Cross and Sampson (Alex Cross #35)-James Patterson and Brian Sitts, authors
Cross and Sampson are a team of investigators working for the FBI. When a professor from Chapel Hill calls Alex and Brie Cross about his son’s disappearance, they vow to search for him together. Apparently, Damon Cross has not attended class, and even his girlfriend Melissa has no idea where he is and is worried.
Meanwhile, a White Supremacist has been invited to the campus of this University of North Carolina. Damon, his girlfriend Melissa, and some of their friends have been engaged in a protest against the speaker. Has Damon somehow gotten involved with or been harmed by those supporting Jackson Thorne and The Young Freedom Fighters who are radicals and racists? Are any professors involved in this activism? Are they promoting, shielding or protesting the troublemakers?
When bombs suddenly begin to go off in Washington DC, terrorism is suspected and John Sampson cannot help Brie and Alex search for Damon, so they go to North Carolina alone. Soon, Brie is also called back to DC to investigate the series of bombings. They are sophisticated attacks using weapons very difficult to attain. C4 explosives have been used. It is therefore surmised that it has to be a professional, perhaps a veteran suffering from PTSD who is behind the bombings, perhaps someone who has been trained in the use and handling of explosives. Soon fingers point in one direction only, but is this person, Aiden Phillips, an expert bomb-maker guilty, or is he being framed? Is the government covering up their own actions? Can Damon’s disappearance be somehow related to the bombs going off in Washington DC?
The book introduces many ideas, and most are coming from the vantage point of a left-wing philosophy. Terrorism, white supremacy, racism, government corruption, a justice system that leaves a lot to be desired, and even a grown man obsessed with the Confederacy are involved in the investigations. It covers these ideas especially through the lens of the Cross and Sampson families. Their experiences are unique to the problems.
There are times when the novel feels contrived for the purpose of indoctrinating the reader to liberal ideas because of some subjects that seem to be randomly introduced. The color of the characters is pointed out, the history of slavery is featured, the support of the NRA is presented negatively, a speaker is chosen that is specifically a white supremacist fanatic, white privilege is suggested, and even January 6th is implied as an insurrection, not a march for election integrity, etc. The dialogue is sometimes a bit corny or overly sentimental, and is often repetitive. Still, the point of the book is that justice is at stake and Cross and Sampson are dedicated to seeing it is served.
There are many deadly forces at play in this novel, most of which are caused by the deranged or the fanatic. Contrast that with the family and home life of Alex Cross which seems to border on fairy tale in its treatment of problems and each other. If there is a perfect family, they are it.