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Cover of Roses Are Red by James PattersonRoses Are Red
Modern · Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Roses Are Red

by James Patterson
2000 · 412 pages · Fiction
61.5Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Detective Alex Cross pursues the most complex and brilliant killer he's ever faced, a mysterious criminal who calls himself the Mastermind, in a thriller that is both heart-pounding and romantic.

Why it's worth reading

It was one of the ten best-selling books of 2000.

You'll love it if you liked

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Kill Alex CrossJames Patterson
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Cross CountryJames Patterson
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Mary, MaryJames Patterson

Good to know

It ends on a cliffhanger resolved in Violets Are Blue.

By the numbers

61.5Must-Read Score
  • Readers33 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller41 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
One of the ten best-selling books of 2000 (Publishers Weekly)

Reads as

Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2000sTop 25 · 490 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Roses Are Red worth reading?

Yes. It was one of the ten best-selling books of 2000. It ranks #2,226 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.5 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Roses Are Red about?

Detective Alex Cross pursues the most complex and brilliant killer he's ever faced, a mysterious criminal who calls himself the Mastermind, in a thriller that is both heart-pounding and romantic.

How long does it take to read Roses Are Red?

About 10 hours (412 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Roses Are Red?

If you liked it, try Kill Alex Cross by James Patterson, Cross Country by James Patterson or Mary, Mary by James Patterson.