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Features Iblude**Special Fat-Loss Issue, Plus 30 Days to a Better Body, Building Bulging Biceps in 2 Weeks, Secrets of Hard-Core Endurance and much More, Excercise, Nutrition, Adventure, Sports & Sex ... Read more

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Monthly celebrity and current events magazine. ... Read more

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1ST TO DIE:In San Francisco newlyweds are being stalked-and slaughtered. Enter four unforgettable women, all friends...Lindsay, a homicide inspector in the city's police department...Claire, a medical examiner...Jill, an assistant D.A....and Cindy, a reporter who has just started working the crime desk of the San Francisco Chronicle. Joining forces, pooling their talents, courage, and brains, they have one goal. To find, trap, and outwit the most diabolical and terrifying killer ever imagined.


2ND CHANCE:2ND CHANCE reconvenes the Women's Murder Club. 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.


3RD DEGREE: Detective Lindsay Boxer is jogging along a beautiful San Francisco street when a fiery explosion rips through the neighborhood. A town house owned by an Internet millionaire is immediately engulfed in flames, and when Lindsay plunges inside to search for survivors, she finds three people dead. A mysterious message at the scene leaves Lindsay and the San Francisco Police Department completely baffled.Then a prominent businessman is found murdered under bizarre circumstances, with another mysterious message. Lindsay asks her friends to help her figure out who is committing these murders-and why they are intent on killing someone every three days.Even more terrifying, the killer has targeted one of the four friends who call themselves the Women's Murder Club.Which one will it be?While the investigation rages furiously, Lindsay works very closely with a federal officer assigned to the case. At the same time, she learns that one member of the Women's Murder Club is hiding a secret so dangerous and unbelievable that it could destroy them all.

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Customer Reviews (3)

Start of new women-led murder series
1ST TO DIE - 4 stars
The first story in this collection is '1st To Die' which introduces Lindsay Boxer and the Women's Murder Club. Lindsay is a San Francisco homicide Inspector and she has been put on a case where a married couple were killed on the evening of their wedding. Lindsay is partnered with a man from the mayor's office, Chris Raleigh, and on the same day discovers she has an unusual blood disorder which is potentially fatal. Lindsay's energy is directed toward the investigation as well as her health and as she investigates the first murder and another two 'bride and groom' killings she finds herself drawn into a group of other women for support - Cindy Thomas, a reporter; Claire Washburn, a medical examiner; and Jill Bernhardt, an assistant DA.

The book seemed to draw to a conclusion fairly early but then there were several twists which made the story move in new directions. The interactions between Lindsay and Chris Raleigh were well written, as were Lindsay's moments of emotion as she battles her disease and tries to get to the bottom of the murders. However there were some rather cringe-worthy moments when the girls seemed to have to say "I love you" to each other, as well as having to be vastly successful and feisty as well as in touch with their femininity. Those who like to read more about the murder scenes might find this story a disappointment as it seems to be more about Lindsay and her feelings than detective work. I also felt that the 'baddie' seemed rather comic-book bad and his behaviour at the very end of the story was rather implausible. Still I enjoyed the story and this new series of characters.

The narrator of this story did a good job but sometimes her voice became so quiet that it was difficult to hear over road noise when driving and listening, which is probably how many people will hear this story. In order to hear the quiet sections the volume had to be raised rather more than I would like for the louder sections. However this was an excellent audiobook and whiled away a long journey very effectively!

2ND CHANCE - 3 Stars
This is the second story in the series and follows on a couple of months after the shocking conclusion to the previous book. In this story Lindsay Boxer, newly promoted to Lieutenant, finds herself investigating some race hate crimes. She discovers fairly quickly that the crimes are being committed by a person who is part of a specific white group with an identifying tattoo - but it proves very difficult to pin down exactly who he is. When he starts toying with Lindsay and the police department, including killing someone close to her as well as attacking her friends, the stakes are even higher.

There are some additional side-plots in this story, including the return of Lindsay's father into her life, some significant events in Jill Bernhardt's life and a romance for Cindy Thomas. As in the previous book, the Women's Murder Club seems a rather unnecessary plot device where Lindsay talks over the case with her friends.

The writing style in this book felt at times rather clunky. I lost count of the time James Patterson used phrases like "My heart was exploding in my chest" or some other overblown description for Lindsay's excitement or fear. Although the action kept going I found some of the events a little difficult to swallow and I wasn't as gripped by this story as I had been by the previous one in the series.

The reader of this book had a less enjoyable voice than the reader of the previous one with a rather harsh delivery at times. Chapters where the narrator is the murderer were read by a male reader and unfortunately the volume on these chapters was notably quieter so that the volume had to be increased to hear him properly, then reduced again for the female narrator.

3RD DEGREE - 3 Stars
"Familiarity breeds contempt". I was struck by the truth of this saying when listening to the third of the Women's Murder Club audiobooks. Although the murder plot is completely different from that in the previous two books, James Patterson's writing style in this series is really beginning to grate. Once again I was struck by how unrealistic the conversation between the different women is - I mean, I can't think that I've ever gushed that I love various female friends whilst drinking at a bar. Perhaps American women do this but I'm not sure. Anyway, Patterson's writing is getting terribly repetitive in terms of his description of peoples' emotions: "Lindsay's eyes bulged out" (we had several people with bulging eyes in this story - what the heck is it supposed to mean?). Every event that happens is followed by a description of Lindsay's heart beating faster, her hairs on the back of her neck standing on end, her stomach churning, the aforementioned bulging eyes... it just feels like lazy writing.

It's not all lazy writing - in fact Patterson makes a bold plot move in this story which was surprising. However the weaknesses in the previous stories in terms of plot come into play here too - how is it that the vital piece of information is magically found by Lindsay, that her hunches are pretty much always correct, that she is able to put things together that no-one else can? There is a completely farcical point in this story where Lindsay decides to go back to the house that was a murder scene, looks through a cupboard, finds a set of newspaper clippings, reads one thirty-year-old clipping and realises it's the key to the case. I mean, how likely is that?

In some ways this story is reminiscent of the previous one in that long-ago events affect what's happening today. There's also another romance for Lindsay with rather a big cheese (who seemed a bit too good to be true to me). The murder plot is never easy to predict (partly because of the random coincidences that fall into Lindsay's lap) and it was a fairly easy story to listen to but it felt too much like 'murder story by numbers' to me and the completely unrealistic characterisation of the women jarred so badly with me that I found myself sighing in annoyance on many occasions. The final chapter was toe-curlingly cheesy to this British reader's sensibilities - the over-the-top romance side was laughable.

There is some good plotting in here, along with some lazy plotting; there are some exciting scenes, along with some dull ones; there are some interesting characters, unfortunately vastly outweighed by the cardboard ones. However overall this story felt repetitive, unengaging and badly written. I can't see any great reason to follow this series any further.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

True Patterson
Patterson shows his true colors.The 3 volume Womens Murder Club is fast moving and well written.Character development grows with each book.

Awesome...and yet disappoimting..
Don't get me wrong...the Women's Murder Club series is fantastic...I can't even believe they cancelled the TV show..that's another story. My problem with this item is that the discs skip...almost everyone. It seems like every crucial point in the plot is disrupted by the disc skipping and missing chunks of dialog.
It seems that they are cheaply made. Otherwise I recommend reading this series...it's great! ... Read more

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Maxim Magazine, September 2008 Issue. The cover is Anna Kournikova (7 pages).Also inside:2008 NFL Blowout featuring Ben Roethlisberger, Chris Cooley, Jared Allen, Patrick Willis, Cheerleaders, and more...Jeremy Piven, Amanda Righetti, Nicholas Cage, Ed Helms, Don Cheadle, Jason Taylor, Deanna Russo (4 pages), Hold Steady, etc... ... Read more

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GQ Magazine, June 2006 Issue. The cover is Christina Aguilera.Inside: Christina Aguilera near-nude in 9 pages of original & exclusive photos, Eva Longoria & Tony Parker, Naomie Harris, Jeremy Piven (6 pages), Josh Lucas (6 pages), Robert Duvall (8 pages), Felix Hernandez, The Raconteirs, Al Gore, Tommy Lee (6 pages), Ice Cube, etc... ... Read more

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Master of suspense James Patterson takes us into a terrifying underworld with this second thriller in his dazzling new Women's Murder Club series.

The sensational killings that have rocked San Francisco appear to be unrelated except in their brutality. But detective Lindsay Boxer senses there's some thread connecting them all. She calls her friends in the Women's Murder Club together to see if they can discover what it is. Surely some clue has been overlooked by their bosses and male colleagues.

Working with Chronicle reporter Cindy Thomas, Assistant District Attorney Jill Bernhardt, and medical examiner Claire Washburn, Lindsay discovers that there is indeed a link. The victims were of different ages, lived in different locations, and were killed with different weapons. But each had a close relative in a particular profession, a profession that sends a chill through Lindsay's heart.

The partners in the Women's Murder Club realize that this killer is after something unspeakable, something deeper than revenge, and that the next target could be one of them. They deduce where the killer is likely to strike next and bait a trap that can't be resisted. But if their calculation is wrong, the consequences will be lethal. And there will be no second chance.Amazon.com Review
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.

2nd Chance speeds along at a Formula One pace through many tight curves, but unlike recent entries in the Alex Cross series, it doesn't sacrifice good characters to a twisted plot. Lindsay's the star, but there's a fine esprit de corps among the four women, who are even better developed here than in the first book. What makes them both convincing and interesting as a criminal-justice juggernaut is their willingness to stick their necks out, even if they suffer for it. If you haven't picked up a James Patterson novel in a while, this is a great time to start anew. --Barrie Trinkle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (282)

Money, money, money
This is a huge effort to capitalize on the Patterson name.I think he should be a bit more particular about what product will have his name stamped on it.This is a truly simplistic novel with little "meat" for the readers to sink their teeth into.Although this is fiction, I wish there was a bit more attention to the believeability factor.This is a very easy read and only moderately entertaining.

A 2nd Chance to make a first impression.
2nd Chance is a passable, fluff thriller; you'll never confuse James Patterson's writing with the skillfull writing of a Thomas H. Cook. Our protagonist, Lindsay Boxer, is back in this second installment to find someone who is killing seemingly random people. Everyone believes the killings are hate crimes due to all the victims being black, but the killer's motive runs deeper than skin color, and deals more with a certain profession. Patterson paints Lindsay as an emotionalist who allows the scummy characters in the book to constantly get under her skin. She's so indignant and outraged about everything instead of being smart and objective while doing her job.

Also returning for the second installment are Lindsay's gal pals who assist her in crime-solving: the prosecutor, the coroner, and the reporter. I'd list their names if I cared enough, but I don't.

The four professional, thirty-something women all act like they're in high school. Patterson's attempts to make the coroner sound black are ridiculous. We get plenty of "hey girls" and "my girls." Too bad we didn't get a "fo shizzle my nizzle." There is also a minister in the story named Aaron. He is another perfect black specimen similar to Alex Cross. The thing is, Patterson totally disrespects the character's role as a pastor by having him have sex with the floozy reporter. I missed the memo that says it's okay for ministers to have sex before marriage. In fact, the issue of the restrictions of a minister due to his profession and faith isn't even discussed by any character in the story. Patterson attempts to paint this guy as a sincere man of the cloth who practices what he preaches, yet contradicts his character by having him behave like a regular guy who isn't tied by any Christian or moral doctrine. He never does or says anything that would show us he's a server of the Lord. Even his speeches in church have nothing to do with God. Like Jesse Jackson, this man must have gotten his divinity license from a label off a cereal box.

Bottom Line: 2nd Chance isn't as good as 1st to Die even though its twists are more plausible. I'm hesitant about delving any deeper in the series, though I do own the third installment, 3rd Degree.

Go to beach. Read book
This second book in the Women's Murder Club reads just as quickly as the first. A reader gets sucked in, but not bogged down. Chapters are short, proofreading was not a priority, but the plot is cohesive. If you're not looking for more than that, this will wet your whistle.

I LOVE JAMES PATTERSON!!!!
Every book in this single is great!A great addition to anyones growing library!

Hooray for The Women's Murder Club
Another riveting,mindbending thriller from the women's murder club,by way of Mr. Patterson.
An unusually calculated serial killer is on the loose and he's clever.His targets seem to have nothing in common, but the heroine, Detective Lt.Boxer, thinks differently.The F.B.I. becomes involved but they're on the wrong track.You'll never guess whodunit until maybe the very end.
Mr. Patterson's book has many characters,yet the plot is not too convoluted. It's easy to follow but you never know what's coming next. His descriptive text and narratives place you deep into the mind's and the feelings of all the characters. I absolutely could not put it down. If you read 1ST to Die, then you'll love 2ND Chance. I did!

Jennifer Dunagan,author of Auntie Jennie's
Puppy:The Adventures of Santana and
Santana's Harrowing Halloween ... Read more