Rating: 
Summary: ALONG CAME AN AUTHOR...
Review: Since this is, to date, the only James Patterson novel I have read (I plan to try KISS THE GIRLS next) I have nothing to compare it to by this author. While ALONG CAME A SPIDER is usually chilling and suspenseful, there are a few flaws that can not be ignored. For one, the killer was caught WAY to early. I personally feel that Gary Soneji could have done a lot more before his showdown with the police. And after he was caught the book drags for awhile, through the trial and during his time in jail. That isn't the last of Soneji's mischief - but even then it isn't carried out enough. The last pages are exciting as the likeable Alex Cross hunts down the hunter, but there might have been a bigger BANG! at the end. The twist at the end, is, indeed a surprise. Dr. Cross is a noble hero, and Jezzie Flanagan is an interesting character, but the real character we want to read about is the killer\kidnapper. The book is at it's best while exploring the mind of Gary Soneji. Unfortuantely, Soneji
Rating:
Summary: An Exciting Thrill Ride
Review: Along Came A Spider is a thriller by James Patterson. I enjoyed this novel because it was unpredictable and held my interest the entire book. Along Came A Spider was well written, with developed, realistic characters. Though lengthy, this novel is a fast and exciting read.
Along Came A Spider is one of many books written by Patterson that centers on a Washington D.C detective, Alex Cross. Cross is a cop living in a dangerous part of town, trying to improve the lives of those around him by catching criminals. He is a widower and a father of two, and under his seemingly tough exterior he has a good heart. Cross's varied qualities make him an interesting and likeable character.
The novel is set mainly in D.C, where Maggie Rose Duane and Michael Goldberg are kidnapped from their prominent private school. They are kidnapped by a teacher, "Mr. Chips," which makes their wealthy, important families even more upset. Alex Cross is put on the case, and though he does not want it because of it's high publicity, he reluctantly takes it. Soon, though, he is in pursuit of a ruthless and psychotic criminal, who may be connected to many unsolved murders in Alex's neighborhood. Throughout the novel, Cross is trying to outsmart the kidnapper and get the children back before they are killed. Along the way, there are many unexpected twists, turns, and surprises. Cross finds that people are not always what they seem, and he can never be sure who to trust. The kidnapper's need to "be somebody" drives his actions, and is a prominent theme found in the novel.
Along Came A Spider was an exciting read, and I would recommend it. If you are looking for a suspense novel that will keep you guessing, this is the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Great read!
Review: Like all Patterson novels, the chapters are short, there's sex and violence, and the story is superbly told. What more could you want? If you haven't read any of Mr. P's novels before, this one is a good place to start. It features Alex Cross, as do almost all of his books, who is working on a case of kidnapping. And as if one kidnapping were not enough, Patterson gives us more than that. There's love story inbedded within the plot (Patterson knows his audience) and enough thrills to keep you turning the page well into the night. But the most amazing thing about ALONG CAME A SPIDER as well as many other Patterson books, is that not only is it a thriller in the real sense, but psychologically as well. (...)
Rating: 
Summary: Superb Mystery/Thriller--And don't bash the movie!
Review: This was, simply, the best mystery/thriller book I've ever read. Constantly kept me guessing, surprises around every corner, and superb characterization!Alex Cross was especially moving, and Gary Soneji...well...though not my favorite bad guy, he certainly is the most clever I've ever seen. I liked the shifting viewpoint; you know, first person Alex Cross in one chapter, then third person somebody else in the next, and back and forth and so on. Also, the very short length of the chapters was especially useful--I hate chapters that go on and on and on so you can't finish them in one night. I am verymuch looking forward to Kiss the Girls; I hope to finish reading all the Cross novels before the next one, FOUR BLIND MICE, comes out in November. And as for the movie, don't blame them! This novel was HUGE, with LOTS of events and plot and scenes, so it's no wonder that they had to cut so much of it in order to cram it all into a 2 hour movie! Blame the production company! Paramount, I think. In that case, there might have been at least a LITTLE justice. The movie did fairly well considering how much of the plot it was able to get from the book...okay, maybe not a lot, but enough to make it's own story!! Oh, and my only problem with both book and movie, I don't get why it was called "Along Came A Spider". I mean, I know where that phrase came from, but how does it fit into the novel? It's never explained. Oh well, maybe I'm just a crackhead.
Rating:
Summary: Just Looking for Some Fun
Review: This book was a slam dunk. I am glad it was the first Patterson (featuring Cross) book that I read because it set up a lot of things that might have seemed odd or inconsequential later. Now that I have read all the books in the series, I rank this one and KISS THE GIRLS as his two best. Much has already been said by others ... about the thrilling plot, the surprises and etc., so I will focus on two aspects of the book that have remained with me long after reading. The first is the deft insertion of social commentary in the book. When I first read the book, I thought James Patterson was African American, and I mean that as a compliment. He became Alex Cross, and Alex Cross is a black man with real life black man problems aside from solving serial killings. His family is authentic; his associations with black and white people; his romances (with white and black women) without being condescending, cute, or stereotypical--I should maybe write more about this category it was handled so well without making Cross a whitegirl chasing Tom, despite his affair with Jezzie, good job, good job, good Job Mr. Patterson; his reluctance to be pulled off a case involving working class blacks to solve one involving elite whites. In short, his attitudes about things is not typically black, but typically Alex Cross, who happens to be black. Get it? He is real first. And he is black second. The second aspect that burns long after consumption is Soneji/Murphy as a husband and father in suburbia. There is humor, humanity, and lurking danger in these scenes. I kept praying that when he finally snapped--which I suspected was coming and boy was I right--that he wouldn't hurt his daughter. Patterson pulls no punches, and reading these scenes I began to buy why a man with such a regular looking life (dull normal life) might secretly be a serial killer. Just looking for fun. OK, that's sort of a simplistic assesment of Soneji/Murphy's particular psychosis, and to understand him better, we would probably have to consider what we know about his Freudian footnoted childhood on his grandfather's farm and whatnot. Nevertheless, Soneji/Murphy is scary BECAUSE he is looking for fun, on some level.
Rating:
Summary: Suspense, drama, danger -- all wrapped in a good story.
Review: Another great book by James Patterson. The story and characters were complex and the situation plausible. How well do we know the people in our lives -- particularly the ones who are involved with our children is the crux of the story, and that is thought provoking -- as it should be. Highly recommended. 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Alex Cross won't be forgotten
Review: I read this book a few years back, and recently saw the movie. I'm such a fan of Patterson's, I wanted to include my review. In the first of the Alex Cross series, this story is a race against time to find a kidnapped girl of a famous actress. Cross is called in to help, and in only the way he can, he finds his way to the end of this suspenseful ride. Not only will you enjoy the writing which propells the suspense and mystery, but you'll also enjoy the character development. It leaves you wanting more of Alex Cross, one of my most favorite detectives of all time! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading thrillers. I'll warn you though, like me, after you read this book, you'll be off to the store or library to pick up many more books by James Patterson.
Rating:
Summary: along came a spider
Review: first of all i want to say that the the book kept me interested the whole time i was reading it. It was so hard to put it down. I dont like alot of books and i barely ever read alot of books but for an english project i had to do i choose this one bc i saw the previews for the movie and it looks really interesting so i desided to go with this one. The begining of the book was really good it really got my attention and kept me focused in the book witch is really important to me bc i look focus with books ealily if there not interesting in the begining.
The book starts off ass Detective Alex Cross, a hardbitten black cop / psychology major from DC, is investigating a series of gruesome deaths in the ghettos of Washington when he and his partner get dragged off on a case involving the kidnapping from an exclusive private school of two children. One is the son of the secretary of the treasury; the other, Maggie Rose, is the daughter of a famous movie star. Initially Dr. Cross is annoyed at all the attention being focussed on the privileged but he finds himself getting dragged into the case. It appears that a Gary Soneji, a teacher at the school who was so well liked he was named Mr. Chips, kidnapped the children out of the blue. As the plot thickens, leads seem to connect to the ghetto killings, one of the children turns up dead, a ransom is paid and lost and the kidnapper proves elusive. Alex Cross, vilified for his role in the handing over of the ransom, finds solice in the figure of Jezzie Flanagan - the prime secret service minder of the two children. The relationship, crossing racial boundaries, adds more tension.
All in all i think the book is a great book and would deffinatly recogmend it to people who like mysteries and suspence novels. It kept me wondering what it would lead me into on the next page. I was verry pleased with the book and it is one of the best ive ever read. Deffinatly let this book be the next book you read you will enjoy it and wont be able to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Saw the movie and read the book, too...
Review: Author James Patterson again at his best. Readers who are not familiar with Patterson's work may find his short-chapter style an unattractive read and be put off by the style. New readers to Patterson's style need to give his books a chance, knowing that the reader will find Patterson's stories a good read. This reader is used to Patterson's style of writing and finds that it adds to the attraction of the read. Riveting and enjoyable for this avid reader is the shifting from Alex Cross in one chapter, with another character in the next, back and forth. This JP fan had the pleasure of meeting Patterson more than once in Manhattan before 9/11. ALONG CAME A SPIDER is riveting and glues you to reading the book in as less sittings as possible. This bestseller is written simply, with a harrowing plot. Detective Alex Cross, family man and psychologist too, profoundly plays a key role in many of Patterson's novels. Cross' manner and delivery of detecting is above par with a concentrated number of detectives in novels, among which are Sara Paretsky's "VI Warshawski", and Patricia Cornwell's "Kay Scarpetta". Considering it is the first Alex Cross book, Cross is a character a reader can relate to with his mild manner but hard-driving methods of investigation. Cross' associate in the plot is Jezzie Flanagan, also a police detective with a PhD in psychology connected with the Secret Service. Two crime-stoppers who work symbiotically in their efforts to apprehend a chilling psychopath -Gary Soneji- who commits child kidnapping, murder of a school teacher, horrific acts and all this from a man (Soneji) who can easily be labelled "a split-personality", while appearing as a mild-mannered, popular math teacher at an elite private school for children of the affluent society, and known to the students as "Mr. Chips". ALONG CAME A SPIDER is engrossing & thrilling, emitting emotions that deliver a true-to-life portrayal. Victimizer Gary Soneji resembles in some ways other perpetrators who get into your mind throughout the story, such as Hannibal Lector. Soneji with his terrifying crimes outsmarts the FBI, Secret Service, and Police Department. Detectives Cross and Flanagan face the ultimate as psychologists to outmaneuver a brilliant psychopath before his next victim... and the next... and the next... This self-professed biblioholic always looks forward to a James Patterson read. Thank you Mr. Patterson.
Rating:
Summary: Keeps you guessing all the way
Review: I think that all fans of detective novels - particularly those of a psychological nature - will get a big kick out of these eight legs! James Patterson brilliantly keeps up the tension throughout the novel. As with great stories like this the villain seems unlikely at first but all the clues are there and it all fits! Detective Alex Cross, a hardbitten black cop / psychology major from DC, is investigating a series of gruesome deaths in the ghettos of Washington when he and his partner get dragged off on a case involving the kidnapping from an exclusive private school of two children. One is the son of the secretary of the treasury; the other, Maggie Rose, is the daughter of a famous movie star. Initially Dr. Cross is annoyed at all the attention being focussed on the privileged but he finds himself getting dragged into the case. It appears that a Gary Soneji, a teacher at the school who was so well liked he was named Mr. Chips, kidnapped the children out of the blue. As the plot thickens, leads seem to connect to the ghetto killings, one of the children turns up dead, a ransom is paid and lost and the kidnapper proves elusive. Alex Cross, vilified for his role in the handing over of the ransom, finds solice in the figure of Jezzie Flanagan - the prime secret service minder of the two children. The relationship, crossing racial boundaries, adds more tension. The figure of Gary Soneji, the alter-ego of a Gary Murphy, is a brilliant creation up there with the likes of Hannibal Lecter. At least you know where you are with Mr. Lecter - Murphy/Soneji keep you guessing all the way - scary! James Patterson brilliantly handles all of the threads, not letting any of them unravel and adding twist after clue after hint. The final unveiling of the villain is wonderful - suprising, but the clues are all there to find.
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