seem completely out of their character. It would appear that Cooper was only show more the tip of the iceberg. They also found strange irregularities, like a witness who was left out of the trial altogether. Clearly, the army is trying to cover something up, perhaps something that happened years ago in Vietnam.

While Alex and Sampson scurry around like good Washington detectives, the POV swivels to the real killers. There are three of them, all Nam vets and severely cracked in the head as only brilliant serial killers can be. It gave us some background on them while hinting on the fourth blind mice who is ordering all these “executions”.

James Patterson is the master of action flick novels. Once might accuse him of penning something that can easily make the transition to big screen, and I have to admit that I see Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross whenever I read a Cross novel. He’s obviously not “serious” high-browed literature, but if a book has you sitting up till the wee hours of the morning, then the author probably accomplished what he set out to do.

But there is such thing as too much of a good thing. While the plot ran its course with the usual Patterson trademark, I found myself more interested in his personal life. There the efficient and irrepressible Nana, the three lovable kids, and what’s this? A love interest? Folks who have followed the series would know what heartbreak that caused the last time, and are just waiting for something to go wrong before the end of the book.

But does it? I guess I’ll leave that to you to find out.

(2006) show less