Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Hope to Die
Alex Cross #22
James Patterson
Read by Michael Boatman, Scott Sower

Hachette Audio
11/24/2014 / ISBN 9781611130362
Suspense / Detective / Contemporary / Audiobook - CD / Unabridged

Reviewed by Brenda Weeaks

 

Hope to Die begins with a book signing for Marcus Sunday, writer of "A Perfect Criminal". He’s met by an intelligent young lady who helping him with a favor. They commit a murder by the second chapter. By the third chapter, Alex and his family are coming home from a game to find the kitchen remodel started in Cross My Heart now complete and Nana Mama, Bree, and the kids are thrilled – the blissful dream turns into a nightmare. Alex wakes to an empty house and a living nightmare. His family is gone and Mulch continues to torment him. Now he’s threating to kill Alex’s family, one by one. Enter detective Tess Aliyah. Tess’ father was with the department, as well. She delivers the news of the first body. It’s difficult to explain the case or what Alex is going through without giving away spoilers because Hope to Die is the conclusion of Cross My Heart and both books are dramatic to say the least. Some of the scenes played out in my mind like a movie. In the first chapters, Patterson gives listeners/readers a brief spoiler from Cross My Heart and reminds us it’s only been a week or so since Alex lost his family (in Cross My Heart). His goal is to appear to cooperate with the crazed killer who took his family as he hunts the man down. It’s a case that has Alex hitting the road and across water at some points. Mulch twists Alex in the wind one too many times and this may be his undoing. Hope to Die takes the Alex Cross series to new heights; its nonstop thrills and twists and turns – as in what is, isn’t, and what should be, will be. Alex even gets a little psychic help, too. Let’s hope once it’s all over Alex Cross gets the vacation he deserves.

The audio version is narrated by Michael Boatman and Scott Sower, and what an intense narration it is. Patterson goes to extremes with these grisly scenes and depraved bad guys. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself yelling at Mulch and his cohorts. I had to take a break from the suspense genre after listening to Hope to Die.

Reviews of other titles in this series

Along Came a Spider #1
Kiss the Girls
#1
Jack and Jill #3
Pop Goes the Weasel #5 - Audio
Violets are Blue #7
Four Blind Mice #8 - Audio
Big Bad Wolf #9
London Bridges #10
Mary Mary #11
Cross #
12
Double Cross
#13 - Audio
Cross Country
# 14
Alex Cross Trial
- Audio #13
I, Alex Cross #16 - Audio
Cross Fire #17
Kill Alex Cross
#18
Merry Christmas, Alex Cross #19
Alex Cross, Run #20
Cross My Heart #12

Reviewed 2015
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