Part of Alex Cross, book 6
First published 2001
Alex Cross faces his most calculating adversary yet. Bank robberies terrorize Washington, but these aren't ordinary heists. The criminal who calls himself the Mastermind executes each job with surgical precision. His demands are specific, his timeline exact. When bank employees or their families fail to follow his instructions perfectly, he kills them. Cross recognizes the pattern immediately. This isn't about money. The perpetrator's obsession with control runs deeper than typical criminal behavior. His pathological need for precision suggests something more dangerous brewing. Cross's personal life crumbles around him, but the case consumes his attention completely. The Mastermind is planning something bigger. His previous crimes were rehearsals for one final, perfect execution. Cross must decode the killer's ultimate plan before Washington pays the price for one man's twisted vision of perfection.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, high-stakes, obsession
Setting: Washington DC
Period: 21st-century
416 pages · Kindle Edition · Warner Vision
Content warnings: violence