# The Alex Cross Books **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2008, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alex-cross-books/465934 "2008-09-30T22:54:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cardsfan1975](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cardsfan1975](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cardsfan1975)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alex-cross-books/465934/1 "2008-09-30T22:54:08Z")
Can the Alex Cross books be enjoyed just as much if read out of order as they are if they are read in order? I have to go on a trip to New Jersey for a week in October, so my wife got the following Alex Cross books: Cat & Mouse Roses Are Red Mary, Mary Cross Do the books refer back to previous books in the series, or can they stand alone? Thanks! cf’75 ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alex-cross-books/465934/2 "2008-09-30T23:00:53Z")
The only one I read was _Kiss the Girls_, which did refer to the first one, _Along Came a Spider_ (currently propping up the air conditioner in my window, unread), but not in a way that would confuse you if you hadn’t read it. e: the “propping up my air conditioner” comment isn’t a reflection on the quality of the books. It was just the closest book that was the right size for the job. They’re pretty decent light reads, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alex-cross-books/465934/3 "2008-09-30T23:02:05Z")
I just finished reading _Cat & Mouse_ and it does refer to previous books (especially _Along came a spider_ and _Jack & Jill_, specifically the first and the third book of the serie), and although I’m not there yet, I’m pretty sure that _Roses are red_ is the first part of a two parter (the second one being _Violets are blue_). ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alex-cross-books/465934/4 "2008-10-01T07:12:44Z")
I have read a couple of them, out of order (don’t remember which), and had no trouble following them. If anything, series like these just make me want to read more - I don’t mind “back-filling” the character details so much if the writing is good. I recall liking the books, just never got around to reading more. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alex-cross-books/465934/5 "2008-10-01T12:46:00Z")
You’ll be fine reading them in any order, there’s small things that crop up from time to time but not enough to spoil anything. Just avoid the 9th one in the series, Big Bad Wolf. It’s the worst book ever commited to print. No, that’s not true, Clive Barker’s Great and Secret Show holds that mark but still, do not read Big Bad Wolf ever. It’s the only book I’ve ever thrown away. ---
**Author:** ![cardsfan1975](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cardsfan1975](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cardsfan1975)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alex-cross-books/465934/6 "2008-10-01T22:18:51Z")
Okay cool. Thanks for the input. 🙂 cf’75 ---
**Author:** ![Dublin11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dublin11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dublin11)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alex-cross-books/465934/7 "2008-10-01T22:29:22Z")
I’ve read a lot of those books and it wasn’t till I finished the one called “Cross” this week, that I found out anything at all about Maria’s murder. That book was only written in 2006, so I presume Mr Patterson doesn’t mind which order we read them in, either.