great
Walter J. (reading-is-bliss) -
In Patterson's 26th Alex Cross novel, we see Alex Cross at his best, by this time having achieved international notoriety for his amazing detective skills. We also see him in his role as a Ph.D. Psychologist in which somehow he manages to maintain a part-time private practice. His lovely wife, Bree, who was recently appointed as Chief Detective of the D.C. Metro Police Department, serves as one of the novel's primary characters, along with Ned Mahoney, Chief FBI Investigator with whom Alex Cross fans are quite familiar. Of course, dear, sweet Nana Mama, Alex's wise-old grandma who is now in her 90's and still going strong, is featured throughout as are Alex's several adopted kids that, together with Bree and Nana Mama, make up his large family. The plot is a rather fantastic one involving the assassination of the new President as well as the Vice President both of whom have just assumed office following the unexpected death of the duly elected President during her first year in office. This leads to an unprecedented Constitutional crisis and Alex is tasked with a leading role in solving the crime. Fortunately for Alex, he has a friend who emerges as a supercomputer genius whose skills are so amazing it is like the man can just stick his nose in the air and smell the whereabouts of the various members of what appears to be a complex conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. Government. Perhaps Paterson's invention of a man with such skills tends to cross the line into the realm of absurdity, but even so, the excitement of it all combined with the average reader's lack of knowledge as to what is really doable in the complex world of digital technology certainly makes for a fun and adventurous read. So I give it four full stars.
