2008 Book 38: Four Blind Mice

Book #:	38
Book Title:	Four Blind Mice
Author:	James Patterson
Publisher:	Warner Books
Pub. Date:	October 2003
Pages:	383
Started:	May 5, 2008
Finished:	May 7, 2008
Time to Read:	3 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"On the verge of resigning from the D.C. police force, Detective Alex Cross knows he can't refuse this case. His partner John Sampson has a friend who has been framed for murder and is facing the gas chamber. His accusers? The United States Army. As a new woman in Cross's life brings him hope int he face of a devastating loss at home, Cross and Simpson go up against codes of honor and silence and three ruthless killers. But a bigger threat lies in wait: their controller, a lethal genius who will introduce Cross to new depths of terror...the last of the FOUR BLIND MICE."
Stars:	**
Review:	It's like I just can't help myself, ya know? Despite the fact that I spend the entire length of a book shaking my head in 2 parts disgust and 1 part wonder, I keep reading James Patterson. Folks, go back up and look at the first line of the back cover text. Read it again - carefully. I'm going to spoil something in this book for you and give an example of why Patterson writes novels with plot holes as big as SuperWalmarts. Ok, it says that Alex Cross is on the verge of resigning from the DC police force, correct? (Good, I see nodding heads.) And then it says that he can't refuse this case, right? (You guys are so good.) So it seems as it they're drawing an if-then conclusion here - because the first is about to happen, the second is in play. So here's your spoiler - DC cop Alex Cross takes on this case that he feels compelled to dive into...but has zip, zero, zilch jurisdictional business being involved in. This case starts in the Carolinas...heads up to New York state...goes out West briefly...but in no part does it center around what the police force in Washington, D.C. has any business being involved in. For God's sake, man! Basic police procedures aren't even followed. I compare reading this book to watching an episode of CSI: Miami. You know that everything is going to get tied up with a nice pretty bow by the end...but along the way, not a damn thing is believable to anyone who has any basic understand of the law or of what police officers actually can and should do. As always with Patterson, I'd advise you to skip.

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany