Along Came A Spider
by James Patterson

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Book Summary Information

• ISBN13: 9780446364195
• Condition: New
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Book Reviews of Along Came A Spider

Book Review: Silence of the Lambs meets Primal Fear
Summary: 5 Stars

The protagonist of the novel is psychologist/detective Alex Cross, a black man living in the "South East" an area near Washington D.C. Cross and his partner are among the elite in the police force. Described as "the Last Southern Gentleman", Cross is a great and unique character, who likes to dote on his kids and play the piano in the middle of the night on his porch.

Cross and his partner get called into investigate the kidnapping of two children of influential figures in Washington. We know from the start who committed the kidnapping, and we even get to explore their motivations through the third person point of view. However, this doesn't ruin the story. The kidnapper, Gary Soneji/Murphy, has planned everything to the last detail as he tries to pull off the crime of the century. Cross has a challenge on his hands.

Just when you think you get everything figured out in this story, you come across an unexpected twist. This may be a bit of a spoiler, but they do catch Soneji, much earlier than you would expect. Just when you would expect that to be the end of the book, the real scheme and plot kicks in. This portion of the novel reminded me a bit of Hannibal Lechter from Silence of the Lambs and Aaron Stampler from Diehl's Primal Fear. However, Patterson has added some twists that those novels didn't explore. I hesitate to elaborate, so as not to ruin the surprise. In the last fourth of the novel, you'll find yourself racing through the pages, just to find that just when you had it figured out, your expectations get dashed as the story takes another unexpected turn. I know, it sounds cliche, but I felt that Patterson pulled this off well.

This novel does have a bit of a social commentary to it. Cross rebels at being pulled off a murder case in the beginning of the novel to be put on the kidnapping case of two white rich children. The victims in his murder case were poverty stricken blacks. Patterson also explores a relationship between Cross and Jezzie, a white Director in the Secret Service, which leads to a confrontation with some ignorant drunk men and a cross burning. These sub plots do tie into the story fairly well though.

This is the first of the Alex Cross series of novels that I have read. It is also the first novel by James Patterson that I have read. It won't be the last as I am eager to move onto its sequels. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in suspense, crime, or psychological thriller novels.

Summary of Along Came A Spider

Literature & Fiction Books

• Books > Subjects
• Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Police Procedurals
• Thrillers > Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue
• Suspense