Along Came A Spider

Dr. Alex Cross is at the beginning of Along Came A Spider Deputy Chief of Detectives of the Washington (D.C.) Police Department. His doctorate is in psychology, he plays piano, has two children and has been a widower for three years. He has lived with his grandmother, Nana Mama since he was eight years old. He is known as Peanut Butter Man by those who go to the soup kitchen at St. Anthony's Church where he helps two or three days a week.

Two students are kidnapped from the Washington Day School in Georgetown by their mild-mannered math teacher, Gary Swoneji or as the kids call him "Mr. Chips." Maggie Rose is the daughter of a movie actress and Shrimpie Goldberg, who is Maggie's best friend, and the son of the secretary of the treasury. This happens right after a family of three is brutally murdered in the projects of D.C. Gary wants to be noticed and get as much publicity as the kidnapper of the Lindbergh baby as he has killed over a hundred times. Shrimpie is found dead and an attempt by Dr. Cross to deliver a ransom goes wrong. Later, one of the teachers from the Day School is also murdered.

Can the psychologist outmaneuver the psychopath. Is Maggie Rose alive or dead? Will he be able to solve the murder of the black family?

I must admit that I saw the movie before I read this book.  The movie and the book are both very riveting.  My husband and I had to see the end of the movie before we were ready to go out.  The book held my attention also.  The movie did not spoil the ending of the book in any way.  In fact. I called my bookstore as soon as I could to see if they had the book.  It took me around a week to read the over 400 pages of the book. I gave it five stars in Goodreads.