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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It starts with us watching a killer at work through his own glasses he murders a young mother and her baby, he also murders a nosey old neighbour who tries to see what he’s doing. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a James Patterson mega fan girl 😆 I just love his books, with their short and punchy chapters, characters that feel like family now and killers that you can’t wait to get what is coming to them. I am always thrilled to get approved for early copies of his books, so a massive thank you to Random House UK for feeding my addiction. Lindsay put prolific serial killer Evan Burke behind bars and her friend, journalist Cindy Thomas, wrote a bestselling book about his crimes. Now a new killer is walking in Burke’s footsteps and recreating his crimes with Cindy in his crosshairs with Lindsay in hot pursuit. For those who are avid readers and fans of this series, I have some good news. Not great, but still, good. 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.

I love this series of books having read them . This can be read in isolation but I do recommend that the reader reads the other books in the series so that they have a fuller understanding of the relationships between all of the major charcters. These are delightful female characters ably supported by an excellent ongoing male supporting cast. Truth 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. 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.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. Detective Lindsay Boxer put serial killer Evan Burke behind bars. Now a new killer has recreated Burke's most infamous crimes-and disappeared without a trace. 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 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. This book has the usual murder that Detective Lindsay Boxer has to try and solve along with her colleagues and usually with her 3 best friends Cindy, a journalist, Yuki a prosecutor and Claire, the Chief Medical Examiner who all get involved in one way or another.

This is a fast paced thriller which draws the reader in and is, in my opinion an unputdownable book. Up front disclosure. I read most of James Patterson’s books and have for several years. Some might ask why and that’s another whole discussion best saved for another day. I have really enjoyed some, liked some, and didn’t really care for others. On a personal level, I must admit that his Women’s Murder Club series – focused on the professional and personal lives of four women in San Francisco - has been very hit and miss over the last couple of years with more weak outings than not. 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.

Featured Reviews

This year’s outing - “The 23rd Midnight”- has three primary plots – Lindsey’s police team’s hunt for a serial killer, Cindy’s troubled book tour, and Yuki’s courtroom case involving a battered wife. This time it’s Claire’s turn to play more of a supporting role.

Reporter Cindy Thomas is undertaking a book tour on her bestselling book about Evan Burke but after each book signing someone seems to end up dead, is this connected to Cindy? Terrific, high-octane, really pacy... every scene is a film - every character real, and every plot point leaves us breathless Jo Spain 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. I love James Patterson books and the Women’s murder club ones are usually superb, this one does not disappoint in any way. In fact once I started reading it I couldn’t stop and read it in a day!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.

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. I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an advance copy of 23rd Midnight, the twenty-third novel to feature Detective Sergeant Lindsay Boxer of the San Francisco PD and her friends, known collectively as the Women’s Murder Club.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.