Double Cross (Alex Cross, Book 13) by James Patterson
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Book Reviews of Double Cross (Alex Cross, Book 13)
Book Review: A good stand-alone Alex Cross Book
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed listening to this stand alone audio book. While it is good to know some of the past adventures, this story is fully developped in this one book. Alex Cross follows the clues to solve the crime. Kyle Craig's appearance is a little convenient, setting up future Alex Cross adventures. I recommend reading this book if you are into reading the Alex Cross series.Book Review: Another Patterson winner
Summary: 4 Stars
Bought Cross and Double Cross at the same time and finished them both over a week of vacation time. Very easy reads and always a page turner.Book Review: Double Cross
Summary: 4 Stars
The book is excellent. The problem is that the glue for the spine didn't hold so all pages are loose.Book Review: Conflicted.
Summary: 3 Stars
I know, I know, why do I continue to complain about the decline in the Alex Cross series, (as well as some of the Patterson collaborations), and yet STILL READ THEM? I keep holding out hope that Patterson will find his old rhythm/magic and really mesmerize me. I mean really give me a story that I can really sink my teeth into. I will tell you that I really had hope, thru at least the first few dozen chapters but I soon found myself frowning before I knew it. What had been or started out as being a decent enough story, eventually turned into an incredible tale of madness and mayhem, involving several serial killers whose main concern appears to be "having an audience".
This story finds Alex Cross retired and working as a therapist, and while listening to patients problems, may not be as exciting as tracking down serial killers, it is definitely safer. Homicide Detective Bree Stone, his latest lover has caught the case of a madman who loves to kill people in front of an audience (DCAK or the DC Audience Killer) while mocking Cross to "catch him if he can". Deciding to return to a job, and assist his lover, while risking his life to catch a very intelligent killer, Alex Cross is back in the game. Meanwhile, the dastardly evil Kyle Craig (the Mastermind, ex-FBI agent and Alex's ex-friend) has managed to escape from a maximum security prison (ADX Florence) after four years of confinement (with no sun), following his unveiling and capture. As the story unfolds, we find Alex chasing killer(s), with his trusted partner Sampson and lover Bree....still loving his Mercedes 350 (which I am tired of hearing about), still loving his kids (Jonella, Damon and Little Ali) and his Nana Mama (his elderly/wise grandmother)...and constantly facing danger at every turn...but in this story constantly thinking about sex, and I do mean non-stop.
Unfortunately, what I didn't like about the story was (1) Alex appeared to stop using commonsense. If a crazed killer, who you put away escaped from prison, would you not immediately try to capture him or at least stop thinking about sex (with Bree) long enough to protect yourself and your family? Instead of immediately either setting a trap for Craig, or going into hiding, Cross continues on his path of determining who the DCAK killer is, while occasionally wondering about Craig's whereabouts, while it was clear that DCAK was in communication with the madman. (2) While I think that escaping a maximum security prison is entertaining, I don't think that it would have been as easy as Craig made it seem. After all if Craig was smart enough to escape, is he not falling into the same trap as "I'm so smart and you're so dumb" to mock cross and continue on his rampage. And if you escaped once, would you really go to Paris, kill a couple of folks, only to return to the US? Is he really that arrogant? I guess the answer is yes. (3) And why was Cross constantly thinking about sex? He's look at Bree's legs and talk about how horny he was. He'd be looking at crime scene photos and think about sex. He'd be talking to a patient and think about sex. Ok, maybe I am exaggerating, but you get the gist. Although I can appreciate Patterson finally giving Alex a stable relationship versus some that he has had in the past. I was tired of sex clouding Cross' mind. He would have recognized the killer way before he did had he not been distracted.
Now with all these complaints, what merits my "3" rating? Here are the three reasons why. (1) Showing the effects of Alex's career on his kids. In this story, Damon was disappointed by his father's lack of interest in his attempt to get a basketball scholarship to college. And although Alex made no real efforts at changing (because he was in the middle of a big, high profile case), he did stop and think about it, and there was some resolution. (2) Bree didn't end up being the killer or getting killed (she did have some close calls). Usually Cross' lovers are kidnapped, killed, or ends up being the killers he is stalking, so this was a pleasant surprise, although I don't know what will eventually happen as the series progresses. I kept waiting for Bree to either be killed or say "Hey Alex (while they were in bed of course), I am DCAK" (although when she tied him with ropes, it did cross my mind). And finally (3), although some of it was predictable (who DCAK was), it was still not too obvious in the very beginning. And it is mainly for these three reasons, and my undying hope that the series will return to its former glory that I give this book a 3. There was tons of potential (although I was a little disappointed DCAK's death was too quick and anti-climatic), and signs of a FINAL showdown (I hope) between Cross and Craig. Will this be my last Cross book? Honestly probably not, I am holding out hope.
Book Review: This wasn't a favorite, but not as bad as some say
Summary: 3 Stars
I've usually enjoyed reading the Alex Cross books, some more than others. This isn't one of the "mores," but as always he gives us a fast romp. In this book Cross is in private practice as a therapist and is dating Bree Stone, DC cop. They are busy jumping in and out of bed when she is called to a grusome crime scene. Lo and behold, he is tied to the killing through clues. Here's where it gets a little shaky.
He's right back in his role as a homicide investigator without even taking time for a deep breath. Real life? No, but remember this is fiction. This killer is hooked on killing people in front of an "audience" and is tagged as the "audience killer." Quite a bit about this latest villain is somewhat improbable, but again this isn't real life crime - it's entertainment.
Enter one of Alex's old nemesis characters: Kyle Craig of Roses are Red. Having escaped from a high security prison (somehow), he's operating in the background with the audience killer in the forefront. One of the interesting things was the references to how Cross' career is affecting his kids, but he's hooked on his status and often can't make the hard choices.
I'm not going into lots of detail because there are hundreds of reviews doing that, good, bad and mediocre. What I will say is that the fast pace makes it a quick read, always remember that fiction is entertainment and sometimes realism goes out the window and the improbable replaces it in the name of entertainment.
Not one of my favorite Alex Cross books, however. I would have liked to give it 2 ½ but since I can't, I'll give it a 3.
ARLISS ADAMS
Author - Twist of Fate Series
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