The Alex Cross series has been a mainstay on my reading list ever since I first picked up Mary, Mary as a high school student. For the better part of two decades, I’ve faithfully read each new installment—through the highs and the more questionable lows (I’m looking at you, BookShots). Beyond Patterson’s signature pacing and plot-burning style, I’ve always gravitated toward the Cross books because they were one of the few series he wrote without a co-author.
That all changed with 2023’s Cross Down, the first entry to bring in a collaborator and to shift some of the focus away from Alex himself to include the perspective of his longtime partner, John Sampson. I went in worried the quality might dip. Instead, it felt like a breath of fresh air, broadening the scope of the story in a way that was surprisingly welcome. So when Patterson’s publisher offered me a copy of the latest installment, Cross & Sampson, I jumped at the chance to dive back in.
Alex Cross and John Sampson have always worked best as a team. Best friends since childhood, they’ve built their careers on an unshakable trust, a bond that’s made them one of the most effective duos in the Washington, D.C., Police Department. But this time, circumstances pull them in different directions. Sampson remains in D.C., investigating what appears to be a terrorist attack after a bomb detonates on a crowded street with no group stepping forward to claim responsibility. Meanwhile, Alex and his wife Bree head to Chapel Hill for a case that hits far closer to home: Alex’s eldest son, Damon, has vanished. He’s stopped going to class, stopped answering calls, and even his girlfriend hasn’t heard from him in days. Wherever Damon is, Alex is determined to find him. For once, the two partners will have to rely on their instincts separately, working on independent angles in the hope that each can bring his case to a hard-won resolution.
Cross & Sampson sees James Patterson and Brian Sitts continue to expand the world of the Alex Cross series in a way that feels both true to the foundation Patterson has built over the better part of three decades while still pushing the characters into exciting new territory. All the hallmarks of the series are here. The pacing is as quick as ever, the mysteries hook you from the start, and the action is grounded by character moments that raise the emotional stakes.
Thirty-five books in, these characters feel like old friends, and part of the joy is watching their lives evolve alongside the investigations. Writing chapters from John Sampson’s perspective gives us the chance to connect with him more deeply. We see his relationship with his daughter, the strain after a proposal gone wrong, and his fierce loyalty to the Cross family. Patterson and Sitts balance this personal growth with sharp plotting, using shifting perspectives and short, cliffhanger chapters to keep the suspense high and the pages turning. The result is another strong, fast-paced entry in a long-running series that still knows how to entertain. It leaves me more than happy to keep following Cross and Sampson wherever the next case takes them.
For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2026, 11)
I haven't read any of his books but I have watched some movies based on books and I always enjoy them. Seems these characters have a lot going on.
ReplyDeleteThe TV Show on Amazon Prime is really great!
DeleteI enjoy quick pacing and cliffhanger chapters. Nice that shifting the focus has given a fresh perspective keeping the series interesting! I really need to try this series!
ReplyDeleteI guess 35 books in, I'll still keep reading haha
DeleteFavorite characters do feel like old friends, don't they? Glad to hear these books are still going strong.
ReplyDeleteIts really what keeps me coming back to all my long-running series.
DeleteWow that id a LOT of books
ReplyDeleteRight?!
DeleteIt's fantastic that Patterson was able to find synergy with an author that was a plus for such a long running series.
ReplyDeleteI was sooooo hesitant when I saw this was happening, but I'm glad that it works. I will say that I think Patterson considers this more of a spinoff than the series proper.
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