Four Blind Mice

Alex Cross is preparing to resign from the Washington Police Force. He's enjoying the feeling; not least because the Mastermind is now in prison. And Alex has met a woman, Jamilla Hughes, and he is talking about the future. Then John Sampson shows up at the house, desperate for Alex's help. Three young military wives have been brutally killed during a 'girls' night out' and Sampson's friend, a master sergeant at the army base, stands accused.Uncovering evidence of a series of suspicious murder convictions, Alex and Sampson are determined to infiltrate the closed world of the military. But what is the army trying to hide? And do the mysterious symbols daubed on the house of the accused mean that there are more sinister forces at work?

There's absolutely no denying the fact that it's impossible to put down a Patterson thriller once it's been picked up--and Four Blind Mice is no exception. And it's not just the cliff-hanging chapters: Patterson is a stylist of real distinction, and in Alex Cross he has created one of the most memorable (and durable) protagonists in the genre (no mean achievement, given Patterson's avoidance of the usual clichés: recovering alcoholic cop, endless conflict with superiors, etc.).

Having fought a bloody battle with a criminal mastermind, the weary Alex has decided to leave the Washington Police Force. Another factor in his decision is a new romance: his life has changed since he met the seductive Jamilla Hughes. But (readers won't be surprised to hear) Alex is persuaded by John Sampson to take on one final case: his closest friend has been indicted for a grisly double murder. Fingerprints and DNA evidence link the suspect with two women who have been savagely knifed at an army base, but Alex comes to believe that he's looking at a frame-up. And as the resourceful detective cuts through a swathe of intrigue to uncover both a complex plot and a malign opponent, he finds himself in quite as much danger as in any of his confrontations with super-intelligent serial killers. Those familiar with previous Patterson novels as will know exactly what to expect here. If there is less time than usual spent on developing Alex's personality, that's because Patterson is more than ever putting his skills at the service of an extremely fast-moving narrative. Four Blind Mice will keep Patterson admirers more than happy. --Barry Forshaw