Ali Cross: Like Father, Like Son

by James Patterson

Overview

Alex Cross’s son Ali is an accomplished mystery-solver and #1 bestseller. A crime at a concert near his school sparks his newest investigation, and it gets dangerous fast. Sometimes it’s good to have a father in the detective business.
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Ali Cross just solved his first real case.

Alex Cross knows it's only a matter of time before his son finds his way into more trouble.

Neither of them expected Ali to get caught up in another case so quickly.

Ali and his friends were just hanging out in Anacostia Park . . . then they became witnesses to a crime.

Alex wants Ali to stay far away from the investigation. But Ali isn't going anywhere, not when his new friend Zoe is in trouble. It's up to Ali to figure out why she's lying to the police—and who she's protecting.

This is Ali's toughest case yet. As long as he trusts his Cross instincts, he may just have a shot at solving it . . .

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316500135
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	06/28/2021
Series:	Ali Cross Series , #2
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	11,404
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 5.40(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

James Patterson is the world's bestselling author. The creator of Max Einstein and Middle School, he founded JIMMY Patterson to publish books that young readers will love. He lives in Florida with his family.

Hometown:

Palm Beach, Florida

Date of Birth:

March 22, 1947

Place of Birth:

Newburgh, New York

Education:

B.A., Manhattan College, 1969; M.A., Vanderbilt University, 1971

Website:

http://www.jamespatterson.com

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Ali Cross: Like Father, Like Son:

“This one will fly off the shelves.”—Booklist

"A fitting, socially conscious sequel."—Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Ali Cross and bestselling author James Patterson:

"The prolific king of the beach read is back with an intergenerational mystery for the 9-to-12-year-old set."—Kirkus Reviews

"All Patterson's success stems from one simple root: his love of telling stories."—The Washington Post

"Patterson's fans...aren't just addicted to his books; they see him as a constant companion, a part of their lives."—The New York Times

"Patterson is in a class by himself."—Vanity Fair

"Young readers...will find much to like in this first installment. There are highlights in Ali's first case, such as creatively using an immersive video game environment the preteens are addicted to as a way to communicate."—Booklist

"This is a fresh look at the world of James Patterson's most famous protagonist."—School Library Journal

"Alex Cross is a legend."—Harlan Coben

From the Publisher

2021-06-01
Ali Cross sets out to solve another case that hits close to home.

Ali, son of Washington, D.C., detective Alex Cross, returns in a sequel to his 2019 outing that finds him in the thick of things when his crush, Zoe Knight, gets shot in a park. Middle schooler Ali is the closest thing there is to an eyewitness, though he didn’t even see the shooter’s face. Zoe knows who did it but strangely is keeping quiet. Still, Ali’s knack for investigation and his connection to Zoe propel him to pursue the case with the help of friends. Themes of activism, gun violence, and police bias are explored, with various complex sides to the issues being shared by different characters. Ali’s schoolmates become frustrated with the impact of gun violence on Black people and start demanding more accountability from the authorities. Meanwhile, Ali, the son of a homicide detective, finds himself in the middle of arguments about these topics while at times feeling his opinions are dismissed due to his father’s profession. Overall, this is a solid follow-up that shows Ali developing as a sleuth even as he’s a young boy trying to make sense of his world. Important messages regarding social justice are imparted, although the pacing sometimes feels rushed, taking away from the gravitas of certain moments. Overall, however, readers who enjoy stories of young detectives will be pleased. Ali and Zoe are Black.

A fitting, socially conscious sequel. (Mystery. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews