- Primary Subject: Cross Season 2
- Key Update: The first three episodes of Season 2 have introduced the mysterious Mastermind, a character from James Patterson’s novels, through a suspicious connection with FBI Agent Kayla Craig.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 12, 2026
- Quick Answer: The Mastermind is a notorious villain from the novels (Kyle Craig), but the show currently links the title to Kayla Craig via a burner phone.
Cross Season 2 may have released only three episodes so far, but it has already made a big and mysterious reveal with the introduction of The Mastermind.
Known as one of the most iconic characters in James Patterson’s Alex Cross novel series, on which the show is based, The Mastermind’s name was mentioned following the introduction of a surprisingly sympathetic serial killer.
So, who exactly is The Mastermind in Cross? Read on to find out.
Who is The Mastermind in Cross?
Kayla Craig (Alona Tal) was seen contacting “The Mastermind” using a burner phone so that her number couldn’t be traced. This move hinted that Kayla might be involved in an illegal scheme with The Mastermind himself.
While the series has yet to reveal the true identity of The Mastermind, it seems Kayla has some connection to this mysterious figure.
In James Patterson’s Alex Cross book series, The Mastermind is known as the serial killer Kyle Craig.
He was first introduced in the debut novel, Along Came a Spider, where he was a friend and colleague of the protagonist, Alex Cross. In fact, the two would even assist each other with cases.
Kyle Craig committed his first murder in the second novel, Kiss the Girls, when he killed reporter Beth Lieberman. However, his serial-killer persona, “The Mastermind,” was only revealed in the third book, Roses Are Red, showing that Kyle and The Mastermind were the same person.
In the fourth novel, Violets Are Blue, Alex finally learns that Kyle has been a serial killer all along, resulting in his arrest and imprisonment at the fictional prison, Supermax. But even behind bars, Kyle continued to terrorize Alex.
Is Kayla Craig a Female Version of The Mastermind in Cross
With her connection to The Mastermind, as well as her similarities to Kyle Craig’s traits in the books, it’s no surprise that fans speculate Kayla Craig may be the female version of the villain in Cross.
Both Kayla and Kyle are FBI agents who are close to Alex Cross and assist him in his cases.
However, it’s clear that Kayla is not as good a cop as she pretends to be. In the Cross Season 1 finale, she struck a deal with Bobby Trey (Johnny Ray Gill) to obtain all the compromising evidence against powerful figures.
By the looks of it, Kayla may be covering up something significant – potentially her own crimes. But while she could be a villain in Cross, she may still be a different character from The Mastermind.
There are speculations that Kayla might be Kyle’s twin, which would keep Kyle as The Mastermind while introducing Kayla as a separate character.
There are also theories that Cross might present a new version of the villain, with Kayla potentially taking over that role.
Given her manipulative nature, Kayla could eventually develop the murderous tendencies that might make her a serial killer.
For now, these are only mere assumptions, and fans are advised to take them with a grain of salt until Cross officially reveals the identity of The Mastermind.
Cross airs every Wednesday on Prime Video.
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