Well Lindsey Boxer detective series with Maxine Paetro in conjunction with James Patterson. A good thriller as most Patterson stories. I listened to this as an audio book. ( )

More of a cop case than a thriller and all
Boxer and Joe. Liked it just not as much a usual ( )

This was the first Women’s Murder Club novel I have read, and it will be the last. The story does not get going until the last half of the book. I wanted to DNF it several times before I reached the half-way point. The writing is amateurish.

The characters were flat and totally uninteresting. I cared for none of them. Some of them were completely despicable, especially some of the officers.

The story was disjointed and a result of the book having two authors. It appeared Patterson wrote one part, Paetro wrote another part without consulting with each other and a third person meshed them together. The two plot lines had no connection at many points. There were numerous point of view changes, even in the same paragraph, and sections told in the first person failed to identify whose point of view we were reading, which made the prose difficult to read.

There are many plot holes and inconsistent action. Two of the FBI agents were taken hostage in Mexico by unknown parties, and then back in their homes the next morning with no explanation whatsoever. Bizarre. And, how does a man whose hands are handcuffed behind his back touch a wound on his neck. Is he Houdini?

Patterson is too good of a writer to put his name on this book with the poor writing. I am sure I will read more of Patterson’s work, but none of this series. ( )

The Women's Murder Club is back! I love these gritty novels where Lindsay Boxer and her gal pals take down criminals. While Claire, Yuki, and Cindy are all featured, Lindsay takes top billing. In the latest novel, CA is cracking down on gun control, and the criminals don't want to give up their guns - or their illegal trafficking of weapons and drugs. Joe, Lindsay's husband, is contracted by the FBI to work on the gun case, too. Both Lindsay and Joe are put in harm's way on more than one occasion. When former cops get killed, with "you talk you die" found on their bodies, Lindsay realizes that someone wants people quieted. Everything wraps up nicely.
The Women's Murder Club is a great series, I always feel like I know the characters, since I have been following them for years. This one was action packed, and the danger level kept the tension high for me. I am glad that the book featured a bit about Julie, Joe and Lindsay's young daughter - and how their jobs affect her, too. Looking forward to book 23. ( )

22 seconds, James Patterson, Maxine Paetro, authors; January LaVoy, narrator
This 22nd book in the Womens Murder Club mystery series is definitely not for men. I would describe it as chick lit, perhaps appropriate for someone looking for a quick read for a plane flight or a day at the beach. The dialogue is a bit hackneyed and repetitive. The characters often seemed shallow and self-possessed, although they were very dedicated to their professions which was the most admirable part of the book for me, since they are hard-working law officers and medical personnel across a broad spectrum. They are all juggling their family and work life as well as they can.
One of the couples, Lindsey and Joe have a four-year-old daughter Julie who needs to have time-outs more often than she is getting them. Guilt ridden parents try too hard to understand her demands and her whining without appropriate expectations of behavior. Julie complains a lot and her cousins call her a brat. I am inclined to agree. Occasionally, the child seemed like the adult in the family and vice versa.
Another character, Cathy, attempting to write a book about a serial killer, but currently has a bit of writer’s block. She is hoping this book will put her on the front page with a best-seller and secure her future. Then there is a medical examiner and a journalist. All are friends. They are portrayed as strong-willed capable women. Sometimes, though, they seem preoccupied with their emotions instead of their intellect, but most often, they make common sense decisions and accomplish their goals.

Lindsey and Joe are both involved in a drug/gun running operation which proves very dangerous, at times. To protect their daughter and insure that one of them will survive, they try not to work in danger at the same time. One always stays back with Julie. She is a detective and he is the former Deputy Director of Homeland Security, now working for the FBI. When a law is passed banning assault weapons, demonstrations erupt and they become targets. A sophisticated gun and drug smuggling operation is exposed complete with tunnels leading from Mexico to California. Former cops, who have been compromised by greed, are turning up dead with their mouths stapled shut and a note that says you talk, you die. Sometimes the story seems like gibberish and sometimes it is filled with violent action. If you are looking for some mindless entertainment, this would be a good choice. To avoid unnecessary confusion, It would be helpful if the reader has read some other books in the series. ( )