Spenser attends a play at his girlfriend's insistence to meet a director who is allegedly being stalked. During the performance, the lead actor in a hale of fake arrows is suddenly killed by a real arrow from a crossbow. This launches Spencer into an investigation of everyone involved with the theatrical company and leads him up against a Chinese mobster, who warns Spencer to quit questioning his wife, one of the theater's patrons. However, everything changes when the mobster is found beaten to death.

After the harrowing death of his partner, forensic psychologist and best-selling author Alex Cross cannot forgive himself and has retreated to the peace of retirement. But when a brilliant criminal kidnaps a senator's young daughter, he is lured back into action as the kidnapper wants to deal with Alex personally. Teamed with Jezzie Flanigan, the Secret Service agent assigned to protect the missing girl, Alex follows a serpentine trail of clues that leads him to a stunning discovery - the kidnapper wants more than just ransom.

Two warring gang families (one African-American, the other Chinese) maneuver for bragging rights to the Oakland, California, docks. Hang Sing and Trish O'Day uncover a trail of deceit that leaves most of the warring factions dead … or worse!

As Christmas approaches, a single mother struggles to raise her son and keep up the payments on her Oregon ranch, which is difficult since she's heavily in debt. But she's a tough cookie and proves that a steadfast attitude and an open heart go a long way in surviving the cold hearts and greed of the Scrooges around her.