By Tina Avon

I am a huge, huge Alex Cross/James Patterson fan! and I was thrilled beyond belief to read this newest Alex Cross book.

The story opens with Alex celebrating a birthday at home with his family and girlfriend Bree (this is something I never quite understood - the need for the author to ALWAYS give Cross a girlfriend). Unfortunately, Alex gets "one of those calls" during his party and finds out that his niece (daughter of a brother he had not be close to in adulthood) has been found dead. When Alex arrives at the scene, he is told that they only have "remains," that his niece was actually killed and then put through a grinder of sorts - Alex is stunned and vows to find the killer.

As it turns out, Alex's niece was a high price call girl who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time - meeting the wrong person. We discover that Alex's niece worked for a high end and exclusive brothel, located in an out of the way location and managed by a man without a conscience.

In the midst of all this, Alex's beloved Nana falls very ill and must be rushed to the hospital. Alex now finds himself torn between being at his Nana's side AND finding his niece's killer.

Alex will spend much of the storyline playing catch up. It seems that although he does have some leads, the killer is always one step ahead, somehow untouchable and as the storyline develops we will soon find out why this killer is so protected.

This book is good and the suspense is pretty consistent. I like that Alex does not miraculously get all the answers quickly in this one and I like that he is highly conflicted for the most part. This is well written - using Patterson's usual quick and easy chapters. I, Alex Cross (Hachette/ 2009) is well written and for fans of Alex Cross, this one makes me feel as though I understand him just a little bit more than the last book.

What does not work for me is the emphasis on Nana in all of the books, but particularly this one. I mean, Alex seems surprised when Nana gets ill and may die - all I can say is "Alex, she is 90!!!! Maybe it's time you came to realize that she will not live forever." I find that Alex's constant protecting and worrying about Nana is getting a little old. I can truly understand the importance she has for him, but this book is 50% about her and frankly, it got a little boring after a while. I keep trying to figure out why Patterson feels the need to always give Cross a crutch (he calls it family support, but it does not feel that way to me). Between his Nana and his round of girlfriends, Alex does not seem to be able to rely on himself for anything!

Still, I, Alex Cross is about the main storyline of mayhew and murder and, as always, Patterson does a great job! I have to say that the "discovering of the murderer" was a tad of a letdown - after building up the story - Patterson just kind of announces who the murderer is (I never suspected until the very end) and that's it. There are no huge confrontations between Cross and the murderer and it felt a little flat.
I still love Patterson and Alex Cross and this book is a thrilling read. I am still not sure why Patterson chose to call this one I, Alex Cross, but who cares? It's an Alex Cross book and I am thankful.

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