"Kiss the Girls" by James Patterson(Thriller, minor spoilers)

This is the second novel in Patterson's Alex Cross series. In it, Cross investigates the case of a serial kidnapper.

The book follows a structure similar to a lot of the other novels in the series. Some chapters are told in the first person from Cross's point of view, others are told in the third person from the point of view of the villain. Or, in this case, villains.

The book discusses a psychological phenomenon known as 'twinning,' in which a kind of psychological bond develops between two people. In the case of serial criminals, this bond seems to involve a kind of sharing of secrets that only the two of them can understand. The knowledge that they can't discuss their activities with anyone else makes the relationship stronger.

Two serial criminals, one who calls himself Casanova and the other The Gentleman Caller, play this game of sharing and twinning with each other.

Casanova has a collection. The thing is, the items in this collection are live women, who he keeps hidden in a secret location. And one of them is Cross's niece Naomi. This gives Cross something very personal to rivet his attention on the case.

Another character who figures prominently in the plot is another one of Casanova's victims, Dr. Kate McTiernan. She manages to escape from Casanova's lair, and works with Cross to try to track Casanova down. Trouble is, a combination of the drugs she was given by Casanova, and her condition after escape and recovery, and how well-hidden Casanova's lair is, make it hard for her to lead Cross to where the victims are being held. So Cross has to persist in working the case.

There were a few chapters in the novel that seemed to leave a development not quite finished and left me wondering just what happened, but not too many. Over-all, the plot flows nicely and keeps moving at an intense pace.

Some readers complain that Cross is too much of an idealized character, lacking any internal conflict. Although, to be fair, I'd say Cross simply comes across as very focused - he knows how important his work is, and succeeds at putting aside personal concerns in the interest of apprehending dangerous criminals as fast as he can. Also, having read several other novels in the series, I feel like I've gotten to know the character well enough that he comes alive for me when I read more of the stories. True, Patterson doesn't have Cross spend a lot of chapters dwelling at length on his personal problems, but so what? This isn't supposed to be some self-indulging, navel-gazing type of story, it's more plot-driven and is supposed to be an intense thriller, right?

There are some wrong turns taken, when Cross thinks he's figured out who Casanova is but turns out to have the wrong person. I found the ending quite satisfying and exciting.

This is a good, solid entry in the Alex Cross series. There was a movie based on it, made about ten years ago, I remember seeing it at the theatre, but they made some changes. So even if you already saw the movie, the book will still have some surprises for you.