23rd Midnight: A serial killer behind bars. A copycat killer on the loose… (Women’s Murder Club 23) (Women's Murder Club)

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All the while, fellow Murder Club vet, Yuki Castellano is, in court, working on a case with its own dire consequences. A man is accused of depriving his wife of the necessities of life after chaining her up in the basement of their home. While Yuki is sure that this is a slam dunk, the accused tells a story of depravity committed against him and how he was out of his head. Something’s got to give as the case (and Cindy’s kidnapping) come to a head in this electric tale of crime, murder, and the connection of the core four. Patterson and Paetro do well to progress the series and keep me wondering what’s to come. One of Detective Lindsay Boxer’s greatest feats as part of the San Francisco PD was putting serial killer Evan Burke behind bars. Burke’s murder spree was long and complicated, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. Fellow member of the Wommen’s Murder Club, Cindy Thomas, uses her crime reporting skills to work with Burke to write a tell-all book about the killer’s life and some of the gruesome acts he committed. Now published, the book is selling like mad and Cindy has been on the book signing junket, in hopes of garnering even more press. In my opinion, this series, written by Patterson and Paetro since the fifth book has been really hit and miss over the last five to eight outings. At times, it has lost steam, including superficial and ludicrous serial killer villains, repetitive and formulaic storylines that have grown old, and stagnant growth in most of the primary characters. What I would add though, is that I think it would be good to give Yuki a different kind of storyline. It seems that every plotline she’s involved with is prosecuting the case of her career. It’s time to develop her in other ways that are outside of the courtroom. Show that she’s more well-rounded and has other aspects to be explored. Cindy has just promoting her published her new true crime novel and becomes embroiled when an obsessed fan starts causing problems that mirror the original serial killers actions. Lindsay has to try and catch the criminal.

An obsessed fan is studying every detail-and committing fresh horrors that carry Burke's signature. No one gets this big without natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades Lee Child It would appear I’m in the minority for this book when it comes to low scores. I hope that it a reflection of my tastes rather than the book as I have enjoyed others by this author Lindsay is tasked, alongside her partner Rich Conklin, in investigating 'copy cat' murders taking place across many jurisdictions, all somehow linked to past murders of Evan Burke. What does he know and will he talk?Unfortunately, with so many strong story lines featuring the other three, Claire didn't see as much time in this one. That was the only thing I was bummed about. But, it wouldn't have made sense with the flow of the story to insert her randomly where she wouldn't normally be. The key charcters making up the women's murder club are. Detective Lindsay Boxer , Prosecutor Yuki Castellano, Chief medical examiner Claire Washburn and Journalist Cindy Thomas. The characters a came across as quite one dimensional and I struggled to connect with them or feel anything towards them. I’m aware that this is a part of a series but equally I should’ve been made to feel like I was part of ‘the gang’. Instead I was left utterly confused as to why this group of women ‘the murder club’ felt it was totally okay to talk shop with one another - because they are friends. A mother and her baby are murdered in broad daylight. A passing jogger who bears witness to the scene is then also killed. All of this is caught on film... by the killer himself! A new serial killer seems to be recreating the most infamous crimes of Evan Burke. And appealing to my personal wants, we got a classic "Women's Murder Club" meetup to sift through evidence and bounce ideas around. But this time, Cindy was not there - because it was her they needed to save.

Patterson boils a scene down to a single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind Michael ConnellyThe hunt for the killer is interspersed with another Women’s Murder Club member, prosecutor Yuki Castellano, trying a domestic violence case. That is horrible enough, although fascinating in the way events get interpreted and twisted, but pales in comparison to the senseless, nihilistic murders committed by the killer. Practically speaking in terms of the reading experience this translates into non stop action and a plot full of twists and turns. I got really immersed and could feel the tension and frustration of the characters as the murders pile up and Yuki waits for a verdict. This isn’t always a given in the authors’ work as sometimes they substitute action for emotion, but today I felt it and finished the novel in one sitting, desperate for a successful outcome. That means that I adored the final prison scene and my righteous enjoyment of comeuppance. Midnight is the twenty third book in James Patterson and Maxine Paetro's Women's Murder Club series and I am always excited when a new title in this series comes out as I have really enjoyed them all.

For the first time I'm not giving 5*. Not because of anything negative but in all honesty it's got to the point where alot of what is happening (bar the actual plot) I've come to sort of predict. Patterson knows where our deepest fears are buried... there's no stopping his imagination New York Times Book ReviewTruth be told, I had low expectations when starting this novel, but I came away pleasantly surprised and pleased with it. Again, it’s not great, but good. Patterson and Paetro played around enough with their established formula and structure to provide a better casual read. For those who are avid readers and fans of this series, I have some good news. Not great, but still, good. I thoroughly enjoyed 23rd Midnight, which is another high octane hunt for a serial killer, with the added bonus of interactions between Lindsay and Burke. It is told from Lindsay’s first person point of view and various other characters in the third person. It works well, mixing the personal reactions with a more distant view of events. As expected the chapters are short and punchy, just making you want to read on and on and because they are short you keep promising yourself 'just one more chapter ' which turns into 5, 6, 7....