Barbara M. reviewed on + 147 more book reviews
I have read at least one other Patterson book (don't recall which one) and it was years ago so I don't even remember the story. This particular book I got free from a thrift store. It's a quick read--took me 3-4 days. It kept me going as far as why the murderers were doing what they were doing (they were hired assassins). Others (I read all the one- and two-star Amazon reviews) noted a time discrepancy that this book took place in the early 2000s but Sampson, who is in his 40s, served in Viet Nam in 1969--interesting since he would probably be junior high age at that time. I knew the story took place after 9/11 because a reference had been made to it but I didn't connect the dots to realize Sampson should have been at least 10 years older if he had served in Nam in 1969. Also, I'm assuming the basis for the book (what happened in Nam) is the 1968 My Lai Massacre in Viet Nam. I'm a baby boomer so I remember learning about it way back when.
I was also confused as to when some of the framed people had been tried. Those who receive the death penalty have automatic appeals and it takes YEARS (i.e., 15-20) before the execution is carried out. Yet, all of a sudden Ellis Cooper was going to be executed in three weeks. I didn't go back to see if I could find when he'd been tried and the time period between trial and execution. However, I'm sure it wasn't 15-20 years and ditto for all the other military personnel who had been framed and sentenced to death.
The Three Blind Mice carried out hits ordered by a mysterious individual whose identity was unknown to even the head mouse. They were very well paid. When the person at the top is revealed, I wondered--giving the individual's circumstances--how this person had the money to pay the mice and also how payment was made (assuming electronically but have my doubts that the top person would have access to a computer). The identity of "Foot Soldier," who sent e-mails to Cross with hints about the murders, also seemed absurd. Again, doubtful that this person would have access to a computer. Also, how did "Foot Soldier" know what Cross' e-mail address was? If it was a business e-mail address, that could possibly be learned online at the business' website; if it was a personal e-mail, that would be more difficult.
Of course, there were a couple obligatory sex scenes in the book which had no relevance to the story.
As others have said, why not have the mice simply kill the people who were framed since the top person wanted revenge against them? Why have innocent people killed to frame someone with the ultimate goal of that person being executed by the government? And, there would always be the possibility that the person could be sentenced to life in prison instead of death.
Also, I wondered what happened to the woman (or women) who were the mother of Cross' three kids. The youngest, if I recall, was only a year old. Maybe that was addressed in a previous book but if the books aren't read in order, a reader wouldn't know what happened to the mom. Perhaps it was very briefly mentioned in this book and it didn't register with me.
It was an okay read--glad I didn't pay for the book
I was also confused as to when some of the framed people had been tried. Those who receive the death penalty have automatic appeals and it takes YEARS (i.e., 15-20) before the execution is carried out. Yet, all of a sudden Ellis Cooper was going to be executed in three weeks. I didn't go back to see if I could find when he'd been tried and the time period between trial and execution. However, I'm sure it wasn't 15-20 years and ditto for all the other military personnel who had been framed and sentenced to death.
The Three Blind Mice carried out hits ordered by a mysterious individual whose identity was unknown to even the head mouse. They were very well paid. When the person at the top is revealed, I wondered--giving the individual's circumstances--how this person had the money to pay the mice and also how payment was made (assuming electronically but have my doubts that the top person would have access to a computer). The identity of "Foot Soldier," who sent e-mails to Cross with hints about the murders, also seemed absurd. Again, doubtful that this person would have access to a computer. Also, how did "Foot Soldier" know what Cross' e-mail address was? If it was a business e-mail address, that could possibly be learned online at the business' website; if it was a personal e-mail, that would be more difficult.
Of course, there were a couple obligatory sex scenes in the book which had no relevance to the story.
As others have said, why not have the mice simply kill the people who were framed since the top person wanted revenge against them? Why have innocent people killed to frame someone with the ultimate goal of that person being executed by the government? And, there would always be the possibility that the person could be sentenced to life in prison instead of death.
Also, I wondered what happened to the woman (or women) who were the mother of Cross' three kids. The youngest, if I recall, was only a year old. Maybe that was addressed in a previous book but if the books aren't read in order, a reader wouldn't know what happened to the mom. Perhaps it was very briefly mentioned in this book and it didn't register with me.
It was an okay read--glad I didn't pay for the book
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