In taking a break from his well loved protagonist Alex Cross, James Patterson ventures into a world of deceit, murder and modern science. Continuing his word play on children’s nursery rhymes, Patterson’s When the Wind Blows is a disturbing, if potentially accurate view of the consequences of experimental science. What is particularly disturbing about the book is not its descriptions of murder, but the sickening events that Patterson presents. With developments in cloning and stem cell research, this 1998 book is not so ahead of its time.

While the subject matter of When the Wind Blows is unsettling, the quality of Patterson’s writing highlights his characters' qualities. Like Alex Cross, Frannie O’Neill and Kit Harrison are admirable heroes; not only are they presented with insurmountable tasks, but they also actually possess the quality of character necessary to overcome these obstacles. Frannie and Kit are flawed humans, but their compassion and desire to right medical wrongs adds a moral flavor to a book that emphasizes the consequences of science without emotion.