Rating: 
Summary: Family man detective sloughs off kids for romance
Review: Apparently James Patterson is very popular and I thought I'd give Roses are Red a try. I was disappointed and thought that this might have been a bad entry.Patterson has constructed a multi-layered thriller i.e. it's like peeling off the layers of an onion. These kinds of stories work and work well when the authors don't try and make the rest of the story details too realistic. Patterson tries to combine a detective thriller with a romance with the story of a widower and his family. It doesn't work. From the thriller standpoint it's overly complex and was obviously written with a sequel in mind if not the big screen. The romance is fine but why is a widower who is portrayed as a good father spending so little of his scarce free time away from his small kids and romancing women? Real kids would want their father around. A good father wouldn't go off for trysts when he has precious little time for his family. There actually is a not bad detective story in Roses are Red waiting to get out. However, Patterson is trying to combine too many things that don't mesh. As a result none of them work.
Rating: 
Summary: ONE HECK OF A GOOD BOOK
Review: As usual James Patterson comes through again blowing are minds away. Once I started this I literally couldn't put down, it was etheir tied with Kiss the Girls or a close second. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a suspensful, action packed, awesome book.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book, not his best, but far from his worse.
Review: I'd really like to give this book 3.99. Its close to a 4, but not quite. The pacing is fast like all Patterson books, and the plot is involving in interesting. However, I wasn't really suprised about the identity of the Mastermind character... but i've always had a knack for discovering plot twists before they come (this is Patterson, you know there's an unexpected one in their somewhere). I'm interested in reading the next novel, Violets are Blue. I love the Cross character, but I'm hoping that the 10th book in the series will be a 700+ page masterpiece concluding the series (one guy can only take som much, you know).
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but flawed
Review: This review is based on the six-hour audiobook version of this book. The book definitely keeps your attention and the pacing is very good. However, the primary problem I had was the way Patterson simply seemed to pick the identity of "The Mastermind" out of thin air. There was nothing in the book to suggest that this was the person behind the acts being investigated, nor was there any motivation given for why this person was involved in these activities. This is especially troublesome given the nature of the activities and who "The Mastermind" actually was. I understand that "The Mastermind" shows up in Patterson's latest novel, so perhaps in reading it some of his motivation will be explained.
Rating:
Summary: Roses are Red - Alex Cross's finest outing
Review: I'm a pretty big fan of Alex Cross, and after reading all of his books i have to say that ROSES ARE RED has been the best yet.
The Mastermind - Cross's new rival - was cunning, ruthless and always thrilled with the many twists and turns the story took. It kept me in suspense throughout the entire book all the way to the climatic ending with the biggest twist of all.
Cross was his usual interesting character, while he showed some new emotions while trying to keep his relationship with Christine - who is still recovering from her kidnapping experience - at a stable point.
Patterson has come a long way since "Along Came A Spider", Cross's first outing, and now i cant wait to see him again in the continuation to Roses are Red, "Violets are Blue" where the Mastermind's secret can finally be revealed.
Rating: 
Summary: Attempting to appeal to the lowest common denominator
Review: I have never read anything by this author before, but when I realized at the airport that I had nothing to read on my weekend vacation, I stopped at the newstand and chose "Roses Are Red" because it looked exciting and suspensful. This book was so disappointing that it was all I could do not to hurl it into the water from my beach chair. Most of the book is at a 3rd grade reading level. I guessed who the "bad guy" would end up being early on and was disappointed to finally discover that I was right - disappointed because it was so formulaic. The "twists and turns" of the plotline involving the Mastermind are painfully predictable and the other crises Alex Cross faces seemed to be thrown in there to artificially beef up the number of pages. Every other page begins a new chapter, which only made for stilted breaks in the story. It was like Mr. Patterson got paid by the number of pages he used. I found all of the characters to be completely unbelievable and cartoonish. Next time I forget my book before I go on vacation, I'll just wait to find a library when I get to my destination.
Rating:
Summary: Another visit with Alex Cross and his family
Review: This book is another entry into the series by James Patterson featuring Alex Cross, the psychologist/detective from Washington D,C. The reader also has an opportunity to visit with Alex's wise grandmother, his two children, a detective friend of his and the mother of his youngest child. Alex's girlfriend reeling from her kidnapping and birth of her son in the book Pop Goes the Weasel, now wants no part of Alex or his lifestyle unless he quits the force. As as Alex ponders what to do, he is once again called in to solve a series of robberies and murders by a person who this times calls himself The Master. As Alex mounts a campaign to find this killer and bring him to justice, his family life is threatened when his daughter falls ill and his girlfriend decides to leave her son with Alex while she leaves Washington to live far from her former home. The book moves along with Alex juggling his family life with his obsessive quest to find The Master. As in most of Patterson's Delaware books, there are twists and turns and the reader moves along somewhat stymied ast to figure out who is doing what. Eventually Alex is able to figure out who The Master is but the revelation, at least to me seemed to be plucked from the air and reminded me of the revealation of the killer in Kiss the Girls. And an explanaiton as to how, why or what isn't fully explained either. I did enjoy this book and perhaps if The Master seemed more logical I would have given this book a five star rating. Even so, the next book in the series Violets are Blue has just been released and I do look forward to reading the new book shortly. Now with Patterson writing a romantic fiction book, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, and the beginning of a new series featuring four women in the book, 1st to Die, Patterson's fans are assured of many future books to keep us happy. I must admit that I enjoy Patterson's books which are fast reads although some, including the Delaware series are better than others.
Rating:
Summary: Not Patterson's best work by a long shot.
Review: I have read several of his books, they have all been better than this one. The ending seems to me that he figured, "Well, I've written enough to sell a book, I'll end it right now." One of those "...and then I woke up" endings.
Rating:
Summary: Twisted Patterson/Book reader
Review: This the second book I am reading by James Patterson. My first on was 'When The Wind Blows', it was excellent. Then I wanted to expand my horizons and decided to read my first Alex Cross book, 'Roses Are Red'. I really enjojed the read, except for the ending. Patterson's twist and turns, and the several endings, only to leave you hanging, upset me. But, I remembered that I heard a new Alex Cross book was coming out, 'Violets Are Blue'. SO, now I am excited about continuing this read. The only problem I can see, is I will have to wait for the third addition to this trilogy. I hope the second book doesn't end three different times.
Rating:
Summary: A great read!
Review: Fans of the James Patterson's "Alex Cross" series will absolutely love "Roses Are Red"! The novel is steeped in suspense with plenty of human emotion thrown in. All of the familiar characters are present and true to form. I disagree with the Amazon reviewers who criticize the book's ending and predictability. There are more than a few twists and turns throughout the book and, the ones that you do figure out ahead of time make the book no less entertaining. "Roses Are Red" ranks with Patterson's earlier Alex Cross books, "Along Came a Spider" and "Kiss the Girls". He does a great job getting the reader quickly involved in the story. Try if you must, but you can't help but get caught up in Cross' pain and suffering as he tries to cope with the changes in his personal life, while trying to track down a killer who's aptly named the "Mastermind". Patterson's style of writing short chapters make this a whirlwind of a read. Rarely, do I find books that I literally "can't put down", but there's no question that "Roses.." fits that category. If you're new to the series, I would recommend that you start with "Along Came a Spider", but even if you do start with "Roses..." you'll find it a terrific "stand-alone" read. I can't wait for the next installment, "Violets Are Blue"!
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