Roses Are Red

Warning, if you have not read this book, I do reveal part of the ending.

I have just finished "Roses Are Red" by James Patterson. I enjoy thrillers and this one was thrilling and disturbing. The chase took many twists and turns and twice over you think they have caught a merciless killer, only to find out the captured person was part of the conspiracy but not the Mastermind (which is in fact the name of the kingpin of the operation).

The ending was a complete surprise to me and a letdown since the bad guy did not get caught. That is usually the satisfying end to a thriller. I was quite disappointed and righteously angry. I hope he gets taken down in a sequel. Or perhaps there is a sequel out that I have not seen yet.

However I enjoyed the cleverness of the chase and the frustration felt by the police and FBI agents as they struggled to figure out who the Mastermind was. I felt outraged by the Mastermind's cold-blooded killings of families and children though his murders of the killers who did his bidding brought some satisfaction. His main character, Alex Cross, is a well-drawn and well rounded character as is his family.

I recommend it but with a reservation, if you must see justice done, pick another book.