This is my second encounter with this book, and I must confess that I'm currently experiencing a bit of an existential crisis. You see, I used to truly relish this series. Back when I was 14 or 15, I would voraciously devour the Alex Cross series, nurturing my growing love for murder and mayhem as a maturing reader. After closing a Patterson book, I would think, "yeah, so good." However, guys, seriously, it's so bad. Patterson's prose is truly atrocious. There is absolutely no depth to the plotting. There are no fewer than two overwrought clichés per page. And if you believe that female characters should be more than just cardboard caricatures, then you should look elsewhere. Because here, we only have space for stereotypes and sexual objectification. Now, I'm aware that people will disagree. Patterson has a large following. But, you know... The last time I heard the words "baby, sweetie, honey" and "daddy" so frequently, I had to clear my browser history afterwards. The pet names made me feel uncomfortable. The dialogue is awkward, cheesy, and just plain odd. Alex Cross is kind of gross. I much prefer Morgan Freeman's portrayal. But in this book, he's in the midst of a serious serial murder investigation, yet he's constantly thinking about whether a victim, whose face is still battered, wants to have sex with him. The women in this story exist solely as victims and sexual objects. From Alex's erection leading him around to the two psycho killers who are "loving" women by anally raping them with snakes - yes, snakes. Anal. With snakes. There is so little character development that the brutal scenes lack a human counterpoint. It's all just a misogynistic nightmare play. The only character Patterson gives any attention to is Alex - but only in a very superficial way, constantly reminding you about how incredibly awesome he is. *eyeroll* A real sentence: "He made a noise. It sounded like 'yaaaaaaagh.'" Come on. Seriously? Patterson is wealthier than any of us could ever dream of being, and he achieved that with sentences like this? ⭐½ | 1.5 stars rounded down.

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This was when James Patterson was truly at his peak, right at the beginning of his remarkable career.

The second installment in the Alex Cross series, Kiss the Girls, is an electrifying and fast-paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, guessing until the very end.

Alex, a highly skilled forensic psychologist with the Washington police force, finds himself in a desperate situation when his niece goes missing while attending university in North Carolina. As he delves into the case, he discovers a disturbing pattern. A significant number of young women, all beautiful and intelligent, have vanished. Sadly, one or two of them have been found dead, having endured a truly horrible demise.

Initially, Alex is not warmly received by the local police, and for the most part, he has to rely on his own instincts and skills to solve the mystery. To make matters even more complex, the FBI gets involved, indicating that this case is far more significant than it initially seemed.

Just when things seem hopeless, one of the missing girls miraculously turns up. Her account of what she and the other girls have been through is truly horrifying. It's an understatement to say that these girls have been living in a living hell.

The race is now on to find Alex's niece before it's too late. You might think you have figured out who the psycho is, but the truth will only be revealed in the last few pages, leaving you completely stunned.

This thriller about serial killing is as good as it gets.

It keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The plot is full of twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very end.

The characters are well-developed and the acting is superb. You really feel like you are inside the minds of the serial killer and the detective trying to catch him.

The movie also does a great job of creating a sense of atmosphere and tension. The dark and rainy streets add to the overall feeling of dread and danger.

If you are a fan of thrillers, then this is definitely one that you don't want to miss. It is a masterclass in suspense and will keep you entertained from beginning to end.

Too much violence against women is an extremely concerning and widespread issue. Women around the world are constantly facing various forms of violence, whether it is physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological. This violence not only causes immediate harm and pain to the victims but also has long-term consequences on their physical and mental health, as well as their social and economic well-being.

It is unacceptable that in the 21st century, women still have to live in fear of being attacked, abused, or violated. We need to take immediate and effective measures to address this issue. This includes raising awareness about the problem, providing support and resources to the victims, and strengthening the legal and social systems to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable for their actions.

We must all work together to create a world where women can live free from violence and discrimination. This is not only a matter of human rights but also a matter of social justice and equality. Let us stand up and speak out against violence against women and do everything we can to protect the rights and dignity of every woman.

Before expressing my views on this book, which is the second one centered around Alex Cross, it is only just to reveal that I have an intense admiration for the Alex Cross/John Sampson duo.

I firmly believe that Mr. Patterson could incorporate these two characters into even the most ordinary of storylines and still manage to produce a captivating book. Fortunately, this is not the situation with "Kiss the Girls."

This is an exquisitely written mystery that offers numerous opportunities for the reader to determine who, what, when, where, and why. The human monsters in this book are pitiless, haughty, unrepentant, and truly despicable.

As a reader, the longing for Cross and Sampson to catch the atrocities masquerading as humans is even slightly stronger than the need for the victims to be rescued.

That being said, some of the victims are remarkable, strong women, leaving the reader with a desire to witness the ladies take action.

Is there any possibility that Mr. Patterson is kind enough to fulfill everything that the reader hopes for in a book? You will have to read it to find out.

When I initially picked up "Along Came A Spider" a short while ago, I had some concerns regarding how Patterson would approach writing a Black male character. However, I was swiftly hooked and thoroughly enjoyed the manner in which he portrays not only Alex but also his best friend and partner Sampson, Alexis' relationship with his two children, and even with his grandmother.

"Kiss The Girls" further continues the development and provides insights into Alex and how he copes with being a single parent while being engaged in solving gruesome crimes. By gruesome, I truly mean extremely disturbing. In "Kiss The Girls," there are some disconcerting descriptions and on-page scenes that I could have done without. Nevertheless, it didn't prevent me from continuing to read, and I will definitely continue the series.

I can't yet speak for the rest of the books in this series, but if you require trigger warnings for rape and abuse, you might want to skip this installment.

Overall, this was a page-turner, and although it is a bit darker than what I typically read, I am looking forward to continuing this series.

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I don't understand how James Patterson can be so popular with such hasty writing. In the Alex Cross series, there is no advantage in focusing on the character, and there are thousands of holes in the middle of the story. If you think you can keep the suspense throughout the whole book and then hang the main thread at the end, then you are very wrong, sir. Moreover, even if all the possible motives of the suspects are stated, the motive of the main suspect is completely muddled. And as far as I can understand, there is nothing else to say about this except for some chaos. The Gentleman Killer and the Casino Nexus were completely immature and full of holes. I have read Patterson's book before (the first one in this series). I had the same experience before. This time I hope it will be better. And in life, I will not take this path again, father!

It seems that the author is quite critical of James Patterson's writing style and the quality of his books. The author believes that the stories are full of holes and lack coherence, and the motives of the characters are not clearly explained. The author has read Patterson's books before and had a similar experience, but still hopes that the next one will be better. Overall, the author's tone is rather disappointed and frustrated.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

It was an absolute page-turner, extremely hard to put down as it was filled with non-stop action.

There are two serial killers on the loose, namely the Gentleman and Cassanova, and they are being hunted by the renowned detective Alex Cross.

Patterson is well-known for his short chapters, and in this book, although it consists of numerous short chapters, it is still packed with intense action from start to finish.

If you have a penchant for a combination of crime and mystery, then this is definitely a great book for you.

It keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly guessing and trying to figure out the motives and identities of the killers.

The story is engaging, the characters are well-developed, and the plot is full of twists and turns that will leave you breathless.

I highly recommend this book to all fans of the crime and mystery genre.

I first encountered this work during my high school days when it was initially released, and I was completely smitten. I also had a great fondness for the movie adaptation. However, upon rereading it, my feelings have changed.

I'm not overly enthusiastic about Patterson's writing style. While I do believe the storyline is rather cool, ultimately, this book is receiving three stars mainly due to the sense of nostalgia it evokes.

For me, this book can be neatly encapsulated in two sentences: Kate McTeirnan is the most extraordinary woman who has ever walked the earth, and no one can ever hope to match the incredible awesomeness that defines her. Alex Cross is also quite impressive, yet to a significantly lesser extent.

It's interesting how our perspectives can shift over time. What once seemed like a literary masterpiece now appears to have its flaws. Nevertheless, the memories associated with this book still hold a special place in my heart.

I think I'm extremely upset about how dreadfully awful this novel was. This is mainly because I truly enjoyed "Along Came a Spider" and thus decided to directly move on to book 2 in the series. The only redeeming quality of this book was its brevity. It was so short that I only wasted a few precious hours of my life (hours that I will never be able to retrieve).

OK, so we're back to Alex Cross, who is still a likable detective. He gets embroiled in a missing persons case as his niece is one of the victims. He commences the hunt for a man who styles himself as "Casanova", a person who kidnaps, rapes, and holds women against their will in an underground house. On the surface, it sounds like a good plot (albeit sick and twisted, but still decent). However, perhaps Patterson just rushed through the writing of this book. When we eventually find out who "Casanova" is, I actually had to resort to Wiki to figure out where this person fit into the novel earlier. Maybe this novel was so abysmal that I simply didn't care to remember any of the characters. And the question remains, should I continue to read the Alex Cross series if Dr. Cross is going to fall for a different woman each time? Also, where were his kids throughout this entire novel? Oh man, I really don't even know if I want to persist with this series. My advice is to simply not bother with this piece of garbage that was probably written in a day. It was truly AWFUL!!

This was the very first Alex Cross novel that I had the pleasure of reading.

In my humble opinion, it is probably the absolute best one within the entire series.

The story is so captivating and engaging that it keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Moreover, it was even made into a movie starring the talented Morgan Freeman, which further added to its popularity and appeal.

The movie did a great job of bringing the characters and the plot to life, making it a must-see for both fans of the book and those who are new to the Alex Cross universe.

Overall, I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good mystery thriller.

I truly adored this book to a greater extent than Along Came a Spider. Although I had a deep affection for the latter, this one managed to win my heart even more. I am gradually growing extremely fond of the Cross character and his family. The plots in this installment were simply amazing and incredibly intriguing. It was a delight to read about the "twinning" dynamic concept of the serial killers and their communications.

The way the story unfolded, with its twists and turns, kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The author's ability to create such a captivating and engaging narrative is truly remarkable.

My quick and simple overall assessment is that this book was SO ENTERTAINING to read! It had me hooked from the very beginning and I couldn't put it down until I reached the end. I highly recommend it to all mystery and thriller enthusiasts.