Ali Cross: 1

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Main character Ali aspires to be a member of the police force and is caught between the hurt and anger of his neighbourhood, and the good work he knows his detective father and his colleagues perform. Except, see, that’s the thing. People don’t just disappear. There’s always an explanation. That’s what my dad says, and he should know. His name is Alex Cross. He’s a homicide detective with the Washington DC police, and I’ll tell you this much: I hope I can be half the detective he is someday. The excitement in this book comes from an app that Gabe, Ali's friend, has developed. The app scans police frequency and they get alerted of crimes close to home. Ali sneaks out at night and observes the police in action over a range of different crimes. The crimes are setup to help support Ali's point of view on the police debate. It was crazy. I didn’t believe Dad was guilty for a second—he said it was an accident. But try telling that to the crowd following us up the street that night. The closer Dad’s trial got, the more they were dogging him with nonstop questions everywhere he went.

ALI CROSS | Kirkus Reviews ALI CROSS | Kirkus Reviews

James Patterson has a new treat for his young adult (read: teen) fans with this long-awaited debut featuring Ali Cross. Many longtime Patterson fans will know of Alex Cross and his youngest—yet also precocious—son, Ali, who sees things outside of the box. While the entire Cross clan is gathered for Christmas, Ali has other things on his mind. His friend, Gabe, is missing and no one seems to be doing much about it. Ali wants nothing more than to help find his close friend, but the case seems to be gathering little but a peppering of snow over the holiday season. If that were not enough, his father, Dr. Alex Cross, is facing assault charges for a recent arrest that left a suspect in a coma after a fall. While the Cross family remains strong, Ali cannot help but wonder if he needs to do more to help the situation. He enlists the help of his father, as well as his step-mother, Bree Stone, to get some answers and to help fill in some of the blanks around Gabe’s location. Then, it’s time to enter the world of the tween, where social media and gaming takes over, allowing Ali to discover some new and disturbing clues that could help him with his search. As Alex is distracted with his own worries, young Ali takes a gamble or two to save his friend. Problem is, like his father, Ali sometimes forgets to put his safety first, which could have dire consequences. When Ali is able to reach Gabe through a video game they enjoy, this only leads to more complications and places both boys in a heap of trouble. A stellar piece by Patterson that will surely loop in a new generation of Cross fans, with a story that is equally appealing to those who have long enjoyed anything with CROSS in the title. Recommended for young and not so youthful readers looking for a great mystery, as well as Alex Cross fans who want a dose of something a little less intense. Dear God,” I said, and everyone went still. Most of the congregation bowed their heads. “I know you know where Gabriel Qualls is. And I know you probably have a plan for him, just like you do for anyone else. I don’t want to ask too much, but if you’re listening, please watch out for Gabe tonight. Please help bring him home again soon. And, um … I guess that’s all. In Jesus’s name, amen.” When I looked at the words on that paper, it was like they didn’t mean much. Not compared to being alone out there on the street, or kidnapped, or whatever else Gabe might have been going through.This is a fast paced book that I could not put down. Before I knew it it was 5:00 am. I love how we see this young man grow. He still has the drive and curiosity but he is also a deep thinker. The main topic of the book is a current event that’s also an important social issue. The role of the police in society is debated, both figuratively and literally. The catalyst this time involves the shooting of a gang member by a policeman trying to stop a shootout between opposing gangs. The boy isn’t seriously hurt but it ignites deep feelings by people with conflicting thoughts. One side thinks the police are murderers and that their excessive use of force is a threat to citizens. The other view thinks the police are honest and caring and they’re trying to do their best in difficult situations. The author effectively shares ideas from both sides in an intriguing tale about a real-life problem. With a detective for a dad and knowing other officers, Ali struggles with all of the anger against the police force, but he knows the community is right too, in many situations. I didn’t know if this was going to help, but I figured it couldn’t hurt. How often do you get the chance to send four hundred prayers someone’s way, all at once? My voice was kind of shaky, but I just kept talking. That was it. Then he’d turned east on E Street and started walking home. I’d turned west and done the same. I didn’t even think about it. Why would I? Who ever thinks, “maybe that’s the last time I’ll ever see my friend”?

Ali Cross (Ali Cross, 1) by James Patterson | Goodreads

Like I also should have just read the prayer anyway and gotten it over with like I was supposed to. But I couldn’t.

So I’ll see you tonight at seven,” I’d said. The plan was to get online with our usual crew and start a marathon session of Outpost, our favorite game. Nana Mama, Ali’s great-grandmother, is an admirable character living with Ali, his sister, his dad, and his stepmother. She steps up to calm a crowd of people who’ve collected outside the house to protest the police. She projects her voice with authority and manages to allay some of the tension. Ali has a habit of sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night and he feels like Nana Mama always knows what he’s doing. She never scolds him but offers thoughts to consider. She understands Ali’s behavior and worries and she does her best to lend support. She even lets him start dinner one evening even though it’s clear it will be a disaster. When I was working on this prayer, I thought a lot about the night Jesus was born, and how nobody wanted to make any room for him, and how he had to be born in a stable,” I said. “So now I’m wondering if maybe we could learn something from that. I’m hoping we can all make room for Gabe. Like in our hearts. And in our prayers.” But when Ali witnesses something terrible, he must grapple with some tough questions about what it means to be a detective, and a detective's son.

Ali Cross Book Review | Common Sense Media Ali Cross Book Review | Common Sense Media

Ali Cross has always looked up to his father, former detective and FBI agent Alex Cross. While solving some of the nation's most challenging crimes, his father always kept his head and did the right thing. Can Ali have the same strength and resolve? This third book in the Ali Cross series is not really a mystery novel. It still has some excitement, but most of this book focuses on the age-old debate about policing. Are the police abusing their powers, and if so, is it in epidemic proportions? I get that this is probably an important theme for a young adult audience to start thinking about, but this is meant to be a mystery series. I think less preaching, and more of a mystery, would be better. Ali has helped to solve two big cases and he knows he has what it takes to follow in the footsteps of his famous father, Alex Cross. This book differs from the previous two books and the title seems misleading. Ali isn’t actually solving any crimes as he’s caught up in tensions between the police and the public. The story itself is thought-provoking but it’s not what readers might expect when they start the book.Ali’s desire to become a much respected detective like his father (Alex Cross) still burns brightly inside him. His friend Gabe has developed an app that feeds into local police radio, sending texts and notifications to Ali at all times, day and night. This allows Ali to follow his passion as he and Gabe observe crimes in progress. I know this is usually a prayer for kids everywhere, but if it’s okay, I’d like to pray for just one kid tonight,” I said. “A lot of you know Gabriel Qualls. He’s in my grade at Washington Latin. He doesn’t really come to church, but the point is, he’s been missing for three days.” During a summer in coastal Maine, the kids of Spruce Point work to break a ghostly curse and save a family inn.

James Patterson – Books – Ali Cross

Now the Yang family was suing Dad and the police department for assault. Maybe also for murder, depending on whether Mr. Yang survived. I will be the first to admit that my relationship with James Patterson books is hit and miss. However, with Alex Cross, I can usually get something great from the esteemed author. This branch-off into the world of young readers has worked well, with a strong narrative and short chapters to hold their attention. Poignant topics and writing that would connect with the younger crowd, Patterson does all he can to keep things ‘real’ and on point. While i do not read all of Patterson’s series, for adult or younger readers, this is one well worth my time and can be of particular interest to Alex Cross fans who need something lighter and shorter. I will keep my eyes peeled for more and nudge this series towards Neo soon! Ali Cross is the new series for readers 9+ by James Patterson, one of the world’s most popular authors. It’s supposed to be a big deal to get chosen for the children’s prayer at my church, especially on Christmas Eve. I guess you could say it was an honor. But my mind was like mush that night, and I was wishing they’d tapped someone else.

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My stepmom, Bree, grabbed my hand. I took my great-grandma, Nana Mama, by the arm on the other side. I wanted these people out of my face. I wished I had some kind of flashbang on me, the kind they use for police raids. Not to hurt anyone, but just loud and disorienting enough to make these reporters wish they’d all stayed home on Christmas Eve. There are many gangs in their area and tensions are high between them and the police. This tension steps up a notch when a gang member is shot by an officer.