8 Sept 2015

DOUBLE CROSS.


Double CrossDOUBLE CROSS (Alex Cross #13) by JAMES PATTERSON.

BACK COVER BLURB: Just when Alex Cross's life is calming down, he's drawn back into the game to confront the Audience Killer - a psychotic genius who stages his killings as public spectacles in Washington, DC, and broadcasts them live on the net.

In Colorado, another murdering mastermind is planning a triumphant return. From his maximum-security prison cell, Kyle Craig has spent years plotting his escape and revenge. Craig prefers to work alone, but if joining forces with DC's Audience Killer helps him to get the man who put him away then so be it.

Both men are after the same detective - Alex Cross.

FIRST SENTENCE {Prologue: In Your Honour}: At the time of his formal sentencing in Alexandria, Virginia, for eleven known murders, the former FBI agent and pattern killer Kyle Craig, known as the Mastermind, was lectured and condescended to by US District Judge Nina Wolff. 

MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 152}: She was pretty enough, in a suburban-cheerleader kind of way. Lydia Ramirez, according to her driver's permit. Seventeen years old, but he took no pity on her. Adolescents were the most wretched of all.

SOURCE: Ex-library stock.

MY THOUGHTS: Entertaining enough - if you are after a crime novel that isn't too taxing. A plot that plods along nicely. Snappy, short chapters. Characters that though they might have different names are basically the same as those in many of the authors other novels. In other words a typical James Patterson novel. And yet is it?

The thirteenth book in the series. Not that I'd let this put you off if you haven't read any of the previous books as whilst you might not know the background of Alex Cross Double Cross reads perfectly well as a stand-alone novel. It was for very different reasons that I found Double Cross a bit disappointing.

Dumb even for one of James Patterson's cop and with particularly pantomime style baddies (I almost expected one of the by-standers witnesses to one of the Audience Killer's murders to shout 'He's behind you). I'm afraid that not just implausible with characters like these the author came pretty close to insulting the intelligence of his readers.

And as for the sex scenes? Laughable is the word that comes to mind.

All in all a so-so novel with a so-so ending (albeit a blatant plug for the next book). You might have thought I'd have given up on the novels by this author but the fact remains that there is something (quite what I'm not sure) rather addictive about them.


11 comments:

Kelly said...

Would you believe I've never read any of his books?

I'm sorry this one ended up being a disappointment. I guess there's always the hope that the next one will be new and fresh.

Gina said...

LOL. Don't let my mom read your thoughts on this one...she's an avid fan a his with and this series. I've read a few once upon a time but not for some time. It's not for everyone but what really is? Thanks for the share!

brandileigh2003 said...

Sorry to hear it was only so so for you

carol said...

I think I've only read like one of his books. Sorry this one wasn't that great.

Sherry Ellis said...

Sounds like this wasn't one of his greatest works.

Literary Feline said...

I haven't read a Patterson novel in ages. I used to really like his books, especially the Alex Cross series. Somewhere along the way, I lost interest though. It sounds like I'm not missing anything by not reading this one.

Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer said...

It has been a while since I've read one of his books. Love the memorable quote.

Melliane said...

I think I have a book as well in my pile bu I haven't read it yet, it's not book 1 either lol but one day I'll try as well.

Brian Joseph said...

I think that the predictability would put me off so much that it would get in the way of any enjoyment for me.

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Tracy,

I used to be something of a James Patterson fan, however I couldn't pick up one of his books now and I certainly wouldn't pay full price for one of them!

I personally don't think that the storylines have any credibility or substance; I don't like the fact that James never manages to write an entire book alone these days, but always uses the services of various associates and ghost-writers; many of the books have very short chapters and very large print, which means that they are almost short story length if they were formatted correctly, thus making them poor value for money.

All that said, James does do an awful lot to promote and encourage childhood literacy, in both real and monetary terms and for that he can only be applauded :)

I hope that you haven't become too addicted to Patterson books, as I don't like to see you this obviously disappointed with your current reading!

Yvonne

Yanting Gueh said...

His is a well-known name in this genre and as much as I enjoy mysteries/thrillers, I haven't read any of his yet. Thought I should, but after your review, I reckon I'll hold off it for now.