Rating: 
Summary: Mice are like Rice, when you're Godzilla
Review: Oh boy! You can imagine my excitement when I finally purchased a copy of "Four Blind Mice" -- the book that the local chapter of Hopeful Homosexuals of Guatemala has titled "...a true coming out of the closet novel for both the protagonist and the villain."The daisy chain formed by Cross, Cooper, and Samson is top-notch, and the fur really flew when Patterson decided to throw in a few mice into the mix. WOW! But despite all this excitement, something was missing...something that I'm sure all readers of "Four Blind Mice" was left asking: did each mouse know that there were three others, and hence he was not special? Maybe this question is best left unanswered, but I for one would've given it the fifth star if Patterson tied this knot.
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Summary: I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!
Review: Patterson amazed me with this true-to-life and colourful tale. I was mildly amused by his vivid imagery...
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Summary: Best Alex Cross novel Yet!
Review: This was by far and away the best Alex Cross novel by this author; I've read them all. From the very beginning this book
keeps your attention and it's a fresh kind of search for Alex
sort of unlike others he's been involved in. It's also nice to see the romance he's involved in after the last one. I was very pleasantly surprised by this book as I had not been too fond of the last 2-3 James Patterson novels, but this was great!...
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Waste Your Money
Review: This book illustrates all that is wrong with American literature. It made me scratch my groin.
Rating: 
Summary: First-time Patterson reader
Review: ...so take my review for what it is worth! I picked this one up on a whim, and was disappointed by it. The chapters are insanely short, many of them less than three pages. Sometimes there is a chapter break in the middle of a scene, and the next chapter picks up right where the other one left off! It made it hard for me to focus on the book. The plot was OK at best. As a 14-year veteran of the military, I found most of the military scenes to be unlikely at best. Maybe he had some military personnel giving him info, but it sure seems unlikely to me. Finally, the dialogue seemed forced and fake to me. The best writers make you feel like you are in the world of the book; this novel made me feel like I was reading a novel attempting to present real dialogue. If you are a fan of the series, you will probably like this book. Otherwise, approach it with caution.
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Summary: Death Row Killers
Review: After reading 'Violets are Blue', I felt that James Patterson had become locked into a pattern in his suspense stories. At one end of the story is Alex Cross, psychologist turned homicide detective and at the other is one or another variation of the psychotic mastermind. Because this is such a generic formula, one can get a lot of mileage out of it before it becomes noticeably repetitious. However, 'Violets are Blue' was not all that well written, and I found myself predicting too much of the book's events. 'Four Blind Mice' is a much better vehicle, although the basic pattern is still present. This time Alex's partner and friend, John Sampson drags Alex into a case that starts out ugly and then gets very frightening. Sgt. Ellis Cooper, a man Sampson admires greatly, is sitting on death row awaiting execution for crimes that he apparently did not commit. The two detectives pour a tremendous amount of energy into finding the truth, but they can only find shadows and whispers of a pattern of murder and accusation that has led a series of Viet Nam veterans to their deaths. Again Patterson exposes the killers almost immediately, and leaves the reader waiting impatiently for Cross and Sampson to catch up, while we get to spend time inside the heads of the killers. Even when it is clear that the executions are really assassinations, it is difficult to uncover the underlying motivation. Cross finds himself receiving anonymous messages from someone named 'Foot Soldier', who is apparently the mind behind much that is going on. But nothing comes clear easily. Alex has a lot going on in his life to distract him. He is falling in love with Jamilla Hughes, a detective on the other side of the continent, he is considering leaving his job, and something is not quite right with Nana Mama, who has been most of the stability in Alex's life. Much to worry about and not many easy answers. Despite the improvement in narrative, I still find books that immediately reveal the killers less satisfying than those that keep more secrets. Patterson simply does not leave much for the reader to guess, turning this from a mystery story to a pure suspense tale. Whether you will like this or not is largely a matter of your preferences as a reader. I can tell you that the writing is good, the characters are interesting, the puzzle is intricate, and the suspense really is there.
Rating:
Summary: Patterson and Cross are back and in fine thriller form!!
Review: James Patterson these days seems to have a new novel every couple of months. Readers in the last year and a half could choose between a romance novel, Suzanne's Diary of Nicholas, a second book from a new series featuring four women, 2nd to Die, an Alex Cross novel Violets are Blue and most recently a thriller co-written with Peter DeJonge, The Beach House. And while these books were for the most part were somewhat satisfying reads, I kept waiting for James Patterson to once again write a book featuring Alex Cross as exciting as Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls and other titles from this series. Four Blind Mice is just this book. A return to old time Patterson known for his thriller plots, endearing characters and a plot filled with wonderful twists and turns.
And when Patterson is good, one can't help but enjoy spending time with out favorite detective/psychologist Alex Cross, his family and good friend John Samson. Still reeling from a horrendous and violent experience spent tracking down the Mastermind, Alex Cross has finally made up his mind to resign from the Washington DC police force. But before the day is over he finds himself once again embroiled in a baffling situation and one which may cause the death of his good friend John Samson's Viet Nam buddy. Samson's friend is about to be executed for the brutal murder of three military wives. But this decorated military man from the beginning claimed he was framed and is totally innocent although he can't really supply an alibi. Alex promises himself this will be his last case and begins to investigate the murders. As he and Alex move deeper and deeper into the case they suspect that men known as the three blind mice, massacres during the Viet Nam war and higher ups at West Point may be involved in the systematic murder of innocent people and the framing of military personnel who are equally innocent. As Cross and Samson crisscross the country it becomes clear that there is a fourth blind mice. Who this is and why the cover up provides readers with an ending hard to imagine. In Four Blind Mice, Patterson provides readers with a fast and thrilling read. But if one expects only a thriller read, they may have to think again. For within the plot the reader once again returns to visit with Alex's lovable grandmother Nana Cross, his three children, a new love woman in his life Jamilla and even a love interest for John Samson. I highly recommend reading this book if you've followed the series up to now. And even if you've never read any of these books you owe it to yourself to become familiar with this author and his Alex Cross characters. As for me, my faith is restored in thisauthor. After a couple of so so Patterson books, I finally read one that I truly enjoyed. And I am happy to say that Four Blind Mice is exactly what I wanted. An old time Patterson book. The kind of read which kept me turning the pages throughout the night wondering what's going to happen next. Once again I can hardly wait for Patterson's next book.
Rating:
Summary: Fast read
Review: An Alex Cross story that is pretty darn good. It's a fast read, like all the others. I recommend it very much.
Rating:
Summary: Perhaps the best installment of the Alex Cross novels
Review: Alex Cross and John Sampson track down a gang of killers who execute with military precision... James Patterson seems to be spending every waking minute writing. I'm too laz --- er, too busy right now to check, but I think that FOUR BLIND MICE is the third book he's had published this year. He has a strong trademark character with Alex Cross, and writes a number of "stand-alone" novels as well just to keep the mix varied. FOUR BLIND MICE is the latest --- and possibly the best --- installment of the Cross novels. It combines Patterson's trademark literary style --- short sentences and brief scenes which keep the narrative moving along --- while providing Cross with a change of scene from the standpoint of both geography and plot. FOUR BLIND MICE begins with Cross being asked by his lifelong friend John Sampson to assist him in coming to the aid of Ellis Cooper, another old friend of Sampson's. Cooper, a sergeant in the U.S. Army, has been convicted of a triple homicide. The case was practically open-and-shut: there is DNA evidence; the murders were committed with Cooper's knife; and he was observed at the scene of the crime. The only exculpatory evidence which Cross and Sampson have is the eyewitness account of a young boy who lives next door to the home where the murders took place. His account: there were three men at the home at the time of the murder. Patterson lets his reader know almost immediately that Cooper is being framed, and lets us know that the boy is correct: there are three murderers --- The Three Blind Mice --- who are highly trained killers in the midst of a murder spree for hire. While the identities of the killers are revealed early on to the reader, the question remains as to who is their shadowy, mysterious employer whose identity and motive is unknown even to the murderers. Cross and Sampson, through dogged, good old-fashioned police work, slowly learn for themselves what was revealed to the reader and find that the trail ultimately and unexpectedly leads back into Cross' own past, with possible repercussions for his future. Patterson continues in FOUR BLIND MICE his practice of letting Cross and his supporting characters slowly evolve and develop. Cross makes a big change in his life in FOUR BLIND MICE and appears to be on the verge of making another. Sampson makes a totally unexpected change in his life as well. And as for Cross' family, well...they are as real as one can find in mystery fiction. Patterson's ever-evolving ability to balance Cross' professional and personal life as a backdrop to a suspenseful manhunt is ultimately responsible for the ongoing popularity of this series, which has translated, in turn, to success for his non-Cross novels as well. Patterson shows no sign of slowing down at this point, and his legion of fans --- large, and growing ever larger --- will undoubtedly continue to clamor for more. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Rating:
Summary: Somewhat disappointing
Review: I am usually a fan, however, I did find this work to be disappointing. Alex and John work to find evidence to keep a friend of John's from being executed. It doesn't work out for them and instead they follow a trail going back to the Vietnam War and discover a cover-up of brutality committed by American Soldiers against the Vietnamese people. Alex's relationship with Jamilla continues and John Sampson encounters a new love as well. I just didn't find it up to Patterson's usual standard as far as plot twists and turns. I didn't want to hear Alex express one more time that he had finally made one mistake too many and wouldn't live. I found the portrayal of Alex's family couriously flat and even though Nana was encountering major health problems I didn't care as much as I might have in the earlier novels when she was more dimensional. I guess I'm looking forward to Alex's new job and hoping that the next Cross novel is better.
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