When Los Angeles Times editor Arnold Griner receives the first horrifying letter from "Mary Smith" detailing the grisly shooting and slashing of a prominent Hollywood actress and mother, former FBI agent Alex Cross is called away from his first family vacation in years to profile the serial murderer before she (or he) chooses the next victims.

In the middle of the investigation, Cross travels to Seattle from Washington, D.C., for the custody hearing of his youngest son, Alex Jr. His ex-wife's lawyer is more than content to drag his name and parenting skills through the mud. Will he get custody of little Ali? Will he even be able to get visitation from Christine? Will he find a connection between the murders of the Hollywood mothers? Why were their faces so brutally slashed? What's the meaning of the children's stickers at the crime scenes, emblazoned with A, A and B?

Fans of the 10 preceding Alex Cross novels will find this one riveting. Patterson delivers a series of surprises that are definitely unexpected. There's a bit of thriller, romance, horror and drama in this one. If you only read one book this month, make it MARY, MARY. You won't be disappointed.