The Criss Cross

by Crystal Lacey Winslow

Nikki Ling is half black and Japanese. She's independent, street-smart and the daughter of a prostitute. Living in the mean streets of East New York and Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn shes forced to make a living the only what she knows how.
When a wealthy, South African diplomat asks for her hand in marriage things seem to get brighter. Until she realizes that the soft-spoken, reserved, gentleman is pathological, kinky, and sadistic.
One day she meets a mysterious stranger who approaches her with The Criss Cross. Is The Criss Cross her ticket to a better life? Or will The Criss Cross ultimately become the double cross? Wait!
The Criss Cross isn't done yet! The old gang from Life, Love & Loneliness have some unfinished business to resolve. In this page-turning novel see how the drama unfolds for Lyric, Lacey, Madison, Joshua, and Estelle.

384 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2004

About the author

Crystal Lacey Winslow is an American author, agent, ghostwriter, and book publisher from Brooklyn, New York. Well-regarded publications such as Black Enterprise, Essence, and Publisher’s Weekly heralded the efforts and accomplishments of Winslow. By 2005, she was an award-winning writer, and Vibe.com coined her as “Melodrama’s Queen Pen”—a prophetic epithet that came full-circle years later when she ghostwrote several bestselling novels. Winslow is the author of the Essence bestsellers The Criss Cross, Life, Love & Loneliness and a co-writer of Four Degrees of Heat. BET Nightly News did a segment on the ambitious entrepreneur and former radio personality, Wendy Williams, called her first book, “Fi-yah.”

Reviews

[Nardsbaby Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suck is Life

This follow up to Life, Love & Loneliness titled appropriately The Crisscross has you perched on the edge trying to figure out who is going to cross who and how. Nikkisi Ling, Noki Ling, Kapri Henderson, and Ivanka Zamora all are entangled as each one deals with their pre-ordained fates.

Nikki Ling has been used by the best of them. As this half black and Japanese woman realizes that she deserves better she decides to make a drastic career change and become a wife to a wealthy South African diplomat. Nikki's independent and street-smart thanks to being proliferated from the streets and having to crawl long and hard before she could walk. Although Nikki expects money to be her savior she's lost the only love she knew, but was it ever love? Nik meets a mystifying stranger who approaches her with the opportunity to rid herself of her circumstance. Is this the chance Nik has been waiting for? Or will Nik be stuck with the ultimate double cross?

Noki Ling this brat is biracial, half black and Japanese the younger sister of Nikki. But PLEASE her haughty materialistic azz would never admit that she's "A SISTA" Noki resents Nikki, and regardless what Nikki does it will never matter cause she's never going to be able to get Noki to feel anything unless it's dollar and cents. It's all about the Benjamin's baby! Noki's greed has placed her and her sister in compromising situations. Will Noki's obsession for dollars outweigh Nikki?

Kapri Henderson love for Knowledge proved to be a foolish investment. 13 years Upstate and Kapri is back! She has her son, a place to lie and now it's time to pay the bills. Kapri immediate thirst rushes her back into the streets where she immediately picks up the pace. Her parenting skills are beyond questionable. Kapri finds Knowledge and is immediately thrilled with his outcome, but will she resist the lure of outdoing the next? Is Kapri headed for self destruction?

Ivanka Zamora an uncontrolled, rich white girl. Her fascinations lead to unanswered questions as she's decided that she's capable of pulling anything off. Ivanka devises a plan and slowly brings all of her pawns in, but will she be able to extract her attack before she's caught?

Just when you thought that you knew the players in Crisscross Joshua Tune, Lacey Devaney, Madison Michaels, Portia Jones and Estelle Cardinale join in as a supporting cast. Has the unfinished business been resolved?

The drama at times is way over the top, and it's also somewhat confusing. However it is an entertaining read anticipating that there is still yet to come!

[Martine]

Finished this like 2 weeks now. Good story eventhough some of the characters were too much to stomach- especially Noki the ungrateful Beyotch! The attempt to make you question whether Lyric died in the last book or whether it was Lacey was not executed too well; since in the last book he gave away enough evidence to get rid of that suspicion. First the person who was dying was pregnant and they had an emergency delivery of the baby, and Lyric @ the end of the last book was supposedly in Heaven with Aaliyah etc- why would Lacey care about that?? ut overall good book, although Nikki need some real counsellling to be so blind to her sisters BS!

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikki & Noki Ling are too sisters that are off the chain. Beautiful, dangerous, smart & sexy TIMES 2! Loved it! An official page turner that kept me awake and glued to it for 2 days straight! BigUps to the author for the character development & invoicing great emotion in the readers & an excitement that comes from loving to HATE a character!

[Mrs Tupac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was good i think this is one of few books I feel should've been turned into a movie each page and damn near person had a sista on the edge of her seat this book is a fav and people can learn something out of reading this joint right here ; I loved it so much ima buy me a copy and re read it again

[Destiny Revealed · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly good book, full of plot twists and some steamy (if slightly demented) scenes. I was into it from the very first page. Without spoiling it for those who haven't read it, I have to say, Noki shocked me. I'd like to know what the future brings for Nikki.

[Shalamar Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I was all set to give this book 3 stars until I got to the end. Why would you start the beginning a beautiful sequel and never follow up?? I am disappointed in the author, Winslow was on her way to another best-selling book.

[Ben Oduro]

Amazing book. I was told I should have read another book before this one as it leads to this one, but I don't know the name of it. But it still was an excellent read. Im just looking for the first book so I can connect things.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man I though her 1st book was off the hook! this is Part 2 and i was even better!

[Chelsea]

I liked this book because it has a series of different events going on at the same time. When they all meet they come together and are all connected in some way. It reminds me of the movie "Crash".

[Yasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book taught me that money can really get into a person mind and controll them ... this book has really intuguing parts in it.

[Diva · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lot of stuff going down in this book...big drama...it took me a long time to read only cause of other things i had 2 do...you want a drama filled book from a-z this it yo...holla

[Charmain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good with a twist to it! I havent read part one which be on my to read list

[Winfield · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring, OMG this book took too long to get to whatever is sadistic that was described in the brief summary. I could not finish this book THANK GOD I did not buy it.

[Tamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who commits the ultimate Criss Cross? A tale of survival nurtured by hurt, determination, deceit, arrogance, manipulation, and insanity.

[Marci · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it, couldn't put it down

[Aone · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a lot going on, but it will keep you reading into the middle of the night!