Patterson,
James. Mary, Mary. Little, Brown. Nov 2005. c.400p. ISBN 0-316-15976-X.
$27.95.
In Patterson’s 11th Alex Cross thriller (after London Bridges), the FBI
agent is asked to investigate a serial killer who targets women with two things
in common: they're all connected to Hollywood studios, and they're all the mothers
of young children. In each crime, the killer leaves behind three stickers with
the letters A, A, and B; shortly thereafter, a Los Angeles Times entertainment
columnist receives an email addressed to the victim with an explanation of how
she was stalked and murdered. A self-styled “Storyteller,” the killer
signs these gripping messages with the name “Mary Smith.” But is
the killer a man or a woman? And has the “story” spun out of control?
Complicating the investigation are Alex's own family problems: he’s about
to lose a custody battle over his youngest son, his other children are being
neglected, and his relationship with a female police inspector is at risk. Though
lacking the richness and complexity of other psychological thrillers, e.g., Dennis
Lehane's Shutter Island, Patterson's story, told in 121 brief chapters, flows
effortlessly and with mounting suspense to its final, shocking twist; a fascinating
psycho will captivate the author’s many fans. Recommended for popular fiction
collections.