Thursday, April 29, 2010

"Alex Cross's Trial", by James Patterson


Alex Cross book #15 in the series

This novel is not what you would expect in the Alex Cross series. In this addition Alex Cross himself explains that it is now the perfect time to share his favourite stories that Nana Mama frequently recounted about their family history.

The story brings us back to the early 20th century, a time when Ben Corbett is assigned to defend some of Washington’s most difficult cases. He is a man overworked and poorly paid ,a great disappointment to his wife.

One day, President Theodore Roosevelt summons him to the White House and assigns him a mission that will bring him back to his home town of Eudora, Mississippi. His task is to investigate rumours of numerous lynchings and the possible resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan….Once there he meets Abraham Cross and his beautiful daughter Moody, they introduce him to the dark side of what seems to be an idyllic Southern town.

The story is told from the perspective of Ben Corbett. He vividly describes the reign of terror suffered by the black community during the turn of the century. A time when murder, torture and abuse was prolific, some details are very graphic.

The plot keeps a steady pace and the characters are very well presented. In itself, the novel is well worth reading, a trip back in history most would want to forget…….

On the down side, Alex Cross’s name in the title is misleading, an apparent marketing ploy. This is not like the other novels in this series where Alex Cross plays a predominant role

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