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Women's Murder Club #26
26 Beauties
The Women’s Murder Club goes searching for 26 Beauties—young women missing in San Francisco.
SFPD’s Sergeant Lindsay Boxer's best friend, Claire Washburn, is named medical examiner of the year.
But an uninvited guest crashes the Women’s Murder Club's a concerned father seeking investigative reporter Cindy Thomas’s help in locating his missing daughter. And she’s not the only one.
Lindsay’s been investigating the deaths of a Jane Doe washed up on a nearby beach, and a young woman found in Golden Gate Park.
What if all these cases are connected?
The answers lie with the 26 Beauties on the run and in the wind.
SFPD’s Sergeant Lindsay Boxer's best friend, Claire Washburn, is named medical examiner of the year.
But an uninvited guest crashes the Women’s Murder Club's a concerned father seeking investigative reporter Cindy Thomas’s help in locating his missing daughter. And she’s not the only one.
Lindsay’s been investigating the deaths of a Jane Doe washed up on a nearby beach, and a young woman found in Golden Gate Park.
What if all these cases are connected?
The answers lie with the 26 Beauties on the run and in the wind.
Audible Audio
First published May 4, 2026
About the author
James Patterson
989 books357k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
May 16, 2026
For most of you who read my reviews, you already know the following but let me be transparent. 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.
The first thing that struck me with his year’s outing - “25 Alive”- was that Patterson’s long-time co-author, Maxine Paetro, was left off of the cover. I wondered why, and when googling it I found out that she is indeed still co-author on the book, but was left off because of how a book is marketed and catalogued, wanting to emphasize James Patterson as the primary author since he is the reason the books sell so well. Gee, what a surprise… However, let’s not kid ourselves. Most readers are much smarter than that, but oh well. It is what it is and that strategy works well. When it comes to books, Patterson’s name is what matters.
“26 Beauties” focuses on the search for young “beautiful” girls going missing in San Francisco along with subplots for all of the members of the Women’s Murder Club that we have come to know and love.
Detective Lindsay Boxer has been assigned to investigate the murder of two young women - one washed up on a nearby beach and the other found in Golden Gate Park.
News reporter and author Cindy Thomas is approached by a distraught single father who seeks her help to find his missing daughter. He believes strongly that she was taken and not a runaway. Cindy is his last hope.
Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano is prosecuting a case against a neighborhood gang leader who shot a mini-mart clerk for not letting him sell drugs in his parking lot. However, the vicious assailant is putting the fear of God into Yuki’s witnesses, putting her open and shut case in big risk of being dismissed,
Medical Examiner Claire Washburn is facing a family concern. She’s been letting her cousin’s daughter live with her to ease the stress she’s been putting on her mother. However, the girl is gone all kinds of hours, mostly at night and not returning until the early morning. She’s also come into some serious amounts of cash and some rather expensive clothes and accessories causing Claire to grow concerned…
The good news is that this is a successfully established series that is nice to return to on a yearly basis. It’s a nice visit with what have become dearly loved characters that have become friends that have endeared themselves to us. We pretty much know them inside and out – their strengths and weaknesses. Their professional commitments and service to the San Francisco community. We appreciate their husbands and their contributions. These characters have been around a long time, much other Patteson characters in his Alex Cross and Michael Bennett series that also focus on fighting crime while maintaining a strong family foundation. They keep us coming back for that annual visit that helps ground us.
However, at the same time too much of the same can start to make things too comfortable. As with several of the last six to eight books, each of the storylines come across like variations on previously used storylines, which are starting to feel a bit prescriptive and repetitive. Let’s see if this sounds familiar to you… Yuki fighting a courtroom battle. Lindsay searching for a crazy serial killer or in this case teenage traffickers. Cindy running her own investigation and helping Lindsey find the bad guy with hopes of writing another book about it. Claire providing necessary medical information and playing the role of emotional support, this time for her family members. Oh, and of course, let’s not forget, the police officer spouses and FBI husbands, who support them both in work situations and at home.
Truth be told, as good as an annul visit is with the Women’s Murder Club, this outing feels like more of one major “A” plot and 3 B” sub-plots on a police drama television show than a full length novel. The major “A” plot started out okay with some interesting elements, but it got bogged down and a little all over the place (although I liked Alain Creasy and found him to be interesting). And for me, the ending was not as strong as I was hoping for. I felt that it was a bit anticlimactic and not very compelling. It was another Patterson buildup over 300 pages followed by connecting all of the dots and wrapping everything up in the last 20 pages. And with this one, there were elements of the major “A” plot that were not addressed.
As I said in my reviews of the last two books in this series, my biggest frustration is that this series could be better if Patterson and Paetro focused more on character development and took some risks rather than settling for retread formulas that are losing most of their strengths and uniqueness.
Overall, after all my comments on my long-term connections with these characters, as well as constructive feedback, I give it a 2.5-stars out of 5-stars (rounded up to 3-stars on Goodreads), but most of that is due to legacy and the relationships these characters have built with me rather than the comfortable state that their current storylines and weaker endings have been delivering.
Here to hoping your reading experience was more enjoyable…
The first thing that struck me with his year’s outing - “25 Alive”- was that Patterson’s long-time co-author, Maxine Paetro, was left off of the cover. I wondered why, and when googling it I found out that she is indeed still co-author on the book, but was left off because of how a book is marketed and catalogued, wanting to emphasize James Patterson as the primary author since he is the reason the books sell so well. Gee, what a surprise… However, let’s not kid ourselves. Most readers are much smarter than that, but oh well. It is what it is and that strategy works well. When it comes to books, Patterson’s name is what matters.
“26 Beauties” focuses on the search for young “beautiful” girls going missing in San Francisco along with subplots for all of the members of the Women’s Murder Club that we have come to know and love.
Detective Lindsay Boxer has been assigned to investigate the murder of two young women - one washed up on a nearby beach and the other found in Golden Gate Park.
News reporter and author Cindy Thomas is approached by a distraught single father who seeks her help to find his missing daughter. He believes strongly that she was taken and not a runaway. Cindy is his last hope.
Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano is prosecuting a case against a neighborhood gang leader who shot a mini-mart clerk for not letting him sell drugs in his parking lot. However, the vicious assailant is putting the fear of God into Yuki’s witnesses, putting her open and shut case in big risk of being dismissed,
Medical Examiner Claire Washburn is facing a family concern. She’s been letting her cousin’s daughter live with her to ease the stress she’s been putting on her mother. However, the girl is gone all kinds of hours, mostly at night and not returning until the early morning. She’s also come into some serious amounts of cash and some rather expensive clothes and accessories causing Claire to grow concerned…
The good news is that this is a successfully established series that is nice to return to on a yearly basis. It’s a nice visit with what have become dearly loved characters that have become friends that have endeared themselves to us. We pretty much know them inside and out – their strengths and weaknesses. Their professional commitments and service to the San Francisco community. We appreciate their husbands and their contributions. These characters have been around a long time, much other Patteson characters in his Alex Cross and Michael Bennett series that also focus on fighting crime while maintaining a strong family foundation. They keep us coming back for that annual visit that helps ground us.
However, at the same time too much of the same can start to make things too comfortable. As with several of the last six to eight books, each of the storylines come across like variations on previously used storylines, which are starting to feel a bit prescriptive and repetitive. Let’s see if this sounds familiar to you… Yuki fighting a courtroom battle. Lindsay searching for a crazy serial killer or in this case teenage traffickers. Cindy running her own investigation and helping Lindsey find the bad guy with hopes of writing another book about it. Claire providing necessary medical information and playing the role of emotional support, this time for her family members. Oh, and of course, let’s not forget, the police officer spouses and FBI husbands, who support them both in work situations and at home.
Truth be told, as good as an annul visit is with the Women’s Murder Club, this outing feels like more of one major “A” plot and 3 B” sub-plots on a police drama television show than a full length novel. The major “A” plot started out okay with some interesting elements, but it got bogged down and a little all over the place (although I liked Alain Creasy and found him to be interesting). And for me, the ending was not as strong as I was hoping for. I felt that it was a bit anticlimactic and not very compelling. It was another Patterson buildup over 300 pages followed by connecting all of the dots and wrapping everything up in the last 20 pages. And with this one, there were elements of the major “A” plot that were not addressed.
As I said in my reviews of the last two books in this series, my biggest frustration is that this series could be better if Patterson and Paetro focused more on character development and took some risks rather than settling for retread formulas that are losing most of their strengths and uniqueness.
Overall, after all my comments on my long-term connections with these characters, as well as constructive feedback, I give it a 2.5-stars out of 5-stars (rounded up to 3-stars on Goodreads), but most of that is due to legacy and the relationships these characters have built with me rather than the comfortable state that their current storylines and weaker endings have been delivering.
Here to hoping your reading experience was more enjoyable…
May 21, 2026
The WMC is back! I really truly do enjoy the 4 main characters. Enough so that they are a group that I wouldn’t mind listening to their every day normal boring life stuff. Except these women have far from normal lives. They have exhausting lives and amazing work ethic.
It starts with a party in celebration of Claire being named medical examiner of the year. Then we have Lindsay and Cindy working on a case of missing girls and Yuki in the middle of a stressful trial. An Interpol agent, flying bullets, and a CRAZY old lady whose part in the book seemed so random that I chuckled to myself. It ends with a dramatic courtroom scene and another party.
While not the most adventurous, fast paced, or exciting of the WMC books, it wasn’t over the top like some can be and it was nice to be back with the 4 ladies and some of the other regulars from the books.
4⭐️’s for being back in the comfort of a much loved series.
Rating and review posted: 5/20/26
———-
After a bit of thinking, 3.75⭐️’s rounded up to 4⭐️’s seems more accurate than a direct 4⭐️’s.
Small revised rating updated: 5/21/26
It starts with a party in celebration of Claire being named medical examiner of the year. Then we have Lindsay and Cindy working on a case of missing girls and Yuki in the middle of a stressful trial. An Interpol agent, flying bullets, and a CRAZY old lady whose part in the book seemed so random that I chuckled to myself. It ends with a dramatic courtroom scene and another party.
While not the most adventurous, fast paced, or exciting of the WMC books, it wasn’t over the top like some can be and it was nice to be back with the 4 ladies and some of the other regulars from the books.
4⭐️’s for being back in the comfort of a much loved series.
Rating and review posted: 5/20/26
———-
After a bit of thinking, 3.75⭐️’s rounded up to 4⭐️’s seems more accurate than a direct 4⭐️’s.
Small revised rating updated: 5/21/26
May 15, 2026
This book was much slower paced than most James Patterson’s books. It included police procedural (which I usually enjoy).
The story was primarily about human trafficking.
Human trafficking is extremely sad.
It is also a timely matter.
Yesterday (May 14, 2026) I read that the in the USA, the security has been tightened ahead of the FIFA World Cup to help prevent human trafficking.
Please read other reviews for other people’s opinions about this book.
The story was primarily about human trafficking.
Human trafficking is extremely sad.
It is also a timely matter.
Yesterday (May 14, 2026) I read that the in the USA, the security has been tightened ahead of the FIFA World Cup to help prevent human trafficking.
Please read other reviews for other people’s opinions about this book.
May 17, 2026
It really kinda hurts my heart to give a women's murder club 2 stars. But this one was just boring. It took everything I had not to DNF. That is saying a lot for me with this series. Hopefully ill like the next one like I do the rest. This one just didn't do it for me.
May 12, 2026
Another binge in a day listen from a favourite author. Love the murder club
May 7, 2026
James Patterson’s 26 Beauties is a masterclass in controlled chaos, the kind of thriller that seduces you with elegance before dragging you into something far darker and infinitely more unsettling. From its opening pages, the novel moves with Patterson’s trademark velocity, yet beneath the relentless pacing lies an unexpectedly sharp meditation on fear, disappearance, and the fragility of identity in a city built on illusion.
What elevates this installment beyond a conventional procedural is the emotional architecture beneath the investigation. Lindsay Boxer and the Women’s Murder Club are no longer merely solving crimes; they are confronting the psychological residue left behind by absence itself. The missing women become more than statistics or plot devices, they linger like ghosts at the edge of every chapter, creating an atmosphere that feels simultaneously cinematic and intimate.
Patterson understands something many thriller writers do not: suspense is not created solely through violence, but through anticipation. Through implication. Through the unbearable possibility that the worst outcome may already be inevitable. The novel weaponizes that tension brilliantly.
The prose is lean without feeling hollow, polished without losing urgency. Every chapter lands like a controlled detonation, making the book nearly impossible to put down once its machinery begins turning. There is also a surprising emotional maturity threaded throughout the narrative, particularly in the exploration of loyalty, grief, and the quiet exhaustion carried by those tasked with chasing monsters for a living.
In an era oversaturated with formulaic thrillers, 26 Beauties reminds readers why Patterson remains a dominant force in the genre. He does not simply write page turners; he engineers momentum. This novel is sleek, intelligent, psychologically resonant, and ruthlessly effective.
A sophisticated, pulse driven thriller that proves the Women’s Murder Club series still has the power to evolve while delivering everything longtime readers crave. Patterson once again demonstrates that commercial fiction and literary tension do not have to exist on opposite ends of the spectrum.
What elevates this installment beyond a conventional procedural is the emotional architecture beneath the investigation. Lindsay Boxer and the Women’s Murder Club are no longer merely solving crimes; they are confronting the psychological residue left behind by absence itself. The missing women become more than statistics or plot devices, they linger like ghosts at the edge of every chapter, creating an atmosphere that feels simultaneously cinematic and intimate.
Patterson understands something many thriller writers do not: suspense is not created solely through violence, but through anticipation. Through implication. Through the unbearable possibility that the worst outcome may already be inevitable. The novel weaponizes that tension brilliantly.
The prose is lean without feeling hollow, polished without losing urgency. Every chapter lands like a controlled detonation, making the book nearly impossible to put down once its machinery begins turning. There is also a surprising emotional maturity threaded throughout the narrative, particularly in the exploration of loyalty, grief, and the quiet exhaustion carried by those tasked with chasing monsters for a living.
In an era oversaturated with formulaic thrillers, 26 Beauties reminds readers why Patterson remains a dominant force in the genre. He does not simply write page turners; he engineers momentum. This novel is sleek, intelligent, psychologically resonant, and ruthlessly effective.
A sophisticated, pulse driven thriller that proves the Women’s Murder Club series still has the power to evolve while delivering everything longtime readers crave. Patterson once again demonstrates that commercial fiction and literary tension do not have to exist on opposite ends of the spectrum.
May 5, 2026
James Patterson, for sure!
The Women's Murder Club is back! It is the amazing, multi fabulous, hair razing, hold your breath suspense book as usual. This book is not as suspenseful as others, but it is still typical Patterson. You won't be sorry you've read it, enjoy! Liz/f S. Jersey, USA
The Women's Murder Club is back! It is the amazing, multi fabulous, hair razing, hold your breath suspense book as usual. This book is not as suspenseful as others, but it is still typical Patterson. You won't be sorry you've read it, enjoy! Liz/f S. Jersey, USA
May 20, 2026
Not my favorite in the series, but not the worst either.
May 14, 2026
Great book! I loved being back with the WMC, they feel like old friends. I love that the women were all central characters and I liked the story lines. 26 books in and I’m still enjoying this series!
May 15, 2026
I look forward every year to the next Women’s Murder Club book. Lindsey, Yuki, Cindy & Claire seem like old friends after reading these thrillers over the years. Patterson, don’t stop! I’m ready for #27.
May 9, 2026
I’m a big JP fan but this was not very good.
Read
May 10, 2026This book is truly awful. All of these books are formulaic, but this one wasn't even interesting. Might be time to give up on the series.
May 8, 2026
I have read all of The Women’s Murder Club Thrillers and felt that this one fell short.
May 10, 2026
Zsa Zsa Gabor helps the staff sell tickets to the raffle for a world famous pork tenderloin and in the process gains a new friend to promote her product. Lacking the attention she wanted, Martha begs for table scraps for some killer pages in her scrapbook where she is chronicling her life as a house dog. Traffic seems to be picking up despite all efforts to slow it down signaling the cement company to kick up production and banter for higher employee wages. So, in the famous lyrics by Paul Simon, in the clearing stands a boxer. Cool, I was saving up to buy a Porsche, and the Boxster was one of my favorites.
May 6, 2026
This one was interesting. It seemed like for most of the book the women, except Cindy and Lindsay weren't working together or even getting together like normal. Also interesting was how Claire found a body, instead of being brought one. The things that Claire, Cindy and Lindsay were working on, all ended up connected, where Yuki had a case gone wild. The high light for me in this one was the Interpol guy who worked with Lindsay. He was funny and kept surprising her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2026
Just another Lindsay Boxer novel. Four female friends from different disciplines. Murder, drugs, trafficking. Got their perps once again.
May 10, 2026
As always a great installment in the series now to wait another year!
May 13, 2026
Another great addition to the Women’s Murder Mystery Club!!! Love it!!!
May 14, 2026
Finished reading: 26 Beauties by James Patterson
This is a fiction, mystery, thriller suspense novel. Published May 2026 soft cover large print edition around 425 pages.
A Women’s Murder Club Thriller series, book 26 in series.
This was an excellent read👍 you can never go wrong with A Women’s Murder Club Thriller. The series is great. It was very well written. The characters are well developed and fully executed. The storylines are entertaining, engaging, suspenseful with a few unexpected.
Summary from back cover:
SFPD Sergeant Lindsay Boxer’s best friend ,Claire Washburn ,is named medical examiner of the year. But an uninvited guest crashes, the women’s murder club party: a concern for seeking investigative reporter Cindy Thomas’s help in locating his missing daughter. And she’s not the only one. Lindsay‘s been investigating the death of a Jane Doe washed up on a nearby beach and a young woman found in Golden Gate Park. What if all these cases are connected? The answers lie with the 26 Beauties on the run and in the wind. 
This is a fiction, mystery, thriller suspense novel. Published May 2026 soft cover large print edition around 425 pages.
A Women’s Murder Club Thriller series, book 26 in series.
This was an excellent read👍 you can never go wrong with A Women’s Murder Club Thriller. The series is great. It was very well written. The characters are well developed and fully executed. The storylines are entertaining, engaging, suspenseful with a few unexpected.
Summary from back cover:
SFPD Sergeant Lindsay Boxer’s best friend ,Claire Washburn ,is named medical examiner of the year. But an uninvited guest crashes, the women’s murder club party: a concern for seeking investigative reporter Cindy Thomas’s help in locating his missing daughter. And she’s not the only one. Lindsay‘s been investigating the death of a Jane Doe washed up on a nearby beach and a young woman found in Golden Gate Park. What if all these cases are connected? The answers lie with the 26 Beauties on the run and in the wind. 
May 19, 2026
These ladies never disappoint. I love that, 26 books in, the writers still surprise me at the outcomes!
May 14, 2026
Love the core characters so I will always come back, but they’re getting really formulaic and the font size keeps increasing just a teeny tiny bit….
May 14, 2026
As always I am never disappointed with The Women’s Murder Club books. Lindsay Boxer and her gal pals never let me down. Each one of them are determined to solve some crime.
May 9, 2026
I don’t know if the women’s murder club has just ran its course or if I’ve outgrown it but this one was quite boring to me. It never felt like it flowed smoothly and the constant (right up to the end) calling these women by first and last names really bugged me. Have they all been like that or is this another aspect I’ve outgrown? I slogged through it but glad it’s over.
May 8, 2026
Not Up to Standard
Not one of Patterson's best stories. The narrative felt choppy and disjointed. This was not a page turner. The ending also felt unreal and rushed. Hope the next one is better.
Not one of Patterson's best stories. The narrative felt choppy and disjointed. This was not a page turner. The ending also felt unreal and rushed. Hope the next one is better.
May 7, 2026
I have loved all of this series, but I feel this one fell short. Plots were not as intertwined as normal. This was almost a DNF for me, but I slogged along and finished. If you are like me and have read all the rest, it is worth the time to finish it.
May 10, 2026
Always enjoy a few hundred pages with the ladies
May 5, 2026
I don't know if I'm too used to mysteries now because these books aren't doing it for me like they used to. They just seem to end. There's no grand finish. It's just kind of over, if that makes sense.
May 6, 2026
This book was absolutely awesome. Action-packed. It also got me thinking hard about human trafficking in the United States and how much of an ignored problem it truly is. Just how dangerous life really is for beautiful young girls in any setting. As always the women's murder club ladies characters were extremely well written. Only disappoint part is waiting another year for next book
May 20, 2026
26 Beauties, James Patterson, author, January LaVoy, narrator
Sex trafficking may be behind a sudden spate of missing girl reports. Most are presumed to be runaways, so the problem is on the back burner in the police department. At a party, Cindy Thomas, a journalist/author is approached by Eric Snaff. He wants her to help him find his missing daughter. She tells Lindsay Boxer, a homicide detective, about the missing Nicole Snaff and her father’s desperate search for her. Lindsay finds out that the FBI thinks that very father might be the best possible suspect in his own daughter’s disappearance. Although he has told Cindy the names of people he suspects and seems genuinely concerned, Lindsay and Cindy now have to consider that he might be responsible for Nicole’s disappearance or even might be the person running a human trafficking ring that is luring unsuspecting women into their lair. Yuki Castellano is very much involved in a trial, right now, but she manages to get in touch with a source to find out if there anything strange happening to the girls hanging around the Tenderloin. He gives her information that makes the women believe there might be an undiscovered trafficking ring operating. When the bodies of a couple of beautiful women are sent to Claire Washburn, the Medical Examiner, all four of the members of the Murder Club are suddenly involved in the same investigation. They all believe that there might be a gang preying on young, unsuspecting women, leading them into a lucrative, but dangerous life. Lindsay learns the sex trafficking rings are international. She calls Interpol. Alain Creasy volunteers to help her in her investigation.
The book has many action-packed scenes, Yuki’s courtroom, Lindsay and Alain in the Tenderloin, etc., but it feels more like chick lit more than the exciting mysteries of yore that Patterson used to write. It illustrates the vulnerability of young, beautiful and naive women searching for fame and fortune. It points a finger at unscrupulous men and women who are paid to lure them into a life of escort/prostitution. It details the difficult and dangerous life of police work, not only here, but abroad. It reinforces the need for good investigative reporters to help solve mysteries that seem insoluble. It shines a light on the dangers of the drug scene. It highlights the four friends in the Murder Club and their effort to make the world a better place.
Sex trafficking may be behind a sudden spate of missing girl reports. Most are presumed to be runaways, so the problem is on the back burner in the police department. At a party, Cindy Thomas, a journalist/author is approached by Eric Snaff. He wants her to help him find his missing daughter. She tells Lindsay Boxer, a homicide detective, about the missing Nicole Snaff and her father’s desperate search for her. Lindsay finds out that the FBI thinks that very father might be the best possible suspect in his own daughter’s disappearance. Although he has told Cindy the names of people he suspects and seems genuinely concerned, Lindsay and Cindy now have to consider that he might be responsible for Nicole’s disappearance or even might be the person running a human trafficking ring that is luring unsuspecting women into their lair. Yuki Castellano is very much involved in a trial, right now, but she manages to get in touch with a source to find out if there anything strange happening to the girls hanging around the Tenderloin. He gives her information that makes the women believe there might be an undiscovered trafficking ring operating. When the bodies of a couple of beautiful women are sent to Claire Washburn, the Medical Examiner, all four of the members of the Murder Club are suddenly involved in the same investigation. They all believe that there might be a gang preying on young, unsuspecting women, leading them into a lucrative, but dangerous life. Lindsay learns the sex trafficking rings are international. She calls Interpol. Alain Creasy volunteers to help her in her investigation.
The book has many action-packed scenes, Yuki’s courtroom, Lindsay and Alain in the Tenderloin, etc., but it feels more like chick lit more than the exciting mysteries of yore that Patterson used to write. It illustrates the vulnerability of young, beautiful and naive women searching for fame and fortune. It points a finger at unscrupulous men and women who are paid to lure them into a life of escort/prostitution. It details the difficult and dangerous life of police work, not only here, but abroad. It reinforces the need for good investigative reporters to help solve mysteries that seem insoluble. It shines a light on the dangers of the drug scene. It highlights the four friends in the Murder Club and their effort to make the world a better place.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews