Overview
In Boston, a young woman finds herself pregnant--even though she is still a virgin.In Ireland, another young woman discovers she is in the same impossible condition.
And in cities all around the world, medical authorities are overwhelmed by epidemics, droughts, famines, floods, and worse. It all feels like a sign that something awful is coming.
Anne Fitzgerald, a former nun turned private investigator, is hired by the Archdiocese of Boston to investigate the immaculate conceptions. Even as she comes to care about and trust the young women, she realizes that both are in great danger. Terrifying forces of light and darkness are gathering. Stepping into uncharted territory where the unknown is just the beginning, Anne must discover the truth--to save the young women, to save herself, and to protect the future of all mankind.
Originally published in 1980 as Virgin. The author's revised version was published in 2000 as Cradle and All.
Synopsis
Anne Fitzgerald, a former nun turned private detective, is asked by the Archdiocese of Boston to investigate the strange case of two pregnant teenagers who, according to a secret religious prophecy, are destined to deliver both an unspeakable evil and a miraculous force into the world. Caught between the certainty of science and the possibility of a miracle, Anne finds herself at the epicenter of a cosmic clash between good and evil. This novel is bestselling author James Patterson's latest "nursery rhyme'' thriller, a series that has included such prestigious titles as Along Came a Spider, Kiss the Girls, and When the Wind Blows.
Barnes & Noble Guide to New Fiction
From #1 best-selling author Patterson, this "surprisingly good," "heart-pounding and fast-paced" suspense story (lacking his beloved Alex Ross character) tells of the clash between good and evil at the end of the millennium with "an unforgettable ending." "No serial killers anywhere!" Dissenting reviewers said, "I was transported to a better book on my nightstand." "Patterson struck out with this one - a disappointment for his followers."
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
Our ReviewThe Cradle Will Fall
James Patterson, bestselling author of Pop Goes the Weasel, Along Came A Spider, and Kiss the Girls, returns with Cradle and All, a re-edited version of an older book, Virgin. Somewhere between the gritty psychological works of John Sandford and Thomas Harris, Patterson has firmly wedged himself among the world's bestselling thriller writers and has mined an area of suspense that is all his own. In Cradle and All, Patterson leaves the world of serial killers behind once more and enters into the realm of dark fantasy and outright horror, bringing his own masterful touch to an allegorical story pitting good against the darkest evil.
In 1917, at the French shrine of Lourdes, three children witness a vision of the Virgin Mary and are given a divine message. Two girls are destined to become pregnant though immaculate conception, one bearing the Messiah and the other giving birth to the Antichrist. Former nun and ex-cop-turned-Boston P.I. Anne Fitzgerald is hired by the Archdiocese to investigate the apparent virgin pregnancies of two teenage girls. Kathleen Beavier is a rich, spoiled Boston brat who hears voices and feels herself constantly being watched. After attempting to get an abortion at a seedy clinic, Kathleen discovers the mutilated corpse of her doctor -- but was he killed by malignant forces or by so-called good ones to keep from harming the Messiah? Her counterpart is 14-year-old Colleen Deirdre Galagher, a chaste and charming girl who attends a Catholic boarding school in rural Ireland and who must suffer the sneers of her fellow students as well as those of her pious teachers.
As the pope lies dying from a mysterious virus, Father Nicholas Rosetti, an "expert on miracles," suffers from a mysterious attack in Rome before being sent by the Vatican to keep an eye on Colleen. Fitzgerald's own murky past comes to light when she is reunited with Father Justin O'Carroll, the priest she fell in love with and eventually left the order over. Soon the fulfillment of various biblical apocalyptic prophecies begins to take place, including famine, floods, and plagues that sweep across the planet. As occult forces gather to stop them, Fitzgerald and Fathers O'Carroll and Rosetti race to discover which child is the savior and which one may very well doom all of humanity.
The Catholic flavoring of Cradle and All adds another level of intrigue to the novel, giving us a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the Vatican's active attempt to save the world. Patterson knows how to stretch out his suspense factor with incredibly short chapters and increasingly taut plot elements. The author's writing is clear and controlled, distinct without being so stylish that his voice impedes or hampers the narrative. His attention to the smallest details of characterization add credibility both to our protagonists and to our villains despite the supernatural events swirling around them throughout the novel.
The plot flies by with such speed that you'll suffer from friction burns from turning the pages so quickly. Once again, Patterson proves that he's more than capable of turning in a highly readable, cunningly crafted novel that transcends both the mystery and horror genres. Cradle and All is an intense, action-packed, and thought-provoking meditation on the clash between light and dark that will leave the reader moved, disturbed, and delightfully thrilled.
—Tom Piccirilli