This is #19 in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson but it’s a Christmas book “available now” in audio via my library (Grand Forks ND).  Who knows”. I enjoy Patterson writing with Maxine Paetro for Women’s Murder Club but I’ve not enjoyed anything else by him.  We’ll see. What do I have to lose (besides time) if it’s from the library? I get library books as I can but also, I don’t like waiting lists (although I do them sometimes).  

Alex Cross: Merry Christmas
by James Patterson
read by a small cast. 6h 6m
rating: 5 / crime thriller
(# 19 in Alex Cross series)

Brief digression:  
Some years ago I got involved with the Monica Ferris Needlecraft series thanks to her Christmas book, Crewel Yule (#8 in the series). I went on to read and keep up with the whole series until she retired several years ago. I started the Women’s Mystery Club with the #19 – The 19th Christmas.  LOL!  Alex Cross felt like a good series until I got about 2/3 into the book and then …. nope – I finished though!

Alex Cross lives in Washington DC where he works for the local police but gets called on certain FBI cases as needed.  Merry Christmas is really two stories, one definitely on Christmas Eve but the other feeling like it was left-over from some other writing attempt. So it feels a bit slap-dash in order to take care of a Christmas book.

I don’t think Patterson is ever going to be someone I follow for himself.  There’s too much focus on gore and who can grab their gun (or whatever) first.  No thanks.

 I’ve read some exceptional Christmas mystery/crime novels, I’ve also read a bunch of duds. Maybe I’ll post a list when I get through this season.