Jenn's Review: The Private School Murders

Author: James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
Series: Confessions #2
Publication Date: October 7, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Pages: 448
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  YA Crime
Rating: 4.0
Bottom Line: Not as riveting as the first, but still captivating
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab.

Blurb:  In the sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Confessions of a Murder Suspect, James Patterson keeps the confessions coming breathlessly as Tandy Angel delves deeper into her own tumultuous history-and proves that she can rise above the sordid Angel legacy.

Wealthy young women are being murdered on Manhattan's exclusive Upper West Side, and the police aren't looking for answers in the right places. Enter Tandy Angel. The first case she cracked was the mystery of her parents' deaths. Now, while she's working to exonerate her brother of his glamorous girlfriend's homicide, she's driven to get involved in the West Side murder spree. 

One of the recent victims was a student at Tandy's own elite school. She has a hunch it may be the work of a serial killer, but the NYPD isn't listening to her...and Tandy can't ignore the disturbing fact that she perfectly fits the profile of the killer's targets. Can she untangle the mysteries in time? Or will she be the next victim?

Review:  I knew going into this novel that it would be hard to replicate the intensity of the first novel.  Tandy is no longer considering herself a suspect in a murder investigation so the heat is off, so to speak.  The anomalism of her siblings is also no longer under the microscope.  This novel focuses much more on Tandy.

While her detective business is not going as well as she hoped --oddly few people want to hire someone her age to investigate regardless of her abilities-- Tandy does have a few cases to work on:  her older brother is on trial for murder, she still doesn't know the whereabouts of the boy she fell in love with, and someone has murdered a classmate.  I was a little surprised how little interest Tandy took in investigating her brother's case.  She seems quite content just being there to support Matt which is certainly new for her.

More of Tandy's memory is returning to her slowly and James is ever on her mind.  Her investigation into the disappearance of the boy she is beginning to remember is hitting road blocks she never imagined.  There is also the mysterious appearance of a new guardian and a rash of near death encounters in the luxury apartment complex to deal with.

Poking around in an ongoing police investigations never wins you popularity with the NYPD, but luckily Tandy knows a detective or two following the investigation of her parent's death and has earned some respect.  They might look into her serial killer theory, but they would be more likely to follow up on it if she could just find a little proof.

Of course the ending is full of new discoveries and once again nothing is quite what it seems.  It is quite the hook into The Paris Mysteries.  I enjoyed the focus on Tandy in this novel but I must admit that I did miss her siblings a little as they have shifted from the forefront.  Their family dynamic is so unique. I am hoping they are more present in the next book but I know one way or another it will be fascinating.  Actually, I can't wait to find out...


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Jenn's Review: Confessions of a Murder Suspect

Author: James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Series: Confessions #1
Publication Date: September 24, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Pages: 372
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  YA psychological thriller,crime
Rating: 5.0
Bottom Line: A too-delicious-to-put-down tale of society sociopaths...
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab it!

Blurb:  James Patterson returns to the genre that made him famous with a thrilling teen detective series about the mysterious and magnificently wealthy Angel family... and the dark secrets they're keeping from one another.

On the night Malcolm and Maud Angel are murdered, Tandy Angel knows just three things: She was the last person to see her parents alive. The police have no suspects besides Tandy and her three siblings. She can't trust anyone -— maybe not even herself. 

Having grown up under Malcolm and Maud's intense perfectionist demands, no child comes away undamaged. Tandy decides that she will have to clear the family name, but digging deeper into her powerful parents' affairs is a dangerous -- and revealing -- game. Who knows what the Angels are truly capable of?

Review:  I have a love-hate relationship with James Patterson's novels.  When I love him most, however, is when he is collaborating with Maxine Paetro which is what made me so willing to try this YA mystery series. Apparently, readers either love or hate this book.  I was blown away.  Never have I imagined such an incredible psychological thriller... or a family of such captivating sociopaths.

Perhaps thriller is the wrong word.  The entire novel is a study in psychology.  Brilliant children from brilliant parents are pushed to the extreme and disciplined to the extreme ~are they sociopaths by nature or nurture, or something else entirely?  The Angel's methods are extreme and their discipline harsh, but here's the thing:  I understand it.  I'm not saying I agree with it, but I understand it's origin.  Before my daughter was born, my husband and I always joked, 'your child, your science experiment,' but the Angel family takes that theory to a terrifying level in practice.

Tandy is genuine, honest, and direct, of course she's also not sure if she murdered her parents, but that's another matter.  Her unemotional directness makes many people uncomfortable, some readers too I imagine.  She is upset by her parent's deaths but she's dealing with it the only way she knows how; showing no emotion, because emotions are a weakness.  However, Tandy's telling you what she knows, and confessing little secrets along the way.  (I love the way the confessions are interjected every few chapters.)  In an effort to make her devoid of emotion, some of Tandy's memories have been ...suppressed, so she may not be telling the reader everything, but she's telling what she remembers.

Tandy's main suspects, next to herself, are her remaining family members, and she is honest and analytical about them too.  Actually she has the makings of becoming a Sherlock Holmes-style detective, except for her lack of understanding of human emotions.  Because of that she runs around accusing each suspect with each new secret she uncovers, which is obviously not the best methodology.   However her perseverance does win her some answers and eventually solves the case.

I was pleased to discover this is a series.  There is so much more to discover about this family!  I am interested to see who Tandy becomes once some of her emotions are returned to her -will she still choose to contain them?  What other family mysteries will she unravel?  What will become of her siblings?  I know I will be moving on to Confessions: The Private School Murders quite soon...


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Jenn's Review: Along Came a Spider

Blurb:  A missing little girl named Maggie Rose . . . a family of three brutally murdered in the projects of Washington, D.C. . . . the thrill-killing of a beautiful elementary school teacher . . . a psychopathic serial kidnapper/murderer who is so terrifying that the FBI, the Secret Service, and the police cannot outsmart him - even after he's been captured. 

Gary Soneji wants to commit the crime of the century. Alex Cross is the brilliant homicide detective pitted against him. Jezzie Flanagan is the first female supervisor of the Secret Service who completes one of the most unusual suspense triangles in any thriller you have ever read. 

Alex Cross and Jezzie Flanagan are about to have a forbidden love affair--at the worst possible time for both of them. Because Gary Soneji is playing at the top of his game. The latest of the unspeakable crimes happens in Alex Cross's precinct. It happens under the noses of Jezzie Flanagan's men. Now Alex Cross must face the ultimate test: How do you outmaneuver a brilliant psychopath?

Review:  I adore James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series, and I had heard so many good things about his Alex Cross series, that I've been looking forward to starting Along Came a Spider. Once I started it though, I had to push myself to read it.

This was a hard read for me for several reasons. I like crime and proceedurals, but for the most part I cannot handle ones with crimes against children. This has only gotten worse since I became a mother. So from the outset, this was an uphill battle.

What surprised me the most was the fact that I didn't like any of the characters. I didn't dislike Alex Cross, but I couldn't seem to connect to him either. I can't even tell you why. He's a good cop. He's a smart cop. Perhaps it's because he had two small children who seem to be nothing more than a plot device. Perhaps it's because the Women's Murder Club characters have so much depth and are so vibrant that Cross comes off as one dimensional in comparison. Perhaps it was because Cross seemed to wear too many hats. Perhaps it's because the case covers two years. Perhaps it's the flipping of the first person narrative from character to character.

Speaking of the narrative, it seemed clinically detached and a little choppy. The plot had plenty of twists but I knew where we were headed early on and there were no deviations. Still, the path to the finale is an interesting one. There were a few things that were too outrageous to believe (hypnotizing a defendant in the court room in the middle of the trial?!? No way.). Suspension of belief aside, the story was engaging enough to keep me reading, even with the tough subject matter.

I have to say, I'm glad this wasn't my first Patterson, because it might have been my only Patterson. It actually made me question if what I love about WMC isn't Maxine Paetro or one of the other collaborative authors. Will I try another Alex Cross novel? Probably, but it won't be on the top of my TBR pile anytime soon.

Final Take: 3/5

 

Jenn's Review: The 8th Confession

Summary: As San Francisco's most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is watching--waiting for a chance to take vengeance on Isa and Ethan Bailey, the city's most celebrated couple. Finally, the killer pinpoints the ideal moment, and it's the perfect murder. Not a trace of evidence is left behind in their glamorous home.

 As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally executed--a preacher with a message of hope for the homeless. His death nearly falls through the cracks, but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows the story could be huge. Probing deeper into the victim's history, she discovers he may not have been quite as saintly as everyone thought.

As the hunt for two criminals tests the limits of the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and her partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Women's Murder Club now faces its toughest challenge: will love destroy all that four friends have built?  ~blurb

Review:  It's a little crazy but I've been off the Women's Murder Club since Rizzoli & Isles aired. WMC's Lindsay has always been Angie Harmon to me, even before the short lived series and even though she doesn't fit the physical description in the book, she is Harmon's wit and sarcasm to a T.  Somehow the character of Jane Rizzoli is jarring to my vision of Lindsay Boxer.

What I had forgotten, however, is the wonderful balance of the stories around the WMC women. It was amazing how fast the characters came flooding back to me... and it was welcome.  Although we know the culprit for the main case, it is interesting to see the case unfold. I had no idea how or where the second case fit in, but I found that I loved its resolution.  Also melded seemlessly into the storlyline are the lives of the girls, complicated and intertwining.   I was glad that there was some resolution reached in Lindsay's life. It's been toyed with a little too much for me.

It was silly to have avoided my WMC for so long and it certainly won't be long before I revisit them.

Final Take:  4.75/5

 

Julie's Review: The 9th Judgment

Summary: The most personal: A young mother and her infant child are ruthlessly gunned down while returning to their car in the garage of a shopping mall. There are no witnesses, and Detective Lindsay Boxer is left with only one shred of evidence: a cryptic message scrawled across the windshield in bloodred lipstick. The most dangerous: The same night, the wife of A-list actor Marcus Dowling is woken by a cat burglar who is about to steal millions of dollars' worth of precious jewels. In just seconds there is a nearly empty safe, a lifeless body, and another mystery that throws San Francisco into hysteria. The most exciting Women's Murder Club novel ever. Lindsay spends every waking hour working with her partner, Rich--and her desire for him threatens to tear apart both her engagement and the Women's Murder Club. Before Lindsay and her friends can piece together either case, one of the killers forces Lindsay to put her own life on the line--but is it enough to save the city? With unparalleled danger and explosive action, The 9th Judgment is James Patterson at his compelling, unstoppable best! ~amazon.com

Review: I really never miss a chance to read a Women's Murder Club book and bought it the week it came out but per usual I didn't read it right away. The 9th Judgment is a solid and intense entry into the series. These books never start off slow and always keep going without any slow parts.

It seems to be a pattern lately with these books where there are two murders but on this one, they weave them together in a great manner. The murders of the children and mother's is horrific. Thank god they don't get too gruesome in descriptions or I probably wouldn't have been able to finish the book. There is also the murder of Casey Dowling, a San Francisco socialite, by the cat burgler "Hello Kitty".

The ladies relationships wasn't as central in this book as it has been in others but there does seem to be some tension between Cindy and Lindsey. It should be interesting to see if this ever comes to a head. I'm hoping that Lindsey can move on from her attraction to Conklin and be truly happy with Joe since that is who she belongs with and that she realizes that sometimes being partner's is about having feelings for them but not acting on them. Now the summary makes this seem like it's front and center in the book but it's not. It's mentioned in passing and it related to the plot of the book.

There are a couple twists at the end where I was going thought I was going to have to throw the book if he ended it at certain points. There is enough going on at the end that I can't see what is planned for the 10th book. I have a feeling there are going to be major changes ahead for Lindsey and the group.

Final Take: 4/5

And The Winner Is...

Congratulations to scottsgal, our winner of Run for Your Life by James Patterson and Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Please email me (Julie) your mailing address so we can get it to you as soon as possible.

As always, I used Random.org to produce the winner.

Giveaway: Middlesex and Run for Your Life

Thanks to a good friend, I have a couple of gently used paperback books to giveaway. Run for Your Life (Michael Bennett) by James Patterson and Middlesex(Oprah's Book Club) by Jeffrey Eugenides.

To be entered in the giveaway, you will need to leave a comment with the reasons why you want these two books and you must also be a follower of our blog.

You have until Monday, February 15th at Midnight EST to enter the contest.

Good luck!!

Author News: James Patterson's Deal

So I just read that James Patterson inked a pretty lucrative deal, for his fans, himself and his publishing house.

According to reports as seen here, it seems that Mr. Patterson will write 17 books in 3 years. This will be in all of his series, including his Young Adult books. How lucrative it is for Mr. Patterson was said. :)

What do you guys think? Too much? Too little? Really don't care?

Julie's Review: The 8th Confession

Summary: As San Francisco's most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is watching--waiting for a chance to take vengeance on Isa and Ethan Bailey, the city's most celebrated couple. Finally, the killer pinpoints the ideal moment, and it's the perfect murder. Not a trace of evidence is left behind in their glamorous home. As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally executed--a preacher with a message of hope for the homeless. His death nearly falls through the cracks, but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows the story could be huge. Probing deeper into the victim's history, she discovers he may not have been quite as saintly as everyone thought. As the hunt for two criminals tests the limits of the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and her partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Women's Murder Club now faces its toughest challenge: will love destroy all that four friends have built? The exhilarating new chapter in the Women's Murder Club series, The 8th Confession serves up a double dose of speed-charged twists and shocking revelations as only James Patterson can. And remember, this is the only Murder Club episode of the year. ~amazon.com

Review: I never miss an episode of Women's Murder Club books and I didn't miss an episode of the tv show either. Let me just go on a mini rant and say that I REALLY miss that show. I thought it was solid. Oh well, it's just like I miss ALIAS a heck of a lot too and that's not coming back. At least I can get my fill with the books of Women's Murder Club. The 8th Confession is definitely better than 7th Heaven. I've complained in the past about having 2 separate cases in the book that aren't related but what I've finally realized is that in order to make use of all the women in the club they have to write it like that. This time, it works well. I especially liked the social murders. I thought it was interesting and definitely had some twists to the storyline. The other story of the murdered homeless person was interesting and took some good twists of its own and really brought Cindy into her own. It also proves that you should do more research before you print an article.

I really think that they need to focus on Yuki again. She was involved in this storyline but hasn't been the focus since the one where her mom died. Lindsey continues to be my favorite character. I think she's torn, honest and an excellent detective. The ending of this book will give long time readers a very good reason to smile.

These books aren't complex or earth shattering but they are good reads. I am disappointed that it's the only WMC of the year but I will look forward to the 9th installment in 2010!

Final Take: 4/5

Jenn's Review: 7th Heaven

Summary: A terrible fire in a wealthy suburban home leaves a married couple dead and Detective Lindsay Boxer and her partner Rich Conklin searching for clues. And after California's golden boy, Michael Campion has been missing for a month, there finally seems to be a lead in his case--a very devastating lead.

As fire after fire consume couples in wealthy, comfortable homes, Lindsay and the Murder Club must race to find the arsonists responsible and get to the bottom of Michael Campion's disappearance. But suddenly the fires are raging too close to home.

Frightened for her life and torn between two men, Lindsay must find a way to solve the most daunting dilemmas she's ever faced--at work and at home.

Review: This is one of the better books in the series. I thought the juggling of multiple cases in this installment was handled well, especially because one of them was at trial with Yuki. Patterson introduces the arson perpetrators in the forward, so this time, I wasn't ID-ing anyone early... and as for the disappearance there was an un-obvious twist in that case too, albeit cliché. From a prental point of vewI found both cases disturbing. And, for once, the little personal side stories seemed well balanced instead of detracting.

The only downside was Lindsay's inability to make a decision in her love life. I think this thing with her partner came out of left field (which can happen in real life) but there is so little in the books to substantiate it that it just comes off as a not so clever plot device for keeping Lindsay off-balance.

4.4/5

Julie's Review

Jenn's Review: The 6th Target

Summary: When a horrifying attack leaves one of the four members of the Women's Murder Club struggling for her life, the others fight to keep a madman behind bars before anyone else is hurt. And Lindsay Boxer and her new partner in the San Francisco police department run flat-out to stop a series of kidnappings that has electrified the city: children are being plucked off the streets together with their nannies-- but the kidnappers aren't demanding ransom. Amid uncertainty and rising panic, Lindsay juggles the possibility of a new love with an unsolvable investigation, and the knowledge that one member of the club could be on the brink of death. And just when everything appears momentarily under control, the case takes a terrifying turn, putting an entire city in lethal danger. Lindsay must make a choice she never dreamed she'd face--with no certainty that either outcome has more than a prayer of success.



Review: I looked back over my reviews of the WMC books and I keep finding myself saying "this isn't my favorite," in other words, few are living up to the first novel in the series. However, I think that this one was solid. There are instances where I don't feel that multiple cases in a crime novel work well, but this is not one of those instances. I found all of the crime stories accessible and plausible, though the central crime, child abduction, was the least riveting case in that it seemed too predictable and had the least satisfying solution (what about the rest of the children???). It's also far more realistic that a homicide detective would be working several cases (but would they take the lead in a kidnapping regardless of whether or not a murder was part of the case?). I didn't like Lindsay's demotion, though I understand the literary reason for it... I don't think that counts as a flaw in the story, just a product of my own personal connection with Lindsay. I truly loved the side-story about Cindy's new apartment, though.

The only real shortcoming I can site in the book was Lindsay's relationship issues. They seem to have come out of thin air and were much ado about nothing. She seemed to become highly irrational about her situation and I don't think it was congruent with her character, but maybe that's just me. Oh, and I also disliked the random discovery about Claire that came from her hospital stay. That seems to be a standby, proverbial monkey wrench.


All in all, a better Women's Murder Club than I have read in a while.


4.7/5



Julie's Review: The 6th Target

Julie's Review: 7th Heaven

Summary: At the start of the gripping seventh Women's Murder Club thriller from bestseller Patterson and Paetro (after 2007's The 6th Target), San Francisco is still haunted by the disappearance of Michael Campion, the much-adored teenage son of a former California governor, three months earlier. Following up on a tip that Michael was last seen entering a prostitute's house, homicide inspector Lindsay Boxer and her new partner, Rich Conklin, are shocked when the hooker immediately confesses that Michael, who had a heart defect, died during sex and she disposed of his body. Lindsay's ADA pal, Yuki Castellano, is sure she has a slam-dunk case, but the trial soon takes a bizarre turn. Lindsay and Rich also scramble to track down a serial arsonist responsible for murdering a string of wealthy couples. Lindsay races to put the pieces together before the fires hit too close to home. In true Patterson style, the reader is privy to Lindsay's thoughts as well as the killers', ratcheting up the suspense an extra notch. Fans won't be disappointed with the twist at the end that not even Lindsay sees coming.

Review: Besides the Alex Cross books, the Women's Murder Club novels are pretty much the only James Patterson books I look forward too. 7th Heaven (The Women's Murder Club) is a good book in the series, but not the best. I have to say I like the novels better when they focus on one crime than two. When there's two crimes going on one always seems to get sloppy in plot. This is the case with 7th Heaven (The Women's Murder Club), the story of Michael Champion gets dropped and pretty much unresolved until the last 5 pages of the book, while they concentrate on the fires in wealthy neighborhoods. There's also the subplots of Lindsey/Joe; Claire and her pregnancy; Yuki and Jason Twilly. So there's a lot going on but neither storyline is connected in any way, which is disappointing. I wouldn't mind two crimes so much if they intersected.

I'll continue to read Women's Murder Club books but I would suggest that they stick to one crime per novel from now on. I'm saddened that the tv show got cancelled before it really found it's "legs". Even though Lindsey is blonde in the books, I will forever picture the gorgeous Angie Harmon as her.

Final Take: 3.5/5

Julie's Review: Sundays at Tiffany's

Summary: As a little girl, Jane has no one. Her mother, the powerful head of a Broadway theater company, has no time for her. She does have one friend-a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael-but only she can see him. Years later, Jane is in her thirties and just as alone as ever. Then she meets Michael again-as handsome, smart and perfect as she remembers him to be. But not even Michael knows the reason they've really been reunited. SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S is a love story with an irresistible twist, a novel about the child inside all of us-and the boundary-crossing power of love.~amazon.com

Review: I've been waiting for this kind of James Patterson book again and yes, I had high hopes for Sundays at Tiffany's,but I was a bit disappointed but not as much as I might have been. Enter 8 year old Jane with her imaginary friend Michael and how he's with her all the time to help her through a difficult time in her life. But there are rules and Michael can't explain them to Jane but he knows she'll forget him because that's what kids always do, they forget their imaginary friends. Flash-forward 20+ years and Jane hasn't forgotten Michael and well Michael hasn't forgotten Jane. He's thought about her often in the years they've been apart. He happens to be in NYC between "jobs" when he and Jane have a chance meeting. Which is supposed to make you think, "Is anything really chance?"

Jane hasn't really been happy in the last 20 years, in fact the last time she can remember being happy is when she was 8 years. She has a successful career but is still tied to her mom, the famous Vivienne Margaux. She's never felt good enough to be her mom's daughter and always felt Vivienne felt the same way.

The twist isn't really a twist if you read close enough and at least to me, it was very anti-climatic. It's also not described or explained to my satisfaction, in fact I found that it made no sense at all.

I think the premise is very interesting and it does leave some of the details on certain plot points for you to fill in yourself but it wasn't fully developed to my taste. I'm not sure I "bought" the romance part of the story. There were other aspects that I would have liked to see developed. And while the title of the novel relates to the book I do think it would be better named "Astor Court" or something to that effect.

If you haven't read James Patterson's foray into the romance side of the aisle I would suggest picking up Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas which brought me to tears many times or Sam's Letters to Jennifer which was almost as good at Suzanne's Diary. Both of those novels are far superior to Sunday at Tiffany's.

Final Take: 3/5

Jenn's Review: The 5th Horseman

Summary: The members of the Women's Murder Club face an unspeakable menace in the most suspenseful hospital drama since Coma. Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer is shopping with the newest member of the Women's Murder Club, lawyer Yuki Castellano, and Yuki's mother, Keiko, when suddenly Keiko collapses. She's rushed to San Francisco Medical Center where her condition stabilizes. Yet days later, the hospital calls Yuki with devastating news. Keiko was given the wrong medication and it brought on a fatal heart attack. Even more astonishing, this is not the first time SFMC has made this mistake. Just as patients are about to be released with a clean bill of health, their conditions take a mysterious turn for the worse. As the hospital comes under scrutiny, Lindsay and the Women's Murder Club investigate for themselves. Is there a maniac at work, playing God with peoples lives? And has Lindsay somehow made him -- or her -- even worse? ~Amazon.com



Review: When solving a puzzle the simplest answer is usually the correct one, in this case there are two simple answers... making it... complicated. Too much was left to coincidence for my taste and neither story was fully worked out enough. There were too many holes and too many unfinished details. There was an all too brief appearance of Lindsay's boyfriend that felt like a consolation prize. This book seemed hurried and not up to the standards of the series in my opinion.

This was my least favorite of the Women's Murder Club so far (but oh boy did it make me think twice about taking my child to the hospital - ever!!!). I think the title is a little melodramatic and I'm not sure it really fits the bill. The murders actually disturbed me a little this time, although that may have had something to do with the age of the last victim. It was still a page turner though; I finished it in a day. It was a good Women's Murder Club fix especially since apparently we won't be seeing it's return to television in the fall. Too bad, I thought it was an excellent vehicle for Angie Harmon and I loved the chemistry of the cast.

Final Take: 4.0/5

Jenn's Review: 4th of July

Summary:
Mega-bestseller Patterson teams up with journalist/novelist Paetro for a rousing fourth installment of the Women's Murder Club series. This time, bright, tough SFPD Lt. Lindsay Boxer is battling police brutality charges while chasing down a clan of murderers. When a botched police arrest of two gun-toting minors expands from a shaky preliminary hearing to what promises to be a nerve-rattling jury trial of Lindsay, she flees the pre-trial media frenzy for the serene haven of sister Cat's house in Half Moon Bay. But instead of finding relaxation and romance with her Homeland Security beau, Lindsay becomes embroiled in the ruthless crimes of a troika of killers who've been slashing and flogging victims all over town. With surprisingly little aid from the Murder Club, Lindsay performs her detective handiwork (and steps on the toes of Half Moon's police chief). As more bodies surface, sketchy suspects like a smitten grease monkey and a slimy porn star emerge, then the murderous threesome set their sights on Lindsay. Back in San Francisco, Lindsay is acquitted; she then rushes back to Half Moon Bay to apprehend the elusive villains and put to rest her unresolved first homicide case as well. Heroic super-sleuthing, a steadily gripping plot line and 146 snappy chapters add up to suspense fiction euphoria for Patterson's legion of fans. ~Publishers Weekly/Amazon.com


Review:
I have to agree with Crystal who commented on my last Patterson Review... this was very Lindsay-centric. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but we do read Women's Murder Club for the Club, not just the murder. Although, after what happened in the last installment, I tend to see this as a way of gently introducing a new character to the club, something that may have otherwise been resented. Obviously, we couldn't have resumed business as usual.

I was slightly disappointed with the Half Moon Bay murders. Not only did I ID a murderer halfway into the book, I also empathized with the killer. Now I'm not saying I could go out and commit a murder, but I could certainly ally myself with the motive. There was an attempt to make the murderer seem less sympathetic, but it wasn't effective, in my estimation.

That said, this was a good transition book for the series, though probably my least favorite so far.

4.4/5

Jenn's Review: 3rd Degree

Summary:
From the start, Patterson's Women's Murder Club series (1st to Die; Second Chance) has felt like high-concept TV with a smart edge, featuring an appealing and reliable cast of four female crime busters (a cop, a prosecutor, a medical examiner, a reporter) who race along byzantine plot lines humming with blood and sex, romance and heartbreak. But Patterson is an author who will detonate readers' presumptions for the sake of story, and in the series' third installment, the prolific author, working with frequent collaborator Gross (The Jester, etc.), defies expectations in a shocking way. Readers will love him for it. San Francisco Homicide lieutenant Lindsay Boxer, who narrates most of the action, is jogging with assistant DA Jill Barnhardt when Lindsay notices two things: first, bruises on Jill's shoulder; then the explosion of a nearby townhouse, into which Lindsay rushes to save a child. With the juxtaposition of these two plotlines, Patterson jumpstarts this enjoyably convoluted tale. The townhouse, home to a greedy CEO and his family, was destroyed by members of a terrorist group calling itself "August Spies"; Lindsay's chase after the group, which commits further killings, brings her into close proximity to what promises to be a new series regular, Joe Molinari, deputy director of the Office of Homeland Security. Love blooms for Lindsay but, meanwhile, love has curdled at Jill's house, where Jill's husband is abusing her. Then comes the big surprise, and the story's remainder plays out at high emotion and warp speed. There's a calculated feel to all that happens, but clever manipulation of an audience serves Patterson as well as it served Hitchcock: his fans will only clamor for more. ~ Publishers Weekly, Amazon.com



Review:

It's funny that this review should mention that it has a TV feel... when I read Lindsay the only voice I hear is Angie Harmon. One could argue that this comes from falling in love with the TV show before starting the series, but I fell in love with Bones before reading Reichs and I can't say that about Emily Deschanel, though I love her in the role.


I am glad that Lindsay got a little romance back in her life; she certainly deserves it. I am also starting to see where many people fault Patterson in his portrayal of women. Like most men, he seems to see our emotional complexity as "going from zero to crazy" (as my husband would put it) in a matter of seconds, but he misses a few steps in our thought process and reasoning, as would most men who don't experience it. But let's give Patterson credit, at least he doesn't assume our behavior's irrational. There is one scene in particular where Lindsay goes after Jill's husband that stick out in particular as an example of this.


This one was a shocker. I never expected the story to go where it did, and I would be spoiling for those who haven't read it if I said much more than I am. Suffice it to say, I had to take a break from the series after reading this one to give myself ample time to digest it.

4.7/5.0

Jenn's Review: 2nd Chance

Summary:

2nd Chance reconvenes the Women's Murder Club, four friends (a detective, a reporter, an assistant district attorney, and a medical examiner) who used their networking skills, feminine intuition, and professional wiles to solve a baffling series of murders in 1st to Die. This time, the murders of two African Americans, a little girl and an old woman, bear all the signs of a serial killer for Lindsay Boxer, newly promoted to lieutenant of San Francisco's homicide squad. But there's an odd detail she finds even more disturbing: both victims were related to city cops. A symbol glimpsed at both murder scenes leads to a racist hate group, but the taunting killer strikes again and again, leaving deliberate clues and eluding the police ever more cleverly. In the meantime, each of the women has a personal stake at risk--and the killer knows who they are. --Barrie Trinkle, Amazon.com

Review:

Okay, I read this one a few months ago too, but this one doesn't need a re-read. I find Patterson's WMC book plots a good solid, twisty read and this one delivers as promised. I liked delving deeper into the characters and the introduction of Lindsey's father. It was great to get a little insight into what makes Lindsey tick. It was one of those difficult to put down reads for me, even with a newborn.

4.7/5