Mary, Mary

Title: Mary, Mary

Author: James Patterson

Genre: Mystery

Summary: Alex Cross is drawn into a serial killer's onslaught against Hollywood and mothers.

The Take-Away: Another excellent installment in the Alex Cross series. Even though Alex has a ton of history, Patterson handles it well and only reveals what is essential to the current novel instead of trying to recap every mystery solved by the detective. Nor does he rely on the jacket flap.

Patterson uses different points of view in his novel effectively. Every time he does, it serves a purpose, and not to make his job easier. I point this out, so that Word Nerd feels challenged to take a chance on this novel and see its effectivity.

The clues to finding the killer are planted and clever, but the ending doesn't come out of nowhere. Patterson's expertise leaving clues and closing loops holes is my favorite part of his writing.

Recommendation: If you haven't started reading these, reading this one won't ruin any mysteries of the first ones. Check it out at the library.