Violets Are Blue

by James Patterson

2002

Status

Checked out

Publication

Vision (2002), Edition: First Edition, 416 pages

Description

Fiction. Mystery. Thriller. HTML:Detective Alex Cross must confront his most terrifying nemesis ever â?? and his own deepest fears â?? in this electrifying thriller from the world's #1 bestselling writer. D.C. Detective Alex Cross has seen a lot of crime scenes. But even he is appalled by the gruesome murders of two joggers in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park-killings that look more like the work of savage beasts than humans. Local police are horrified and even the FBI is baffled. Then, as Cross is called in to take on the case, the carnage takes off, leaving a trail of bodies across America and sweeping him to Savannah, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Los Angeles as his nemesis, the merciless criminal known as the Mastermind, stalks him, taunts him, and once again, threatens everything he holds d… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member ct.bergeron
Detective Alex Cross must confront his most terrifying nemesis ever—and his own deepest fears—in this electrifying new thriller from the master of suspense, James Patterson.

Alex Cross has never believed in vampires. But when two joggers are found slain in a manner that suggests a macabre
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ritual, he has to reconsider. Someone believes in vampires enough to have committed a series of bizarre murders that appear to be the work of one. Local police are horrified, and even the FBI is baffled.

Cross takes on the case and plunges into a netherworld of secret clubs and role-players, a world full of poseurs and playactors—and someone demented enough to have crossed the line from dark ritual to real blood. At the same time, a lethal super-criminal from Cross's past known as the Mastermind is stalking him, taunting him, and threatening everything he holds dear. Cross has never been closer to defeat, or in greater danger. In a shocking conclusion, Alex Cross must survive a deadly confrontation—only to discover at last the awful secret of the Mastermind.
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LibraryThing member dara85
I am not crazy about books with vampires. Although, if you are a fan of the Alex Cross series this is a necessary read to understand what is going on in Alex's life. Not my favorite of the series.
LibraryThing member Djupstrom
I like James Patterson and all, but Vampires...for real...Come on!!
LibraryThing member skinglist
Journal entry 2 by SKingList from New York, New York USA on Sunday, April 10, 2005

Violets are Blue had me screaming "Lost Boys" even before they talked about Santa Cruz being the vampire capital of the US right to when Kyle asked "Are they down here in this tunnel? The Lost Boys?" Luckily for James
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Patterson, I ♥ cheesy 80 vampire movies. And as far who the Sire was, that reminded me of Lost Boys too, at least he wasn't the mother's boyfriend.

I seem to have issues with reading the Alex Cross series in order, but at least this one followed from Roses are Red and I at least read these two in order. Parts of me realise it would have been a lot better if I not only read the whole series in order, but also if I'd read them at the time they came out--there'd be more suspense that way.

I like the "visits" from other characters, especially Kate McTiernan and am sure I would have caught other connections if I'd read the rest of the Cross series. I liked how this played out, Cross, Hughes and Craig working on the new case of the vampire killers while also working on the Mastermind and for the Mastermind to tie-in with Patterson's previous work is a case of some amazing writing.

As with Roses... I read this in one afternoon and I'm sure the same will happen with the other three James Patterson books (two of which are Alex Cross) I have to read--helps me whittle down Mt. TBR before I leave Brisbane.
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LibraryThing member fufuakaspeechless
It was kind of weird...something about vampires. Or people pretending to be vampires anyway. This was my first James Patterson book, and I guessed who the killer was. I suppose if I had read them in order I never would have guessed. Still, it's an odd storyline. Meh. Not one of the best. Roses are
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Red was better.
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LibraryThing member SonicQuack
Violets is rather like a middle chapter of a trilogy where plot elements are second fiddle to character development, although here the development is really just repetition and redundance recaps. The plot itself is the weakest of the series so far, although Patterson's easy to read approach makes
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the chapters fly past. There are enough blind alleys to keep it interesting however the finale is too obvious to pack any punch. A weak entry in a great series.
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LibraryThing member TinyDancer11
One of the best Alex Cross novels! Different, to say the least.
LibraryThing member richardgarside
Entertaining, easy to read page turner
LibraryThing member es135
In the conclusion to the mystery in the previous novel, Roses are Red, Alex Cross finally must face the Mastermind. For some reason, Patterson decided to put in a vampire subplot, but it kind of works. His fast pacing lends itself well to story, and the twists are as good as ever. Thankfully, the
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pursuit of the Mastermind provides the excitement readers will crave after the fantastic previous novel.
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LibraryThing member Heptonj
An excellent novel from this prolific author. Alex Cross is confronted by 'vampire' murders across the United States. With a few unexpected plot twists and an excellent ending this has got to be amongst his best.
LibraryThing member Nataliec7
Currently reading the Alex Cross Novels in order. This is the 7th book in the series and whilst not my favourite still an interesting, attention keeping book.
LibraryThing member ecataldi
This is my second ever James Patterson novel. I loved the narrators and I think they made the story a LOT better. Even though this is the sixth Alex Cross novel and I haven't read the first ones, I decided to pick it up. These are all basically stand alone novels anyways. It started off really
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promising, and I was instantly hooked. The murders were freaky and the bad guys were scary. I wanted to know more. Unfortunately the ending was very anticlimactic. It turns out there was more than one story in this story and it made the ending.... not what I anticipated. Overall, it was pretty decent I guess.

For fans of James Patterson novels and cheap thrills.
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LibraryThing member buffalogr
Great book in the series. Quick, easy read from James Patterson (or whoever?) Again, Alex maintains a balance between family life, romance and the job. The latter takes him all over the country as he begins to solve one mystery and then it all mixes together. Who knew that there is an entire
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vampire culture extant in the USA?
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LibraryThing member johnwbeha
I am working my way very slowly through James Patterson's Alex Cross series. This is certainly not one of the best with the first three quarters of the book being a particularly silly chase after "vampires", (surely we've all had quite enough of them) with Cross feeling sorry for himself, missing
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his family and needing a woman. It is only after that is wrapped up that we get the "proper" Alex Cross.
The writing is typical Patterson, short sentences, little textual colour etc etc. I will persist because I own most of the series but I certainly will not be dipping into the "James Patterson &" mountain of dross!
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LibraryThing member kaylol
An incredible book!
LibraryThing member BingeReader87
one of the most craziest and thrilling Alex Cross books yet. Absolutely enjoyed it from start to finish.
LibraryThing member SumisBooks
Great read! This was my first Patterson book and I can now see why he's such a popular author. he writes in such a way that is very easy for anyone to follow. His word usage and sentence structure is plain but very blunt and to the point. His story is well told. He definitely takes you on a
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splendid roller coaster ride with his larger than life characters. Although this book was #7 in the Cross series, I did not feel at all lost or left out of the story. Patterson carries on gracefully in this way. Very good read. I'm looking forward to reading more from Patterson soon!
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LibraryThing member HenriMoreaux
Violets Are Blue follows directly on from Roses Are Red's lightning bolt ending where the identity of the Mastermind was, perhaps, revealed depending upon how you interpreted the final lines of the book.

Pleasingly, the answer isn't simply revealed here, instead the truth is danced around, and what
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would appear to be contrary evidence to the answer is presented, whilst also confirming evidence giving credence to the potential identity of the Mastermind is also presented. It's quite a compelling story arc, all the while there is a pair of vampire emulating killers on the loose across the country killing numerous people in a graphic depraved manner.

After this crime is solved, the story the returns to the Mastermind arc where after tying into several events & points of previous books the identity is revealed in a climatic and satisfying ending.
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LibraryThing member bah195
This was not one of my favorite books in the Alex Cross series. I found it too wordy and drawn out.
LibraryThing member threadnsong
Another good, solid read in the Alex Cross series that finally, finally solves the MasterMind mystery! Whew!

This slightly creepy thriller delves into the world of vampires, both of the blood-sucking type and the type known as "psychic vampires" when a series of murders occurs. These murders include
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bite marks and a young pair of brothers who were raised in a Santa Cruz commune and are now out causing mayhem and murder.

There is also a pair of magicians who use a white tiger (along with several other animals) in their magic acts, and they, too, have a vampire cult following. The question comes up time and again: are the two sets of murderers linked, and if so, how?

Detective Cross is putting back his life after Christine has left, with young Alex joining his family with Nana. And he once again is pulled into investigating this series of murders at the expense of time away from his family and broken promises. It's a chorus only too familiar to this smart, driven family man and his son, daughter, and grandmother Nana.

The ending takes some interesting twists and turns, and wow! is how it resolves in the end.
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Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2001

Physical description

416 p.; 6.84 inches

ISBN

0446611212 / 9780446611213

Barcode

1600428
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