Rating: 
Summary: Good story, but with a few snags
Review: This novel is a sequel to the novel "1st to Die," which was a good book that deserves to be read if you are going to read this one as well. Newly promoted Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer of SFPD Homicide is called to her first murder scene since taking time off from her last stressful case (detailed in the aforementioned prequel). A young black girl is killed when a gunman opens fire as a children's choir is leaving practice at their church. When it becomes apparent that this killing may be linked to another murder in Oakland, Boxer gets her group of girls together (a medical examiner, an assistant D.A., and a crimer reporter) to share information on what turns into a puzzling series of murders. The story itself was great, and definitely showcases Patterson's ability to write murder mysteries. However, there were a couple of things that threw me off. First, something I noticed in the prequel, is that while Patterson is great when writing from the perspective of a male, such as with his Alex Cross novels, he is really horrible at a female narrative. There were some female bonding scenes that were so corny that I wanted to puke. My second complaint could be considered more a matter of opinion. There was a romance between the female reporter and the minister of the church where the first shooting occurred. Although a sexual relationship was never described in detail, it was definitely hinted at. Patterson made this minister out to be so perfect, yet any minister who really was perfect would never enter into a sexual relationship before marriage. I do not know if Patterson did this out of ignorance or if he did realize this conflict and this is why he avoided a detailed sex scene but still left it open to interpretation. Either way, it left a very bad taste in my mouth. Aside from these problems, the story was riveting until the last page. As cliche as this may sound, once I got into the meat of the story, I could not put the book down until I had finished it.
Rating: 
Summary: A Solid Crime Novel ¿ Great Characters
Review: 2nd Chance is the best James Patterson I've read in a long time. I was pleasantly surprised, particularly after reading Four Blind Mice which I did not like at all (given a Two Star review). The four female characters are interesting and varied. Lindsay Boxer is a homicide detective and is the main character; the other three are Cindy (journalist), Claire (medical examiner) and Jill (Assistant DA). I liked the fact that all the women seemed nice and friendly, it always annoys me when women in powerful jobs are portrayed as cold hearted b*****s. Obviously it seems rather too convenient that these four should be best friends as well as top professionals in their respective areas but it made for interesting reading. The plot is good and there are some generally creepy moments. For example, when Lindsey goes into a maximum-security jail I could really feel her fear and trepidation. The camaraderie of the women was done well and not put over-the-top, they all came across as being strong but not hardened. Overall the book is very good with believable characters and a good balance between the murder cases and the characters personal relationships. I'm looking forward to going back and reading 1st to Die and then 3rd Degree when it is released later this year. JoAnne
Rating:
Summary: 2nd Chance
Review: The Women's Murder Club is back to face the Chimera, a serial killer who seems to have quite a ax to grind. Why? And with who? Things just aren't adding up. To top it off, Lindsay's father is back in town and it looks suspicious. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one just did not draw me in. I didn't find the suspense build up that Patterson usually does so well.
Rating: 
Summary: Oh, Puhleez!
Review: I don't even know where to begin in describing my disappointment in this book. Having struggled to finish it, I was left with the strong sense that Patterson wrote it in one long night, rushing to meet a deadline--and trusted in his co-writer to clean it up. He must have emailed it to Andrew Gross hoping that the latter would add some gloss to the story. But nothing of the sort is evident in this--I'm sorry--terrible book. The plot centers on a series of racially motivaated killings that are shocking San Francisco and creating a political firestorm. Lindsay, who has been promoted to homicide lieutenant (a thoroughly unbelievable state of affairs, in my opinion--she's promoted to head homicide because of one great case?), is facing pressure from the mayor, the press, and the black community to solve the crime and bring the heinous perpetrator to justice. But it isn't so easy. Self-named The Chimera (a favorite word of Patterson's--it's used more than once in the Alex Cross series), the perp is smart and thorough. It quickly becomes clear that he is not only targeting the black community, but the law enforcement community as well. Lindsay herself may be in deep danger--not to mention everyone from the Chief of Police on down. Lindsay needs help, so she turns to her pals: Claire, the brilliant medical examiner; Cindy, the equally brilliant journalist; and the superstar assistant District Attorney whose name suddenly escapes me (the book was so boring, it's hard to remember). The sprightly comeraderie of the Women's Murder Club, so delightful in "1st to Die," is a parody of itself in this book. Each woman, while helping Lindsay to solve the case, is facing a personal crisis of her own, from pregnancy to a love affair to the return of a long-lost father who may or may not be a criminal himself. Sigh. It all sounds like such a good idea. And maybe it could have made a good book if Patterson had given it some time. I hate to see a truly good author become so entwined in obligations that he is forced to sacrifice the thing he does best--write! Note to James: Please take a rest before attemtping any more entries in this series. Your devoted fans (and I am among them) will be happy to wait.
Rating:
Summary: "5" for entertaining plot, "1" for stereotyping the women
Review: The "Women's Murder Club" is back from Patterson's (solo) "1st to Die" -- three professional women friends of our leading lady, San Francisco Homicide Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer. Except for no sex, this book is a cross between "Sex and the City" and John Sandford's "... Prey" series about detectives against serial killers. But unlike the TV show, neither Patterson nor co-author Andrew Gross seem to have a clue about how women think, act, or interact with each other. While some might view Lindsay's rash actions in chasing the killer "to the death" as heroic, she violated every standard police procedure several times: proceeding without backup, failing to call in her location, not waiting for the SWAT team, etc. That action seens unrealistic as does Lindsay just dodging serious injury on each of those instances. The other three of "my girls" do exhibit really girlish behavior and dialogue, hardly what you would expect of any post-adolescent let alone these supposedly high-achieving experts in their respective posts of District Attorney, Reporter, and Medical Examiner. On the other hand, the identification and capture of the "Chimera", who seems to be targeting police or their relatives with a variety of deadly sharp shooting (although conveniently not as "sharp" when it comes to our protagonists!) kept me guessing til quite near the end. Even if one suspects a rat early, it's still a well-crafted story, Patterson's strength. Lindsay's father, gone since childhood, shows up for some interesting sub-plot material along the way... If you like short chapters, this book's for you, as a span of two to three pages is the most we can muster. Are our authors maybe angling for a screenplay and book all wrapped up in one? - probably you know Patterson has had a fair degree of luck selling his titles to the big screen people... Maybe what Patterson needs for "3rd Time's a Charm" or whatever he decides to call it is a FEMALE co-author. We like the foursome in these stories, but we need a lot more credible womanhood than this on display to do themselves justice.
Rating: 
Summary: Another gawd-awful book from Patterson!
Review: I don't see any point in describing the plot. Read the other customer reviews for that. What I'm dying to do is nominate James Patterson for the worst (popular) contemporary fiction writer in the United States. He makes Stephen King sound like Shakespeare. Not an original sentence or lyrical phrase in the entire book. Cliche after cliche abound. As in the Alex Cross series, Patterson writes in black and white. There are no greys in his world. The heroes and heroines are perfect and the villains are the bottom of the barrel. His sentimental claptrap just oozes syrup. The style reminds me of high school compositions and to continue the comparison, it sounds like fingernails on a blackboard to me. Really really aggravating. So why do I keep subjecting myself to Patterson? This one was an audio book. I drive a lot and need the distraction. My local library has slim pickings and I've gone through all the better books. This one was read by Melissa Leo. I absolutely hated her performance, too. Why .... does .... Lindsay .... have .... to .... pause .... between .... each .... word???? In fact, a lot of the characters talk that way, according to Leo. A very strange interpretation. Jeremy Piven briefly adds a male voice to the book and he's just okay. If all you care about is a fast-placed plot and don't give a damn about eloquence, (which would put you in the majority), then you'd probably like this book. IF you're a woman, that is. I sure can't see many men enjoying the "Sex in the City" type female camaraderie that Patterson seems to be pushing for here. If you want equally good suspense, but from writers who have some originality and skill, try James Lee Burke, or Dennis Lehane, or even John Sandford. And there are tons more. Don't waste your time with a hack like James Patterson. Every time I read or listen to a Patterson book (and I have read at least five of them), I swear "never again". This time I mean it.
Rating:
Summary: Question about a character (Warning: Spoiler of 1st to Die)
Review: WARNING: SPOILER OF 1st TO DIE...DON'T READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THAT BOOK YET Hi,
Quick question because I am a little confused about the inclusion of Jill in the second book in the series...didn't she die in the first and was buried??? Wasn't her husband an abusive jerk??? Both of those elements seem to have been conveniently forgotten in this book. Someone please tell me if I'm right or if I have lost my memory.
Thanks.
Rating:
Summary: The Women's Murder Club is Back in the Saddle
Review: He calls himself Chimera, after the lion-goat-serpent creature of Greek mythology that symbolizes invincibility. He is a perverted man in perfect physical condition, who is slaughtering African Americans with connections to the police force. He is a serial killer. The Women's Murder Club consists of Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer and her three female pals, Assistant District Attorney Jill Bernhardt, crime reporter Cindy Thomas, and Medical Examiner Claire Washburn. They meet occasionally for margaritas or beer and to talk about what's going on in their lives, and also about Lindsay's cases. It seems the women get much more done over cocktails than the Police and the FBI do during the day. The four women set out to discover the identity and motive of the killer. And that means Lindsay will have to enter some of the city's darkest corners, including the ultra-secret and very violent world of prison gangs. However, that doesn't stop her or her cohorts, who care so much about finding the killer, that they'll work far beyond their official job duties, even if it means putting themselves in grave danger of being targeted themselves. Then the killer starts turning some of his pursuers into victim and it makes them think that maybe he has some connections to the police. Maybe he's even a cop. The clues seem to point to someone after revenge, but nothing prepares the women for the logic behind the choice of victims. Messrs. Patterson and Gross have delivered a high impact, fast-moving story, told in over a hundred short chapters. It starts quickly and the action never fades. Plus, they've thrown in a few red herrings and some very nice plot twists in this quick read that is perfect for a cozy weekend.
Rating:
Summary: The Women's Murder Club Is Back
Review: In the second of the "Women's murder club" book series. Lindsay and company are back and facing a much different kind of killer then they faced in book one. This killer seems to be targeting families of S.F. police officers, the problem is they are all seeming racial in motivation. It's a race against time as the highly talented sniper killer stalks those that are linked to police officers in the S.F bay area. This book was not as entertaining as the first book "1st To Die" but it was nice to see the 'ol ladies gang back together again. I was not driven to turn the pages in this read partially due to the fact that there was just not a whole lot of suspense built up in my opinion. This seemed to be a rushed write and agree with one of the previous reviewers that this was not one of his best efforts but then again I've been spoiled by reading many of his other works that have kept me glued to my chair. Still this was a read that I would not avoid but would recommend that you borrow it from a friend or a local library.
Rating: 
Summary: 2ND CHANCE
Review: I have to say that I loved this book. I love to read mysteries, and I want to go into Law Enforcement after I graduate, so when I read mysteries I tend to rate them more then I do other books. I know that James Patterson has two series going at the moment, however I have only read the books containing the "murder club". I think this is one of the better mysteries I have read this year. I love it when upon finishing a book I haven't figured out all of the clues. I had no idea where this book was going to end, and it didn't end where I thought it would. I love to be surprised, and even more I love it when an ending isn't really an ending....like in this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves suspense and the feeling of urgent need to know what is going to happen next. I just couldn't put this book down once I started it. I read it all in one day. The beginning is a little slow, but the book is worth the wait once you get into it. Enjoy!
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