THE story starts with Alex Cross and his family joining Americans from across the nation to mourn the unexpected death of the President of the United States.
While the country is still in mourning, news of the assassination of a prominent senator strikes another blow to the country.
Alex is then recruited to head the FBI investigation to find the killer. In the process, he tries to keep his wife, newly elevated chief of DC detectives Bree Stone, away from the action, but only for a short spell.
While Alex and his team are working to track down the killer, another series of events send the whole country into deep crisis. This includes the simultaneous shootings of the new President of the United States, the Vice President, the Secretary of Defence, and the US Treasury Secretary.
According to the US Constitution of succession, as those in line to become the President are all incapacitated, the next person after them is the Attorney General who is then sworn in immediately.
While the new president set about to rule the nation, another crisis looms – it is pointed out that the Senate pro-tempore is actually the rightful person to be president instead.
Meanwhile, Alex and the FBI believe the killings could be the work of some individuals or nations who might be an international threat to the United States. It’s no longer just a criminal they seek, but a country attempting to weaken America. And with nuclear weapons on hand, this could quickly escalate into an unimaginable war.
Patterson really piles up the action as Alex, Bree and the FBI together work tirelessly to solve the multiple murders, and also attempt to stop another killing. It’s a roller-coaster ride as the reader join them in chasing the killers, who are always a step ahead. The excitement continues unabated to a climactic ending.
An interesting read for those who want to ride the wave of international intrigue.
