Alex Cross's TRIAL

At last, Patterson has redeemed himself in my eyes. For too long he has cranked out book after book full of fill-in-the-blank story lines. The names and scenery would change, but the story remained the same. It had gotten to the point where I could figure out "who done it" within the first five chapters of any of his books. But this book? This book here? The master storyteller is back!Titled Alex Cross's Trial, don't be fooled. Alex Cross is briefly mentioned in the first two pages, but the story is that of Washington, DC attorney Ben Corbett. Set in the early 1900s, Ben finds himself summoned to the White House by President Theodore Roosevelt. At the president's request, Ben is dispatched to Eudora, Mississippi to investigate the rise show more in lynchings. A native of Eudora, Ben is familiar with the ways of the south, but isn't prepared for the journey that lies ahead of him. With the assistance of Abraham Cross, Alex's great great uncle, Ben sets out to complete the task at hand. Along the way he discovers that old friends can't be trusted and new friends come from the most unlikely places.At times I had to simply put the book down and take a break because it set my emotions on edge. Patterson and his co-author, Richard Dilallo, do a fine job of capturing the essence of the town's characters, both black and white. There is no sugar coating of the horror of lynching and the era in history that most of mainstream America would like to pretend never existed. This is a definite must read from Patterson for the first time in a long time. show less

I am a big fan of James Patterson's Alex Cross series. Alex Cross's Trial, however, is not the typical Alex Cross mystery novel. It is the story of Alex's great uncle Abraham Cross's struggles against the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1900's.

A young lawyer named Ben Corbett travels from Washington DC to his hometown of Eudora Mississippi at the request of President Theodore Roosevelt to investigate the almost daily lynchings that have taken place. When Ben returns to his old hometown he reconnects with old friends and also meets the courageous Abraham Cross and his lovely daughter Moody. Ben risks his marriage and family and also has to cope with his less than perfect relationship with his father, who also happens to be a judge.

I was show more skeptical of this book at first, but I became engrossed in the historical aspects of the story and found it an interesting read. The horrific content of these events may be difficult reading at times, but this book illustrates beautifully the courage and perseverence one must have possess in order to fight for justice and one's ideals, however unpopular they may be. show less

The war has just ended; Equality is still a foreign concept -- especially in the south. Theodore Roosevelt (the President of the USA) has placed an urgent call to Ben Corbett - a prestigious lawyer - summoning him to The White House. The President instructs Corbett to seek the aid of Abraham Cross in his home town of Mississippi, and together, investigate the outbreak of burning and lynching of minorities. When he does arrive, it doesn't take him long to find Cross whom is being escorted by a beautiful young woman, Moody. Moody is Cross' grand daughter and together they show Corbett the true extent of the hate-filled assaults in a once peaceful town. While it does take Ben Corbett a while to accept the truth, he does finally come to show more realize just how dire the situation is.

The first two pages are about Alex Cross and he is not mentioned again in the entire 380 pages. The book is really about lynching in the South in the early 1900s. There aren't any twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader riveted and the conclusion is absolutely non-climatic. A real disappointment. History buffs may really like it. 2.5 stars. show less

Alex Cross’s Trial was the fifteenth book in the Alex Cross series and quite different from what has passed previously, this was originally published in 2009. This book is Alex Cross recounting an oral history of his family which speaks directly to the consequences of Segregationist in the deep south of America. This book could be a standalone as it has the power and potential to be that. This is a deeply touching book, a book which should be more widely read than just those who like crime thrillers. The book at its heart is about the fight for equality for black Americans equality before the law, the right to be treated as a human being. Lincoln may have emancipated the American slaves, but they were never free. Are they today?

Alex show more Cross narrates the story of his great-uncle Abraham Cross and his grand-daughter Moody. Abraham Cross had been one of the finest baseball players of the era and had even played for the Philadelphia Pythians. Moody happened to be one of the Cross family’s best loved and unforgettable characters in their family history. Abraham Cross has lived the majority of his live in the small town of Eudora, Mississippi.

At the opening of the twentieth century when the President was Theodore Roosevelt it had only been forty years since the passing of the emancipation of the slaves. Still within the living memory of many of the American population. The story explores how those who were black in the southern states of America were never really free. How they had to suffer lynchings and the ‘justice’ of the bigoted. It shows how they were angry, hurt, lost and ignored. Just as they are today.

Ben Corbett is a Harvard Educated lawyer who worked for the poor and underprivileged. Corbett also happened to be from Eudora, Mississippi, and has been making a name for himself in Washington DC as a lawyer. Corbett has been summoned by his former army colonel to carry out an important mission and he was unable to turn him down. His old colonel was now the president of the United States of America. Corbett is tasked with ‘going home’ and report back on what really is happening in Mississippi. He is instructed to make contact with Abraham Cross who will act as a guide to where the lynchings have taken place. He will lead him to where the dark and dirty secrets are hiding in Eudora.

In what became a battle of the entrenched and closed mind, Corbett is seen as a traitor by the white folk of the town. In trying to seek the truth almost brings about the death of Corbett. He had found that while justice was supposed to be blind that was not the case. He knew that is the blindfold has been removed from Justice then she would have been embarrassed and angry at what was taking place in her name.

Alex Cross’s Trial is the twenty-first century reminder that justice if you are not white is not blind. This book really needs a wider readership that the thriller reader. show less

This is, without a doubt, the best Paterson novel I've ever read. It made me angry to think that American's could be sold cold and evil, even though I'm well aware of the lynching terror that pervaded the South after the Civil War. I'm not sure if the kudos should go to Paterson or Richard Dilallo as this is far different than Paterson's other novels. It kept me turning the pages, each character was so real, the scenes well drawn and disturbing, the attitudes and hate so clear. Describing the weather, I could feel the sweat dripping off me.

Oh my. I really wish people would stop recommending gruesome stuff to me. I am not the target audience for this. Nor do I think any thriller-reading bigots will learn anything from it. I have no idea who any of these people are except cardboard role-fillers. I found the short chapters to be jarring - like each was a panel or page in a graphic novel? Boy-oh-boy if this is a cut above most supermarket reads, well, let me say I'm glad I don't buy my books there. Sorry.

This was a good book but should have been a stand alone historical fiction. In no way should this have been part of the Alex Cross series, just feels like a cheap way to cash in on the popularity of the series and sell a couple more books...