Cross has two villains to contend with (Double Cross - James Patterson)

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	Double Cross - James Patterson
Date:	22/12/08 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent addition to the series

Disadvantages: Not so good if you haven't read a Cross book before

It is safe to say that best selling author James Patterson's favoured character is the former homicide detective turned FBI agent Alex Cross. Patterson has developed Cross' character throughout the numerous books he is in, and has taken him from villain to villain, putting them all behind bars one after the after. Here in Double Cross, Patterson repeats his successful formula from the previous Cross books by giving us a dastardly villain to contend with.

However, this time, to give it a little more interest, he brings back a criminal he has put behind bars and pits him against Cross one more time. The two villains together prove very deadly indeed, and it is interesting to see the way that the author combines the two characters to create quite possibly the most dangerous scenario for Alex Cross yet.

The characterisation will, to many, seem a little weird, but it is important to note that, unless you have read the previous Cross books, then a lot of the background content may escape you. The return of ex-FBI agent turned criminal Kyle Craig isn't described enough to let the first-time Patterson reader fully get the gist and importance of such a character, but then the book is designed to be read by those who have followed Cross through the books, and in order.

Luckily, I am one of those who have read the previous Cross books, and as such I understood the characters and also the styles of both Cross and Craig. Patterson's writing style is as fast and furious as usual, leaving little or no time for long and descriptive passages, and this is a trait of Patterson's. It makes it much easier to read the book in a flowing sense, and the combination of the short, snappy chapters and the non stop action and suspense means the book doesn't last particularly long: done in a day or two if you have a bit of free time.

I recommend giving this one a go if you are a fan of the Cross series: it is an excellent addition. However, if you haven't read the Cross books before, then I suggest you start them from the beginning, and work your way through. Double Cross is currently available from amazon.co.uk for £5.99 and is well worth a read.

Summary: Another good read from Patterson