57 pages • 1 hour read
James PattersonAli Cross
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2019A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Literary Context: Son of Alex Cross
In the Ali Cross mystery series, the protagonist’s father is Alex Cross, a PhD psychologist who works for the Washington DC police department. Alex is a profiler who helps solve crimes by developing a psychological model of the perpetrator. Alex’s cases usually involve extremely dangerous serial killers. Ali admires his father and wants to follow in his footsteps. The first book in the Ali Cross series presents the boy with a mystery he feels compelled to solve, the disappearance of his best friend, Gabe Qualls. Dr. Cross lends a hand.
Father and son are African American. Some critics have questioned the books because author James Patterson is white. Patterson defends his fictional protagonists: “I grew up in a small town that was heavily Black; I had a lot of Black kids as my friends” (Allfree, Claire. “James Patterson: ‘Am I entitled to write a Black character? Sure!’“ Gulf News, 15 Dec. 2021). Some Alex Cross books have been adapted for film. When producers first expressed interest, they wanted to change Cross to a white man, but Patterson refused (Shaw, AR. “James Patterson on Tyler Perry: ‘Hollywood Wanted to Change Alex Cross to a White Guy.’” RollingOut, 15 Oct. 1912).
Patterson contributes extensively to library and literacy programs; his “Patterson Pledge” charity annually sends money to school libraries across the US (“James Patterson donating $2 million to classroom libraries.” Associated Press, 19 March 2018). As the first book in a mystery series for young readers, Ali Cross parlays the popularity of the Alex Cross books, which have sold more than 100 million copies, to engage kids who might not otherwise pick up a book. Ali Cross also adds a fictional hero to a community often under-served in the literary world.
Authorial Context: James Patterson’s Writing Style
Patterson has written or co-written nearly 300 books, and more than 100 have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list (McLoughlin, Danny. “James Patterson book sales statistics.” WordRated, 21 Oct. 2022). His work writing TV commercials at the J. Walter Thompson ad agency taught him to “focus on what his audience wants.” For most of his books, Patterson creates a detailed outline, and a co-author, often a noted mystery writer, fills it in (Schleier, Curt. “James Patterson’s Ultimate Story: How He Sold 400 Million Books.” Investor’s Business Daily, 12 Oct. 2022). Both authors then contribute rewrites. However, the Alex Cross and Ali Cross series are credited solely to Patterson.
His writing style is conversational and fast-moving. He writes short, plot-focused chapters—Ali Cross contains 49. Though his books are popular, many critics lambast them. Patterson admits that his books aren’t literary masterpieces but simply strong stories designed to pull readers along: “Look, this is commercial fiction. It’s a little different from really serious literature” (Schuker, Lauren AE. “James Patterson Explains Why His Books Sell Like Crazy.” The Wall Street Journal, 30 Mar. 2012).
The Alex Cross and Ali Cross series don’t win awards, but they’re popular, well-constructed, and easy to read. Patterson’s purpose in writing them is to encourage reading and create heroic role models for a community often ignored by publishers. He leaves literary achievement to others.
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