Crisscross

Crisscross continues the saga of Repairman Jack, an underground "fix-it" man who operates outside the law to help people with problems that can't be solved through official channels. In this eighth installment of the series, Jack takes on two separate cases that seem unrelated at first. The first case involves a nun who seeks Jack's assistance with what appears to be a straightforward matter of blackmail. The second case centers on a woman who believes her son has become involved with a dangerous cult. As Jack investigates both situations, he discovers connections that suggest these cases may not be as separate as they initially appeared. His pursuit of answers leads him through New York City's shadowy underworld and puts him in conflict with forces both human and possibly supernatural. The novel explores themes of faith, deception, and the blurry line between coincidence and destiny, while continuing to develop the larger mythology that runs throughout the Repairman Jack series.

Most readers consider Crisscross a solid entry in the Repairman Jack series, though not among the strongest. The book holds a 4.1/5 rating on Goodreads (2,800+ ratings) and 4.4/5 on Amazon (150+ ratings). Readers praised: - The pacing and action sequences - The parallel storylines that connect by the end - Development of Jack's relationships with other characters - Return of characters from previous books Common criticisms: - Takes longer to get going compared to other books in the series - Some found the religious cult subplot less engaging - Less supernatural/horror elements than usual - Minor plot threads left unresolved Multiple readers noted this book works better as part of the series than as a standalone novel. Several reviews mentioned it serves as a "bridge book" that sets up future storylines rather than delivering major revelations or changes to the overall narrative. LibraryThing readers rated it 3.9/5 (100+ ratings).

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🔍 The name "Repairman Jack" originated from the character being a "fix-it" man who solves problems outside the law, never actually repairing physical items 🏆 F. Paul Wilson won the Prometheus Award twice and the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement for his contributions to horror and science fiction 🗽 The Repairman Jack series spans 15 main novels and several related works, with all stories taking place in New York City before the events of Wilson's earlier novel "Nightworld" 📚 "Crisscross" is the 8th book in the main Repairman Jack series and was published in 2004 🎭 The character of Repairman Jack first appeared in Wilson's 1984 novel "The Tomb," which was originally intended to be a standalone story before reader demand led to the full series