"Was it part of what kept me on the job? The adrenaline spike that wasn't like anything else I'd ever experienced? The uncertainty of each new case? The thrill of the hunt? A dark side of myself? What? Good occasionally triumphing over evil? Evil often triumphing over good?"
-Alex Cross, from the novel
I read this one in right around 24 hours! Does that tell you anything? Of course, most of that time I was on and off airplanes getting home from the west coast. I can't think of a better way to make the time pass more quickly than engaging in a real page turner! This one gets a rating of 4 from me. It's a good murder mystery if you can stand some very graphic violence.
I had not read a James Patterson in quite a while. Most of his books would not give our book club much meat for discussion. He writes well enough to keep the reader involved but the plots are pretty forgettable. There is not a lot of literary value, in my humble opinion.
I REALLY like Alex Cross, the main character in a great many of Patterson's novels. He seems very heroic to me, but very human, as well. In Roses Are Red, he is dealing with some serious personal trials when he gets caught up in trying to solve a series of bank robberies and cold-blooded murders. A villain who calls himself the Mastermind is orchestrating these crimes and seems to be uncatchable. Along with FBI agent Betsey Cavaliere, Alex is taken on a long and winding road of clues and false alarms until he is led to a home for the mentally ill. Many a time when I thought I knew what was going to happen....bang! Another twist! The surprise ending was one of those; a perfect example of dramatic irony!
No comments:
Post a Comment