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318th out of 641 books
—
347 voters
Kiss the Girls (Alex Cross #2)
by
James Patterson (Goodreads Author)
In Los Angeles, a reporter investigating a series of murders is killed. In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a beautiful medical intern suddenly disappears. Washington D.C.Us Alex Cross is back to solve the most baffling and terrifying murder case ever. Two clever pattern killers are collaborating, cooperating, competing--and they are working coast to coast.
Paperback, 458 pages
Published
December 1st 1995
by Grand Central Publishing
(first published January 1st 1995)
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This is genuinely the worst book I have ever finished.
To be fair, it is tolerable when there is action, which is often. But every time James Patterson tries to put words coming out of a characters mouth, it makes you want to punch yourself in the face. When he writes descriptive, emotional paragraphs, it makes you want to punch him in the face.
I actually dog-eared a couple pages because the writing was so bad, I wanted to be able to quick reference it to people to show them how bad it was.
Want a...more
To be fair, it is tolerable when there is action, which is often. But every time James Patterson tries to put words coming out of a characters mouth, it makes you want to punch yourself in the face. When he writes descriptive, emotional paragraphs, it makes you want to punch him in the face.
I actually dog-eared a couple pages because the writing was so bad, I wanted to be able to quick reference it to people to show them how bad it was.
Want a...more
Nov 13, 2008
Jack
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone wanting a Page-Turner
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
6 likes · like · see review
If this is what some people consider beach reading, they should drown themselves.
If I could scrub clean that part of my brain where the stench of this novel resides, I would. While Patterson probably applauds himself for coming up with something as clever as an underground lair and the device of two serial rapist/murderers working together, every other aspect of this book (I have to call it a book, which is a four-letter word and refers to something that is written but can also be used as a door...more
If I could scrub clean that part of my brain where the stench of this novel resides, I would. While Patterson probably applauds himself for coming up with something as clever as an underground lair and the device of two serial rapist/murderers working together, every other aspect of this book (I have to call it a book, which is a four-letter word and refers to something that is written but can also be used as a door...more
16 likes · like · see review
Mar 24, 2011
Lisa (Harmonybites)
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
No One
If it weren't for two scenes in this novel, I'd add two stars. Patterson is no prose stylist, and his novels are formulaic, but until a few novels after this one Alex Cross got unbearably Gary Stu, with supervillain psychopaths making it their life work to take him down, I found Patterson's detective protagonist likable and the books featuring him entertaining page-turning police procedurals.
In some ways, this second book book in the series is even stronger than Along Came a Spider, the first Al...more
In some ways, this second book book in the series is even stronger than Along Came a Spider, the first Al...more
Okay, I am reading pulp fiction. Many people from my classes have recommended his novels and I thought I would see what all the hype is about. So far it is not well-written, but I am entertained. I liked the movie, although I think Ashley Judd is annoyingly condescending.
I have finally finished the book and it was one cliché piled on top of another. I don't know why authors feel they have to make women so perfect. Is it some form of misguided feminism or a male fantasy? I would argue male fantas...more
I have finally finished the book and it was one cliché piled on top of another. I don't know why authors feel they have to make women so perfect. Is it some form of misguided feminism or a male fantasy? I would argue male fantas...more
7 likes · like · see review
Good luck trying to put this one down after starting it. From start to finish this book will have you sweating with anticipation of whats to come. James Patterson does a great job of putting realistic characters in believable situations that will have you on the edge of your seat i guess you could say.
The story is about a detective named Alex Cross who is called on to try to find two notorious serial killers. Patterson describes them as twin killers. But are they really related? You will enco...more
The story is about a detective named Alex Cross who is called on to try to find two notorious serial killers. Patterson describes them as twin killers. But are they really related? You will enco...more
This was good. I really enjoyed Along Came a Spider a few years back and while this wasn't as memorable, it was still pretty good. I was hooked from the very first page and read it right through in one sitting as I couldn't put it down without knowing who was behind the mask. It was fast paced and suspenseful, a definite page-turner. I did have a couple problems with it though. One of the scenes was far too graphic and unnecessary- a cheap shock tactic that served no real suppose. Also, leaving...more
3 likes · like · see review
Got to get used to James P., writing style.
Let me start off by saying that I felt Kiss The Girls was a great book. Good on suspense, good on a nice volume of action, and great at creeping me the hell out with two vicious serial killers. And I can now say, I'm a fan of Alex Cross. Hes not your average detective in the sense that hes a man that acknowlegdes the ugly reality of death and murder, the way it rips at your soul and heart as a man of the law. He puts his all into a case, and because of...more
Let me start off by saying that I felt Kiss The Girls was a great book. Good on suspense, good on a nice volume of action, and great at creeping me the hell out with two vicious serial killers. And I can now say, I'm a fan of Alex Cross. Hes not your average detective in the sense that hes a man that acknowlegdes the ugly reality of death and murder, the way it rips at your soul and heart as a man of the law. He puts his all into a case, and because of...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Alex Cross is a cop. A damn good cop. He's 6'3" tall, taut with muscles, and strikingly handsome. He's a doctor, too. A damn good doctor. A psychologist to the slum kids. His washboard stomach gleams in the afternoon light, as he plays Nora Jones and Coltrane on his piano, stroking his children's heads with his other arms. The phone rings, and he wonders if it's the FBI again, offering him that job running the DC police. He lets it ring again, and again, and again. He really doesn't have time fo...more
Ok, so at first I was prepared to give James Patterson's "Kiss the Girls" 4 stars. Because, well, it just isn't a literary masterpiece. But after reflection I thought, well heck, it's crazy entertaining, so although I don't always agree with the writing style or predictability, it for sure is 5 stars in the entertainment category. Also, I gave "Along Came A Spider" 5 stars, and this book is a little more memorable than that one. So far I enjoy the Women's Murder Club books better, but I'm still...more
I really enjoyed the second book and the intense psychological distress that Alex was in by the end of the novel. His pain and anguish were so intense. I actually almost through my ipad on the floor at one point because i got so mad.
Overall, a great second offering and a "can't put down" read. If you like crime and mystery, the Alex Cross series is for you. Very well written, interesting twists, and you can't help but love Alex and crew.
So why wasn't this a five? (and these are small complaints,...more
Overall, a great second offering and a "can't put down" read. If you like crime and mystery, the Alex Cross series is for you. Very well written, interesting twists, and you can't help but love Alex and crew.
So why wasn't this a five? (and these are small complaints,...more
I read this book during my junior year of high school and what I read actually shocked me and had me having nightmares for quite some time. People getting kidnapped right out of their homes, being kept in an underground sex house, and being used by one of the most sadistic killers I have ever read about, fiction and non-fiction. It's no wonder why I had those nightmares.
In truth, the fact that this book scared the crap out of me made me absolutely love it. It still is one of my favourite James P...more
In truth, the fact that this book scared the crap out of me made me absolutely love it. It still is one of my favourite James P...more
Alex's Cross very talented ,very beautiful neice has been abducted from her college campus. Cross discovers this has been a trend across the United States. A few of the women have been found later brutally tortured and murdered. Finally one beautiful blonde actually escapes and aids Cross and the FBI in their search for the missing women.
I really liked this novel,and its'certainly one of the best of a traditional genre. But this would be womens libber wonders why.Amazing that only one of all t...more
I really liked this novel,and its'certainly one of the best of a traditional genre. But this would be womens libber wonders why.Amazing that only one of all t...more
What I Loved: This is the 2nd book in the Alex Cross series and probably my favorite. It is hard not to get caught up in the story and it actually had me on the edge of my seat a couple of times. All of the characters are fascinating and unique. Even the UnSubs are intriguing and well thought out. Just a very good thriller all around.
What I Liked: I liked the setting both on campus, in the woods, and even when they headed to LA. JP has a wonderful way with words and describing areas so that you...more
What I Liked: I liked the setting both on campus, in the woods, and even when they headed to LA. JP has a wonderful way with words and describing areas so that you...more
Note to self: This is what you get when you choose a book based solely on your crush on Nathan Fillion. Please, don't do it again.
Okay, I liked this book a lot more than I liked Along Came a Spider, hence the 2 stars. But when I say 'liked' I mean it only took me one month to read Kiss the Girls instead of two like last time. Although I find the plot interesting--I saw the movie back when it came out and I remember enjoying it--I found the book to be way too long, drawn-out and boring. It needed...more
Okay, I liked this book a lot more than I liked Along Came a Spider, hence the 2 stars. But when I say 'liked' I mean it only took me one month to read Kiss the Girls instead of two like last time. Although I find the plot interesting--I saw the movie back when it came out and I remember enjoying it--I found the book to be way too long, drawn-out and boring. It needed...more
If any reader needs read some junk books once a while, this one would be a very good one. I finished up it during the veterans' day holiday, a real page turner, with its own charm and flaws.
As always for good guys bad guys scene, the bad guys always talk too much, always trying to kill the good guys with too many tricks (whereas they killed the victims easily, quickly and beautifully), and last always was killed by the good guy.
One thing makes this book a little different is its woman character,...more
As always for good guys bad guys scene, the bad guys always talk too much, always trying to kill the good guys with too many tricks (whereas they killed the victims easily, quickly and beautifully), and last always was killed by the good guy.
One thing makes this book a little different is its woman character,...more
James Patterson- Kiss the Girls (Warner Books 1997) 4.75 Stars
Alex Cross returns when his niece, Naomi Cross, goes missing and a serial rapist/murderer is on the loose. He quickly discovers that there is not just one rapist/murderer on the loose, but two. When one of the captive girls escapes to tell her story, Alex Cross hits his big break in the case. When a reporter covering the story of one of the two killers, it becomes obvious that the two killers are competing and Alex Cross is in the mid...more
Alex Cross returns when his niece, Naomi Cross, goes missing and a serial rapist/murderer is on the loose. He quickly discovers that there is not just one rapist/murderer on the loose, but two. When one of the captive girls escapes to tell her story, Alex Cross hits his big break in the case. When a reporter covering the story of one of the two killers, it becomes obvious that the two killers are competing and Alex Cross is in the mid...more
This was one of the most frustrating books I have ever read. The story was fantastic. Alex Cross is one of my favorite characters and the villains were fascinating. But there is one chapter where on of the villains does something vile and disgusting, that was so unnecessary, that I cannot recommend this to anyone. It makes me quite sad actually, because it was a great book (a 4 star actually), BUT the one chapter ruined it. I do hope that the next one, Jack and Jill, is better.
I think I'm so upset about how AWFUL this novel was because I really enjoyed Along Came a Spider, and decided to move right into book 2 in the series. The only good thing about this book was that it was so short that I really only wasted a few, precious hours of my life (that I will never get back).
OK, so we're back to Alex Cross, still a likeable detective. He gets involved in a missing persons case because his niece is one of the victims. He begins to hunt a man who calls himself "Casanova" w...more
OK, so we're back to Alex Cross, still a likeable detective. He gets involved in a missing persons case because his niece is one of the victims. He begins to hunt a man who calls himself "Casanova" w...more
1 like · like · see review
I thought I'd read this book a long time ago, but someone recently told me she had to stop reading after "the snake scene" and I didn't remember any snake scene (and she told me that I definitely would--and now I do), so I had to see if it was as bad as she made it seem. Didn't strike me as any more graphic than any other Patterson book, and it was definitely Patterson before he became a corporation, so much better than that last awful book of his I read.
It was an interesting situation because t...more
It was an interesting situation because t...more
I had mixed feelings about this book but chose to give it 4 stars because I was unable to put it down. That's got to be a good sign, right? Well, I enjoyed the premise of the story - two serial killers working together; the 'twinning' concept; the cheesey but intriguing relationship between Kate and Alex - but Patterson's layered cliches and formulaic plot made me pretty frustrated at times. There were also a lot of inconsistencies in the story, and plot lines that were never followed up; perhap...more
This was Great!!! It was a very good crime story, a coast to coast serial killers working together!!! Awesome!!! James Patterson wrote an amazing crime fiction, I liked it more than Along Came The Spiders for the tons of twist in this one, it was also a very big return for Alex Cross, how he connect the 1st book with one to make a line for another book at the end was interesting and made me anxious to figure out how it would play out next.
With every part you found a new twist just round the corn...more
With every part you found a new twist just round the corn...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I am a huge fan of mystery book and movies so when I began to read this book I was extremely excited. This books it about a detective who trails a seemingly brilliant serial killer. Every move he makes is strategically planned and executed. I have read other James Patterson books and really loved them but for some reason this one was just not that good to me. I wish that he would have built his character, Alex Cross, a little better. Fletcher made a great point in saying that without the charact...more
Like many, I knew of 'Kiss the Girls' from the movie with Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd (which wasn't that great, in my opinion) so I approached this book - especially after reading the poorly written 'Along Came a Spider' - with trepidation; and, 'Kiss the Girls' is a big improvement. I want to give this book a 3.5 rather than a 3, since the pacing (and keeping up with various aspects of the story, characters, etc..) bothered me.
I'm pretty sure other reviewers have layed out the plot, so I'll...more
I'm pretty sure other reviewers have layed out the plot, so I'll...more
I read this forever ago and it still sticks with me. I got tired of people asking in giggles if I'd read "the snake scene" so here is my review.
The portrayal of any woman not screwing Alex Cross is deplorable. They are kidnapped, humbled, and forced to perform for their rapists. The depiction of "Cassanova" in particular is depressing, since the author makes a point of creating him and describing him as godlike, powerful, and "sexy" as possible, complete with a large penis. The fact that so many...more
The portrayal of any woman not screwing Alex Cross is deplorable. They are kidnapped, humbled, and forced to perform for their rapists. The depiction of "Cassanova" in particular is depressing, since the author makes a point of creating him and describing him as godlike, powerful, and "sexy" as possible, complete with a large penis. The fact that so many...more
A dedicated policeman and psychologist. A killer in the West coast who calls himself, "Gentleman Caller," and a killer in the East coast who calls himself, "Casanova." Several females murdered and missing. Gruesome killings and tortures in graphic detail. Ah, classic James Patterson indeed.
Every time I read books from the likes of James Patterson, Thomas Harris, and John Sanford, I can't help thinking: "They all look like sweet, cute, huggable grandpas, and they write really scary stuff like thi...more
Every time I read books from the likes of James Patterson, Thomas Harris, and John Sanford, I can't help thinking: "They all look like sweet, cute, huggable grandpas, and they write really scary stuff like thi...more
Kiss the Girls, by James Patterson, is a fiction book about a detective named Alex Cross. Cross finds out that his nephew, Naomi, had been kidnapped and it is his job to do whatever it takes to find her. As cross goes on his journey to find her, he learns that this kidnapping is much bigger than he expected. One thing that I liked about this book was how Patterson let the reader get into the mind of a kidnapper. He let you see what goes on in the mind of a murderer and how they plan and act upon...more
This was the first James Patterson book I had ever read. It was the first book that actually removed my mind from present time and let me escape the real world. I was also quite paranoid while reading about two viscous killers. Mr. Patterson did a great job of placing realistic characters in believable situations. The book is about Detective Alex Cross who's niece Naomi has been kidnapped. While on the search for his niece, he becomes part of this investigation where two serial killers are compe...more
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The subject of a Time magazine feature called, "The Man Who Can't Miss," James Patterson is the bestselling author of the past year, bar none, with more than 16 million books sold in North America alone. In 2007, one of every fifteen hardcover fiction books sold was a Patterson title. In the past three years, James has sold more books than any other author (according...more
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Offical UK Site
The subject of a Time magazine feature called, "The Man Who Can't Miss," James Patterson is the bestselling author of the past year, bar none, with more than 16 million books sold in North America alone. In 2007, one of every fifteen hardcover fiction books sold was a Patterson title. In the past three years, James has sold more books than any other author (according...more
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“Everything I loved was taken away from me, and I did not die.”
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“Oh, I guess I want to fall in love, to stay in love for a while. I want to feel real romance every day that I possibly can. I want to feel something special in my life. I want to experience intimacy with another person. I'm not that different from everyone else. Except that I act instead of daydream.”
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