As arguably one of James Patterson’s most popular fictional characters, Alex Cross has quite a bit to offer those who are interested in forensic psychology. Online students who are just starting to learn about the subject, as well as professionals in the field seem to have an affinity for the character. Even though the techniques used in the novels, or the movies are not always accurate, they do make for quite a bit of excitement. For those who don’t know anything about the character of Alex Cross, or the new movies starring Tyler Perry, here’s some information that can get you up to date!

An Alex Cross Primer

Alex Cross is an African American detective and forensic psychologist working in the homicide department in Washington D.C. in the earlier parts of his career. He eventually moves on and brings his impressive skills to the FBI. Later, he quits the FBI and starts a psychology practice. Of course, he still works as a consultant for the police and the feds when the need arises. He even ends up rejoining the department as a special consultant. James Patterson has turned his character into one of the most popular fictional forensic psychologists and police detectives in the world.

The character is deep and has an interesting history that helps to illustrate where he came from and who the man is now. He has appeared in 18 different novels, and his popularity shows no signs of waning anytime soon. The detective also appears in the movies Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. In those films, based on the novels of the same names, the inimitable Morgan Freeman portrayed Alex Cross.

Those who enjoy crime fiction and want to find a hero who uses forensic psychology to help track down murderers will enjoy the Alex Cross novels, as well as the films. They are fun bits of entertainment, and you can find quite a few other fans of the character online and offline.

The New Film

The original actor who was going to take up the mantle and become Alex Cross in films was the British actor Ildris Alba. However, he was replaced with Tyler Perry. The film, simply titled Alex Cross is going to serve as a good introduction to the character, and it is likely to get more readers interested in checking out some of Patterson’s novels. Early reports say that the film centers on a villain called Picasso (played by Matthew Fox of Lost), who leaves strange drawings at the sites of the murders.

How Fiction Brings People to the Field

One of the interesting things about the field of forensic psychology is just what it is that initially draws people to the field. In some cases, people find that it is a piece of fiction, such as a movie, television show, or a book that leads them to the career. Of course many forensic psychologists are going to tell you that the real work is not all about chasing killers and profiling! In fact, that’s a tiny piece of what some forensic psychologists do. However, the manner by which someone learns about the job should not matter! After all, how many people became policemen because of television shows or books, or even doctors or lawyers? The important thing is that people who learn about the career and start to take forensic psychology online or in a traditional setting learn about the reality of the job. Often, the reality of delving into the minds of criminals is just as interesting as the fiction. Hopefully, Alex Cross has been an inspiration to some of the psychologists out there today!

Author Byline: Anita Schepers provides advice and information on getting a degree in forensic psychology online at ForensicPsychologyOnline.com.

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