I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable, quick read by a master writer. A serial killer is murdering and mutilating women in Hollywood, women who present as perfect wives and mothers and who seem to have it all. The clues point to a deranged woman who was previously incarcerated in a mental institution for the criminally insane after being found guilty of murdering her three children, but FBI Agent Alex Cross is not convinced of her guilt. Alex's former partner, John Sampson, makes a brief appearance in the course of the story and a few of Alex's romantic partners appear, only to fade out of the picture, permanently. The way that Mr.Patterson writes in short, staccato chapters, suits this crime story perfectly and makes for very easy reading. I'd recommend this book to any lover of murder mysteries, especially as he doesn't fall into the mistake of describing the murder and forensic scenes in too graphic detail...I'm literally sick of all that urky stuff!