Simplistic Plot With Absurd Ending
I actually looked up the phrase “deus ex machina” to make sure that was the correct term for my issues with this book. The plot is both too simplistic (everyone knows who the criminal is from the beginning) and too unlikely (coincidental meetups abound). It appears that the author was trying to reach a certain point in Alex Cross’ back story by the end of the book and used an absurd deus ex machina (hand of God) method of achieving it. I mean how many people live in the United States. What are the chances of meeting a particular one in the course of your investigation? Many of the characters’ motivations and particularly their quick confessions also don’t ring true.
The only adult Patterson books that appear to still be written now “solely” by him are the Alex Cross books. Until this book I still enjoyed them but was more cautious in putting all the others on my to-be-read shelf. However, the end of this book is so absurd that I am now crossing this series off my list as well. This book only took me six hours to read but it wasn’t even worth that much time.