The Women's Murder Club lost one of their members in the previous edition of this series - 3RD DEGREE. Dealing with that loss, the surviving three members -- Lindsay, Claire and Cindy -- draw closer together.
When Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer is involved in a horrible shooting incident that leaves a young girl dead and her brother paralyzed, she finds herself fighting for her career, as well as her peace of mind. Charged with police brutality and relieved of duty awaiting trial, Lindsay tries to find solace in the tranquility of her sister's home in Half Moon Bay. But this community is experiencing a rash of murders, and it doesn't take long for Lindsay to become involved in trying to solve them. With the help of Claire and Cindy, their investigations uncover a link between the recent killings and an unsolved murder Lindsay worked on years ago. With Lindsay's attorneys fighting for her life in the courtroom, and the murders in Half Moon Bay escalating, the summer heats up for everyone involved. Everything comes close to resolution just as the big 4TH OF JULY celebration approaches.
I've been a fan of the Women's Murder Club series since the start, and I found this story an intricate, compelling addition. And it looks like the group may have a new member in Lindsay's trial attorney, Yuki Castellano. We'll just have to wait for the fifth edition to find out. In usual Patterson fashion, the chapters are short, high-powered and fast-paced, making it next to impossible to stop at the end of any of them. You just keep turning the pages as fast as possible to reach the resolution, and it's an explosive one. Patterson started this series with 1ST TO DIE, then Andrew Gross co-wrote with him on 2ND CHANCE and 3RD DEGREE. Now Maxine Paetro has teamed up with Patterson on this novel. I must say, I think it's an intelligent, exhilarating collaboration, and I'm looking forward to their next book.
After losing one of its own, Lindsay Boxer and the Women’s
Murder Club make a courageous return for their fourth and
most chilling case ever--one that could easily be their
last. A young girl is killed in crossfire after a routine
arrest goes terribly wrong, and Lt. Lindsay Boxer has to
defend herself against a charge of police brutality. In a
landmark trial that transfixes the nation, Lindsay fights
to save her career and her sanity. While awaiting trial,
Lindsay escapes to the beautiful town of Half Moon Bay, but
the peaceful community there is reeling from a string of
unspeakable murders. Working with her friends in the
Women’s Murder Club, Lindsay finds a link between these
killings and a case she worked on years before--an unsolved
murder that has haunted her ever since. As summer comes
into full swing, Lindsay battles for her life on two
fronts: before a judge and jury as her trial comes to a
climax, and facing unknown adversaries who will do anything
to keep her from the truth about the killings--including
killing again. It all comes to a head before the big annual
4th of July celebration on the waterfront at Half Moon Bay.