Merry Christmas, Alex Cross
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | November 12, 2012 |
| Founder | James Patterson |
| Products | Book |
Merry Christmas, Alex Cross represents the nineteenth entry in the Alex Cross series. On Christmas Eve, Detective Alex Cross is summoned to manage a rapidly intensifying hostage situation. Published on November 12, 2012, the novel garnered favorable critiques and reached #2 on the New York Times and #3 on the USA Today bestseller charts, reflecting moderate commercial performance.
Summary
During Christmas Eve, Alex Cross investigates a theft involving the church’s donation box. Shortly after, while celebrating the holidays with Nana, Bree, and his children, he is drawn into a perilous hostage event by an urgent phone call. Despite the significance of the day, Alex must leave his family behind to apply his expertise in rescuing another family in distress. The antagonist Hala, who appeared in the preceding novel, resurfaces as the primary adversary.
Characters
- Alex Cross, lead protagonist of the series
- John Sampson, Alex’s closest friend and fellow detective
- Bree Cross, Alex’s spouse
- Nana Mama, matriarch of the Cross family and Alex’s caretaker
- Fowler, the individual responsible for the hostage crisis disrupting Alex’s holiday
Sequels
Following Merry Christmas, Alex Cross are Alex Cross, Run (hardcover released February 18, 2013; paperback on July 30, 2013) and Cross My Heart (hardcover and audio versions released November 25, 2013).
Release
This nineteenth book in the series was officially published on November 12, 2012, with certain international editions appearing as early as late 2011. The initial eighteen chapters were accessible on various platforms including JamesPatterson.com. A paperback version was projected for release in 2014.
Additional notes
Serving as a direct continuation of Kill Alex Cross, this novel revisits the character Hala while introducing fresh characters and plot developments. Despite some criticism directed at its predecessor, it maintained considerable interest among devoted readers and received generally positive feedback. The subsequent novel, Alex Cross, Run, initially slated for September 2013 publication, was brought forward to February 18, 2013, as announced by author James Patterson on his official website alongside early chapter previews.
Critical reception
Critics offered mixed to positive evaluations of the book; some pointed out its relatively brief length of 101 pages in paperback format. One review commented, "Good book, but for no precise villain, it still has potential." The New York Times lauded it as "one of the best Christmas books ever," emphasizing its narrative improvement over its predecessor. James Astrect stated, "I hated Kill Alex Cross, but Merry Christmas was astonishing ... I could not stop reading."
Merry Christmas, Alex Cross maintained a presence on the New York Times Bestseller List for multiple weeks, contending with popular titles such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel and The Mark of Athena for leading positions.