Sergeant Lindsay Boxer tackles an ambitious case that spans San Francisco, L.A., and Chicago in this pulse-pounding thriller of “smart characters” and “shocking twists” (Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author). Three victims, three bullets, three cities. The shooters’ aim is as fearsomely precise as their target selection. When Lindsay realizes that the fallen men and women excel in … Lindsay realizes that the fallen men and women excel in a lucrative, criminal activity, she leads the charge in the manhunt for the killers. As the casualty list expands, fear and fascination with this suspicious shooting gallery galvanizes the country.
The victims were no angels, but are the shooters villains . . . or heroes?
Getting fast food turns out to be fatal for one man who is taken out by a sniper as he is leaving the drive through on morning. His wife in the seat next to him is left physically unharmed. It’s a perfect sniper shot. While Lindsay gets the case as part of her job as a San Francisco homicide detective, reporter Cindy gets a key clue. Someone wrote “Rehearsal” in the dust of the car’s back window. The question is, rehearsal for what? Meanwhile, Claire has some scary news of her own to deal with, and Yuki has to prosecute the case of a teenage getaway driver who won’t flip on the real criminals. Even Lindsay’s husband, Joe, has a case of his own when his college roommate thinks his father was murdered.
The book has one plot too many (and a repetitive one at that), and it would have been better served to eliminate that plot since the climax was rushed on all the stories but especially the main one. Still, the multiple stories kept thing moving as always, and I had a hard time putting the book down when I sat down to read. The characters are just developed enough for us to care, but could use more depth. This is a common issue with the series, and those who have kept up with the books know the characters well enough to care for them. In other words, this is a typical James Patterson thriller. If you are a fan, you’ll enjoy this one, too.
Love, love, love the ladies of the the Murder Club!!!
Always a good read from these author’s combined efforts. I really enjoyed this series. Love the main characters and the plot. Looking forward to reading the next installment.
Loved it! The Women’s Murder Club never disappoints. Always on the wait list for the next installment.
The 20th Victim is the twentieth entry in James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series. Like any series with this many books to its name, the storylines are never as good 15 or 20 books in as they were at the beginning, but this one felt closer to those earlier entries than other recent titles have.
This time around Lindsay and Cindy are caught up in trying to solve a cross country killing spree aimed at taking down drug dealers. Cindy has been contacted by the killer, or one of the killers, directly and in her drive for the scoop she and Lindsay get into a disagreement over sharing details of the crimes sooner rather than later. Yuki is also dealing with a drug related crime and wondering whether its right to charge a teenager wheelman for the crimes committed by his passenger. Claire is dealing with some scary health issues, and is not an active participant in solving crimes as she was in past storylines.
As with many of the stories in the Women’s Murder Club series, the ending does not come as a surprise and is wrapped up in a neat little bow. I wish the “whodunit” aspect of these books was a little more exciting, but twenty stories in, it is what it is. I found it to be a solid, fast-paced plot and enjoyed the side story of Lindsay’s husband Joe trying to help out an old friend.
I love all of Lindsay Boxer and the Women’s Murder Club.
Patterson is the best. I love his stories.
I love the Girls series of books.
You can never go wrong with a Lindsay Boxer story
As always the girls have a lot going on in their personal lives too Claire has to do something about her Cancer Lindsey and Joe have to help out a friend with a problem accepting his fathers death good story line all around
The story kept you wanting for more.
You can almost never go wrong with a James Patterson novel. They are fast reads because you can’t put them down..
2 thumbs up… enjoyed
This series is enjoyable but losing steam. I struggled to get into it and almost stopped listening at the 20% mark. I’m glad I didn’t because it picked up and things started happening.
I listened to the audio version and liked January Lavoy’s ability to voice the different characters. You can distinguish who is talking with her considerable narrative abilities.
There is nothing new or original to this latest edition of the Women’s Murder Club. The capture of the killers was even uninteresting and dull.
Your usual Patterson. Short and choppy but eminently readable. His standard fare.
Another great book in the women’s murder club serie
Could tell right away it was co written. Laborious to read. Read it 2 weeks ago and can’t remember a thing about it as far as plot.
Have enjoyed this series. The gals are very interesting and smart.
I enjoy Patterson’s writing I’ve read all of his books