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Cross
James Patterson Book Review

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Plot Summary of Cross
"The latest installment in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson opens up in nineteen ninety-three when he was just thirty one years old. The story actually starts from the point-of-view of Michael Sean Sullivan, also known as "The Butcher." Sullivan waltzes into a local social club in Baltimore with his buddy Jimmy Hats and cuts up a guy just to send a message. Along the way, Sullivan also rapes then murders a young college girl named Mary Ann. The story soon shifts back to Cross who picks up his beloved wife Maria one day and she is struck by a snipers bullet. Cross rushes her to the hospital where she dies. Afterwards, Cross leaves the FBI and moves his family out of the house, all of them grieving for Maria, the case haunting Cross forever. The story then shifts to present day where Michael Sullivan is still raping and murdering women. The constantly alternating story shifts back to Cross. His former partner John Sampson asks him to help out with a serial rapist/killer who is stalking the D.C. area. A connection between the rapes and Maria's murder brings Cross back into the FBI world. As "The Butcher" rapes women and deals with mob hitmen, Sampson and Cross hunt him down across several states until there is the final showdown between Cross and Sullivan. A thrill a minute page turner that's sure to keep Cross fans excited. "
Bobby Blades, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Cross
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 50%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - scarey (primal ax-wielding fear)
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller Yes
General Crime (including known murderer) Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here? - finding a known killer

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - police/lawman
Age: - 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How much violence does he/she use? - just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race - Black
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - killer
Eccentric: Yes - wild - eccentric
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a substantial amount
Motive of antagonist - insanity
The antagonists are: - US mafia
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Physique - average physique

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast - Southeast
City? Yes
City: - New York - Washington D.C.

Style
Person - rotating 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - very gorey references to deaths/dead bodies and torture
How many deaths? - 8 or more
Sex Yes
What kind of sex: - touching of anatomy - rape (yeech!)
Unusual forms of death - perforation--swords/knives
Unusual form of death? Yes
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to Cross
A Ticket to the Boneyard by Lawrence Block
The House on the Hill by Judith Kelman
Every Dead Thing by John Connolly
Cold Heart by Chandler McGrew
Intensity by Dean Koontz


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James Patterson Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Tracey Ray   

SCHOLARS:
James Craver  Kylie Chant  Catie Griffiths  Alison  Nick Matkin  Megan  Bobby Blades  Tena van''t Foort  Darren DeBari  


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