London Bridges (Alex Cross Series #10)

by James Patterson

Overview

Alex Cross must face the world's most dangerous agents, criminals, and assassins. The fate of the world rests in his hands.


In broad desert daylight, a mysterious platoon of soldiers evacuates the entire population of Sunrise Valley, Nevada. Minutes later, a huge bomb detonates a hundred feet above the ground and lays waste to homes, cars, and playgrounds: a town annihilated in an instant. The Russian supercriminal known as the Wolf claims responsibility for the blast.


Alex Cross is on vacation in San Francisco with his girlfriend, Jamilla Hughes, when he gets the call. World leaders have just four days to prevent an unimaginable cataclysm. Racing down the hairpin turns of the Riviera in the most unforgettable finale James Patterson has ever written, he confronts the truth of the Wolf's identity, a revelation that even Cross himself may be unable to survive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780446613354
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	10/01/2005
Series:	Alex Cross Series
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	23,443
Product dimensions:	4.10(w) x 6.70(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

James Patterson has had more New York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977 James Patterson's books have sold more than 375 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.

Hometown:

Palm Beach, Florida

Date of Birth:

March 22, 1947

Place of Birth:

Newburgh, New York

Education:

B.A., Manhattan College, 1969; M.A., Vanderbilt University, 1971

Website:

http://www.jamespatterson.com

Read an Excerpt

London Bridges

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By James Patterson

Little, Brown

Copyright © 2004 James Patterson
All right reserved.
ISBN: 0-316-71059-8

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Chapter One

COLONEL GEOFFREY SHAFER loved his new life in Salvador, Brazil's third-largest city and some would say its most intriguing. It was definitely the most fun.

He had rented a plush six-bedroom villa directly across from Guarajuba Beach, where he spent his days drinking sweet caipirinhas and ice-cold Brahma beers, or sometimes playing tennis at the club. At night, Colonel Shafer-the psychopathic killer better known as the Weasel-was up to his old tricks, hunting on the dark, narrow, winding streets of the Old City. He had lost count of his kills in Brazil, and nobody in Salvador seemed to care, or even keep count. There hadn't been a single newspaper story about the disappearance of young prostitutes. Not one. Maybe it was true what they said of the people here-when they weren't actually partying, they were already rehearsing for the next one.

At a few ticks past two in the morning, Shafer returned to the villa with a young and beautiful streetwalker who called herself Maria. What a gorgeous face the girl had, and a stunning brown body, especially for someone so young. Maria said she was only thirteen.

The Weasel picked a fat banana from one of several plants in his yard. At this time of year he had his choice of coconut, guava, mango, and pinha, which was sugar apple. As he plucked the fresh fruit he had the thought that there was always something ripe for the taking in Salvador. It was paradise. Or maybe it's hell and I'm the Devil, Shafer thought, and chuckled to himself.

"For you, Maria," he said, handing her the banana. "We'll put it to good use."

The girl smiled knowingly, and the Weasel noticed her eyes-what perfect brown eyes. And all mine now-eyes, lips, breasts.

Just then, he spotted a small Brazilian monkey called a mico trying to work its way through a window screen and into his house. "Get out of here, you thieving little bastard!" he yelled. "G'wan! Beat it!"

There came a quick movement from out of the bushes, then three men jumped him. The police, he was certain, probably Americans. Alex Cross?

The cops were all over him, powerful arms and legs everywhere. He was struck down by a bat, or a lead pipe, yanked back up by his full head of hair, then beaten unconscious.

"We caught him. We caught the Weasel, first try. That wasn't very hard," said one of the men. "Bring him inside."

Then he looked at the beautiful young girl, who was clearly afraid, rightly so. "You did a good job, Maria. You brought him to us." He turned to one of his men. "Kill her."

A single gunshot ruptured the silence in the front yard. No one seemed to notice or care in Salvador.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from London Bridges by James Patterson Copyright © 2004 by James Patterson. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Editorial Reviews

In his 10th adventure, Alex Cross, now working full time for the FBI, is confronted by two of his most deadly foes: the faceless ex-KGB agent from last year's Big Bad Wolf, who's known as "The Wolf" and is threatening four metropolises with nuclear destruction; and the insane serial killer The Weasel, last seen in Patterson's Pop Goes the Weasel. Patterson's action is fast and furious, and narrators Fernandez and O'Hare do a fine job of keeping up with him. O'Hare does especially well with his performance of The Wolf, giving the Russian-accented villain a calm, almost soothing vocalization that nicely counters his sadistic actions. Fernandez brings a warm humanity to Cross, especially in scenes with his family, giving listeners a break from the murder and mayhem that rule much of the book. The narrators' performances are accompanied by well-placed music and sound effects. Each chapter opens with an ominous ticking clock and an electronically distorted voice announcing the chapter title, a technique that at first seems fitting for the book's style and tone, but soon becomes more annoying than effective. Still, this one quibble will not stop Patterson's fans from thoroughly enjoying the latest installment in the Cross series. Simultaneous release with the Little, Brown hardcover (Forecasts, Nov. 8, 2004). (Nov.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

It's Alex Cross vs. the Big Bad Wolf again, even as terrorists grab major world cities from New York to Frankfurt. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

James Patterson’s newest book in the Alex Cross series just might be his best to date. The dual delivery by Peter J. Fernandez and Denis O’Hare invites the reader into the frightening world of Cross’s old enemies, the Wolf and the Weasel, who appear to have joined forces to inflict unspeakable terror on the people of the United States. The production is enhanced through the use of the two distinct voices; accents and background noises also help keep the listener in a constant state of anticipation. The narrators convey the stark evil that permeates the world of anti-American terrorism and leave listeners thankful that good guys exist. S.K.P. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

FEB/MAR 05 - AudioFile