A disturbing tale for Alex Cross (Kiss the Girls - James Patterson)

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	Kiss the Girls - James Patterson
Date:	11/12/08 (25 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very well written

Disadvantages: Harrowing at times

The second of James Patterson's Detective Alex Cross books flows as fluidly and as fervently as his first Cross book, Along Cam A Spider, but this book, Kiss The Girls, threads the line with much more adult themes and disturbing storylines than the first. Patterson writes the story very well but be warned: there are elements in this book which could disturb.

Alex Cross is back into action as he takes up the investigation of a series of abductions, picking up where the last person left off, due to their demise. The case becomes personal as Cross' niece becomes one of the abducted victims, and we see a different, more angry Cross than in the first book. The case is tricky as there appears to be two different crims at work: competing with each other to try and best the other one. Cross must stop them both before it's too late and anyone else gets hurt.

Once again, the words just sink in as the pages fly by. I have never read an author as quickly as Patterson, and it's not because I skim read - it's because he doesn't worry about long, descriptive passages: he just puts the story on the paper and lets the action do all the talking. The action is thick and fast, and if you were to compare it in cinematic terms, it would be like cramming a feature film into a slot designed for a TV show episode.

But this is still harrowing material, and at times I was glad that there were no lengthy descriptions. Be warned: Patterson does tackle the issue of rape and he's not an author to tread softly, so if this bothers you then it may not be your type of book to read.

However, it is still a very well written book, and a worthy second story for Cross. There isn't much character development involved in the story: if you want this about Cross then you need to have read Along Came A Spider, the first in the series, and although it's not necessary to read them in order, it does help and could avoid spoilers as some of the books' characters are linked.

Kiss The Girls was also made into a feature film starring Morgan Freeman as Cross and also featuring Ashley Judd. The book is available readily and retails at £6.99, although you are likely to find it much cheaper online or in charity shops.

Summary: Excellent second Alex Cross book from Patterson