Rating: 
Summary: Is that all there is?
Review: Doesn't an author owe us a beginning, middle and ending to a story? If so, Patterson doesn't deliver. What a strange and disappointing ending to a book that moved well, albeit mimicking past Patterson plots. Should we not want to purchase the next Patterson/Cross based solely on its merits and not on the fact that we need closure to Roses are Red? This game is not being played fairly, and I doubt I will purchase the "must have sequel" to this one. Have you no allegiance to your fans, Mr. Patterson. We're the ones who got you to where you are!
Rating: 
Summary: Patterson is back and better than ever!
Review: Roses brings back the Alex Cross and family that we know and love. The story is fast and exciting. The villian, Mastermind, is very, very good at his "craft". Start this story if you have time to read it because you will be reading and enjoying it. I can visualize Denzel in this role. Why can't Hollywood see it?
Rating: 
Summary: These Roses are BLUE!
Review: What a HUGE disapointment! I though that Cradle And All was just a fluke.....WRONG! Again 400 pages;(and 121 chapters? C'mon now!) but boil out the dead space and it seems like almost 100. A wonderful premise; (but Greg Iles does it better in 24 Hours) with way too much backround family information that is just filler. A truly unbelievable ending; unsatisfying and just plain awful. The only point would be to set up a sequal; one I will not waste my money on. I know suspension of belief is part of a read; but I can't believe ANYONE will buy catching the wrong killer twice and missing the third one all in 29 pages (and 11 chapters?) I read literally hundreds of best sellers a year and have loved Patterson in the past. This is just a huge disapointment; and my last Patterson!
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Summary: Patterson is no "Mastermind"
Review: What's happened to James Patterson? I have read all of his books and enjoyed each and every one...until the last two. "Pop Goes the Weasel" was horrible! It was as if he wrote it in an hour! I thought it was a mere lapse of genius, so I purchased and read "Roses are Red". His writing is elementary, his story lines so stale and boring, I hesitate to buy another book by him. While waiting for "Pop...", I began reading Jonathan Kellerman. Each book was different and exciting. I have now finished every book Kellerman has written. Mr. Patterson should try one to see what real writing is all about! If he's bored with writing, as he seems to be, does he not think I will become bored with reading him?
Rating:
Summary: Suffers from "If you write it, they will come" syndrome
Review: This is my first review -- after finishing this book last night I knew I just couldn't keep quiet... Wish I had bothered to read the reviews before I plunked down good hard-earned money for this clunker. Me thinks Mr. Patterson had a deadline looming and figured his loyal readers would buy anything with his name on it. Where I was concerned, he was right...but I won't make that mistake twice! I love Alex Cross and his family, as well as Patterson's snappy writing, but this story was absurd! The few positive reviews at this site laud the "surprise" ending and how shocking it is...I agree, it was shocking but only because never in a million years would anyone even consider the character who is named "Mastermind" -- a good mystery gives us clues, no matter how cloaked, and builds a plausible scenario...not here...Mr. Patterson's deadline alarm was ringing so "Voilia!", pick a name out of a hat and in the last paragraph identify that person as the killer. Excuse me, but it just doesn't work. I suppose Mr. Patterson will publish a sequel intended to pull the story together for us -- sorry, I'm not throwing good money after bad. Mr. Patterson, you insulted your loyal readers!
Rating: 
Summary: Fast Paced
Review: James Patterson's short chapters keep you on edge and wanting more. With Alex Cross chasing a new complex criminal his life is home life is as complex as the case. When Patterson writes an Alex Cross novel I'm never disappointed. I read this book in less than 8 hours...and what a Powerful and mind blowing ending. I'm on edge waiting for the next installment!!
Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointed
Review: Patterson's books are known for their twists and turns as well as brutality. But this one is a real downer. It destroys one of the good FBI guys we've enjoyed in all the Alex Cross books by making him the VERY perverted perp. This book also is a real downer because of the situation with Christine, the mother of his new son from the previous book. And the final chapter involving his new girl friend is a real downer as well. I've read all of Patterson's books so far. I will not read anymore and certainly will not purchase any more.
Rating:
Summary: SIMPLY STUNNING
Review: Alex Cross is back and once again a fiendish villain awaits him. A criminal that calls himself the Mastermind is responsible for a series of deadly bank robberies throughout the D.C. area. His plots are meticulous and perfect. He seems to be uncatchable. Alex Cross again is dropped into the middle of a mess and seems to be the only hope to solve these robbery murders. At the same time he has a disastrous love life haunted by a past case. While there seemed to be some lulls in CAT AND MOUSE along with POP GOES THE WEASEL, this new chapter in the Cross saga does not fall victims to such imperfections. The action and case developments move fast and furious. Each chapter falls into the next and the intensity builds all the way to the end just as the best Patterson novel does. Patterson touches on the family and love life of Cross at just the right moments and the book doesnt suffer from the rhetoric that some other books have. While the plot is fascinating, there is a brief moment when the end of the book seems to be anticlimatic.....However this forboding is quickly replaced by the whooooooosh of you losing your breath at the end. Often, I am not surprised by even the best of thrillers. This time I was speechless. Right now all I want is the next Alex Cross thriller. Five Star Perfection.
Rating:
Summary: Reads like an outline
Review: This was a fast paced, easy book to read, but I couldn't shake the feeling this was an outline or a Reader's Digest Condensed version of a much better book-- one that made sense. The identity of the psycho was so hard to understand!
Rating:
Summary: Nothing new, but still quite entertaining
Review: I did a good thing and read this book without reading any of the reviews on this site first. I didn't want the negative opinions of other readers to bias my judgement. I thought this book was very good, much better that Pop goes the Wiesel and Cat and Mouse. First of all, you have to realize that Patterson is going to leave out many details about the actual investigation. He instead focuses on family life and how the investigation of the murders relates to him and his family. Sometimes I think his books would be better if they included more details of catching the killer like some of his earlier books did. Still, this book was good because it was easy to read and the ending was completely understandable and it made me want to go back and reread certain parts to see if I missed something. I was afraid that this was going be like the last book where the killer has a vendetta against Cross for no reason, and therefore the final climax would be contrived and unbelievable. But that wasn't the case with this book. While the motives of the killer aren't clear, the identity of the killer is understandable. Also, the whole family subplot is basically pointless and used just to add filler to make the book longer. But since the chapters are short you don't have to waste too much time until you get back to the actual story. This is not one of his best because it breaks no new ground, but still it is a good book.
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