My first epinion since the passing of Epinions great ... Hard_to_Please aka Mark, and since the terrorist attacks on September 11th. I was gone, just needed some time away.  
 
Ready???  
 
Thanksgiving dinner, my older sister Colleen tells me the new James Patterson book featuring my beloved Dr. Detective Alex Cross came out Tuesday. I had no idea!!! The next day, BLACK FRIDAY!!!, I, being the brave, adventurous, and loopy chick that I am, ran to the mall!!!!!!!! I bought a few gifts, and one for myself, which kinda seems selfish, it being the season of GIVING!. However, I rationalized! Yes, I sooo wanted to read "Violets are Blue, but it's really NOT just for me, both of my sisters want to read it too! Therefore, it's not selfish, because it wasn't JUST for me...but the three of us :)  
 
...and on to the review....  
Violets are Blue, the James Patterson novel is like many of his others starring the infamous Alex Cross. Many previous characters from prior books show up again. Patterson, does not expect you to know who they are, so he gives background on each, so you aren't lost, if this is the first book of his that you happen to pick up. ---woohooo Flyers just scored---- oops, sorry, I'm watching tv.--  
 
Alex Cross whom is a Washington D.C. homicide detective and psychologist, and is also a liaison with the FBI, is being called in again, by High ranking FBI guy, and friend, Kyle Craig. This time around, the dead are hung upside down, drained of most of their blood, bitten, and bitten, and bitten again. People are dying, all over from these killers. The case takes Alex to California where he meets San Fransisco Inspector Jamilla Hughs, where he learns of the Vampire theory, where he researches, and talks to so called REAL Vampires. Alex is of course skeptical, I mean, come on, VAMPIRES???? Patterson doesn't expect you to believe in Vampires, but you will believe in those that want to be vampires, and live their lives impersonating the dark, fanged, murderous creatures.  
 
As if trying to find the killers of these brutal blood draining attacks weren't enough, Alex is being stalked, via cell phone by a man that calls himself the MASTERMIND. The Mastermind threatens Alex, and his family (his grandmother "nana-mamma", his three children, Damon, Jannie, and lil Alex), and everyone he loves. The Mastermind taunts him, and he is always One Step Ahead. He knows where Alex is at every moment, and He wants Alex dead!  
 
When you first open the book, reading the Prologue, it grips you, right then, right there, so early on, you have no choice but to read, quickly, with anticipation, knowing in your heart that Alex has to be triumphant!, doesn't he?  
I was trying to find clues, in the text I was reading, the scenes I created in my head from the words Patterson wrote, I too was a detective, a profiler, a psychologist, a puzzle solver of sorts. Who is the Mastermind? Where are the bloodsucking killers, how do I stop them.  
 
As with Patterson's previous books, there isn't any graphic sex, or much foul language. It may not even be something the normal person would even pick up.  
 
Patterson's gift to the public,his fans, us readers, is his consistent, mind boggling, adrenaline pumping, realistic novels of the chase of a madman, or madmen, blood, murders, cases to be solved.  
 
-Note- If you have never read a Patterson book featuring Doctor Detective Alex Cross, but have seen one or both of the movies, "Kiss the Girls", and/or "Along Came a Spider". Please, dismiss them. READ the books, read this book. Because as you and I know 99% of the time the movies are never as good as the books that they are adapted from.  
 
 
 
READ IT, READ IT, READ IT, READ IT, READ IT, READ IT...(annoying, aren't I?) :)  
 
PEACE  
