What do you think?
Rate this book
Women's Murder Club #14
14th Deadly Sin
Detective Lindsay Boxer and her three best friends are back and recovering from the events that pushed them all to the edge.
After her near-death experience, Yuki is seeing her life from a new perspective and is considering a change in her law career. San Francisco Chronicle reporter Cindy has healed from her gunshot wound and has published a book on the infamous serial killers she helped to bring down. Lindsay is just happy that the gang are all still in one piece.
But a new terror is sweeping the streets of San Francisco. A gang dressed as cops are ransacking the city, and leaving a string of dead bodies in their wake. Lindsay is on the case to track them down and needs to discover whether these killers could actually be police officers. Maybe even cops she already knows...
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2015
3961 people are currently reading
17300 people want to read
About the author
James Patterson
940 books354k 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,438 reviews
August 23, 2022
Book Blog | Bookstagram
Okkaayyyyyyy... I didn't hate this as much as I have the last few.
The dialogue was still shit, there were still too many rushed storylines and the prose were probably written by Patterson's grandson or something - but it was better than the last one.
I've read a few of these in quick turnaround and I have to say that I'm kind of exhausted by the sheer number of things that happen. Would it be too much to ask for just one case that gets solved and doesn't involve all of these women having huge life changing events happen to them?
I'm talking about having a baby in a blackout storm, a newborn's medical crisis; Yuki's marriage and honeymoon with pirates, a serial killer looking for revenge against Lindsay, Cindy's engaged-unengaged-engaged drama with Rich, Cindy getting shot, Rich getting shot, Joe losing his job, Yuki quitting her job, Cindy going on a book tour...
When you read these so close together it gets ridiculous. It's kind of like binge watching Grey's Atanomy. Honestly, how much shit can happen to one group of people!?
This installment of the series adds in dirty cops, some of the criminal underworld and Lindsay's family under threat. Between all the baby babble, boring relationship tiffs and junior high-esque drama, there is a decent case in here that held my attention.
⭐⭐⭐ | 3 generous stars
Okkaayyyyyyy... I didn't hate this as much as I have the last few.
The dialogue was still shit, there were still too many rushed storylines and the prose were probably written by Patterson's grandson or something - but it was better than the last one.
I've read a few of these in quick turnaround and I have to say that I'm kind of exhausted by the sheer number of things that happen. Would it be too much to ask for just one case that gets solved and doesn't involve all of these women having huge life changing events happen to them?
I'm talking about having a baby in a blackout storm, a newborn's medical crisis; Yuki's marriage and honeymoon with pirates, a serial killer looking for revenge against Lindsay, Cindy's engaged-unengaged-engaged drama with Rich, Cindy getting shot, Rich getting shot, Joe losing his job, Yuki quitting her job, Cindy going on a book tour...
When you read these so close together it gets ridiculous. It's kind of like binge watching Grey's Atanomy. Honestly, how much shit can happen to one group of people!?
This installment of the series adds in dirty cops, some of the criminal underworld and Lindsay's family under threat. Between all the baby babble, boring relationship tiffs and junior high-esque drama, there is a decent case in here that held my attention.
⭐⭐⭐ | 3 generous stars
December 9, 2018
"ما نجبر على ترجمته لأجل لقمة العيش"
-_-
-_-
December 7, 2015
4.5★s
Once again an attack, reportedly by cops, had occurred – people were being murdered and the police department was in panic mode. Detective Lindsay Boxer and her partner Detective Richie Conklin were front and foremost in the investigation and they had no idea where to start. These people, whether they were rogue cops or civilians masquerading as cops – they left no clues. No prints, nothing on CCTV, not even the shells from shots fired were left behind.
Lindsay and her three close friends, Yuki, Cindy and Claire (of the Murder Club) still managed their weekly catch up to unload and talk through – Lindsay was so happy her friends were all recovering well from traumas in their recent past. Joe and baby Julie were the loves of Lindsay’s life; but this case was keeping her away from home more than she would like. As the investigation intensified on finding the gang of “cops”, a young woman was murdered in an unrelated incident. Running parallel to each other, the dangers heightened; the bodies mounted; the stress and tension multiplied. Who could they trust? Lindsay had no idea; she and Conklin had to watch out for each other – there was no one else…
14th Deadly Sin is another great episode in the Murder Club by James Patterson. I love the fast pace, the tension, the gripping plot – all an excellent combination that this author does so well. I highly recommend this series to all crime/mystery/suspense lovers.
Once again an attack, reportedly by cops, had occurred – people were being murdered and the police department was in panic mode. Detective Lindsay Boxer and her partner Detective Richie Conklin were front and foremost in the investigation and they had no idea where to start. These people, whether they were rogue cops or civilians masquerading as cops – they left no clues. No prints, nothing on CCTV, not even the shells from shots fired were left behind.
Lindsay and her three close friends, Yuki, Cindy and Claire (of the Murder Club) still managed their weekly catch up to unload and talk through – Lindsay was so happy her friends were all recovering well from traumas in their recent past. Joe and baby Julie were the loves of Lindsay’s life; but this case was keeping her away from home more than she would like. As the investigation intensified on finding the gang of “cops”, a young woman was murdered in an unrelated incident. Running parallel to each other, the dangers heightened; the bodies mounted; the stress and tension multiplied. Who could they trust? Lindsay had no idea; she and Conklin had to watch out for each other – there was no one else…
14th Deadly Sin is another great episode in the Murder Club by James Patterson. I love the fast pace, the tension, the gripping plot – all an excellent combination that this author does so well. I highly recommend this series to all crime/mystery/suspense lovers.
May 3, 2015
The annual Women's Murder Club (WMC) submission is here and does not disappoint! A number of cheque-cashing establishments have been held up and bodies are piling up, as the crew makes off with large sums of money. The perps are not identifiable, save for SFPD windbreakers, but this does not mean anything definitive. Could this be an inside job or is someone impersonating the police, adding a chill factor to an already problematic investigation? While at their weekly WMC gathering, Lindsay Boxer tries to make sense of these robberies with a homicidal streak, and is called away to the scene of a random crime; a woman is stabbed in a crosswalk with no forensics to tie anyone to the murder. Boxer confides in a close contact to help, when it is brought to her attention that there are a string of unsolved murders on the same date, every year. The Windbreaker investigation becomes more complex as a drug den is struck and millions in money and narcotics are taken. Should that not be enough, WMC member Yuki has left the DA's office to pursue a job with the Defence League, helping those less fortunate against the city's Goliath legal ways. A teen with questionable intelligence may have killed a number of drug dealers before he's killed himself while behind bars. With seemingly loose threads blowing in the wind, the cases always fall together and force a monumental ending that impresses the attentive reader. Patterson and Paetro weave a wonderful tale together, sure to keep series fans breathing a sigh of relief, with a substantial cliffhanger to tide them over for another year.
Patterson's writing does, as my past reviews show, ebb and flow, depending on the content. While WMC novels are normally well written, there have been some duds in the mix. Some might say that fourteen novels is well-past a series' expiry date, but there is something that keeps them fresh, be it the sub-plots or the short time between novels, or even the ever-evolving development characters undergo. With short chapters and interesting storylines, readers will likely breeze through this and hope for more. Alas, a year is the usual wait time for instalments. That said, if Patterson and his flock of co-authors could work on a CROSS-BENNETT-BOXER trifecta, we'd be in business and bring some of his best characters together.
Kudos, Mr. Patterson and Madam Paetro for a great novel that keeps the reader hooked until the final sentence, which is an invitation to more questions.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Patterson's writing does, as my past reviews show, ebb and flow, depending on the content. While WMC novels are normally well written, there have been some duds in the mix. Some might say that fourteen novels is well-past a series' expiry date, but there is something that keeps them fresh, be it the sub-plots or the short time between novels, or even the ever-evolving development characters undergo. With short chapters and interesting storylines, readers will likely breeze through this and hope for more. Alas, a year is the usual wait time for instalments. That said, if Patterson and his flock of co-authors could work on a CROSS-BENNETT-BOXER trifecta, we'd be in business and bring some of his best characters together.
Kudos, Mr. Patterson and Madam Paetro for a great novel that keeps the reader hooked until the final sentence, which is an invitation to more questions.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
January 17, 2018
This installment centers on a ring of corrupt cops and a serial killer. I enjoyed the plot on the serial killer that kills every May 12th on Claire’s birthday. The corrupt cops plot I just did not get that into but the end of the book did hook me for the next installment. The ending was an on the edge of your seat one.
My quick and simple overall: not my favorite of the series but still entertaining. The ending was pretty strong.
My quick and simple overall: not my favorite of the series but still entertaining. The ending was pretty strong.
June 23, 2023
“As The World Turns”, WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB style!
It’s a formula that James Patterson and his co-author (or is it lead author?) Maxine Paetro have down pat. 14TH DEADLY SIN is, you guessed it, the 14th installment in a well-established, long-running, and, in this reader’s opinion, wildly successful and thoroughly enjoyable series. “Ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is obviously the rule of the day.
Lindsay Boxer, SFPD detective; Yuki Castellano, up and coming prosecuting attorney for the city of San Francisco, now switched to the dark side of pro-bono criminal defense; Cindy Thomas, journalist and investigative crime reporter; and Claire Washburn, medical examiner – four professional women and inseparable close friends who comprise the WMC and tote around sufficient personal baggage to test the buoyancy of the Titanic.
In 14TH DEADLY SIN, Patterson and Maestro have challenged the skills of the WMC ladies with three separate cases.
First up is a good cop-bad cop routine in which a gang of three daring thieves “disguised” as SFPD police officers face off against the local druglord by stealing both product and money. Perhaps the goal is early retirement on something well beyond a measly city pension?
The second storyline sees the ladies taking on a nasty (and clearly psychopathic) serial slasher who seems fixated on Claire Washburn’s birthday as a fine day on which to carve up his victims.
Finally, Yuki Castellano has made a character and professional satisfaction building job switch to work with a charitable organization providing pro bono criminal defense. Her first case is a wrongful death lawsuit against her former employer, the city of San Francisco, for a wrongfully convicted mentally challenged young black man who was murdered while in custody (Now how timely and appropriate is that?)
Three seemingly disparate, unrelated cases are interwoven with the usual story lines of the ladies’ personal lives and, unsurprisingly, come together in a satisfying and entertaining finale. Non-literary, page-turning, and entertaining brain candy that’s easy to recommend as a relaxing read that won’t occupy more than a couple or three days.
Paul Weiss
It’s a formula that James Patterson and his co-author (or is it lead author?) Maxine Paetro have down pat. 14TH DEADLY SIN is, you guessed it, the 14th installment in a well-established, long-running, and, in this reader’s opinion, wildly successful and thoroughly enjoyable series. “Ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is obviously the rule of the day.
Lindsay Boxer, SFPD detective; Yuki Castellano, up and coming prosecuting attorney for the city of San Francisco, now switched to the dark side of pro-bono criminal defense; Cindy Thomas, journalist and investigative crime reporter; and Claire Washburn, medical examiner – four professional women and inseparable close friends who comprise the WMC and tote around sufficient personal baggage to test the buoyancy of the Titanic.
In 14TH DEADLY SIN, Patterson and Maestro have challenged the skills of the WMC ladies with three separate cases.
First up is a good cop-bad cop routine in which a gang of three daring thieves “disguised” as SFPD police officers face off against the local druglord by stealing both product and money. Perhaps the goal is early retirement on something well beyond a measly city pension?
The second storyline sees the ladies taking on a nasty (and clearly psychopathic) serial slasher who seems fixated on Claire Washburn’s birthday as a fine day on which to carve up his victims.
Finally, Yuki Castellano has made a character and professional satisfaction building job switch to work with a charitable organization providing pro bono criminal defense. Her first case is a wrongful death lawsuit against her former employer, the city of San Francisco, for a wrongfully convicted mentally challenged young black man who was murdered while in custody (Now how timely and appropriate is that?)
Three seemingly disparate, unrelated cases are interwoven with the usual story lines of the ladies’ personal lives and, unsurprisingly, come together in a satisfying and entertaining finale. Non-literary, page-turning, and entertaining brain candy that’s easy to recommend as a relaxing read that won’t occupy more than a couple or three days.
Paul Weiss
May 13, 2015
14th Deadly Sin
I give this book 3 and a half stars and the only reason I added the extra half is because I have always liked this series. This book in the Women's Murder Club series was alright but it wasn't that great. It was fast but it was tied up in a little bow at the end and it just sets us up to begin the next book in the series. I think it could have been much better. It didn't give you a chance to guess what was going on. It doesn't seem like there was much thought put into this. I hope the next book is much better.
I give this book 3 and a half stars and the only reason I added the extra half is because I have always liked this series. This book in the Women's Murder Club series was alright but it wasn't that great. It was fast but it was tied up in a little bow at the end and it just sets us up to begin the next book in the series. I think it could have been much better. It didn't give you a chance to guess what was going on. It doesn't seem like there was much thought put into this. I hope the next book is much better.
May 12, 2015
The writing of this one is pathetically awful. For example, one section is simply, "I texted Conklin. He texted back." Say what? Not what I'm used to from Mr. Patterson.
Yuki's new job and the case she took felt wrong on so many levels. I would think even with the "Chinese wall" that there would be a clear conflict of interest if Yuki is suing the police and the city and her husband is a cop. If she loses, she is open to a major malpractice suit. It would be very difficult to prove that she did not lose on purpose to save her husband's job.
And it was completely unbelievable and stupid for Lindsay to fail to phone and warn Joe when she received a call threatening the family. Other reviewers have said it felt in past books that she had no maternal instinct and that Joe loved her more than she loved him. Failing to call proved that once and for all. And what also cemented it was when she finally got to leave early, did she rush home to her husband and daughter whom she had been away from and allegedly missing? No! She dressed to the 9's and met up with her friends.
And Joe's little stunt with "the hole?!" Give me a break.
Even the so called "cliffhanger" was weak, at best.
There was too much going on. Like the last installment, it felt squeezed together. Sorry, James. I didn't like this one.
Yuki's new job and the case she took felt wrong on so many levels. I would think even with the "Chinese wall" that there would be a clear conflict of interest if Yuki is suing the police and the city and her husband is a cop. If she loses, she is open to a major malpractice suit. It would be very difficult to prove that she did not lose on purpose to save her husband's job.
And it was completely unbelievable and stupid for Lindsay to fail to phone and warn Joe when she received a call threatening the family. Other reviewers have said it felt in past books that she had no maternal instinct and that Joe loved her more than she loved him. Failing to call proved that once and for all. And what also cemented it was when she finally got to leave early, did she rush home to her husband and daughter whom she had been away from and allegedly missing? No! She dressed to the 9's and met up with her friends.
And Joe's little stunt with "the hole?!" Give me a break.
Even the so called "cliffhanger" was weak, at best.
There was too much going on. Like the last installment, it felt squeezed together. Sorry, James. I didn't like this one.
June 4, 2015
James Patterson books are like going to your favorite chain restaurant. You know what to expect every time you go, no matter if in or out of town! I love the WMC series and the 14th one didn't disappoint. Held my attention from start to finish. If you like this series, you will love 14th Deadly Sin!
August 5, 2019
The Woman's Murder Club continues to entertain with 14th Deadly Sin!
Three armed men wearing latex maskes, gloves, start by robbing check cashing stores. They call each other One, Two, and Three. They're careful, organized. And they all wear windbreakers and hats labeled NYPD.
At first, they haven't hurt anyone but that doesn't last long. It starts when they
Kill a man who wouldn't open the safe. The next hit is a little, family owned store called Maya De Perez. Maya Perez, pregnant and having just lost her father to cancer, is going to fight to save her store. Pulling a gun from her jacket pocket, she consequently gets shot and critically injured. Lindsay and Ritchie arrive on scene while Maya is still clinging to life but dies on route to the hospital. Lindsay is haunted by Maya's pleas to save her baby. The case becomes a walking, talking nightmare as it continues to escalate. Then something even more heart wrenching, horrific, and tragic happens. Now, it's personal. And everyone is a target.
When Lindsay and Richie get to the scene, Charlie Clapper, head of CSI says
"This is as bad as it gets."
Conklin and I had to piece all this into a narrative that made sense. Something that would explain what now seemed inexplicable.
Conklin said "What do you think happened here Charlie?
"My opinion? A couple of guys wanted something and they were willing to torture and murder four people in order to get it. What did they want? Don't know. Did they get it? Don't know that either.
Meanwhile, Joe is working on his own on a series of stabbing deaths of woman who have been killed on Clair's birthday every year for the past four years.
Yuki resigns from her job as assistant prosecutor for the DA's office to the
Defence League. The Defence League allows Yuki to defend people who don't have money to get proper representation.
In her very first case she is fighting against the SFPD and the city of San Francisco. She's seeking compensation for the parents of a teenage boy accused of killing three drug dealers. The teen, who has an IQ of a five year old, was bullied into a confession by two SFPD cops and was in prison awaiting trial when he was stabbed to death in the showers. Needless to say this creates a wall between Yuki and her husband, Jackson Brady, head of homicide for the SFPD.
What I'm leaving out of my review is all the good, bad, beautiful, and ugliness that happens in the personal lives of the four inseparable friends and those around them. If I told you all that I'd be spoiling a tremendous number of dramatic surprises!
March 14, 2015
The 14th book in the WMC series by James Patterson and probably more so Maxine Paetro. This is a series I really enjoyed when it first started and the plot was 4 strong women who got together to solve cases, but that is not the case any more. The books now contain several stories and plenty of emotional / family happenings that detract from the original concept. I accept that series need to develop but this does not mean that the whole story plot needs to change as well. I am getting fed up of James Patterson books ending with cliff hangers or incomplete conclusions solely to entice you to read the next novel. I gave it a generous 3 stars purely because it did promise a lot but fell short.
July 16, 2025
I love a good anniversary serial killer, and Claire's birthday was just the right touch for this one.
This could have easily been a lackluster killer, but Patterson was able to incorporate some crazy details to make it fantastic.
I enjoyed Joe getting in on a piece of the action, but many of the Murder Club ladies had very little on page moments.
It's nice to see some growth and development in Yuki with the defense league, and I love how the subplots were tied together.
A thrilling addition to the series.
5 Stars
This could have easily been a lackluster killer, but Patterson was able to incorporate some crazy details to make it fantastic.
I enjoyed Joe getting in on a piece of the action, but many of the Murder Club ladies had very little on page moments.
It's nice to see some growth and development in Yuki with the defense league, and I love how the subplots were tied together.
A thrilling addition to the series.
5 Stars
October 3, 2021
2 Stars
So honestly I think the 14th instalment is the worse so far. The plot was ok but it didn’t grip me whatsoever and there was WAY too much home life in this one AGAIN!
Yuki really bores me and now I’m even starting to hate Lynsey and she is the main character I feel like I have to finish these series now I’m 14 in but it isn’t getting really tedious and bland.
I basically want more mystery, more suspense and a whole lot LESS love.
On to the next – not too many to go!
So honestly I think the 14th instalment is the worse so far. The plot was ok but it didn’t grip me whatsoever and there was WAY too much home life in this one AGAIN!
Yuki really bores me and now I’m even starting to hate Lynsey and she is the main character I feel like I have to finish these series now I’m 14 in but it isn’t getting really tedious and bland.
I basically want more mystery, more suspense and a whole lot LESS love.
On to the next – not too many to go!
May 15, 2015
First of all, the writing itself was sophomoric. That is my biggest complaint. I expect better grammar and sentence structure from an author like Patterson. The conversations between characters were weak. The plots, also weak.
Secondly, there was way too much going on. It's as if Patterson/Paetro had some ideas for this book and couldn't decide on one so they wrote them all.
And last, but certainly not least, the ending. What in the world?? When you've written a mediocre book, in which the reader can basically figure out who all the bad guys are midway through, the ending should be something BIG, a total game changer. Instead you get a BIG FAT UNFINISHED mediocre story. I wouldn't even call it a "cliffhanger" there wasn't anything in the story line worth "hanging on" to.
I'm disappointed that James Patterson would even put his name on this one. Guess it's no longer about the quality, and all about the quantity.
A total waste of 3 days and $20. 00.
Secondly, there was way too much going on. It's as if Patterson/Paetro had some ideas for this book and couldn't decide on one so they wrote them all.
And last, but certainly not least, the ending. What in the world?? When you've written a mediocre book, in which the reader can basically figure out who all the bad guys are midway through, the ending should be something BIG, a total game changer. Instead you get a BIG FAT UNFINISHED mediocre story. I wouldn't even call it a "cliffhanger" there wasn't anything in the story line worth "hanging on" to.
I'm disappointed that James Patterson would even put his name on this one. Guess it's no longer about the quality, and all about the quantity.
A total waste of 3 days and $20. 00.
June 22, 2016
A decent addition to the Women's Murder Club series. Most of the focus is on storylines for Yuki, who leaves the DA office to help the underprivileged get better representation and takes on the case of a low IQ teenager bullied by SFPD into admitting three drug-related murders, and of course, Lindsay. Lindsay is dragged into a complicated case, where criminals in SFPD gear are ripping off check cashing and drug dealers. At home, her new husband ex-FBI agent Joe Molinari is dismissed from his consulting gig, and takes on solving the stabbing death on Claire's birthday. Cindy and Claire are mostly absent from this one, but Lindsay and Yuki shine. 3.5 stars. Definite improvement from #13.
August 27, 2016
This is usually one of my favorite series from James Patterson. I did not enjoy this book. I feel this series has lost its way. I can typically finish a Patterson book in a weekend. This one took me two weeks to get through. Didn't hold my interest. Kept putting it down.
May 14, 2020
Faced paced, very exciting!
November 3, 2020
This was an excellent story. I have only read "1st to Die" of the Women's Murder Club and that was fabulous with a heartbreaking twist at the end. I'm happy to say that this one did not disappoint.
The relationship between Cindy, Claire, Lindsey and Yuki is so real it completely boggles my mind. This story is "loaded for bear". A serial killer, a possible band of rogue cops, the death of an innocent kid and the action just keeps going from start to finish.
The pace is excellent, constantly moving forward and only slowing down for a second when the story calls for it. I hope to be able one day to own all 15 novels in the 'Club" series.
The relationship between Cindy, Claire, Lindsey and Yuki is so real it completely boggles my mind. This story is "loaded for bear". A serial killer, a possible band of rogue cops, the death of an innocent kid and the action just keeps going from start to finish.
The pace is excellent, constantly moving forward and only slowing down for a second when the story calls for it. I hope to be able one day to own all 15 novels in the 'Club" series.
February 26, 2015
James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series is one of my favourite crime series of all-time so when I received an early copy of 14th Deadly Sin, I was ecstatic. It's hard to believe that this is the 14th novel, but the series definitely shows no sign of slowing down and Patterson and Maxine Paetro have definitely written one of the strongest books in the series yet. I do find myself saying this a lot and am perhaps a little biased given how much I love the series, but looking at it as impartially as I can, it was a very good book and I hope there's going to be plenty more.
James Patterson's books usually have crimes which are quite over the top, but which when you really think about them aren't totally unrealistic. In 14th Deadly Sin it's a gang of men dressed as police officers carrying out robbery homicides around San Francisco. Lindsey and her bosses are naturally quite worried about whether the killers are actual police officers, or impersonators. With threatening notes being left for Lindsay, and with a major discovery that she's uncovered regarding other murders, she's definitely kept busy throughout this novel.
I do love each of the characters that make up the Women's Murder Club, and love the continued character development for each of them. Lindsey is my favourite as always, but this time around I really enjoyed Yuki's story and she has somewhat of a starring role in 14th Deadly Sin. It took me a while to like Yuki back when she was first introduced, but now I like her as much as the others. I love a good courtroom drama, and with a job change on the cards for Yuki that makes for some quite exciting developments throughout the book especially in her relationship both with Lindsey and with her husband, Lieutenant Brady. These four women are friends, but their jobs often have the potential for drama yet their friendship seems able to overcome almost anything. I do sometimes read these books a little bit on edge, fearful that our four characters won't get that typical hero's ending that is commonplace in crime fiction. I still mourn Jill!
I also love the scenes of normality that we get in this series. I am especially a fan of Lindsey and Joe's relationship, and the little family set-up that they now have. The WMC, Alex Cross and Michael Bennett books all have that theme throughout them and I find it nice to have that. Oh, and there's always lots of food, which I'm definitely not complaining about! Sometimes I think we don't even need the crime element, just have the four women go off on holiday! In fact, that doesn't actually sound too bad an idea, but I'm sure wherever their holiday destination was, murder wouldn't be too far behind but after 14 books perhaps taking them away from San Francisco for one would actually be exciting. I think there's been books where one or two went somewhere, and we had the cruise but somewhere with all four going would be interesting.
Despite the story itself being strong, I did work out who was responsible very early on, which sadly does sometimes happen in crime fiction. But, Patterson and Paetro pack in more than enough twists to keep this book exciting all the way through, especially towards the end where the book ends on a huge cliffhanger which as always is both brilliant but incredibly frustrating as it makes the yearly wait for the next book seem far too long and there will be a 15th book in 2016, right? I certainly hope so and as always I will be at the front of the queue. Long live the Women's Murder Club!
James Patterson's books usually have crimes which are quite over the top, but which when you really think about them aren't totally unrealistic. In 14th Deadly Sin it's a gang of men dressed as police officers carrying out robbery homicides around San Francisco. Lindsey and her bosses are naturally quite worried about whether the killers are actual police officers, or impersonators. With threatening notes being left for Lindsay, and with a major discovery that she's uncovered regarding other murders, she's definitely kept busy throughout this novel.
I do love each of the characters that make up the Women's Murder Club, and love the continued character development for each of them. Lindsey is my favourite as always, but this time around I really enjoyed Yuki's story and she has somewhat of a starring role in 14th Deadly Sin. It took me a while to like Yuki back when she was first introduced, but now I like her as much as the others. I love a good courtroom drama, and with a job change on the cards for Yuki that makes for some quite exciting developments throughout the book especially in her relationship both with Lindsey and with her husband, Lieutenant Brady. These four women are friends, but their jobs often have the potential for drama yet their friendship seems able to overcome almost anything. I do sometimes read these books a little bit on edge, fearful that our four characters won't get that typical hero's ending that is commonplace in crime fiction. I still mourn Jill!
I also love the scenes of normality that we get in this series. I am especially a fan of Lindsey and Joe's relationship, and the little family set-up that they now have. The WMC, Alex Cross and Michael Bennett books all have that theme throughout them and I find it nice to have that. Oh, and there's always lots of food, which I'm definitely not complaining about! Sometimes I think we don't even need the crime element, just have the four women go off on holiday! In fact, that doesn't actually sound too bad an idea, but I'm sure wherever their holiday destination was, murder wouldn't be too far behind but after 14 books perhaps taking them away from San Francisco for one would actually be exciting. I think there's been books where one or two went somewhere, and we had the cruise but somewhere with all four going would be interesting.
Despite the story itself being strong, I did work out who was responsible very early on, which sadly does sometimes happen in crime fiction. But, Patterson and Paetro pack in more than enough twists to keep this book exciting all the way through, especially towards the end where the book ends on a huge cliffhanger which as always is both brilliant but incredibly frustrating as it makes the yearly wait for the next book seem far too long and there will be a 15th book in 2016, right? I certainly hope so and as always I will be at the front of the queue. Long live the Women's Murder Club!
November 6, 2016
14th Deadly Sin is the fourteenth book in the Women’s Murder Club series by prolific American author, James Patterson. It is co-written with Maxine Paetro. Detective Sergeant Lindsay Boxer and Detective Inspector Rich Conklin are given a disturbing case: robberies from check-cashing shops and Latino mercados where the perpetrators wore SFPD Windbreakers, but were well disguised with rubber face masks and gloves. Some witnesses has been murdered and CCTV footage was poor.
When Lindsay and Rich are called to a stabbing murder in broad daylight in a public place, a chance remark has Lindsay checking for similar unsolved murders. Her hands are full with the Windbreaker heists, but a newly unemployed Joe Molinari takes up the case.
Yuki Castellano quits the DA’s office and takes a job with a firm defending cases for those who can’t afford counsel. Her first case is a fifteen-year-old who is accused of the shooting murder of three drug dealers, and puts her in direct opposition to her old boss, DA Len Parisi.
Lindsay’s superior, Warren Jacobi is troubled by reports that execution-style murders of drug dealers are being carried out by cops. Could they be linked to the Windbreaker heists? Meanwhile, SF Chronicle reporter Cindy Thomas is busy attending book signings for her lately published first book. She and the fourth member of the Women’s Murder Club, medical examiner Claire Washburn are very much in the background for this instalment.
It’s sort of nice to see ex-FBI agent Joe Molinari playing stay-at-home dad to Julie and helping Lindsay out with her case, even in both he and Lindsay (separately) do something stupidly dangerous, and get away unscathed. Yuki shows that she’s got what it takes as a defence lawyer, especially when all the odds seem to be against her.
Some of the writing is rather poor and stilted, with unnecessary and inane detail adding fill. This one has a bit of a cliff-hanger ending, but not as annoying as some recent Alex Cross books. Perhaps 15th Affair will reveal all.
When Lindsay and Rich are called to a stabbing murder in broad daylight in a public place, a chance remark has Lindsay checking for similar unsolved murders. Her hands are full with the Windbreaker heists, but a newly unemployed Joe Molinari takes up the case.
Yuki Castellano quits the DA’s office and takes a job with a firm defending cases for those who can’t afford counsel. Her first case is a fifteen-year-old who is accused of the shooting murder of three drug dealers, and puts her in direct opposition to her old boss, DA Len Parisi.
Lindsay’s superior, Warren Jacobi is troubled by reports that execution-style murders of drug dealers are being carried out by cops. Could they be linked to the Windbreaker heists? Meanwhile, SF Chronicle reporter Cindy Thomas is busy attending book signings for her lately published first book. She and the fourth member of the Women’s Murder Club, medical examiner Claire Washburn are very much in the background for this instalment.
It’s sort of nice to see ex-FBI agent Joe Molinari playing stay-at-home dad to Julie and helping Lindsay out with her case, even in both he and Lindsay (separately) do something stupidly dangerous, and get away unscathed. Yuki shows that she’s got what it takes as a defence lawyer, especially when all the odds seem to be against her.
Some of the writing is rather poor and stilted, with unnecessary and inane detail adding fill. This one has a bit of a cliff-hanger ending, but not as annoying as some recent Alex Cross books. Perhaps 15th Affair will reveal all.
May 3, 2015
14th Deadly Sin sees the return of SFPD Homicide Detective Lindsay Boxer and her friends that call themselves the Women's Murder Club.
A gang dressed in SFPD jackets wearing masks are going around robbing stores, drug dealers and have escalated to murder leaving no forensic evidence behind. Boxer and her partner Conklin are tasked to work with Robbery division to find the culprits. There are no witnesses and very little to work with.
While this is going on Lindsay's husband Joe gets fired from his consultancy job and ends up working on cold cases that appear to be linked as they all occur on the same date; Yuki decides to change jobs; Cindy goes on a book tour and we get very little on Claire apart from the fact that her birthday is the date the murders Joe is investigating lands on.
The book gets four stars because I did enjoy it but there were times I felt it was lacking a bit of something that I can't quite put my finger on. There is just that niggling thing in the back of my head that says its time to freshen up the characters in this series.
There doesn't seem to have been any growth over the last few books and it feels like the recurrence of personal issues is getting old - the relationship between Conklin and Cindy is an example.
Definitely not a stand alone book you would be lost without having read any of the previous ones. Definitely worthy of the stars it got however needs to do something drastic with the next one or finish it off.
A gang dressed in SFPD jackets wearing masks are going around robbing stores, drug dealers and have escalated to murder leaving no forensic evidence behind. Boxer and her partner Conklin are tasked to work with Robbery division to find the culprits. There are no witnesses and very little to work with.
While this is going on Lindsay's husband Joe gets fired from his consultancy job and ends up working on cold cases that appear to be linked as they all occur on the same date; Yuki decides to change jobs; Cindy goes on a book tour and we get very little on Claire apart from the fact that her birthday is the date the murders Joe is investigating lands on.
The book gets four stars because I did enjoy it but there were times I felt it was lacking a bit of something that I can't quite put my finger on. There is just that niggling thing in the back of my head that says its time to freshen up the characters in this series.
There doesn't seem to have been any growth over the last few books and it feels like the recurrence of personal issues is getting old - the relationship between Conklin and Cindy is an example.
Definitely not a stand alone book you would be lost without having read any of the previous ones. Definitely worthy of the stars it got however needs to do something drastic with the next one or finish it off.
March 6, 2017
The #15th book is majority Lindsay and Yuki. I enjoyed this book a lot and can't wait for the next one.
June 30, 2020
4 Stars. I found Patterson's premise interesting. Four friends, all with careers related to criminal law, meet informally over a meal as "The Women's Murder Club." They talk over their latest cases doing their best to skirt the edges of confidentiality, discuss husbands and boyfriends, and just enjoy each other's company. All four have a role to play in this entertaining read. One is having a birthday celebration but gets upset when Detective Lindsay Boxer, our narrator and the group's quasi-leader, has to leave. Claire remarks that Lindsay has done this for three of her birthdays in a row! But all hell really has broken loose; a woman has been slaughtered in a busy San Francisco intersection and, in a separate part of the city, three men dressed in police department jackets have held up a Payday Loan outlet, killed the manager, and made off with thousands of dollars. The police are sweating about the implications. Could the perpetrators be internal? No one can believe it! But soon there are more dead bodies and a witness again says, "They were cops!" I'm going to pick up "1st to Die" next time. (March 2020)
June 9, 2019
IT looks like we have some rouge police officers in this 14th edition of The Woman's Murder Club. I felt this one had a bit of a slower pace than usual. Yuki has got herself a new job. Cindy has a new book out and is on tour promoting it. We don't hear much about Claire. Joe is at a loosened after loosing his job. He's still taking care of baby Julie though. There's a cliff hanger at the end so I must get my hand on the 15th Affair soon to find out what happens next.
Library book.
Library book.
March 9, 2018
2.5 stars...
I started listening to this audiobook in the car right before we left for Canada a couple weeks ago and I ended up nixing it about 3 discs into it. The series is just not what it used to be. It was just kind of boring and I found myself drifting off thinking of other things. I just lost interest in it; pretty much the same way I have with the rest of his books.
I started listening to this audiobook in the car right before we left for Canada a couple weeks ago and I ended up nixing it about 3 discs into it. The series is just not what it used to be. It was just kind of boring and I found myself drifting off thinking of other things. I just lost interest in it; pretty much the same way I have with the rest of his books.
May 10, 2015
Spoilers contained within this review.
14th Deadly Sin
James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
Women’s Murder Club series
Thoughts so far…
I am a tad over half-way through the 14th book in the WMC series and as has been the case with the last ten books, I am having a hard time with a few items.
Nine months has passed between 12th of Never & 14th Deadly Sin. 9 months. We know this because baby Julie is nine months old. In that time a lot has happened:
Baby Julie had a medical crisis but is all fine and happy now
Yuki got married, honeymooned on the cruise of horror
A serial killer escaped, terrorized the police, died & his wife/lover/baby mamma went on the run & was tracked down & killed by Lindsay
Cindy got engaged, unengaged, hooked back up with Richie, was shot
And half way through 14th Deadly Sin…
Yuki quit her job, took a new job, filed a lawsuit against the SFPD & is already in court.
A rouge group of criminals who may or may not be cops have killed a lot of people
Joe got fired from his consulting job and is now working on the sly on the CBM (Claire’s Birthday Murders), a series of unsolved murders that just happened to fall on Claire’s birthday.
Cindy wrote a book about the serial killer case and is now on a book tour.
It should be no surprise that I have issues with this book. I have had issues with several of the WMC books since Maxine Paetro began writing them. The most glaring issue I have with this book at this point is…
Yuki quit her job at the DA’s office, packed up her stuff in half a day and then immediately started a new job. In her first case with the Defense League (which sounds like a Marvel/DC mash up), she has filed suit against the SFPD, deposed two cops, and prepared a case, & got a court date and is now in court. In what I can only assume is less than two weeks. Apparently in San Francisco, you don’t give two weeks notice when you quit a job and the minute you decide to file a suit, the defense is automatically ready for trial, there are zero pre-trial motions, and a court date is set as though you are going into a walk-in barber shop.
I am almost already over the fact that Yuki’s new boss is named Zac Jordan.
I can’t understand why Claire was not called to the newest member of the Claire’s Birthday Murder Victim’s scene. Or at the very least perform or review the autopsy and make a connection. She was, after all, the one to ignite Lindsay’s interest into the string of CBMs in the first place. Plus, she was pretty bitchy when she knows exactly how the world of crime works.
Then dear old Cindy. Cindy wrote a book. A full length book about Fish & Macke Morales and their life of love & murder. And is now on a book tour because that somehow adds to the story, in what way nobody knows.
The Second Half
I have to say that in the second half, I felt more invested. I wanted to put everything on hold and finish the book to see if I had cracked the case. I felt like I had weeded through the red herrings and I hoped for BIG reveals. BIG things that would turn this series upside down & inside out.
Then it ended. Without a real conclusion. That was the BIG reveal. A BIG fat nothing.
I slogged through Yuki's extremely rushed case that of course had a tie in to the major arc. I slogged through Cindy's 15 minutes of glory (which thankfully only lasted fifteen pages*), I slogged through the CBMs and its somewhat ridiculous conclusion. I waited and waited for Joe to do something with that case from the first two chapters. I read every line of baby babble and junior high drama without it lending to the story at all, and I got motion sickness from "driving" through the twists and turns of the San Francisco streets and I still do not fully know what the 14th Deadly Sin is.
This is how they should get criminals to talk! Make them read this and tell them if they want to know the end, they have to give up the goods!
*not an actual count.
14th Deadly Sin
James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
Women’s Murder Club series
Thoughts so far…
I am a tad over half-way through the 14th book in the WMC series and as has been the case with the last ten books, I am having a hard time with a few items.
Nine months has passed between 12th of Never & 14th Deadly Sin. 9 months. We know this because baby Julie is nine months old. In that time a lot has happened:
Baby Julie had a medical crisis but is all fine and happy now
Yuki got married, honeymooned on the cruise of horror
A serial killer escaped, terrorized the police, died & his wife/lover/baby mamma went on the run & was tracked down & killed by Lindsay
Cindy got engaged, unengaged, hooked back up with Richie, was shot
And half way through 14th Deadly Sin…
Yuki quit her job, took a new job, filed a lawsuit against the SFPD & is already in court.
A rouge group of criminals who may or may not be cops have killed a lot of people
Joe got fired from his consulting job and is now working on the sly on the CBM (Claire’s Birthday Murders), a series of unsolved murders that just happened to fall on Claire’s birthday.
Cindy wrote a book about the serial killer case and is now on a book tour.
It should be no surprise that I have issues with this book. I have had issues with several of the WMC books since Maxine Paetro began writing them. The most glaring issue I have with this book at this point is…
Yuki quit her job at the DA’s office, packed up her stuff in half a day and then immediately started a new job. In her first case with the Defense League (which sounds like a Marvel/DC mash up), she has filed suit against the SFPD, deposed two cops, and prepared a case, & got a court date and is now in court. In what I can only assume is less than two weeks. Apparently in San Francisco, you don’t give two weeks notice when you quit a job and the minute you decide to file a suit, the defense is automatically ready for trial, there are zero pre-trial motions, and a court date is set as though you are going into a walk-in barber shop.
I am almost already over the fact that Yuki’s new boss is named Zac Jordan.
I can’t understand why Claire was not called to the newest member of the Claire’s Birthday Murder Victim’s scene. Or at the very least perform or review the autopsy and make a connection. She was, after all, the one to ignite Lindsay’s interest into the string of CBMs in the first place. Plus, she was pretty bitchy when she knows exactly how the world of crime works.
Then dear old Cindy. Cindy wrote a book. A full length book about Fish & Macke Morales and their life of love & murder. And is now on a book tour because that somehow adds to the story, in what way nobody knows.
The Second Half
I have to say that in the second half, I felt more invested. I wanted to put everything on hold and finish the book to see if I had cracked the case. I felt like I had weeded through the red herrings and I hoped for BIG reveals. BIG things that would turn this series upside down & inside out.
Then it ended. Without a real conclusion. That was the BIG reveal. A BIG fat nothing.
I slogged through Yuki's extremely rushed case that of course had a tie in to the major arc. I slogged through Cindy's 15 minutes of glory (which thankfully only lasted fifteen pages*), I slogged through the CBMs and its somewhat ridiculous conclusion. I waited and waited for Joe to do something with that case from the first two chapters. I read every line of baby babble and junior high drama without it lending to the story at all, and I got motion sickness from "driving" through the twists and turns of the San Francisco streets and I still do not fully know what the 14th Deadly Sin is.
This is how they should get criminals to talk! Make them read this and tell them if they want to know the end, they have to give up the goods!
*not an actual count.
May 18, 2015
Right off the bat, I'll agree with the legions of reviewers who say they hate cliffhanger endings. I don't like the ploy when it's used in season finales of TV series, and I don't like it even more in books, for two reasons: First, it's likely to be at least a year - sometimes two or three - before the next one is published. At that point, I have trouble remembering who the main characters are, much less what happened at the end of the previous book. Second, unlike books, people normally don't have to ante up more cash when a TV series begins a new season. I expect every book I read to have a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Period.
Another thing that bothered me a bit in this one is that if you're going to have four main characters (the members of the so-called Women's Murder Club and the premise for the series), each of the members should get a decent chance to shine. No, not necessarily equally - the main focus is on Lindsay Boxer of the San Francisco Police Department - but here, 'Frisco Medical Examiner Claire is next to nonexistent. The others, for the record, are Yuki, an attorney in the District Attorney's office, and Cindy, a hot-shot crime reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle - all of whom get significant roles.
So for the record, my official rating of this one is 3.5 stars. But since that's not an option and I must round up or down, I think this one's good enough to get the benefit of the higher score.
As the story unfolds, Yuki - weary of her role as a prosecuting attorney - suddenly bails in favor of the Defense League, going over to the "dark side" to assist the downtrodden. Her first case, in fact, is a lawsuit against the city at which she was employed because a young mentally challenged man was murdered while in jail. He was wrongly incarcerated, Yuki argues, because his confession was coerced by SFPD officers.
Meanwhile, Lindsay's hubby Joe, a former police officer, has lost his consulting job and taken on the role of house-husband and stay-at-home dad. At Lindsay's request, he begins to investigate the possibility that murders that in recent years have happened on Cindy's birthday - at a time the Women's Murder Club gets together for lunch, in fact - are somehow connected (perhaps even done by same person). Lindsay can't do the sleuthing herself because she's busy trying to catch a gang of bad guys who wear pig masks and SFPD windbreakers, committing theft and murder willy nilly throughout the city. Are they impersonating cops, or could a handful of bad apples be lurking in the department?
Needless to say, there's a lot going on, and on the plus side, two of the three stories do see resolution (of course, I won't reveal which one doesn't - the one that creates the cliffhanger I dislike so much). There's plenty of action, though, and as is customary in Patterson's books, the very short chapters make it easy to stop and start at a beginning or an ending (did I not tell you that's important to me)?
Also of interest to me - but probably no one else who will read this review - is the brief mention of character Dr. Germaniuk to the story. Those of us who live in Trumbull County, Ohio, know the real Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, the county's long-time medical examiner and coroner. In fact, he's served as a consultant to Patterson for years - in most books, you'll find his name in the acknowledgements section.
Another thing that bothered me a bit in this one is that if you're going to have four main characters (the members of the so-called Women's Murder Club and the premise for the series), each of the members should get a decent chance to shine. No, not necessarily equally - the main focus is on Lindsay Boxer of the San Francisco Police Department - but here, 'Frisco Medical Examiner Claire is next to nonexistent. The others, for the record, are Yuki, an attorney in the District Attorney's office, and Cindy, a hot-shot crime reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle - all of whom get significant roles.
So for the record, my official rating of this one is 3.5 stars. But since that's not an option and I must round up or down, I think this one's good enough to get the benefit of the higher score.
As the story unfolds, Yuki - weary of her role as a prosecuting attorney - suddenly bails in favor of the Defense League, going over to the "dark side" to assist the downtrodden. Her first case, in fact, is a lawsuit against the city at which she was employed because a young mentally challenged man was murdered while in jail. He was wrongly incarcerated, Yuki argues, because his confession was coerced by SFPD officers.
Meanwhile, Lindsay's hubby Joe, a former police officer, has lost his consulting job and taken on the role of house-husband and stay-at-home dad. At Lindsay's request, he begins to investigate the possibility that murders that in recent years have happened on Cindy's birthday - at a time the Women's Murder Club gets together for lunch, in fact - are somehow connected (perhaps even done by same person). Lindsay can't do the sleuthing herself because she's busy trying to catch a gang of bad guys who wear pig masks and SFPD windbreakers, committing theft and murder willy nilly throughout the city. Are they impersonating cops, or could a handful of bad apples be lurking in the department?
Needless to say, there's a lot going on, and on the plus side, two of the three stories do see resolution (of course, I won't reveal which one doesn't - the one that creates the cliffhanger I dislike so much). There's plenty of action, though, and as is customary in Patterson's books, the very short chapters make it easy to stop and start at a beginning or an ending (did I not tell you that's important to me)?
Also of interest to me - but probably no one else who will read this review - is the brief mention of character Dr. Germaniuk to the story. Those of us who live in Trumbull County, Ohio, know the real Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, the county's long-time medical examiner and coroner. In fact, he's served as a consultant to Patterson for years - in most books, you'll find his name in the acknowledgements section.
September 25, 2018
I forgot how much I missed Boxer and Joe. So the last few I really didn’t like so I stopped reading them for a bit. I picked this one up and couldn’t put it down! The case was great. Cindy annoyed me she's like the annoying toddler her whines when she doesn’t get her own way. She is so wishy-washy and how her and Rich fight is ridiculous, they should NOT get married. Smh. The one thing that did bother me and one thing that has bothered me in the last few is when this series started it was one big case. Now they have like multiple cases they try to solve in one book. Is it so much to ask for one well thought out complex case instead of smaller bs cases. It gets annoying. I really am beginning to like Yuki more, she seems to take charge of her own life here. The fact that she left her job and got a different one because she felt it was more worth her time was great, selfless even.
February 2, 2024
14th Deadly Sin by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro is the 14th book in the Woman's Murder Club Mystery series. While celebrating Claire's birthday, Detective Lindsay Boxer is called out to a murder and it is pointed out to her that this is the 3rd year in a row this has occurred, but a series of thefts and killings by a gang dressed as police officers is taking preference. An excellent ,fast-paced thriller with plenty of action. I love catching up with the ladies of the Women's murder club and see the varying directions their lives are taking. Very enjoyable with plenty of tension and suspense.
October 28, 2016
Holy crap. The SFPD and Boxer are in way over their heads with dirty cops, people being tortured and killed, and robberies. The clock is running out for everyone and people are scrambling for bits to go on. This one kept me on the edge of me seat until the very last page. With the cliffhanger I'll need to read the next book ASAP.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,438 reviews