Double Cross

Another Alex Cross from James Patterson. This runs its usual course. Alex returns to working a high profile serial killer case whilst trying to juggle it with his desk job. As per usual, there are murders happening all over the city and Cross gets involved. He meets Bree, who is a detective and she is also working on the case. It runs its usual course with Cross being away when the murder happens and he jumps straight into the action.
I feel like I should give this book a lower rating because of its predictability however I really love the writing and the short chapters and I find that I can just race throught JP's books. It does annoy me that his family gets threathened in every book though. Why can't he leave the police work?! If he show more did, then it would be the end of the series so I guess thats the way it has to be. I wouldnt recommend this book for anyone who isn't already a fan but if you like JP's work, then you should like this one.
I'm taking a short break from JP now as I'm beginning to feel like a bit of a detective! Oh theres a bit of Kyle Craig in here so I'm keen to keep reading ASAP!! show less

OH JUST DOUBLE KILL ME!

The book was so predictable it wasn't funny. Within chapters I knew who the killers were and what was gonna happen next. The ending was just sooo blah.

But the one thing that burned my biscuits was all the sex talk. Now ya'll know I'm no prude (come on, this is the lady who put up a picture of a cow nursing and some ones mucus plug!) but the sex talk was driving me crazy!

Every darn chapter it was, "I'm horny" or "Right there I was turned on" Then the "sex" was lame. You know the whole darn, I was inside her and then an explosion of lust type of deal.

I'm not asking for all the goodie details but for as much as they talked about being so darn "horny" I expected a full on erotica seen with 70's porn music to go with show more it!

Nothing...

It was just a bit too much, you know, all the serial killers on their rears, targeting them and their families. Then all the 24 hour working and late nights, dragon breath, chasing bad guys, dead people around and all these two talk about is sex and being horny and getting it on.

For crying out loud, 3 killers after you and you can't take your rear home to be with your children and their grandma? You got to get a all night groove on in some hotel?

Please...

I was starting to wonder how "brilliant" these detectives really were and in the end, I was siding with the bad guys...Dumb cops. show less

Patterson has a unique gift for making you feel all the joys and pains experienced by Cross, who is one of the best protagonists of the suspense thriller genre. Reuniting fans with beloved, as well as, despised characters, while continuing to press the boundaries, Patterson shines brighter than ever in this hard hitting double header!

Self-imposed retirement, a gorgeous new girlfriend and a quiet romantic camping trip, what could possibly go wrong? Well, when Alex Cross is around the answer is an unequivocal–anything and everything! Hot romance is quickly cooled when Bree is ordered to return to DC after the very public murder of famed author Tess Olsen. Dubbed the Audience Killer, for his propensity for attention, this psychopath show more seems to have no fear of being discovered, growing more brazen and arrogant with each successive murder. He thrives on the media attention his dastardly deeds afford him and relishes in the panic his murderous acts create. In the midst of the carnage and chaos, Cross receives a disturbing call informing him Kyle Craig had escaped from the maximum security prison in Colorado, where he had been housed for the past four years. Prior to his incarceration, Craig had been a respected FBI colleague and a genius in his own right. Craig was patient, resourceful and vicious, a formidable adversary now methodically making his way through the list of those he deemed responsible for his imprisonment. Of course, Alex Cross was at the top of his list.

Two murderers, one seeking fame, the other bent on revenge, yet they shared a common goal…the elimination of Detective Alex Cross. In this particularly well delivered novel, Patterson weaves an intricate, multi-layered plot, that moves seamlessly between opposing forces, while hurdling toward an unavoidable showdown. There are no twig-like stereotypes or bland settings, as Patterson showcases his unparalleled ability to create three dimensional characters that are diabolical, yet very real and disturbingly interesting. With his omniscient voice, taut narrative and vivid detail, the reader is immersed in this carefully crafted, highly imaginative world, from the very first page. One of the most popular literary characters of the century, Alex Cross is a hard hitting, tough as nails detective, with an almost sixth sense ability to get inside a killer’s mind. But it his personal struggles, as a son, father and lover that continue to bring the character off the page and into the heart of the reader. Chock full of action, short, crisp chapters and a few teasers thrown in to wet your appetite for the next installment - Double Cross is a double shot of Patterson at his thrilling best! show less

In the latest James Patterson novel Alex Cross was faced with two killers. The plot was entertaining, however the relationship with his latest girlfriend was 'cringeworthy' and I hated reading all the inuendos and Patterson's pathetic attempt at romance. I think the character of Alex Cross is too old for sex, and I just wish Patterson could stick to the crime plot.

I was also annoyed by the lack of concern Cross showed for the safety of his family, even when it was revealed that they were under surveillance by one of the killers! This isn't new in the Alex Cross series though, as he always leaves the running of the household and raising of the children to 'Nana Mama'.

All in all, an entertaining read, and as always, I'm still compelled to show more read the next in the series. show less

Another book in the Alex Cross series. This one was okay. The DCAK murders were typical James Patterson and were interesting and graphic. I enjoyed that part of the book. The main reason I didn't enjoy this one as much as past Alex Cross novels was because the focus seemed to be less on the murders than Alex Cross's booty calls. Right in the middle of a graphic murder investigation all Alex seems to be able to talk about is banging his current girlfriend. Sex in murder mysteries does not bother me at all, but I do like a little of the mystery in my murder mysteries.

Weird how there was no mention of the phone call Alex got at the end of Cross. These books are just starting to blur together, the same basic premise repeated over and over and over and over and...ok, I'll stop. I'll probably keep going with the series, but I'll also probably need a break from it soon.

I read this book after Cross Country, and found it to be about 10x better. This book was the quintessential vacation page-turner; I think there were something like 126 chapters in 300 pages. Patterson sets the scene as a series of gruesome public murders take place, supposedly by the same man each time. The story also follows another subplot with the escape of Kyle Craig from a maximum security complex. The new serial killer supposedly worships Craig as a god amongst killers. Able to read this book in one day, I found that Patterson's ability to jump to about ten different places, follow ten main characters, and chronicle about fifteen gruesome murders was incredible. And while this wasn't made to be quality, analytical high-brow show more literature, it's entertaining and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read. show less