The Family Cross

by James Patterson

Part of Alex Cross, book 36

First published 2026

Alex Cross straps on his service weapon each morning as Nana Mama watches with worry. The brilliant psychologist hunts killers for the FBI and DC Metro Police, but to his beloved grandmother, he remains the boy she raised. She asks him to be safe. He promises her every day. Washington DC hides an unseen underworld where violence thrives and rules cease to matter. Police avoid these places entirely. This time Cross steps directly into that darkness. Each decision drags him deeper into the shadows. The case threatens to break the daily promise he makes to Nana Mama. Everything Cross holds dear hangs in the balance as he navigates a world where his expertise may not be enough to protect what matters most.

Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, action

Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family

Setting: Washington DC

Period: 21st-century

Hardcover · Little, Brown

Content warnings: violence

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