“The story takes place over Christmas and starts in a Church. The prologue is a short story in itself, with Alex Cross after the person who is robbing the poor.
Chapter One begins the the second of three short stories within this book. Alex Cross is called out for the second time on Christmas Eve, this time to attempt a hostage negotiation. Alex puts himself in danger in his attempt to save the lives of a family under threat. The plot line is interesting, with good suspense and intriguing elements the author could have built upon to turn the short story into a full length novel.
As Alex returns home on Christmas morning, his phone rings again, and he finds himself in the middle of yet another potential crisis, which is the third short story in the book and includes characters Alex Cross has met before. The combination of these three short stories is perhaps not what the reader might expect and may disappoint those hoping for a full length novel with a well-developed plot and single climax. At times, each of the three stories appears rushed, especially in its conclusion.
Readers may feel Alex Cross is portrayed as a hen-pecked husband, with a family who fail to understand the demands of his career. The interruption made by his wife during the hostage stand-off in part two of the book distracts Alex and puts him under increasing pressure, which adds to risk. For a wife with such high family values, this scene seemed a little awkward.
The short chapters make this an easy read and the book is sufficiently entertaining.”
Jenny Hilborne wrote this review Saturday, January 12, 2013.
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