Who Is The Mastermind In Cross? The Book Character Explained

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Warning: This article includes SPOILERS for Cross season 2, episodes 1 through 3!

The new season of Prime Video’s Cross introduces a puzzling character known as The Mastermind, and details about their background and motivations could be crucial to the show’s plot. Cross returns with a more intense and suspenseful story, featuring increased violence and darker themes.

The show quickly establishes a complex and surprisingly relatable serial killer, and even references a famous literary character. To secretly communicate with a mysterious figure known as “The Mastermind,” Kayla Craig obtains a prepaid phone to hide her identity.

The story strongly suggests she participated in a criminal plot with The Mastermind and his associates. Although The Mastermind hasn’t appeared yet, clues from previous books featuring Alex Cross hint at the trouble ahead for him.

Kyle Craig Is The Mastermind In James Patterson’s Cross Books

Custom Image by Yeider Chacon.

The show hasn’t revealed who The Mastermind is, but Kayla Craig is likely connected to them. The Mastermind is actually Kyle Craig in the original Alex Cross novels, first appearing in the 1993 book, Along Came a Spider. In the books, Alex Cross and Kyle Craig were friends and worked together, often assisting each other on investigations.

Alex Cross first encounters the killer in the 1995 novel Kiss the Girls, where he murders reporter Beth Lieberman. It’s not until Roses Are Red that readers discover the killer’s identity: Kyle is also known as The Mastermind.

In Violets Are Blue, Alex Cross discovers that someone he thought was a friend – an FBI agent – is actually a serial killer. This revelation completely shatters his world. Even after being arrested and imprisoned in a maximum-security facility, the killer continues to haunt and threaten Cross in future books.

The Mastermind Is Alex Cross’s True Nemesis

Throughout his career, Alex Cross has faced numerous serial killers, many of whom pushed him to his limits. But none have been as challenging as The Mastermind. Craig is incredibly cunning and manipulative, even managing to befriend someone who could ultimately stop him. This allows him to mislead Cross and stay one step ahead of the law.

The Mastermind is a truly awful villain. He coldly kidnaps and murders anyone who opposes him. Disturbingly, he also sexually assaults both living and deceased women, seemingly driven by a need to dominate. The pursuit between Kyle Craig and Alex Cross is a thrilling read, and Craig is ultimately caught when his overconfidence gets the better of him.

He abandons any pretense of restraint and directly targets Alex Cross and his family. Even while imprisoned, he continues to torment and taunt Cross, offering false leads and refusing to cooperate. He escalates his threats, vowing to kill Cross’s family and actively attempting to do so after escaping from prison.

Why Everyone Thought Kayla Craig Was A Gender-Swapped Mastermind

Before the character of The Mastermind appeared in season 2 of Cross, many viewers thought Kayla Craig was simply a female version of Kyle Craig. The similarities were striking – Kayla, like Kyle in the novels, is an FBI agent who works closely with Alex Cross, providing him with valuable information, and he, in turn, assists her with her investigations.

Furthermore, the season one finale of Cross reveals that she’s not as virtuous as she seems. She strikes a bargain with Bobby Trey: he must deliver all damaging information about influential figures to her.

She’s definitely hiding something significant, and it’s possible she’s even committed a crime. Considering everything, it seems likely she’s connected to Kyle Craig, also known as The Mastermind.

How Could Kayla Craig Connect To The Mastermind In The Cross TV Show

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Now that season 2 of Cross has premiered, it’s clear The Mastermind and Kayla Craig have a history together. It’s possible Kayla Craig is the same person as Kyle Craig from previous seasons, but if so, that would mean The Mastermind is someone completely different.

I suspect Kayla and Kyle Craig are twins, and that Kyle is actually The Mastermind on the show. If that’s true, Kayla would share some of the character’s qualities – like being an FBI agent who knows Alex Cross – but not others, such as being a killer. This would make the character a bit weaker, but it would also explain why Kayla isn’t The Mastermind herself.

It’s possible Kayla Craig wasn’t the original mastermind, but she’s stepping into that role now. She definitely shows signs of being manipulative and potentially dangerous, and I suspect she might become a serial killer eventually. But that’s just my guess, of course.

No matter what approach they take, I’m confident they’ll do an excellent job. They consistently deliver innovative and compelling storytelling in Cross.

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2026-02-12 03:09