Rating:  Summary: Not his best...An OK read Review: This book is like a bad MTV video--the 3-4 page chapters allow for no character development at all. You could study this book at Evelyn Wood as it is such a fast read. Mr. Patterson must have had other things on his mind when he wrote this. While Alex Cross is a very likable character in other books, like Dr. Alex Delaware in a similar genre, the plot does not make a lot of sense. Diplomatic immunity is an interesting subject for a story, but why would a diplomat, especially a psycho diplomat with blood on his hands, choose to go to trial just to make a point. You can say that is because he is psycho, but I say it is out of character. Dr. Cross' girlfriend is kidnapped and this aspect of the story is never adequately developed. It seems like Mr. Patterson shook his dice (a part of this story) and mixed and matched different crimes and characters in order to make a story. Unless your name is OJ Simpson, how can a person commit a bloody murder and three minutes later end up on a penthouse with not a hair out of place. Not very realistic. Not Patterson's best effort. If you have never read Patterson, choose another title. If you love Patterson, buy this book in paperback. It is not great, but it is not awful.
Rating:  Summary: Never Again! Review: I thought I would give James Patterson another chance, but never again. Why does every other chapter need to have Alex Cross become mushy about how much he loves his family? I think it's great that they are so close, but it does nothing to add to the storyline. In addition, the dialogue is not believable and the errors are ridiculous. I almost stopped reading after the error in chapter 40. In fact, I skimmed the last 100 pages because I was so bored.
Rating:  Summary: Pop Goes the Weasel Review: This book is about what one can expect for the genre and I expected no more. What drove me crazy were all the inconsistences in the story line. Where is this man's editor? Anyone who is paying attention will pick up on them. Cross repeatedly remembered the words spoken to him on the phone in Burmuda, "She's safe for now. we have her." These words were never spoken to Cross but sent in the e-mail. All that was said on the phone was "You have e-mail." Before that Cross tells his family he has asked Christine to marry him and they are all so happy. However, everyone seems to forget the whole scene because he tells them again later and they are all suprised and elated again. Please, the reader deserves better than this ....
Rating:  Summary: Good Book! Review: This is my second book by James Patterson. I liked this book because it kept me on my toes, making me want to finish it as soon as I could to see what the outcome would be. In the begining Detective Cross and his partner, Sampson are investigating cases to find out who is responsible for all the killings going on. They find that in every case the murder victim is always found the same as the last one. They name the killer Weasel. In this book there is a game being played and there are five players, the player that takes the most active roll in this book is Death. The person who is death finds that by killing people he finds that he gets a rush and enjoys being cruel to others. In the end of this book, all the players decide to meet and nothing good seens to come out of them meeting. Also the two detectives find out who the real killer is. Towards the end they have leads to who is doing all the killings, but by following them all to the place where they will all met, they are able to catch the guy. But as the ending appears, the murder turns up again and starts the game all over again.
Rating:  Summary: "Pop" goes "...." instead Review: In spite of an incredible villian, and several nice plot developments, this book flops. The Shafer storyline ends very satisfactorily (I wish Mr. Smith from "Cat and Mouse" had had the same end), but the Alex Cross storyline freaks at the end. It appears to be ending as it should and as would be natural, then all of the sudden we are taken for one final plot twist that is supposed to be believeable, but just turns out to be ridiculous. I guess it just goes to show that no friend of Alex Cross' ever needs to worry about facing any permanent consequences in their lives. For the next book, why not kill off a major character just to show us that someone can actually die in these storylines, therefore building up tension - rather than have us saying "Well, I don't care HOW many times he's been shot, stabbed, hanged, and pulled behind a moving car for 8 miles, this guy is a friend of Alex's and he's gonna pull through...ho hum." Hey, does this mean there's hope for us to see Gary Siniji and Mr. Smith again? I mean, just pull them out of the same Twilight Zone this ending came from. In all honesty, the storyline was great, the villian was great, the villian's storyline climax was great, 95% of this book was great...but when Alex's storyline takes the final plot twist in Jamaica, it's just too far-fetched to believe. A great book otherwise.
Rating:  Summary: A novel that can't be put down Review: I am typically the type of person that reads one book for about two months. Pop Goes the Weasel on the other hand, was an exception. I was through it in a week. The writing was wonderful. James Patterson created one of the best page turning thrillers I have ever read! There were so many twists and turns that would leave you hanging throughout the book. You have the kidnapping of Cross's girlfriend, not knowing if she is dead or alive. Cross was dealing with one major psychopath! A man that could catch on to Cross following his trail just to turn around and do severe damage to the personal life of Cross and hurt people closest to him. The whole book was one big climax! Just to end as a cliffhanger! I highly recommend this book.
Rating:  Summary: Pop Goes The Weasel Review: James Patterson has done it again. This book is a must read! I loved it, couldn't put it down. I love Patterson's books that deal with Detective Alex Cross. Living close to DC I can picture some of the places mentioned in his books. The writing is so vivid. I found myself worrying about the characters as if they were people I actually knew. I hope there will be a continuation.
Rating:  Summary: Pop Goes the Weasel Review: Pop Goes the Weasel was, by James Patterson, was definitly a five star book. It keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time your reading it. It starts out with the main character, Detective Alex Cross, trying to find a cerial killer named Geoffery Shafer. Just when you think Cross gets shafer, he gets away. Throughout the entire book you think Cross is going to catch Shaffer and then you learn about someone or something new. Not only is it very suspesnful, but it is very romantic. I would definitly recommend it to anyone.
Rating:  Summary: Engaging but not satisfying... Review: Brief chapters makes you feel like a speed reader!Theprimary villian in this book is certainly one evil creature. The easethat he has eluding justice is irritating. The co-villians were glossed over. When one of them checked out Death's turf, I really thought it would get interesting. But poof, nothing happened! The climax of the game again made everything too easy for the primary villian. I was disappointed.
Rating:  Summary: Good but familiar Review: "Pop Goes The Weasel" is a good book. I read it in one sitting. The story was good, but some of the story lacks originality. The Christine kidnapping storyline was fairly familar to that of Maggie Rose's kidnapping in "Along Came A Spider"... both ended up being found in a warm, distant country, living with villagers. Seemed like Patterson refers to his own material when he develops a story. Nonetheless the story as whole had its own chilling suspenseful kick to it. And it deserves its place in the Cross series. But the substance and structure of the stories themselves need to be more unique.
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