BOOK REVIEW: Ali Cross, The Secret Detective, by James Patterson. Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Book Group, 2022. Genre: Mid-Grade novel
Read and reviewed by Jane Mack, January 2023.
Ali Cross, the Secret Detective is a mid-grade novel featuring the main character, a boy named Ali Cross. It is not a mystery, despite having the word “detective” in the title. It’s more middle-school boy experiences novel with modern issues.
Brief Summary—what it’s all about
Ali confronts the hardships of being the son of a police officer in a troubled neighborhood. As one old guy observes, “Bad stuff is always going on around here…Nobody can stop it.” Ali knows this, too, because he sneaks out of the house to watch what’s happening whenever his rigged police scanner goes off! That’s the detective side of him.
When a police officer shoots (but doesn’t kill) an offender in the midst of a drug bust, the issue of police violence reaches a peak. It’s not bad enough that he worries about his dad, who was present at the time. Ali finds himself lined up to debate Sienna, a smart girl upon whom he has an enormous crush.
Told in first person narrative, we feel Ali’s range of emotions from excitement to confusion to fear to joy to desire and determination.
Pros and Cons!
The novel is written by James Patterson, a consummate storyteller. You can expect expert pacing, stellar word choice, and well-developed characters. Patterson delivers a tantalizing glimpse into the life a middle school boy in a specific situation. Comments on American life are filtered through Ali’s lens. There is no heavy message. No preaching. No offensive language or sentiment. Violence happens mostly off the page. There are some feel-good moments and parental concerns handled appropriately. The world is ideal.
My only real objection is the title, because of the use of the word “detective” I was expecting a mystery. There are none. Instead, we hear of police reports, see some situations unfold, and join in to the extent that Ali does, but there is nothing to be solved where the reader goes along for the intellectual challenge.
Accepting that this is NOT a mystery, the story is otherwise totally enjoyable and an interesting read, especially appropriate for its target audience of middle-school students.
The Author
Just a bit more on James Patterson, because he is such an iconic writer. As the book jacket explains, Patterson has sold more than 400 million books worldwide. He holds the Guinness World Record for the most #1 New York Times bestsellers. And most impressively, he was awarded the 2019 national Humanities Medal.
If you want to start reading but don’t know where to look, check out some books by James Patterson!