Merry Christmas, Alex Cross

This book starts with a estranged husband and father, kidnapping his former wife and children, at her new husband’s home and threatening everyone with bodily harm as he shoots the Christmas packages on Christmas Eve, of all nights.
Dr. Cross is called in to help negotiate and ends up going into the house to talk with the suspects, not one but twice.
The second time he goes into the residence he manages to talk the suspect into the kitchen and ultimately manages to subdue him.
After spending the day celebrating Christmas Cross is immediately drawn into an investigation about a terrorist who has been spotted at the D.C train station.
He manages to trace her footsteps and ends up arresting her, and through some unconventional international assistance manages to stop the terrorist’s threat, and saves the day.
Very titillating adventurous novel written by an outstanding writer.

For a Christmas mystery, I chose to read “Merry Christmas, Alex Cross.” I never tire of the Alex Cross books or really any of James Patterson’s novels even with his co-authors contributing their parts. This particular book was shorter than most but I remember reading that about this particular novel when it first came out.

In the beginning, Alex is called upon to help nail a thief who is stealing from the church’s poor box. That’s a rather short and simple story that allows Alex to go home to Nana, Bree and his kids for Christmas Eve and tree decorating. No sooner is Alex home than he has a call telling him that he is needed in a dangerous domestic hostage situation. His family isn’t happy about it, but by now they understand that when he is called on a case, he must go.

This book kept me reading straight through to the end and I especially liked the Christmas scenes with Alex and his family. It gave me a dose of needed Christmas spirit even though it is a mystery/suspense novel. I read the sample first and of course, that had me hooked. All in all I enjoyed this very much, despite the cost and despite the co-author’s contributions. I look forward to more James Patterson books in the future. I find them as fast-paced as ever and some of the plots just as diabolical, and when it comes to enjoyment, it depends on how much one is willing to spend for those hours reading or re-reading a good book.

Came across this book on kindle, Merry Christmas Alex Cross. Ive read the womans murder club series which I totally enjoyed. At first I thought Alex Cross wrote the book. (Im not a big Patterson follower). This was 3 different escapades with a little family Christmas drama thrown in. I read it in one afternoon. It was OK but Ill stick with the womens murder club books. I read the book on January 2nd so it didnt taint my Christmas.

I bought this book for sentimental/humor reasons. I have not read any of James Patterson’s other works at this time. While on vacation with my husband and four of our daughters in December of 2012, we saw the commercial for this book dozens of times. My daughters were very creative in their reenactment of the authors presentation. I bought it used on Amazon as a funny addition to our Christmas Day celebration in 2014. I have since read the book – before giving it to my daughters to read, if they chose. I enjoyed the book although this is not the type of book I would normally choose. I will almost certainly read additional works by Mr Patterson after reading this one. It’s a fast read, with enough details to make the stories interesting but not so much that it has to be read in a quiet room – a good book to read while waiting in the car, for an appointment, in the next room while the TV is on, etc., Enjoyable entertainment reading. I will not be giving this book to my teenaged and young adult daughters to read due to some of the content. They may seek it out themselves, it just wouldn’t feel right to suggest it to them. All in all I enjoyed the read but am happy I didn’t pay full price.

As someone who served with a Police Department for over a decade (as a Police Chaplain) I got to watch first hand the pressures and issues that police officers deal with. One of the biggest pressures was that someone has to serve and protect even on Holidays, even in a blizzard and even when they are tired, worn out and would rather be with family.

So I read this book with a bit of a different take on it than probably most readers gave it. I could identify with being called out on a Christmas eve going in to Christmas day to deal with a stressful situation and leaving the comfort of my home, the warm fire, the Christmas celebration and family. It basically sucks. But when you think about those you are serving you realize that their day is a whole lot worst than yours.

Yes, most police families deal with loved ones away on holiday and they have to learn how to deal with it and it isn’t always a good outcome.

For the story, it is not an unusual occurrence for this type of a hostage situation on a holiday. But, it is a bit improbable that a police detective would be allowed to walk into the hostage situation unarmed, not just once but then again. This is what Alex Cross does. Is he insane, or does he understand something the rest of the officer’s doesn’t?

The tension builds as a man strung out on drugs, depressed from a bad marriage, hating his life and basically blaming it on everyone else moves towards the ultimate fate accomplish, the death of his family and his own death. How will it end.

The book is broken up into sections, I agree with some that it seems more like a few short stories woven together. Also it seems more like everyone is in awe of Alex Cross, except his wife, his kids and his grandmother. It isn’t the same type of story that we have come to expect of Alex Cross, or better yet of James Patterson.

But for me, it made me stop and think of all that goes on at Christmas and reminded me to be thankful for those that serve our community even on a holiday.

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