2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss The Big Bad Wolf, the ninth book in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson.

Pages: 400 pages

Length: 1 month (August)

Participants: Beth, Dominique, Blagica, Cordelia

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Here are some questions to help get the conversation started! Feel free to look up discussion questions specific to this book or come up with your own. Just make sure any questions that contain spoilers are under spoiler tags.
Discussion questions are not required but may be a fun way to talk about the book and get to know each other!

Prior to starting:
What prompted you to join this buddy read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?

Mid-read:
What character or ideas do you relate to the most and why?
Do you have any favorite quotes or scenes?

After reading:
What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

Loved this book! Patterson is really a twisted man. 😅

The plot was well paced, the main characters continue interesting development, and the twists at the end were SO TWISTY! I literally just finished this one and can't wait for book 10!

I swear, with all the books on my TBR this month, I made this one my first priority. It's like eating dessert first!

I'm eager to hear others' thoughts about (view spoiler)[the Alex/Christine situation. Really, it's just a painful situation for everyone involved. Christine isn't the bad guy for wanting to raise Alex Jr. I didn't like the way multiple characters put her down. I am 100% on her side; she needed time to get her head on straight after everything she went through, and she could not have done that with an infant. The points that Christine's side raised were absolutely valid... Alex isn't around as much as he could/should be, his family has -- multiple times! -- been put in jeopardy because of his work, and it isn't the greatest situation to have Alex Jr's primary caregivers be an 82-year-old woman and two teenagers. Cross's who thing about "who, me? a lightning rod for danger? I work so hard and this is how I get treated?" Waaah waaah waaaah. The fact that he doesn't get that Christine has valid points is a major character flaw.

All that said, I do see Alex's side of the situation. The baby has been with him since the beginning. He does see himself as a present, doting father. He doesn't accept that he puts his family in danger with the cases he works.

The bottom line is... it's an ugly situation all around. It's so sad for Alex Jr to get taken from the only home he's known to a new home across the country. I could hear him crying all through chapter 117, and I was nearly in tears myself.

Apologies for the dissertation. Alex's whole attitude toward this rang such an off note for me!! (hide spoiler)]

Finished

(view spoiler)[ A messed up thriller! Actually buying people and do whatever you wanted with them was disgusting.

Mr Potter, a teacher, buying and killing them. Connelly actually selling his wife because he didn't want her anymore and acting like a worried husband. The Wolf, who the hell is he?

One good note: Sampson is going to be a dad!!

I can understand Christine wanting to have her son back. I think it's great that she feels better but that doesn't change the fact that she left. I feel that she should've made the attempt to move near them and slowly have her son live with her and see how that would work.

The accusations that she made was pretty cruel, it was ok for the time that she wasn't around that he was a cop and now it's not. Asking him about him having a girlfriend was uncalled for, they are not together anymore (her choice).

Yes Alex's job is a dangerous one, but he has a close knit family and would do anything for them.

No side is the correct one. (hide spoiler)]

Dominique, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts! (view spoiler)[Your idea that Christine could have moved back to DC to be near Alex Jr and gradually become a part of his life is absolutely brilliant. (hide spoiler)]