Online Bookstore: Warner Books Jack & Jill Book

Average Rating:

Even though the meat of the plot(s) is not directly dependant on the previous books in the Cross series, READ THE OTHERS FIRST. Following Cross through his adventures adds a certain bit of "human experience" to the books as you start to really get to know Alex Cross and his family. "Jack and Jill," while not on the same stellar level as the previous two, is still a definite must read. For readers that thrive off detail-heavy mammoth books that are slow to unwind as they paint an extensive picture of what the writer is thinking, may not enjoy Patterson, but for the reader that likes just enough detail to be able to paint his/her own picture, but not so much that any amount of imagination on the readers part is usless, Patterson is the man for you. Personal interpitation, that's what books are all about, aren't they. We have television for those times when we want it all laid out for us, and we have books for when we want to add our own details. Also good by Patterson, even though they do not include Cross, are "When the Wind Blows" and "Midnight Club."

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.

I 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.