Rating: 
Summary: Decent but still not Dazzling...3 and one-half stars
Review: I am a definite fan of the Alex Cross series and have been a Patterson fan for some time. I read THE JESTER and FOUR BLIND MICE over the same weekend and hands down, THE JESTER is the better storyline (actually, JESTER was a wonderful read). Perhaps the creative juices for the Cross novels has waned after so many but regardless, something is just not clicking like it used to. "ROSES" and "VIOLETS" were marginal books while 1ST TO DIE and 2ND TO DIE were just a notch above. It is my hope that Patterson will find the juices again...and soon.FOUR BLIND MICE opens with Cross' long-time partner and friend, John Sampson, requesting Alex's help to investigate the murder conviction of one of Sampson's Army buddies. Ellis Cooper, Sampson's buddy, has been accused, tried and convicted of the murder of three women along with the bizarre arrangement and paintng of the bodies. Cooper has been sentenced to die by lethal injection; the execution is set to be administered in three short weeks and Sampson believes only his friend and supersleuth Cross can unravel the injustice befalling Cooper. As Cross begins his investigation, he runs into one stone wall after another but hasn't quite determined if those are Army walls (i.e. "we take care of our own") or something quite different. Although doggedly determined, Alex cannot crack the case and Ellis Cooper is executed. The one and only piece of evidence Cross has is the eyewitness account of a teenage boy who indicated he saw three men outside the home of the murder victims that night. However, Alex was never able to corroborate this statement. As the story continues, Patterson introduces the reader to three very skillful and very sick assassins. Even before Cooper's execution, the reader knows these "THREE BLIND MICE" are responsible for the triple homicide. As time passes, the Mice continue their spree but it is definitely not for kicks. It appears there is a puppetmaster; one who has given the Mice their marching orders albeit mercenary orders at that. This portion of the story winds throughout the book until the end where it fizzles without much surprise or intrigue. The climax is satisfying but certainly not surprising. Two very poignant subplots revolve around the love lives of Cross and Sampson, nothing really new for Alex but quite unconventional for Sampson. True to VIOLETS, Jamilla Hughes returns as Alex's love interest. And, as always and timeless, Alex still has Nana Mama to care for his three children including his infant son, Alex. All-in-all, a decent book but I find myself waiting for the next great Cross book. Something in the spirit of KISS THE GIRLS. I haven't given up on Patterson and I certainly will continue to check out his newer "off-Cross" books. As I mentioned, I found the JESTER to be a fabulous read, a storyline and subject matter totally different to Patterson's norm. It's proof that Patterson has the skill yet it seems he has turned his efforts more into a Stephen King-like machine, pumping out one book after another. While this satisfies the volume requirement for fans, it is obvious that quality has taken a fairly staunch hit. Worth the read but not his best.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost as Exciting as the Other Alex Cross Novels
Review: Detective Alex Cross is on his way to retiring the Washington D.C. Police Force. At least he thinks he is until his friend John Sampson shows up at his door with yet another new case.John's buddy from his days in the war was falsely accused of murdering women. Worse yet, he is subject to the iron hand of the US army. The evidence against Ellie is enough to put him to the gas chamber. Sampson really believes his friend was framed, and Alex's investigation turns up evidence overlooked-or concealed by the military authorities. Drawing on their years of street training and an almost telepathic mutual trust, Cross and Sampson go deepbehind military lines to confront the most ruthless-and deadliest killers they have ever encountered before. These guys are TOUGH and they manage to get away with many murders before finally getting pinned down. It may already be too late to save Sampson's friend from death row, but eventually Alex Cross puts two and two together as always. I mostly enjoyed the book, but found some of the parts more slow moving than in the other Cross novels I have read.
Rating: 
Summary: Alex and I are parting Ways.
Review: I never write book reviews, but I am so confused as to where the author of Kiss the Girls went, that I am compelled to chime in. I used to love James Patterson. This book was ridiculous. I won't even go into the lameness of the plot, but the "Italics" drive me NUTS! His earlier thrillers were taut and on the money. A real sense of evil permeated them. These jokers feel about as scary as moldy bologna. I have never in my life had an urge to write a novel, but I do believe I could do better. Either Mr. Patterson has just plain lost it, or it is all about the money. Alas, Alex, I knew him well. :) Farewell. The only saving grace is I borrowed this from our library and didn't buy it.
Rating:
Summary: Another one of those Yikey gory things......
Review: I read this one after Beach House by the same author. I now have come to the conclusion that the author is perhaps a little weird! I mean, he just seems to write only horrifying stuff--- that too, sickeningly horrifying, if-you-know-what-I-mean! If you are like me and do not really enjoy gory stuff, then puuhleaze, do not even think of getting this one. It made me want to throw up. Book to be read once and kept away, I feel.
Rating: 
Summary: Blind mice can't read & enjoy this but you will
Review: Another Alex Cross masterpiece where Alex is this time
brought back to the serial killer chase by an old
friend of his partner Samson's army days who has a
dilemma. He is about to be face execution for a
despicable violent murder spree and everyone is
convinced of his guilt except Samson. Cross is his
last chance. A foursome of killers is reliving their
Vietnam killing days and Cross must deal with them as
they cross his path. Meanwhile Alex's family is
facing their own life threatening dilemmas. Who is
funding the killers? Why are they killing? Do they
have anything to do with Sampson's friend's case? This is one of the best Alex Cross novels written.
The usual short chapter style makes this like the
others a breeze to read. You don't need to read
previous Cross series books first to enjoy this one
but you will get more out of it you do. Previous
books are sensational as well.
Rating:
Summary: Why can't I give it zero stars?
Review: If this book was written by anyone other thn JAMES PATTERSON, it would have never been published. It seems Jim needed to fulfill a contractual obligation and get a new book out. Too bad he decided not to actual write anything worth reading.
The story's timeline is off by 20 years. Vietnam vets in their 40's thirty years after the war: Did we have junior high battalions over there?
The history, bad guys, investigative work and characters are all hackneyed and slopped together. The investigation also keeps stopping for awkward romantic scenes that lend nothing whatsoever to the story.
The bad guys are a psychopathic, infantile trio of supposed geniuses who are expert killers. This group is so sloppy, sadistic and out of control, they make the Manson family look like jaywalkers.
The fourth "blind mouse" is an unknown employer who wants the Mice to kill certain people for millions of dollars. Now I'm going to ruin it for everyone..... The killer is mention in ONE PARAGRAPH halfway through the book. He is never spoken to, he is never suspected and he has no clear motive whatsoever. In fact the character's current military position makes this whole story look like the ravings of the most paranoid [person] you will ever find.
Jim, retire please, you just don't seem to care anymore.
Rating:
Summary: For Blind Mice
Review: The prodigious James Patterson, hot on the tail of Stephen King in the category of turning out one book after another, does not disappoint his followers in Four Blind Mice. Not a lot of unpredictability here. Almost a John LeCarre sense of evil in the government (well, ok, the military) that Alex (again) has to penetrate. He and his huge boyhood friend try to help Sergeant Cooper, positively (and we know this from the first few pages) framed for murders he didn't commit. And like the New York Sanitation sign from the 70's that read "dig we must," they keep pushing until they find massive coverups from Vietnam. This is intriguing because if the cover-ups happened in the late '60's, let's see, add the three's and seven's, carry the nine's, hmmmmm, some of the senior field grade officers then would be, ahhh, 80? Late 70's? Personally, I am uncomfortable with the analogy that the tragic foolishness that was Vietnam now reaches a new level of concern under the pen or laptop of James Patterson: That these men need to be hunted down like Nazi War Criminals. But no matter, Cross and Sampon are up to the task. So there's a lot of murder, high tech toys, reminiscings about the lost innocence of youth, as well as a lot of love (both the vertical kind and the horizontal kind), a marriage, a couple of illegal State sanctioned executions (imagine the wrongful death suits coming out of those!) and the typical mingling of family values and yet painful retribution for the evil doers. A little confusing. A fast read. If you like a superficial novel, good James Patterson. If this is what you want and expect, he delivers.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome James Patterson makes me want to write
Review: I love this guy. I just started reading his books I am a huge Mary Higgins Clark fan so was a twist for me. I grew up in Fayetteville NC, my father is retired Army and my Mom worked at the Hospital across the street from the hotel where Dr Cross and Sampson stayed. When I started reading I could see my home town. I actually felt like i was in on this investigation with them. To me that is what a book should do for you. You can take on the persona of the characters, you want to get those bad guys as much as they do. Each one of his books ties his storys together you learn about the characters. You can actually relate to some ot the things they go through. I stongly reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys reading sheer imagination and excitability that you expect from any mystery writer.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Late-Night Page Turner
Review: Alex Cross is back! Patterson's latest thriller takes Cross on a journey across the "grey wall of silence" within the Army...to uncover the ruthless murders of former Viet Nam soldiers. I was kind of turned off by the Army ruse, but it works well in this novel, adding yet another element of mystery to Cross' case. Some lamblast Patterson for the length, the chapters, the jumping around...but he does a good job of keeping you on the edge of your seat (case in point: I finished this book in two days. TWO days is usually a very short time for me!). In the end, all the peripheral information makes for a good book-- Patterson thrillers at it's best!
Rating:
Summary: typical patterson, but not up to snuff
Review: its a typical patterson but not as spine tingling as the others. my 2 cents: read it to complete the set; but don't expect too much.
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