A Book A Week

There’s a certain sense of nostalgia I get every time I pick up a new Alex Cross book. I was first introduced to James Patterson’s bestselling series back in 2005 when my mom handed me a paperback copy of Mary, Mary. I devoured it in a single weekend and immediately began working my way backward, starting with the first book, Along Came a Spider. I’ve been a fan ever since. I’ve read all thirty-three novels, watched the various attempts at film adaptations, and recently enjoyed the latest effort to bring Patterson’s hero to life in the Amazon Prime TV series. Every time I return to the series, I’m greeted by the familiar blend of heart, suspense, and Patterson’s signature breakneck pace. The newest novel, Return of the Spider, feels especially nostalgic as it resurrects Gary Soneji—the villain who started it all in those early Cross stories. But would this long-awaited return mark a fresh new chapter for Alex Cross, or simply revisit old ground?

The novel is unique in that it serves as a kind of prequel to the series opener. In the present day, Alex Cross and his longtime partner John Sampson are called to a remote cabin in the woods, where the human remains buried around the property aren’t the most disturbing thing discovered on the scene. That honor belongs to a hidden journal titled Profiles in Human Genius. Strange enough on its own, but it’s the contents of the journal that truly bring Cross to his knees. Inside are detailed accounts of murders committed by none other than Gary Soneji.

The name catapults Alex back decades, to the days when Soneji terrorized the city with a string of abductions and murders. But as Alex reads, he comes to a chilling realization: his connection to Soneji began much earlier than he ever imagined. Back when he was a young detective with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove, the seeds of this nightmare were already being sown. As he reads on, Alex becomes ensnared in a web of evil Soneji seems to have spun just for him. Plunging into the past, he must retrace the steps of an old investigation and face the truth about the monster who’s been haunting him from the very start.

With Return of the Spider, James Patterson proves he’s far from done finding new ways to thrill readers with his Alex Cross series. The last book, The House of Cross, brought a long-running thread to its climax, leaving me wondering where Patterson could possibly take the story next. It turns out, he’s taken it all the way back to the beginning. Gary Soneji was one of the most terrifying and relentless foes Alex ever faced, so it was thrilling to see his origins finally revealed.

By taking the series back in time, Patterson adds new depth to both his hero and his villain, breathing fresh life into the world of Alex Cross while still honoring the familiar beats longtime readers have come to love. The ending jumps back to the present day, forcing Alex to face a moral reckoning—about his past, the truths he’s built his life upon, and what the future might hold. I, for one, can’t wait to see where Patterson takes him next. It proves that even after three decades, James Patterson still knows how to keep us turning the pages.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel to review. 

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 91)