Alex Cross's Washington, D.C.
James Patterson's detective series featuring Alex Cross is set in the hub of government and intrigue -- Washington, D.C. I've lived in the area for nearly 10 years, and the most anyone ever sees of the city is The National Mall and the Smithsonian museums. Alex Cross sees the underbelly of city as a cop, but he also enjoys his community near his home on 5th St. SE. His kids have attended the Sojourner Truth School, and he volunteers at St. Anthony's Soup Kitchen, which I believe is mirrored on a number of soup kitchens in the area.
When multiple homicides occur, Cross often is briefed at the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in the Henry J. Daly Building, which was named after Sgt. Henry "Hank" Daly. He also often runs into the FBI at Quantico and elsewhere. Cross has crisscrossed the United States a number of times, but now he's even traversed the ocean.
In Cross Country, Cross leaves his home base to catch a serial killer in Lagos, Nigeria the hub of corruption and crime. Information is traded for American dollars or other currency in market stalls. Meanwhile, a corridor exists between Nigeria and Sierra Leone where diamonds are traded for oil and gas -- at least in Cross's world. Check out the Getty Image below of Lagos.
After reading a number of these novels, I think Washington, D.C., is an excellent location to have as a home base. The city has a high crime rate and is the home of espionage and more, but in Cross Country, Cross experiences a few African nations that are even more horrifying and lawless.
I'm going to leave you with a little interview from James Patterson, and you can look forward to my review of Cross Country tomorrow. Also, check out the other bloggers for Detectives Around the World Week.
*** Don't forget about the next stops on the National Poetry Month Blog tour at KCBooks and Author Amok.