Author | James Patterson |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Series | Alex Cross |
Genre | Crime, Mystery, Thriller |
Publisher | Little, Brown |
Publication date
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November 16, 2009 |
Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
ISBN | |
Preceded by | Alex Cross's Trial |
Followed by | Cross Fire |
I, Alex Cross is the 16th novel in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson. It was released on Hardcover and Paperback on November 16, 2009 to positive reviews and positive reception. It is preceded by Alex Cross's Trial. Its success led to 5 sequel novels, Cross Fire, Kill Alex Cross, Merry Christmas, Alex Cross, Alex Cross, Run and Cross My Heart.
Detective Alex Cross is enjoying a birthday party with his family when he receives a call from his bosses informing him that Caroline, the 24-year-old only daughter of his late brother Blake, has been found murdered in Virginia. Cross and his girlfriend Briana Stone rush to Richmond, Virginia, and are shocked to discover that Caroline's body was found dismembered (most likely by a wood chipper) in the trunk of a car driven by someone with connections to organized crime.
Cross takes the case and one of his first stops is Caroline's apartment. Cross is shocked to discover she only lived a few miles from him and yet never contacted him. He is further shocked to discover that based on the apartment's locale and the extensive lingerie wardrobe inside, Caroline was a high-end escort. Further investigation reveals that several other young people with connections to high-end prostitution have also either been murdered or disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Further investigation reveals that Caroline's escorting activities took her to a secretive club in Culpeper, Virginia, called Blacksmith Farms where she may have met an ultrasecretive character named Zeus who wears a mask at all times.
During the course of his investigation, Cross is thwarted by various people in Washington, D.C.—including the Secret Service and the President of the United States—who all want Cross to hand over his investigation to them. Cross refuses and is almost forced to give up his investigative efforts when his old FBI friend Ned Mahoney recommends Cross follow up on a lead provided by a country farmer.