Merry Christmas, Alex Cross

Merry Christmas, Alex Cross is the 19th novel in the Alex Cross series. Detective Alex Cross is called out on Christmas Eve to deal with a hostage situation that has spiraled out of control. Released on November 12, 2012, the novel was well received by fans and critics alike. However, its commercial success was somewhat lukewarm in comparison to past installments, peaking at #2 and #3 on the New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists, respectively.

Summary

It's Christmas Eve and Alex Cross has been called out to catch someone who is robbing his church's poor box. That mission behind him, Alex returns to celebrate with Nana, Bree, and his children. The tree decorating is barely underway before his phone rings - a horrific hostage situation is spiraling out of control. Away from his family on the most precious of days, he must call upon every ounce of training, creativity, and daring to save another family. Alex risks everything - and may not make it to the most sacred of days. Hala, from the previous novel, will return as the main antagonist.

Plot

On Christmas Eve, Metro Police officer Alex Cross and his friend, John Sampson are at the local church awaiting for a thief who has been stealing from the church's poor box. The two catch the miscreant and take him to jail, while Sampson says that the thief better be singing "Silent Night". Later the night, Alex returns home to decorate the Christmas tree with his aging "90-something-year-old" grandmother, Nana Mama, his wife, Bree, children - Damon, Janelle, and (though adopted) Ava, while his third child, Alex Jr. "Ali" is at his mother's house since Alex and Ali's mother never married and broke up. Alex receives another call from Metro Police informing him that a man has taken his family hostage. Alex rushes over, much to Bree and Nana's annoyance. The man is a former lawyer who was fired and thus led to a life of crime. After several hours, Alex tricks the man (who is doing drugs while speaking to Alex and holding a gun pointed at the family) and his background history is explained: after a case in court regarding drugs, he withheld information and exculpatory evidence and his life started to get ruined from that point when he lost the case. At a Christmas party years earlier, he held a party for his family and friends when an old friend from Georgetown arrived dressed as Santa Claus.

The man's wife then fellated the friend when no one was around, which the man explains as "mommy was sucking Santa Claus". The man found out and also cheated on his wife in retaliation. However, soon after, he became abusive and started a life of crime to which his wife filed a divorce. The wife then married the man from Georgetown. The man wounds his wife's new husband, and becomes extremely upset. A trained sniper meant to kill the man then tries to kill the man, but Alex saves his life and tells him that he should have in court given the evidence and information to the court so as to save lives and still have a good reputation, which may have meant his relationship with his wife would still be good and not very strained as it is now.

Early Christmas Day, Bree and Nana worry over Alex if he shall come back home or not. Alex gets home to find Bree in bed, but is informed by former Hostage Rescue Team - and current FBI agent - member Ned Mahoney, one of Alex's oldest friends, that Hala, the main antagonist of the previous novel, who poisoned Washington's water supply was seen - though disguised - by a camera at Union Station. Alex rushes over to the station and Hala poisons a boy, kills three people, and goes into the air ducts. Meanwhile, her allies from "the family" attempt to locate a poisonous substance that can kill thousands. Hala does several things to disturb, distraught, injure, stop, and fight the police and civilians. Hala throws grenades at officers, but when Alex sends in police dogs because he knows that Hala has had a fear since childhood. She throws another grenade while fighting off the dogs, and is caught.

Alex and Mahoney ponder how to interrogate Hala who lawyers up and refuses to talk. Ned uses Skype to show Hala that if she does not explain what she was doing at Union Station her children and mother may be injured or even killed by the Saudi secret police. Hala at first does not cooperate, but upon being asked by her children why she does not love him, grudgingly and unwillingly tells Alex that the Family is trying to retrieve the substance to poison and kill millions of people in America. Alex knows Hala is not giving the entire truth to him and Ned, and figures out where her allies are as well as the substance.

Calling Sampson, Alex and Sampson locate the allies but initially mistake them for construction workers. Hala's compatriots try to kill the pair and manage to shoot Sampson, but Alex finds his gun clogged with snow, therefore meaning if he fires his gun, it will explode killing them all. Sampson awakens and kills the terrorists with his own gun. Later, Alex returns home after Christmas Day, and is upset he did not get to spend Christmas with his family. At a double date with Sampson and his wife, Billy, Alex and Bree start to dance with Bree questioning Alex if he is okay, to which he replies "of course, I'm dancing with the most beautiful and sexiest woman here tonight." Hala and her remaining allies are taken to prison, leaving Alex wondering about having "crossed the line" during the interrogation.

Characters

• Alex Cross, protagonist of the series
• John Sampson, Alex's best friend and fellow detective
• Bree Cross, Alex's new wife
• Nana Mama, matriarch of the Cross family and Alex's grandmother, who adopted him at the age of 13

Sequels

Merry Christmas, Alex Cross is followed by Alex Cross, Run and Cross My Heart. Alex Cross, Run was released February 18, 2013 in Hardcover while paperback edition was released July 30, 2013. Cross My Heart will be released initially in Hardcover on November 25, 2013.

Release

The book is the nineteenth novel of the series, and was be released on November 12, 2012. However, in some countries, the book was released in late 2011. The book's first 18 chapters can be read at multiple websites, including Patterson's own website: JamesPatterson.com.^[1] The paperback edition of Merry Christmas is expected to be released in 2014.

Additional notes

The book is a direct sequel to Kill Alex Cross, with a similar plot - featuring Hala from the previous installment - but does feature new characters, new elements, and a few other story lines. Subsequently, the book was released to mixed to positive reviews. Many fans were critical of the previous installment but nevertheless, mostly all "loyal" fans read the new "one." The book's sequel, Alex Cross, Run was initially set for a September 2013 release date. However, near the end of 2012 – in December – the book was set for a new release date. Its new release of February 18, 2013 was confirmed by author James Patterson at his own official website. The new book's first two chapters can be read at the official website. The first 20 chapters may be released at Patterson's web site as well.

Critical reception

The book has received mixed to positive reviews. Many have criticized its length - 101 pages in paperback. One review stated "Good book, but for no precise villain, it still has potential." The New York Times opined, "one of the best Christmas books ever! It definitely makes up for its overarching-storyline prequel." James Astrect said, "I'm gonna confess, I hated Kill Alex Cross, but Merry Christmas was astonishing . . . I could not stop reading."

Merry Christmas, Alex Cross remained on the New York Times Bestseller List for several weeks, with Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel and The Mark of Athena challenging it for #1.

References