The #1 kids' detective series of the decade! Ali
Cross is back in the gripping sequel to James Patterson's bestselling
mystery that introduced readers to detective Alex Cross's son.
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...
The story opens with Ali and his friends, Gabe, Sedgwick, Ruby, Matteo, and Zoey sneaking off to attend a music festival at a Washington DC park. Ali is strictly forbidden to go to this area alone, but, like many teens, he is pushing his restrictions to get his parents to look at him as older. Besides, he is crushing on Zoey, and does not want to appear wimpy in front of his friends.
After the group hit the food booths, Zoey runs off to get the venue passes from her mother, one of the singers. Within minutes, the kids hear a gunshot. They run to check on Zoey who is hurt. Ali believes he sees the shooter running away, but Zoey insists there wasn’t anyone near her. The police are called, Zoey is taken to the hospital, the kids get in trouble, Nana mama and Alex Cross ground Ali for life, (not really but he gets a long punishment without technology). Ali and friends are determined to find out what happened and why Zoey is so nervous.
This is a good little mystery. While written for middle schoolers I enjoyed the story and audio too. My 9th grade granddaughter listened with me and loved it. She could relate to the kids anxious for more privileges while their parents are reluctant to recognize they are growing up. Ali encounters the D.C. homeless community, which set off a long discussion between my granddaughter and me.
The story is reminiscent of the Nancy Drew / Hardy Boys mysteries that I loved. Ali is the primary investigator with his friends helping him investigate. Alex Cross makes an appearance too. This isn’t his case, but he does use his police connections to get and give information. There are good father-son moments and a little tension among Ali, his parents, friends, and police. It is entertaining.
The narrators, Zeno Robinson and Wayne Carr do an excellent job bringing the characters to life. According to my granddaughter, she loved this so much, she will listen to more audio books in the future. The performances made the story and the characters real. There is action, mystery, tension, and various family issues that move the story at a fast pace. The characters are relatable, and fun to read. We couldn’t stop listening. A great story. We both recommend this book (audio or print) to Alex Cross fans and their children. It is great read for summer commitments.
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