by James Patterson

A Mystery/Thriller, 2023 by Little Brown, 416 Pages 

What I Didn’t Like:

• There have been a lot (30+) books in this series. Anytime you go on that long there’s storylines you think you know, things you’ve already heard, and things you forgot. This has all those.
• There’s a lot going on in this one: 3 storylines that don’t all tie back together. Is it realistic for a police officer today? Absolutely. But it’s a lot to track.
• This might be the first time the title makes absolutely NO sense. It doesn’t match the book or have any ties to the story. It MAY have been changed to Cross Out since publication but that’s honestly not much better. 

What I Did Like:

• Compelling start. This is clearly a villain who is cautious and careful, which always makes for a dangerous crime. Plus, I appreciate when multiple cases are introduced early. It always seems more realistic that way. 
• I’ve complained before that Ali Cross, in his own series, feels like a completely different character. This book does a decent job of giving us the Ali Cross from THAT series. In other words, his personality does come through a little here. 
• Nods to previous villains, cases, and situations that readers of the series will remember.

Who Should Read This One:

• Fans of the series will obviously grab this one, as I did. I have a hard time imagining that this will be anyone’s favorite of the series, however.

My Rating: 3 Stars

• Look, I love these characters and this series but this book didn’t have the compulsive readability I’ve come to expect. For that reason, its appeal is limited to fans of the series.