It has been quite a ride for James Patterson, who burst onto the literary scene 50 years ago and now sits atop the world as the best-selling author on the planet. In my opinion, none of his fame would have been possible without the connection he has made with readers thanks to his long-running series starring Washington, DC-based homicide detective Alex Cross and his partner, John Sampson.

"CROSS & SAMPSON is a constant reminder of the strength that Patterson wields with his writing, especially when presenting a story featuring his oldest and most beloved characters."

CROSS & SAMPSON, written with Brian Sitts, comes at a time when Alex Cross has never been more popular, as the second season of the critically acclaimed series “Cross” is currently streaming on Prime Video. In this latest entry, Cross and Sampson are working on two vastly different cases. Cross is in Chapel Hill, NC, where his oldest son, Damon, has gone missing. Meanwhile, Sampson is stuck in DC taking on a bomber whose first two apparently senseless attacks has left a slew of victims in the area.

The chapters alternate between the two cases, with each one presenting a great deal of suspense and mystery. Sampson is working with FBI agent Ned Mahoney, and they find themselves paired with Anna Rizzo, a bomb expert with a solid military background. Rizzo is a take-no-prisoners sort who immediately hits it off with Sampson. 

Cross and his girlfriend, Bree, dive directly into Damon’s case and start on his college campus. Damon is a vocal and well-respected young man who is apt to speak up whenever he sees something that he thinks is unjust. Could his disappearance have anything to do with the impending arrival of a controversial right-wing figure who represents the Young Freedom Fighters? Although they turn up nothing at Damon’s apartment, they run into a CIA agent who also is looking for Damon in connection with the campus's guest.

Cross and Bree locate Damon’s girlfriend, Melissa, who has been keeping a low profile and also is genuinely concerned about his absence. During a dinner at the local tavern, the windows are broken in by a hurled brick delivered by a white militia group, which is tied to the current uproar happening on campus. It will not be easy to find Damon amidst all this noise and activity, and their efforts are cut in half when Bree has to return to DC for her work as an investigator with the Bluestone Group. The one positive is that she can utilize other forms of detection from her desk to determine Damon’s whereabouts. She ends up discovering a case her firm is working on that may cross paths with his disappearance.

Meanwhile, Sampson and Rizzo face a second bombing attack near the Vietnam Memorial and step up their investigation considerably. They narrow things down to an ex-military man who might be on a rogue mission of unknown and dangerous purpose. Cross, who is working solo, learns that one of Damon’s primary professors and his teaching assistant are off campus and possibly overseas on a top-secret assignment that even the dean will not share. He will stop at nothing to get his son back safely.

CROSS & SAMPSON is a constant reminder of the strength that Patterson wields with his writing, especially when presenting a story featuring his oldest and most beloved characters. These dual situations raise the hackles on the back of one’s neck as the tension is squeezed a bit tighter with each passing chapter.