James Patterson's thirteenth book featuring Alex Cross is a fastpaced thriller that reintroduces some of the most coldblooded killers he has faced.

Although Alex is working as a therapist, he is drawn back into the D.C. police force after a criminal mastermind, dubbed the Audience Killer, personally taunts Cross and his new girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone. Meanwhile, Cross' nemesis, former FBI agent Kyle Craig, is planning his return from his supermaximum-security prison cell.

Double Cross features fewer personal elements of Cross' life than previous books, but it still maintains some of his struggles to balance his personal and professional life. The novel features some spectacularly grisly murders, but the disaster-a-chapter pace is a little overwrought.

The last chapter is a bit open-ended, but also purely Patterson in that it leaves room for several more books in the series.

- Ashley

You've Been Warned (with Howard Roughan)
The Quickie (with Michael Ledwidge)
The 6th Target (with Maxine Paetro)

Patterson has five new books coming out soon, including a new Women's Murder Club thriller in February.

On Television
Patterson's Women's Murder Club series of books is now a television series on ABC. Former Law & Order star Angie Harmon plays Lindsay Boxer.