2nd Chance By James Patterson
Overview: The shooting of a little girl on a church’s front doorstep leads Detective Lindsay Boxer to round up four of the sharpest law-enforcement minds in the city, the Woman’s Murder Club, composed of herself, Chronicle reporter Cindy Thomas, Assistant DA Jill Bernhardt, and medical examiner Claire Washburn – to break the case. A serial killer, using different methods and choosing seemingly disparate victims, is leaving a trail of bodies across the greater San Francisco area. What is the logic behind this serial killer dubbed “Chimera?” To her horror, Detective Boxer realizes that all the killing have affected relatives of policemen, and may have something to do with her estranged father, Detective Marty Boxer. Facing Chimera’s taunts and attacks, the WMC prepares for a final showdown
Pages: 400 Pages
Writer: James Patterson
Recommendations: 3rd Degree By James Patterson – Black Sunday by Tola Rotimi Abraham
After the first book in this series aced the test with flying colors, this one was a bit of a let down. It continues to follow the same fabulous female characters, but this time they’re up against a serial killer on the loose. This killer is no joke – they’re ruthless, deadly accurate with a gun, and seem to have some serious racial biases. The mayor’s patience is wearing thin, the police department is being put to the test, and the Women’s Murder Club is using all their wits to catch this maniac.
Finding a break in the case is proving to be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. The killer is cunning, leaving just enough breadcrumbs to lead our heroes in the wrong direction. What really grinds my gears is the tone of the story – it just doesn’t hit the same high notes as the previous book. The characters seem to lose their spark at times.
Overall, this book didn’t grab me by the collar and shake me like the last one did. It’s not terrible, just not up to par with its predecessor. Here’s hoping the next installment brings back that same magic we fell in love with in the first book.