Jack & Jill (Alex Cross)
by James Patterson
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Book Reviews of Jack & Jill (Alex Cross)
Book Review: Great book to listen to (or read)
Summary: 4 Stars
(Book was first publishedin 1997 and is now in paperback and audio book too)
U.S. Senator Daniel Fitzpatrick is brutally murdered, no he's executed, and the audacious perpetrators of the crime film the gruesome event and submit it to CNN!
A well-known investigative journalist is next, followed by a prominent general. All are pawns in a serial rampage of murder that tears through the heart of Washington, D.C. Similarities in the characters to real-life personalities are too close to the truth for this to not be a classic Alex Cross thriller. The victims are chosen at random, through Cross and his partner Sampson are on different tangents with every new corpse that they find.
The parallel plots that we have all come to expect in Cross novels, do not disappoint and find Alex tracking a murderer through his neighborhood before the killer can strike again. The killer's targets are children at the Sojourner Truth School, the same school Alex's son Damon attends.
Where we usually talk about the writing and the spellbinding plot of a thriller, here in the audio version, it is the condensation of plot and the delivery by the readers, which contribute to the success of an audio rendition of a great story.
Blair Underwood is cast as Alex Cross, a wonderful choice in an actor who can transcend the rough streetwise dialects of the mean streets of DC to the refined and eloquent mannerisms of Alex Cross. Underwood plays various parts and genders with skill unequal to many of his large and small-screen contemporaries that have tried to bring life to famous literary characters. His tones are matched perfectly to the story and without him, Alex Cross would not come alive in Jack and Jill.
Supporting Underwood is John Rubenstein, a well-known talent in his own right, and as the voice of the killer Jack, he brings just the right edge the story needs. His delivery is mild and spooky and is more than enough to hold your attention.
Hachette audio had added just enough music in the tense moments and effects. The engineers have hit on a fine mix of talent, editing and sound to provide an entertaining thrill ride for those of us that love James Patterson in any format.
Armchair Interviews says: A very good book that's well-read on audio.
Book Review: Jack and Jill
Summary: 3 Stars
Jack and JillI have loved mystery, action, and suspense novels ever since I can remember. James Patterson is one of the writers I love to read. Many of his books are very exciting, and I love being able to follow Alex Cross, the main character, through his many detective adventures. Because I have read a few of his books, Along Came a Spider, Cat & Mouse, and Pop Goes the Weasel, I hoped Jack and Jill would be as wonderful as the others were. Upon reading Jack and Jill I was surprised to find that this book was not as good as the rest. James Patterson kept switching back and forth between villains and Alex and I kept getting the characters mixed up. James also didn't tell the names of the characters, and he would only give hints about their appearance. At one point I thought there were only three different villains. I finally figured out there were not two villains, as usual, but FOUR! The two main villains are known as Jack and Jill. The third villain is known as The Sojourner Truth School Killer. About half way through the book I found out some interesting information on the School Killer that will knock your socks off! At first I thought the fourth killer, who is known as The Photojournalist, was Jack but I figured out he was not. Being able to weave the four killers and their personalities into one book shows that James Patterson is an accomplished writer. I usually read larger books, around 650 pages, so I was a little frustrated when I found out how short the chapters were, usually two pages. James Patterson's story line is almost the same as Clive Cussler's. Both main characters, Alex Cross in James Patterson's and Dirk Pitt in Clive Cussler, work in a food line for the homeless, and they both have a partner who is comical and of a larger build. The story line moved with a slow but steady increase of suspense, whereas Clive Cussler's stories have HUGE ups and downs, which I like. James Patterson keeps Alex Cross investigating murders of almost the same story line. I wish James Patterson would come up with a new pattern of villains. Jack and Jill was a great read and very interesting but definitely not his best. I recommend this book to all readers, but I suggest you read another James Patterson book first. I also suggest Clive Cussler to anyone looking for LOTS of action in one book.
Book Review: Invisible foes, red herrings galore, tons of twists and turns, yay!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Alex Cross series is like a bag of uber addictive potato chips, I can barely get my paws of them and the genius of the stories is that it never feels like I'm just reading one long book if I read a few in a row, they are all fresh and invigorating and all my senses are tingling, trying to figure out who the bad guy is.... There's always the element of mystery in Patterson's books, the nemesis often goes by a nick name or a moniker that is often exposed at the end so it's not a simple thriller, there's plenty of guesswork and many of the characters walk both sides of the line. Sometimes the biggest betrayal comes from those closest to Alex or those who seem to be working in the best interest of everyone, the sweet talkers who have a tank of venom under their cloak.
Alex is stuck between two separate cases that seem to be echoing back and forth for his attention, the killings of the rich and famous politicians and tragic murders of innocent young children at the Sojourner Truth School that his son Damon is attending. Both shocking and gristly leave the police running in circles as the answers to their questions grow instead of being answered. The killings of the senators and prominent figures are escalating to the biggest threat; the promise of a slain president. Jack and Jill are running amok invisible to the investigators, two figures with silly names that mean business, dark business that is. Just when things start to come to focus more clues to the identity of the killers seems to throw Alex off, something isn't right and if they miss the change to catch them the world of politics will be thrown into chaos. If that wasn't enough the kid murders are growing and when Alex's own family is at peril he must do his best to be at two places at the same time. Only impossible solutions are his hope and salvation. To make matters worse, a psycho from the past is back in his life, taunting him, adding more pressure to the all ready massive tornado of death and destruction.
Suspenseful and riveting, the story is solid from beginning to end. I had a great time trying to guess who was playing Jack and Jill, books like this are good enough to turn anyone into a reader.
- Kasia S.
This is a book 3 in the Alex Cross series.
Book Review: Left Me Breathless
Summary: 4 Stars
If you like fast-paced, nonstop thrills in your mysteries, this is the book for you. I felt like I had to stop and breathe every now and then; the plot twists, suspense, surprises, and sheer horror of the plot had me so mesmerized, I almost forgot to do so!Like other Patterson novels, this one, the third in the Alex Cross series, features two parallel horrors, both of which involve the detective in a very personal way. First, a crazed killer is murdering young black children in Cross's own neighborhood, children from his own son's school. The sheer brutality of the murders bespeaks a rage that strikes terror in Cross's heart. But the Washington, D.C. powers that be don't seem to be overly concerned with the horrible happenings in the black neighborhood--they're much more involved with the high-profile, equally mysterious Jack and Jill murders that have captured all the headlines.
Jack and Jill are assassins. We're in on their nefarious doings from the beginning, but we don't know who they really are. And neither does the FBI, the CIA, the Secret Service, or the police. They are on a murderous timetable, assassinating increasingly well-known people as part of a single-minded, and seemingly unstoppable, track that leads to the assassination of the President of the United States. Can Cross et al. catch these fiends in time? And what of the child killer? He's got Cross's own children in his crosshairs. Will he strike at Cross's very heart and soul?
The sheer humanity and decency of Alex Cross--his intelligence, his love of his family and friends, the piano he plays on the porch to soothe his soul, the grief he still feels for his dead wife--all serve as a counterpoint to the inhumanity of the killers. Cross despairs of the human race as he encounters the horribly murdered bodies of the killers--but any world with Alex Cross in it can't be all bad. Cross sardonically refers to himself as "The Dragon Killer," and indeed he is. But this time, he just may be up against a force more evil than anything or anyone he has ever encountered before.
As I stated in a previous review, I am new to the Patterson bandwagon, and now I have no intention of getting off! On to the next book in the Cross series. Can it be as good as "Jack and Jill?" It boggles the mind.
Book Review: Come on, lay off of JACK & JILL, people! It was GOOD!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had started reading ALONG CAME A SPIDER earlier this year as a result of seeing the DECENT movie (I won't get into that now). And you know what? I LOVED IT! The plot twists, the turns, the characters...just...all perfect! I was very impressed. So, naturally, I delved right into KISS THE GIRLS...whew, scary! Also very good! Unguessable...and so, thirsty for more, I delved right into JACK & JILL.Now this book, I will admit, was not AS good as ALONG or KISS, *however* it still deserves all five stars, if not more.
By the way, you know how the synopsis of the book mentions "...Washington, D.C. homicide detective Alex Cross is brought in to try to find a connection between the two murders..." Okay, since this isn't REALLY a plot spoiler, I'll tell you right now, there isn't any real connection between the murders. The synopsis of the book leads you on--it did with me. It's more like, Alex Cross is trying to solve the murder of a little girl that has occured right near his home, when all of a sudden, the FBI are hiring him to help solve the Jack & Jill murder case. Now while he *wants* that to get solved, too, he doesn't want to just leave his original case, which nobody seems to find significant compared to the murders of the United States Senator, a movie actress, and others. When he gets the time, he goes back home and tries to solve the little girl's murder, but the Jack & Jill case just keeps getting worse.
As I said, the book wasn't as good as ALONG or KISS, but not bad or anything. I found that the plot dragged on for a while, with occasional glances at Jack & Jill as they plot their next move, and withOUT any *big* leads as to solving their case. But the characterization was rich and interesting, and the plot thickened--oh, how it thickened.
So give the book a chance; you might like it, you might not. Oh, and, only read the book if you've read ALONG CAME A SPIDER *and* KISS THE GIRLS. It *IS* a series, remember. If you read this one first and whine, "I don't get it...", just...don't even bother reviewing.