Return of the Spider: An Alex Cross Thriller-James Patterson, author; Dion Graham and Fred Berman, narrators
When this thriller begins, Detectives Alex Cross and John Sampson are called to the site of one of their first investigations as fledgling investigators. Armed with a PHD in Psychology, Detective Cross was hired to enhance investigations with his ability to read into the personalities of the criminals and predict their behavior. At this farmhouse and in the area around it, evidence had been collected that lead to the arrest and conviction of Elias Diggs, the owner, and Harold Beech, his best friend. That was decades ago.
In the present, when they investigate the premises again, a secret room is discovered and further evidence and clues from the crimes committed decades ago, and attributed to Diggs and Beech, is uncovered. Bodies are found buried around the property. A journal that was written by Gary Soneji, alternately known as Gary Murphy, which reveals horrifying facts. After it is read, Cross and Sampson are faced with the reality of something they had done that shook them to their core.
As the journal is read, the reader is taken back in time to the early life of Alex Cross. He is married to his first wife Maria, not Bree. Maria is expecting their second child. Nana Mama is front and center and as charming as ever. Everyday, Cross and Sampson grow into their jobs. As newbies, they are subjected to a bit of harassment. Marie is a driving force in Alex’s life, always bucking him up. She, herself, works in social work in areas that put her in danger.
The book is a little confusing as the past and present often collide without clarity. If one has not read many of the Cross books, it will be difficult to understand who Gary Soneji is. The serial killer has a demonic mind that carefully plots his barbaric murders.
In the end, was justice served? Will it be served in the present? How does one ever justify injustice and rectify it? Is it even possible? This is supposed to be a prequel to the “Along Came a Spider”, but it is not well defined until the end when explanations are provided. It also contains a lot of horrifying violence and unnecessary dialogue. It would be better to familiarize oneself with prior books before the prequel is attempted.