So, the second book in the Alex Cross series presents a great concept. There are serial killers on opposite coasts, not only competing against one another but also complementing each other's activity. This idea has the potential to be truly captivating.

However, while at certain moments the book shines brightly and showcases moments of brilliance, there are also some drawbacks. The narrative, at times, feels drawn out and a bit too long-winded. It could have been more tightly edited to maintain a stronger pace.

Another aspect that doesn't quite work is the relationship between the detective, Alex Cross, and a rape victim. It comes across as awkward and is poorly developed. The chemistry and connection between the two characters seem forced and not fully fleshed out.

I am currently reading a few of these books to understand why Patterson has become such a darling of the publishing machine. Besides his rather shameless self-promotion, the sheer volume and variety of his work have me a bit suspicious. I'm eager to see if there are other qualities or elements in his writing that might justify his popularity.

Back to Basics: Revisiting Kiss the Girls with Alex Cross

After delving deep into book 15 of the Women’s Murder Club series, I made the decision to take a step back and revisit James Patterson’s Kiss the Girls. This reread was rather模糊 in my memory. To my surprise, it proved to be far more intense than I had anticipated. The story was so gripping that it immediately pulled me in all over again. Here's a confession: I read Along Came a Spider several years ago and absolutely loved it. However, for some reason, I never continued further in the series. When a buddy read opportunity presented itself, I thought it was the perfect chance to once again immerse myself in Alex Cross’s world. And there was an added bonus: I had been enjoying the Prime adaptation, which further inspired me.

Alex Cross is truly a captivating lead. He is intelligent, tough, and driven by both personal tragedy and an unwavering passion for justice. His dedication to his two young kids, under the guidance of his strong-willed grandmother, adds a touching and heartfelt layer to this otherwise dark and menacing story.

In Kiss the Girls, Cross is confronted with a terrifying challenge. He has to track down two sadistic killers, one operating in Los Angeles and the other in Durham, North Carolina. Known as Casanova and the Gentleman Caller, these predators appear to be working together in a disturbing and twisted partnership. The case takes a personal turn when Cross’s niece is abducted, forcing him into a high-stakes pursuit. Along the way, he forms a special bond with a remarkable medical intern, a black-belt martial artist whose courage and intelligence shine through at every turn. Friendship, in both its healthiest and most toxic forms, weaves its way intricately through the narrative, adding significant emotional depth to the non-stop action.

I won't mince words – this book is intense. The violence is graphic and the suspense is unrelenting, making it not suitable for the faint of heart. That being said, Patterson’s pacing and plotting are truly excellent. The numerous twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly guessing. The reveal of Casanova’s identity was a complete shock, even on a reread, which is a testament to just how well this story has aged and holds up.

If you can handle the darker and more disturbing elements, Kiss the Girls is a first-rate thriller. It offers vibrant and well-developed characters, heart-pounding action that will leave you breathless, and emotional stakes that will linger long after you turn the final page. I'm really looking forward to reading more of the Alex Cross series in 2025. For me, this was a solid 3.5 stars. It was a gripping read, although the graphic violence might be a bit too much for some. Nevertheless, it's a thrilling ride that I would highly recommend to fans of high-octane crime dramas.

Two killers!

They are not rivals! They are partners.. The two are from two different states. One is from North Carolina and the other is in Los Angeles!

One introduces himself as 'Casanova'. He is abducting beautiful girls with a cool head!

The other is brutally killing. He introduces himself as 'Gentleman Caller'. He is publicizing his deeds in the media. His goal is popularity!

Casanova abducts Alex Cross's niece, Scuzzy. He has raised her with his own hands. With suspicion, he leaves Washington and goes to North Carolina. He is determined to find Scuzzy! But from the very beginning of the investigation, the killer is taunting him.

Alex Cross's second book in the series, 'Kiss the Girls.' is a thrilling book about serial killing! It is better than the first book. Alex Cross seems to have evolved from before. Although it seemed average at first glance.

I first read the translation by Anish Das. It is an excellent translation. The pace of the story was maintained throughout. It didn't lag anywhere. Psychological thrillers are always good. This book has also been added to the list of favorites.

Personally, I think that when writing a novel about serial killers and national psychopaths, it is as necessary to describe their murders, the disappearance of corpses, etc. as it is to describe their childhood, the environment in which they grew up, and their daily lives. Because by doing so, it is very convenient to penetrate into the characters.

In this book, there are not one but two psychopaths. The plot and presentation of the story were all excellent, but in creating a mystery around these two people, not enough information was provided about them in the book. And this is what I think is the only weakness of my book.

Reading this second novel in the Alex Cross series is truly a remarkable way to fathom the allure of the series that catapulted James Patterson to great fame.

If you are an enthusiast of the thriller/mystery genre and can overlook the grisly murder scenes and the elements of unbelievability that permeate throughout, you are bound to relish this story. It is fascinating to observe how the racism portrayed within still holds such significance. Patterson's trademark short chapters and rapid pace ensure that you keep turning the pages, and the mystery persists until nearly the final page, neatly wrapped up but by no means too hastily. That indeed is a genuine talent.

However, the issue for me lies in how far-fetched certain aspects of the plot and scenes can be. Would the FBI, a city police department, or even a single rogue cop ever (EVER?) take a civilian witness to a secluded cabin deep in the woods while in pursuit of a suspected serial killer? Would they permit a witness who managed to escape an unknown, at-large rapist who abducted her from her home to return to that very same home without any security detail? Would a ruthless criminal seeking revenge opt to use a stun-gun when he has access to an actual firearm? I am well aware that it is fiction and the drama adds to the intrigue of the book, but really.

The prospect of two psychopaths working in tandem truly freaked me out.

Patterson does it again with this Alex Cross story. I found myself gradually falling in love with this character as I delved deeper into the narrative.

It usually takes me some time to truly understand a character's mindset, but with Alex Cross, it was effortless.

Cross is an inherently good man. His sole desire is to prevent the occurrence of bad things.

And when such unfortunate events do transpire, he simply cannot hold himself back from fully immersing himself in the situation, determined to make a difference and bring justice.

His unwavering commitment and moral compass make him a truly captivating protagonist, and I can't wait to see what other adventures he embarks on in future installments of the series.

The "Gentleman" in Los Angeles brutally murders young, beautiful girls, and the "Cassanova" in North Carolina abducts and imprisons his female choices, not hesitating to kill those who don't obey his rules. Alex Cross discovers with horror that perhaps his niece, Naomi, is among the abducted, and so, after being called in by the FBI, he begins to participate in the investigations. Who are these two men and where are they hiding? How true is the suspicion that they communicate or even compete for the trophies they choose? Why does the "Cassanova" wear a mask and what is on his mind when creating this paradoxical haven of select and unique women?

The second adventure of Alex Cross appealed to me more than "...and then there was a spider". The racist and ethnic stereotypes were rather limited, the story is multi-layered, we are dealing with two killers, which gives intensity and variety to the plot, and the case is of national importance, so the FBI, local police, psychologists, investigators, journalists, chaos! Alex Cross remains on guard, struggles to profile the perpetrators but something always eludes him, something doesn't fit with the case, and in this story we see how risky he can become, acting without self-restraint and coldness, since his own man is at risk.

The villains are two interesting personalities, completely different from each other and are drawn slowly and in parts. It is not clear from the beginning how they are related, and their paranoia is flashing red, since they appear at the diametrically opposite ends of the United States, panicking the actors and the police. The narration is first-person, with Alex struggling to get to the bottom, and third-person, with the horror and anxiety vividly described on every page that describes either the abduction, the murders or the captivity. The circumstances regarding the girls we know before they are abducted are diverse and different, the hunting method is also diverse, and the thoughts of the anthropomorphic monsters are hair-raising and completely absurd.

Disturbed, Alex Cross discovers that it is a form of twinning, since the two men accidentally (?) found themselves talking about their perceptions and the murders they committed, so they found a kindred spirit in each other. But what happened and their paths diverged? Are they competing or advising each other? And how ugly can it get as we approach the end of the case? The truth is that the "Gentleman" is revealed earlier than the "Cassanova", and with a clever discovery, which throws the weight on the connecting link between them and in the case of the "Cassanova". This reversal at the beginning was interesting and with one face in the shadow, the adventure and the intensity peaked, since their movements either alone or in combination were unpredictable, but soon this development took on a long-winded rhythm, with Cross being on the trail of the "Cassanova" for many pages, falling into his trap and arresting the wrong person, who also has hidden secrets, but it does not concern the story etc., elements that distracted my attention from the main case. In this rather negative climate, the detailed descriptions of the manhunter or the surveillance of the car of some suspects or even offenders also contribute, with the result that the interstate highways, the shops, the road signs etc. are described. I got very tired very quickly at some points. The last negative point was the fact that the tricks of the "Cassanova" are described crudely and in detail, culminating in the use of a snake that enters a human body. Yikes!

Another positive feature of the book is the fact that one of the abducted, Kate McTiernan, managed to escape, but still was not able to give many details about the place where they were held. This woman, a medical student and expert in combat techniques, with her extraordinary courage and the strength of her will, cooperates closely with Cross to locate her abductor. In fact, the "Cassanova" admits to himself that this woman is his "sticky point" and so he is willing to make significant mistakes for the subsequent course of his action. Of course, the relationship between Kate and Cross is a discreet balance between love and friendship, since the two of them quickly understand that they are almost the same and a romantic relationship perhaps in the long run will not be good for them. Will they eventually succumb to passion or will they keep their friendship? How dangerous is it to have in one's life the most precious trophy of a known killer and abductor?

The novel describes an adventure that begins a few months after the imprisonment of Gary Murphy / Sonnett at the end of the first book in the series, and to my great joy, I discovered that the few references made to it do not reveal key points of the case, so they do not spoil the surprise of the reader if he reads "Kiss the Girls" first. The only thing I didn't understand was why Gary Sonnett's escape had to be announced several pages before the end of the present novel. Will it interest us in the next book? We'll see...

The man Alex Cross is about 40 years old, with a doctorate in psychology, lives and works in the ghetto of Washington with his two children, the four-year-old Janelle and the six-year-old Damon, and his sharp-tongued, strict and old-fashioned grandmother who raised him alone from the age of 8, while his wife, Maria, was murdered by unknown assailants three years ago, leaving him with traumatic memories. The beloved character of many readers is an investigative, inventive, intelligent personality, a father who struggles to balance the sometimes tough working hours with the upbringing of his children. Here we don't have a big role for the childhood friend and close collaborator John Sampson, but with the pretext of the abduction of Naomi Cross, we also learn other things about the detective's family: when their mother died, Alex and his brothers, Aaron and Charles, left Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to live in Washington. Aaron died of liver cirrhosis, and so Alex Cross helped his wife, Sila, raise Naomi, who was studying law before she was abducted. Touching is also the way he deals with his nightmares after or during a case: he sleeps in the same bed with his children, the best psychotherapy! Also, he knows very well that the FBI didn't call him to solve the case AND to take the credit, but his anger at the disappearance of his beloved niece is such that he doesn't care at all.

Equally interesting are the investigative observations of the author James Patterson about the quality of life in America ("Anthropomorphic monsters that roamed freely wherever there was land, with America and Europe leading the way. But why this evil, this horror? Was it the water? The many fats on the menu of fast-food joints? Or perhaps the Sunday morning TV programs in the prime time slot?", p. 470) and about the daily life in Washington ("Do as you please and you'll be stepped on, do as you walk upright and you'll catch a stray ball", p. 28). Given with humor and sincerity, they give an unexpected realistic note to the text!

"Kiss the Girls", the second book in the series with hero Alex Cross, is a novel with frenzied action and intensity, unexpected developments and reversals, mystery and questions, which captivated me and didn't let me take a breath. The end and the revelation of the identities of the "Gentleman" and "Cassanova", as well as the development of the story between Alex Cross and one of the abducted girls, are just some of the distinctive features of the novel.

The second installment of Alex Cross's adventures is truly captivating.

It revolves around the Gentleman Caller and Casanova, two names that initially seem 'innocent' but are, in fact, rife with rage, hate, torture, and murder.

I found it fascinating how Alex Cross meticulously laid out his profiling notes. It provided a thrilling insight into the possible identity of the killer or at least the type of person he might be, much like the engaging Criminal Minds TV show.

Moreover, there's another love interest for Alex, and it's only the second book! Hmmm, LOL.

Overall, it's a great story that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, with its complex characters and heart-pounding plot twists.

This second installment in Patterson's Alex Cross series is once again a brisk, effortless, and utterly captivating read. It's the perfect choice for a plane journey. When Alex's 22-year-old niece Naomi vanishes in NC, Alex finds himself embroiled in the pursuit of two pitiless killers, Casanova and The Gentleman Caller, who are both preying upon beautiful and intelligent women. Casanova conceals his harem in an underground house to have them at his beck and call, while The Gentleman Caller adopts a more violent modus operandi, saving various body parts of his victims as a personal trove.

Cross inevitably becomes entangled in a love quandary with one of Casanova's victims, Kate McTiernan, who manages to escape and becomes Alex's partner in the case until Casanova and The Gentleman Caller launch a second strike against her.

Of course, Cross ultimately emerges triumphant as he slays The Gentleman Caller, uncovers the identity of Casanova, and witnesses Kate make a remarkable recovery. The book concludes with the news that Gary Soneji (the psycho from the first book) has broken out of prison and is hell-bent on getting to Alex Cross.

Just what I wanted!

To read a book from the POV of a man's penis.

I was initially intrigued when I came across this concept.

However, as I delved into the book, I quickly abandoned it.

I simply could not believe that this book is so widely loved.

The idea of presenting the world from such an unusual perspective seemed rather odd to me.

Maybe it was too avant-garde for my taste.

While some might find it innovative and humorous, I struggled to connect with the narrative.

I prefer books that offer a more relatable and traditional approach to storytelling.

Nevertheless, I respect the fact that different people have different preferences when it comes to literature.

Perhaps this book has its own unique charm that I failed to appreciate.

But for now, I will continue my search for books that better suit my literary sensibilities.

The Alex Cross series by James Patterson is truly remarkable, and the second novel in this series is no exception. It is an excellent piece of work that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

I have a deep affection for the early novels of James Patterson. There is a certain charm and authenticity in his solo works that is hard to replicate. The way he weaves complex storylines and creates vivid characters is simply outstanding.

However, I can't help but wish that he would stay away from the co-written novels. While there may be some exceptions, I find that the quality often varies in these collaborations. I prefer the pure vision and style of Patterson's solo works, which I believe are more consistent and engaging.

Overall, the second novel in the Alex Cross series is a must-read for fans of Patterson and lovers of thrilling mysteries. It showcases his talent as a writer and leaves us eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.

This is a truly great book.

Although I didn't like the actions of the two men towards the women, it was such a captivating story that it was a real page turner and held my attention firmly throughout.

I'm very glad that it ended in the way it did. It provided a sense of closure that I was seeking.

I would have finished reading it in one go, but I had to stop for a while due to other commitments.

Now, I'm looking forward to moving on to number 3 in the series. I'm sure it will be just as exciting and engaging as the first two books.

I can't wait to see what new adventures and challenges the characters will face in the next installment.

I'm hoping that the author will continue to develop the story in a way that keeps me on the edge of my seat.

Overall, I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or thriller.