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| Plot Summary of Four Blind Mice |
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Little Brown, Nov 2002, 27.95, 400 pp.
ISBN 03166930006
The elite assassination team, The Three Blind Mice, knew they were the best, but realized while operating in the An Lao Valley that they also loved to kill. When they left the army, they hired themselves out as mercenaries and are now killing innocent people and framing people who served in Vietnam as the killers. They don't know who hired them or why the men were targeted but the money is too good to ask any questions.
Washington DC police detective Alex Cross becomes involved with the Three Blind Mice when his friend John Sampson asks him to help prove the innocence of Ellis Cooper who is waiting on death row because he was convicted of the wanton slaughter of three women. Both Alex and Sampson are convinced after talking to Ellis and examining the evidence that he is innocent but no one will listen to them. Ellis dies and his two friends vow to find his killers and bring them to justice. As similar deaths occur across the country, The Three Blind Mice come to the attention of Alex and Sampson and when the two sides finally meet, only one will walk away.
James Patterson always delivers a fascinating, action-packed thriller and FOUR BLIND MICE is no exception. Readers familiar with the hero will find he has to use all his considerable skills to counter the deadly precision of his enemies. The plot is well constructed and the action holds up to scrutiny though some of the best scenes in the book occur in the protagonist's personal life. Anyone reading an Alex Cross novel can't help but want more of him.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Alex Cross takes on what he hopes to be his last case. John Sampson's (Cross' partner) close friend from his days in the Vietnam war is set up for committing the murder of 4 women on an Army base. The leads to a cover-up conspiracy of murder within the Army going back to the Vietnam war. "
Jennifer, Resident Scholar
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"Detective Alex Cross is on his way to resign from the police force once and for all-or so he thinks. Then his partner, John Sampson shows up at his door with a case he can't refuse. One of John Sampson's old buddies has been arrested for murder that he did not commit inthe first place. The evidence against him is strong enough to send him to death row.
Sampson is certain his friend has been framed, and Alex's investigation turns up evidence overlooked-by the military authorities. Drawing on their years of street training and an almost telepathic mutual trust, Cross together with Sampson go deep behind military lines to confront the most ruthless and deadliest killers they have ever encountered. Behind these three highly skilled killing machines there is still an even more threatening controller. Discovering the identity of this lethal genius will prove to be Cross's most terrifying challenge ever."
Boppy, Resident Scholar
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"Dr Alex Cross' latest case is his worst yet. A friend of John Sampson's is due to be executed for a crime he did not commit. The gruesome murder of three women on an Army base. When Cross and Sampson investigate they find that this is not the first case of its kind. Several other Vietnam Veterans have been executed for murders they may not have committed. The killings are still going on and the army seems to have something to hide. As usual Patterson weaves a great thriller around an unusual plot. He lets his readers know who the three killers are early on and we have to watch Cross and Sampson identify them. There is however, as always, a mastermind behind the crimes and identifying him is not easy."
Penny , Resident Scholar
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"Detectives Cross and Sampson are working to prove the innocence of a death row inmate and have three weeks to beat the death clock. Trying to exonerate the convicted U.S. Army Sergent means digging into a past that some would kill to keep secret. Alex Cross has been considering resigning from the D.C. police department and wants a nice clean open and shut case for his last one. This proves just the opposite as both Cross and Sampson nearly meet their own death. Soldiers begin to die. Innocent, seeminly unrelated victims are butchered and spray painted. The commonality is a term in Vietnam back in the seventies. A group called Four Blind Mice was deployed for a mission back then and is still functioning today. Finding the connection is risky business for the detectives as they find themselves being tracked by the Four Blind Mice."
Tracey Ray, Resident Scholar
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" Alex Cross, Washington's top detective, decides to try and solve one more case before leaving the D.C police force, with the help of his best friend and fellow detective, John Sampson. Sampson wants to save his ex Army colleague, Sergeant Ellis Cooper, from capital punishment, as Cooper has been framed for committing three murders. John tries his best to prove Cooper's innocence, but fails to do so, resulting in Cooper's unjustified death.
Despite this, Cross and Sampson continue working on the case. They discover that the army have hidden many other cases in which innocent men have been framed for murders they didn't commit.
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Kylie Chant, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Four Blind Mice |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 30%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 60%
Special suspect?
- chronically deranged person
Murder of certain profession?
- soldiers
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- character killed during/after sexing
- solving long-past murder
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
- Killer purposely leaves clues
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, American
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
The crook is....
- stalking/killing innocents
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards lover
Crime Thriller
Yes
Mostly a criminal POV story
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race
- Black
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
- Southeast
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 8 or more
Sex
Yes
Unusual forms of death
- perforation--swords/knives
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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