Violets Are Blue

This fast moving story kept me turning the pages with one catastrophe after another. Around the country he went chasing one macabre crime scene after another. Who was real and who was not. You'll have to find out. Judy Coffel

Great service! My Nook broke in the middle of reading this book. So bummed! You got the paperback to me SO fast!! Thank you so much!!

Couldn't put it down. Read everyday. Didn't know who the killer was till the end. Will read on to the next figuring word

If you read "Roses Are Red", then you know that the last page of it tells you who "The Mastermind" really is. It was a cliffhanger, and I hate those, but you couldn't deny it was a good novel. "Violets Are Blue" literally picks up seconds after the other novel's end, and goes for a good ride from that point on. The beginning is gripping, and the end is by far one of the best Patterson has ever written. The middle is the problem. For one thing, The Mastermind's identity isn't "revealed" in this one until the last quarter of the book - even though it was clearly stated in the last one - so you are supposed to act surprised at the revelation (I guess if you didn't read the other book, it would be a surprise). For another thing, the vampire/S&M storyline just gets too graphic for no reason. The sex/murder scenes just are more than we need to know. Some of the best parts of the book are at the beginning when the couple is found murdered and you try to figure what happened. When we stand bedside while people are graphically killed, the imagination doesn't have to go anywhere - so I feel some of the middle is too over-the-top. However, I have to say that the last quarter of the book (after the vampire storyline is over) is the best. When it's just Alex Cross versus The Mastermind, it's incredible work! Characters from all the previous novels get cameos or mentions (including a cameo from one of the better female characters in the series - Kate McTiernan). As the Mastermind goes after those in Cross' life to kill them while Cross tries to stop him, it's stuff that you can't put down. You'll be reading this one late into the night, that's for sure. Unfortunately, within the first few pages you can easily tell where this will all end up and what Cross' next life-move will be, but it still makes for a good story. Almost 5 stars, but the vampire killings are just too bloody graphic for my taste.

Great again. Definitely couldn't put this book down. Read whole book in one day. live this series. Ill keep reading.

The vampire crimes with a tiger were a bit “out there”. I read this to find out how Kyle Craig got caught.

Bought for my husband who loves to read James Patterson! Finished in a couple days kept up at night reading …

My package arrived in good condition. I bought for my Aunt. I’ve read the whole series up to date. The first 12 books are on my tablet so I purchased them in book form so she can have them all in book form and take her time with reading them.

After the let down at the end of "Roses are Red", I swore that I would not move on to "Violets are Blue", however, I relented and took the plunge. The story starts out with a tale about vampires and I fail to see what purpose it served. Then the old adversary, the Mastermind reappears. He goads Alex Cross throughout the entire book and I kept expecting him to be behind the vampire saga. Quite frankly I cannot make my mind up as to whether he was or not. I felt sure he was the Sire - the leader of the vampires. It occurred to me that the real villain was actually with Alex Cross whilst he was talking to the Mastermind on the phone. This must have occurred to Mr Patterson as he explains it away in two short lines by saying that the Mastermind's messages were actually recorded in advance. But that is not possible because Cross was actually having conversations with the Mastermind and getting sensible responses.The Mastermind is exposed close to the end of the book when the vampires are pitifully disposed of - not by stakes through the heart - and yet again, we rush to the end of the book which is a big disappointment.As per usual Alex Cross's love life is a mess but deep down all he is looking for is a stepmother to his kids. His attitude is entirely wrong....and this guy is supposed to be a doctor of psychology. The Mastermind managed to evade every police force in America and the FBI to boot. My, was he clever! The ending is weak and contrived and as disappointing as can be.My feelings throughout were that Mr Patterson had forgotten what he had written in "Roses are Red" and had to make a few rapid adjustments to compensate. The entire Mastermind saga should have been terminated in the first novel instead of leaving us with that appalling cliffhangar. Then he could have moved on to his next novel with his vampires, if that was what took his fancy and put in a bit more effort in giving us a satisfactory conclusion to that problem. How did his girlfriend manage to avoid been butchered like all the other victims?Overall, it was a good enough read but was rather thrown together and disorganised. I hope the author has not reached the stage where he thinks he is beyond reproach and that every word he writes will sell. Personally I am ending my relationship with this writer. There are many better around.

Excellent book. Captures you in the story like the previous 6 books. A little gruesome in places with the descriptions but still as good as as the rest. Four blind mice I have high expectations.

A convoluted tale with a strange but viable ending. Beautifully paced and exciting but also quite irritating. My least favorite so far. Not sure about reading anymore.

I'm a newbie to James Paterson and I have to say I am totally hooked. I've read his first 7 Alex Cross books in the last couple of months and can't get enough of them. Thank you

In general for the first four parts, our hero is lost and isn't the Alex Cross we have known (too many ghosts?), It was 5 stars up to there. The last part was too quick. If you read Roses then you know who the Mastermind is and I think this was handled well for the first four parts but the last part "Violets ...", there seemed to be no thought as if Patterson had got bored with this series and suddenly terminates with no suspense (therfore I had to knock off 2 stars), he could have extended the story either to another 100 pages or even another volume. Still for Alex Cross fans, this is an indespensible volume in the series so don't be put off. I read from cover to cover in one sitting (no sleep) and it is by no means boring. Final word is that I hope that the Murder Club series (1st to die) doesn't go in the same direction.