The FBI is in serious trouble. A criminal, known only as the Mastermind, has got them by the short hairs. Alex Cross, from the Washington Police, is brought in to liaise with the FBI on a ring of bank robbers/murderers/kidnappers. And just as his girlfriend Christine is about to leave Washington for good, with Alex Junior to be handed over to his dad, Alex's daughter Jannie begins a frightening series of seizures. Alex confronts his profession head on, making moral choices throughout this decision.

As the Mastermind continues to terrorize the Washington, DC area, Alex comes closer and closer to discovering his true identity. Just as he gets closer, the Mastermind unleashes a terrible revenge on all the members of Alex's team of investigators. In the surprise ending, Patterson shows his true passion for crime; this whodunit has so many twists and turns, it can't help but keep you on the edge of your seat. Although this version is abridged, it has excellent continuity and depth of characterization. This is Patterson at his best. As always, enjoy!