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At the start of the gripping seventh Women's Murder Club thriller from bestseller Patterson and Paetro (after 2007's The 6th Target), San Francisco is still haunted by the disappearance of Michael Campion, the much-adored teenage son of a former California governor, three months earlier. Following up on a tip that Michael was last seen entering a prostitute's house, homicide inspector Lindsay Boxer and her new partner, Rich Conklin, are shocked when the hooker immediately confesses that Michael, who had a heart defect, died during sex and she disposed of his body. Lindsay's ADA pal, Yuki Castellano, is sure she has a slam-dunk case, but the trial soon takes a bizarre turn. Lindsay and Rich also scramble to track down a serial arsonist responsible for murdering a string of wealthy couples. Lindsay races to put the pieces together before the fires hit too close to home. In true Patterson style, the reader is privy to Lindsay's thoughts as well as the killers', ratcheting up the suspense an extra notch. Fans won't be disappointed with the twist at the end that not even Lindsay sees coming. (Feb.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationA popular politician's ill son is missing, and prominent Bay Area residents are dying in a series of seemingly random fires. Both cases baffle San Francisco Police detective Lindsay Boxer, who simultaneously grapples with her feelings for an FBI agent and her attraction to her handsome partner. In this, one of the best entries in "The Women's Murder Club" series, everything comes together in a neat package that is often gruesome, sometimes funny, but always entertaining. Narrator/Law & Order veteran actress Carolyn McCormick (6th Target) skillfully creates memorable characters in a reading that is professional, is free of theatrics, and adds significantly to the transfer from print to audio. Recommended for all collections. [Also recorded by Books on Tape. 7 CDs. unabridged. 7¾ hrs. ISBN 9781415947036
—Joseph L. Carlson
James Patterson is one of the world's most popular and successful authors. He lives in Florida and New York.
A string of gripping standalone mysteries followed, but it was the 1992 release of Along Came a Spider that elevated Patterson to superstar status. Introducing Alex Cross, a brilliant black police detective/forensic psychologist, the novel was the first installment in a series of bestselling thrillers that has proved to be a cash cow for the author and his publisher.
Examining Patterson's track record, it's obvious that he believes one good series deserves another…maybe even a third! In 2001, he debuted the Women's Murder Club with 1st to Die, a fast-paced thriller featuring four female crime fighters living in San Francisco—a homicide detective, a medical examiner, an assistant D.A., and a cub reporter. The successful series has continued with other numerically titled installments. Then, spinning off a set of characters from a previous novel (1998's When the Wind Blows), in 2005 he published Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. Featuring a "flock" of genetically engineered flying children, the novel was a huge hit, especially with teen readers, and spawned a series of vastly popular fantasy adventures.
In addition to continuing his bestselling literary franchises, Patterson has also found time to co-author thrillers with other writers—including Peter de Jonge, Andrew Gross, Maxine Paetro, and Howard Roughan—and has even ventured into romance (Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, Sam's Letters to Jennifer) and children's literature (santaKid). Writing at an astonishing pace, this prolific author has turned himself into a one-man publishing juggernaut, fulfilling his clearly stated ambition to become "the king of the page-turners."
Two of Patterson's Alex Cross mysteries (Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls) have been turned into films starring Morgan Freeman; in 2007, a weekly television series premiered, based on the bestselling Women's Murder Club novels.
A digitized Bing Crosby crooned "The Christmas Song."
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose ..."
Henry Jablonsky couldn't see the boys clearly. The one called Hawk had snatched off his glasses and put them a mile away on the fireplace mantel, a good thing, Jablonsky had reasoned at the time.
It meant that the boys didn't want to be identified, that they were planning to let them go. Please, God, please let us live and I'll serve you all the days of my life.
Jablonsky watched the two shapes moving around the tree, knew that the gun was in Hawk's waistband. He heard wrapping paper tear, saw the one called Pidge dangling a bow for the new kitten.
They'd said they weren't going to hurt them.
They said this was only a robbery.
Jablonsky had memorized their faces well enough to describe to a police sketch artist, which he would be doing as soon as they got the hell out of his home.
Both boys looked as though they'd stepped from the pages of a Ralph Lauren ad.
Hawk. Clean-cut. Well-spoken. Blond, with side-parted hair. Pidge, bigger. Probably six two. Long brown hair. Strong as a horse. Meaty hands. Ivy League types. Both of them.
Maybe there really was some goodness in them.
As Jablonsky watched, the blond one, Hawk, walked over to the bookshelf, dragged his long fingers across the spines of the books, calling out titles, his voice warm, as though he were a friend of the family.
He said to Henry Jablonsky, "Wow, Mr. J., you've got Fahrenheit 451. This is a classic."
Hawk pulled the book from the shelf, opened it to the first page. Then he stooped down to where Jablonsky was hog-tied on the floor with a sock in his mouth.
"You can't beat Bradbury for an opening," Hawk said. And then he read aloud with a clear, dramatic voice.
"'It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.'"
As Hawk read, Pidge hauled a large package out from under the tree. It was wrapped in gold foil, tied with gold ribbon. Something Peggy had always wanted and had waited for, for years.
"To Peggy, from Santa," Pidge read from the gift tag. He sliced through the wrappings with a knife.
He had a knife!
Pidge opened the box, peeled back the layers of tissue.
"A Birkin bag, Peggy. Santa brought you a nine-thousand-dollar purse! I'd call that a no, Peg. A definite no."
Pidge reached for another wrapped gift, shook the box, while Hawk turned his attention to Peggy Jablonsky. Peggy pleaded with Hawk, her actual words muffled by the wad of sock in her mouth. It broke Henry's heavy heart to see how hard she tried to communicate with her eyes.
Hawk reached out and stroked Peggy's baby-blond hair, then patted her damp cheek. "We're going to open all your presents now, Mrs. J. Yours too, Mr. J.," he said. "Then we'll decide if we're going to let you live."
Chapter Two HENRY JABLONSKY'S STOMACH HEAVED. He gagged against the thick wool of the sock, pulled against his restraints, smelled the sour odor of urine. Heat puddled under his clothes. Christ. He'd wet himself. But it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was to get out alive.
He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. But he could reason.
What could he do?
Jablonsky looked around from his place on the floor, took in the fire poker only yards away. He fixed his vision on that poker.
"Mrs. J.," Pidge called out to Peggy, shaking a small turquoise box. "This is from Henry. A Peretti necklace. Very nice. What? You have something to say?"
Pidge went over to Peggy Jablonsky and took the sock out of her mouth.
"You don't really know Dougie, do you?" she said.
"Dougie who?" Pidge laughed
"Don't hurt us-"
"No, no, Mrs. J.," Pidge said, stuffing the sock back into his captive's mouth. "No don'ts. This is our game. Our rules."
The kitten pounced into the heap of wrapping paper as the gifts were opened; the diamond earrings, the Hermès tie, and the Jensen salad tongs, Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave. Then he heard Pidge speak to Hawk, his voice more subdued than before, so that Jablonsky had to strain to hear over the blood pounding in his ears.
"Well? Guilty or not guilty?" Pidge asked.
Hawk's voice was thoughtful. "The J.'s are living well, and if that's the best revenge ..."
"You're kidding me, dude. That's totally bogus."
Pidge stepped over the pillowcase filled with the contents of the Jablonskys' safe. He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand, then picked up a pen and carefully printed on the title page.
Pidge read it back. "Sic erat in fatis, man. It is fated. Get the kit-cat and let's go."
Hawk bent over, said, "Sorry, dude. Mrs. Dude." He took the sock out of Jablonsky's mouth. "Say good-bye to Peggy."
Henry Jablonsky's mind scrambled. What? What was happening? And then he realized. He could speak! He screamed "Pegg-yyyyy" as the Christmas tree bloomed with a bright yellow glare, then went up in a great exhalation of flame.
VOOOOOOM.
Heat rose and the skin of Henry Jablonsky's cheeks dried like paper. Smoke unfurled in fat plumes and flattened against the ceiling before curling over and soaking up the light.
"Don't leave us!"
He saw the flames climbing the curtains, heard his dear love's muffled screams as the front door slammed shut.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from 7th Heaven by James Patterson Maxine Paetro Copyright © 2008 by James Patterson. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Anonymous
Posted October 26, 2008
James Patterson's, Women's Murder Club Series, books are awesome! You cannot put these books down. The print is large and the chapters are short, so it's easy reading. His style of writing gets you right into the story. Each book is full of twists and turns, so you are always surprised at the end!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 13, 2011
I Also Recommend:
I enjoyed reading this. Very good read. and hard to put down.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 11, 2009
Entertaining, but not one that you can't put down. Also if you're bothered by details that just don't match this one has a couple of them. You know where the author gives you some little detail and then later ignores the rules he/she has set out? Or when they speak about the details of a religious tradition and get them wrong? Perhaps it's just my little peeve but I'm bothered by that lack of attention to details.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.LUV2READ68
Posted July 18, 2009
HE ALWAYS DOES IT.
BRAVO
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 28, 2008
i enjoyed this book alot i brought it with me everywhere i went .I'm looking foward to the next in the series.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Honestly, I wasn't impressed. It seems like Mr. Patterson picked a bunch of crazy things to throw together with this latest story starring the Womens' Murder Club.
Although the mystery of who killed Michael Campion was interesting, the whole Yuki/Twilly event was just plain stupid.
Overall, another quick read that will only take you a day or so, but it's not as good as the previous books in the series.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 30, 2008
Who wants to kill DET Linsey Boxer while she¿s investigating Michael Campion¿s death and who¿s killing rich people? The cases appear to be related but they¿re not. For me this is the best in the series.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 11, 2012
Love, Love, Love " Women's Murder Club Series " so far I have 1- 8, I just finished series # 7 and it suprised me at the end. So Good , I just started series # 8
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Posted February 7, 2012
N
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Posted February 2, 2012
This edition of the of the women's murder club keeps you reading. The surprise ending is classic! The ladies continue to keep the information flowing and the suspense building. Well worth the read. James Patterson continues to shine a suspense author.
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Posted December 6, 2011
Part of Series
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 6, 2011
Love this series!
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Posted December 6, 2011
If it's the New Year it must be time for a new James Patterson novel, and the Women's Murder Club returns in great form. Frequent collaborator Maxine Paetro and Patterson spin another devilish and delightful addition to the WMC canon.All the Women make appearances: Lindsay Boxer is adjusting to life having her long-distance boyfriend now living in the same city (and often the same apartment); coroner Claire Washburn is very pregnant and up to her ever-expanding belly in victims of arson-murders; Yuki Castellano is prosecuting the confessed murderer of the former governor's son; and reporter Cindy Thomas continues to cement her status as a valued member of the Club.Conner Campion, born with a degenerative and incurable heart disease, has been a media and public darling his entire life, a la John F, Kennedy, Jr. When he suddenly disappears, the worst is feared, and an eventual tip leads to the last person to see him alive, a young hooker named Junie Moon. She makes a shocking and disturbing confession which she quickly recants, and Yuki is forced to prosecute this less than airtight case.Meanwhile, two young men who answer to the names Hawk and Pidge are tying up well-off couples and torching their homes_while the victims are still inside. The resulting conflagrations leave little useful evidence save one thing: a book, inscribed in Latin with cryptic sayings, is left at each scene.As with the previous titles in the series, the characters share equal importance with the mysteries they solve. The authors are in top form here, expounding believably on the now well-known lives of the WMC members, and Lindsay's new partner Rich Conklin makes a welcome_and compelling_return.Who are the menacing arsonists, whose trail of death leads literally to Lindsay's door? Can Yuki successfully convict a young murderess who is aided by a high-profile, media-savvy woman attorney? Will Lindsay finally say yes to Joe's proposal? Read Seventh Heaven and you'll know those answers and will be anxiously awaiting the next installment.
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Posted December 6, 2011
I enjoy James Patterson's "Women's Murder Club" series, but still felt the original was the best. Now I have read the latest and I recommend it highly. This one was definitely a page-turner.
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Posted December 6, 2011
I read a lot and some of the twists were not to hard for me to figure out. However, I still really ejnoyed reading this book and the entire series.
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Posted December 6, 2011
Read it in one sitting.
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Posted December 6, 2011
Jmes Patterson is an excellent writer. Have read all his books.
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Posted December 6, 2011
The whole series is great.
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Posted December 6, 2011
I love to read, expecially when published in paperback - so much easier to transport.
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Posted December 6, 2011
I am a big fan of JP. I enjoy reading his books.
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Overview
A terrible fire in a wealthy suburban home leaves a married couple dead and Detective Lindsay Boxer and her partner Rich Conklin searching for clues. And after California's golden boy, Michael Campion has been missing for a month, there finally seems to be a lead in his case--a very devastating lead.As fire after fire consume couples in wealthy, comfortable homes, Lindsay and the Murder Club must race to find the arsonists responsible and get to the bottom of Michael Campion's disappearance. But suddenly the fires are raging too close to home.
Frightened for her life and torn ...