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'Mary, Mary' is the latest in a series of books about detective Alex Cross, now an FBI agent. Alex is a psychiatric doctor who is often called in to help solve serial killer crimes by working out the profile of the killer. You don't have to have read the previous novels to enjoy 'Mary, ... Read review
Several high profile murders in LA have the whole district panicking. All of the victims ... more
are 'perfect' mothers, the image of motherhood. Very realistic first-person accounts of the murders from someone who calls herself Mary Smith have been arriving at the LA Times and FBI agent Alex Cross is called in to try to solve the case.
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Advantages: an extremely gripping read Disadvantages: none
I have to admit that generally when choosing something to read I am drawn towards contemporary female writers, but occasionally I feel like reading something which has a bit of suspense and who better to supply it than James Patterson? Patterson is a prolific American writer with over twenty books to his credit.
'Mary, Mary' is the latest in a series of books about detective Alex Cross, now an FBI agent. Alex is a psychiatric doctor ... ...crimes by working out the profile of the killer. You don't have to have read the previous novels to enjoy 'Mary, Mary' although there are references to some of the earlier cases Alex has worked on.
All the novels in the Alex Cross series have nursery rhymes in their titles which is the same with 'Mary, Mary' but there is no further mention to the rhyme. The story is centred around a number of murders that have been occurring in the ... more
I have to admit that generally when choosing something to read I am drawn towards contemporary female writers, but occasionally I feel like reading something which has a bit of suspense and who better to supply it than James Patterson? Patterson is a prolific American writer with over twenty books to his credit.
'Mary, Mary' is the latest in a series of books about detective Alex Cross, now an FBI agent. Alex is a psychiatric doctor who is often called in to help solve serial killer crimes by working out the profile of the killer. You don't have to have read the previous novels to enjoy 'Mary, Mary' although there are references to some of the earlier cases Alex has worked on.
All the novels in the Alex Cross series have nursery rhymes in their titles which is the same with 'Mary, Mary' but there is no further mention to the rhyme. The story is centred around a number of murders that have been occurring in the Hollywood area of high profile women and mothers. Each victim has been shot and then their face slashed out of all recognition! (Luckily Patterson does not supply too many gory details!) The killer, going by the name of Mary Smith (hence the title) sends details of each murder by email to a local newspaper editor.
The FBI join forces with the LAPD to solve the crime and prevent more murders. It becomes a race against time and Alex is at the centre of it all and often in danger himself. There are many twists and turns as the story races towards a dramatic conclusion.
At the same time, Patterson weaves in a second storyline which tells the story of Alex's personal life. His family members - Nana mama his grandmother, Damon and Jannie his children, and Little Alex his other son and now part of a custody battle with his estranged partner - are all very familiar if you have read the previous novels, and I have to say I like the way the family are at the centre of each story. It's like meeting old friends every time you read another book! In this book, after quite a disastrous love life over the years, he starts up a relationship with the local doctor and you really find yourself rooting for it to be a success.
I do think that James Patterson is quite the master of suspense and I think that one of the ways he achieves this is by making all the chapters short and punchy! This makes all the action move on at a pace, and as a reader you will often find yourself thinking 'I'll just read the next chapter!' and you keep doing this as they are so short. He also drops in clues that hook you in and reveals bits of information little by little that keeps you guessing right to the very end!
I think Alex Cross is a brilliant central character and hero. He is very believable as both a detective and as a family man and he is very much 'the good guy!' Some of the chapters are written in the first person from his point of view and this definitely helps to empathise with his character. I find myself warming to all the family characters too and I think it is extremely successful the way the family story works alongside the crime story. It is also a bit of a breathing space from all the tension and suspense.
As with all James Patterson novels, I read 'Mary, Mary' in just a few days. It is the sort of story that absorbs you and you feel compelled to keep on reading. The actual story is 435 pages long although the book is actually nearer to 470! The reason for this is because the last thirty pages give an extract from Patterson's next novel. This generally happens at the end of his books, but I must admit I did feel a bit cheated by this. I was headed through the book thinking there was a lot more to go when suddenly there i was at the end! - quite disappointing! However, having said that I would still recommend this as a really good read that is bound to keep you guessing right to the end!
It is published by Headline witha RRP of £6.99 although i bought my copy from Tesco for the fantastic price of £3.73. It's always worth looking for books in Tesco first!
Advantages: Alex Cross is back!! Disadvantages: Another sleepless night....
"Mary Mary" is the latest offering from the exceptional thriller writer James Patterson, and the first Alex Cross novel for quite a while. I have to say that this in itself was enough to make me want to read the book straight away.
*** The Story ***
The story opens rather fittingly with the Storyteller, who has decided that he is ready to make his first kill. He goes to a movie showing at a small theatre, and selects his victim… Meanwhile, Alex ... ...family. Whilst there he meets investigative journalist James Truscott who has previously intruded into his crime scenes and even Alex's own home in DC. Alex is annoyed at this further intrusion, and reminds Truscott that he is on vacation.
Soon after this meeting, Alex is paged by the director of the FBI himself. The director asks Alex to visit the crime scene of the murder of movie actress Antonia Schifman, and give his opinion on the killing. ...
wolfatgoogle 26.06.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Mary, Mary - James Patterson
Advantages: Readable Disadvantages: No disadvantages
Mary, Mary by James Patterson was the first novel by this author I had every read. Unfortunately for me it was one whos main character is Alex Cross the FBI agent and it was not one of the first books. It is unfortunate because it made me want to read more James Patterson books. The fact that the book is not the first of the Alex Cross character books doesn't matter because I became enamoured with this character and through him the author and his ... ...is going around killing famous movie world women who are also mothers. Alex Cross is on holiday with his family at Disneyland in California and seeing his girlfriend who is a police officer and has flown down from San Francisco to see him. He has to leave his girlfriend and his family when he is called to help the LAPD find out who is targeting famous women and killing them.
The killer leads them on a merry dance, it appears to be a woman called ...
SMRobinsonHudson 12.05.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Mary, Mary - James Patterson
Advantages: A quick, easy unpredicatble read Disadvantages: No recap
...are we!
James Patterson's Mary, Mary is the 11th book in the Cross series, I have the hard back cover which is 320 pages long but with chapters on average lasting 3 pages. Like any Patterson book it is an easy and enjoyable read.
I recommend it to any fans of Cross or Patterson!
However if you have not read any Cross stories before Mary Mary may not be the book for you as it does not recap or give details of Alex as its assumed the reader already ...
hold-the-heart 20.04.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Mary, Mary - James Patterson
Advantages: Short chapters, easy reading Disadvantages: An abrupt ending....
I love James Patterson books and this latest offering from him is not to be missed.
Alex Cross (now FBI) is on vacation when he gets the call that a well known actress has been shot outside her house in Beverley Hills and this is the start of things to come. Not long afterwards the editor of the Los Angeles Times receives an email from someone claiming they did the killing and calling themselves Mary Smith.
As more and more Hollywood actors and ... ...finally unmasked. Along with this story we witness Alex Cross loose then gain custody of his 3 year old son Alex Jnr and battle with his immediate family, his daughter Jannie, his son Damon and his mother who is called "Nana Mama". We hear about the women in Alex Cross' life, his girlfriend Jamila Hughes (also a policewoman) and how they end up splitting up as he's too busy to see that they are drifting apart. He then falls for Dr Coles who is treating ...
MitchellandAimeesMum 02.11.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Mary, Mary - James Patterson
Advantages: Compelling and a thoroughly engrossing read Disadvantages: none that I found
This is the 11th book in the Alex Cross series of books by James Patterson, probably one of the best crime fiction novelists I have come across.
Below is a brief wikipedia synopsis of Mary Mary -:
Somebody is killing Hollywood's A list. FBI agent Alex Cross is on holiday with his family in Disneyland when he gets the call.
A famous actress has been shot outside her home in Beverly Hills. Shortly afterwards, an editor for the Los Angeles Times ... ...Mary Smith. More killings follow, with emails immediately after. Mary Smith is targeting Hollywood stars and powerbrokers, and improving with every kill. From the beginning, this case is like nothing Alex has ever confronted. People make enemies easily in Hollywood. Is this the plan of an obsessed fan or a spurned actor, or is it part of something much more terrifying? 'You've got mail' Members of the A-list fear they're Mary's next target, and the ...
toon_33 12.10.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Mary, Mary - James Patterson
Product Information for "Mary, Mary - James Patterson" »
Product details
Type
Fiction
Genre
Thriller
Title
Mary, Mary
Author
James Patterson
ISBN
0755323033; 0755323041; 075532305X; 8466630074
Manufacturer's product description
Somebody is murdering Hollywood's A list." "FBI agent Alex Cross is on vacation in Disneyland when he gets the call. A well-known actress has been shot outside her home in Beverly Hills. Shortly afterwards, an editor for the Los Angeles Times receives an e-mail recounting the murder in shocking detail, signed Mary Smith. Her calling card. More killings follow, with emails immediately after. Mary Smith is targeting Hollywood stars and powerbrokers, and she is getting better every time. Right from the beginning, this case is like nothing Alex has ever confronted. People make enemies easily in Hollywood. Is this the plan of an obsessed fan or a spurned actor, or is it part of something much more terrifying?
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