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Women's Murder Club #26

26 Beauties: A Women's Murder Club Thriller

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From the world's #1 bestselling author, 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 party: 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.

1 pages, MP3 CD

First published May 4, 2026

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About the author

James Patterson

972 books358k followers
Official US Site
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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, Michael Crichton, and Viola Davis, 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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5 stars
7,750 (51%)
4 stars
5,117 (33%)
3 stars
2,009 (13%)
2 stars
236 (1%)
1 star
68 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 595 reviews
Profile Image for Scott.
689 reviews80 followers
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…
Profile Image for Laura.
473 reviews108 followers
July 6, 2026
I'm always excited when a new Women's Murder Club book comes out, and this one was a pleasant surprise. The last few installments just didn't quite hit the mark for me, so it was nice to find myself really enjoying this one again.

The mystery itself was pretty straightforward, and it didn't rely on any huge twists or shocking reveals. Even so, I was invested the whole way through and genuinely wanted to keep reading to see how everything played out.

I do wonder if the different co-authors James Patterson has been working with have had an impact on the series. I'm not sure why he doesn't seem to write novels on his own as much anymore, but this book had the fast pace, short chapters, and addictive "just one more chapter" feel that I've always loved about his books.

Overall, this was a solid addition to the series and definitely one of the stronger recent entries. I'm looking forward to seeing where the Women's Murder Club goes next.
Profile Image for Dee.
81 reviews3 followers
June 7, 2026
This was just what I needed!! 4.5⭐️’s!!! I enjoyed this one so much, well developed characters, super interesting plot and the storytelling was pen point perfect. Being a little bit of a crime junkie myself this was right up my alley. It was like Law and Order SVU on steroids. I really believe Olivia Benson is a real person 😂

Looking for your next crime mystery adventure? Then stop right here, this one will grab you from beginning to end. It’s a smooth almost believable ride and for that I say….Thank You!!!!
Profile Image for Marta.
463 reviews85 followers
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
Profile Image for Michele M.
194 reviews7 followers
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.
413 reviews52 followers
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.
Profile Image for Betty.
1,033 reviews
May 8, 2026
I have read all of The Women’s Murder Club Thrillers and felt that this one fell short.
Profile Image for Carm.
931 reviews17 followers
June 2, 2026
Well… here we are again. Another year. Another Women’s Murder Club book. This was fine. Twenty-six books in, we’re mostly just repainting the walls and moving the furniture around. I suspect Patterson keeps a Women’s Murder Club edition of Mad Libs in his desk drawer and pulls it out every spring. 😅
103 reviews3 followers
May 9, 2026
I’m a big JP fan but this was not very good.
Profile Image for Siobhan Savitski.
Author 1 book4 followers
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.
39 reviews1 follower
Read
May 10, 2026
This 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.
Profile Image for Denise.
2,480 reviews105 followers
July 13, 2026
Fast paced and engaging thriller.

Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the disappearance of young women across San Francisco. The Women’s Murder Club must coordinate their police, forensic, and medical resources to tackle down a trafficking ring before more women vanish.

Trademark short chapters and high tension make the book speed by so I read it in a single setting. I love the series and the ladies of the club so it’s always fun to have a new installment. The characters collaborate well and get along and are still going strong with their friendship and their partners.

The story focuses on human trafficking but on a local scale in San Francisco. Bodies are found and girls are reported missing and the area of interest is the Tenderloin part of the city. An Interpol agent visits to help Lindsay and he gets involved in the investigation. There’s not a lot of depth about motives and the network of criminals involved, nor explanation of what those found were actually doing in the meanwhile, but the team gets their man after all.

Always enjoy listening to the audio book while following along in the e-book. The narrator, January LaVoy, does a fantastic job of voicing all the characters, including the accents. Listening definitely enhances my enjoyment of the story.
Profile Image for Shannon .
2,470 reviews162 followers
June 30, 2026
26 Beauties
Women’s Murder Club, Book 26

I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: CC Public Library
Dates Read: 6/7/26 - 6/8/26
Stars: 4

The Characters:

Lindsay Boxer: Police Detective
Clair Washburn: Medical Examiner
Yuki Castellano: Attorney
Cindy Thomas: Crime Desk Reporter
Joe Molinari, Warren Jacobi, Ritchie Conklin, Julie Molinari, Jackson Brady

The Story:

Catching up on this series was one of the worst things I’ve done because now I have to wait a year for the next installment. I miss these ladies way too much. I will admit this was not my favorite WMC story but being back in this world made me so happy. This was a twisty case with a satisfying ending.
Profile Image for Natalie M.
1,552 reviews91 followers
June 1, 2026
Down the middle for me.

Positive: all four murder club members feature equally. Joe and the other husbands are involved - which was nice to see. The plot has substance but…

Negatives: the substance is glossed over and lacks depth. Far too many coincidences to be believable and it all felt like it was to keep the book as short as possible. Quality of the writing a little “meh”.

Average, 2.5, mediocre.
Profile Image for M.
1,652 reviews8 followers
June 18, 2026
Gotta love the four women in this series-all professional, all work together when appropriate in the San Fran area and all have a good time together! This plot has a deep deadly backstory-sex trafficking-young, good looking girls are found murdered- one in the water and possibly many more. If a reader has not read these Women Murder Club series- definitely take the ride. Enjoy
Profile Image for Elizabeth Lian.
101 reviews2 followers
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
81 reviews
May 20, 2026
Not my favorite in the series, but not the worst either.
Profile Image for Debra Porowski.
503 reviews4 followers
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!
Profile Image for Darnelle Kellison.
131 reviews2 followers
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.
Profile Image for Tammy Adams.
1,421 reviews16 followers
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.
Profile Image for Carol Jones-Campbell.
2,129 reviews
June 15, 2026
Felt like old home week when I just finished "26 Beauties" most recent book by James Patterson. I noticed that he did not have a co-author with Maxine Paetro for this book, but it was very well narrated by January Lavoy.

I have found that there is a lot of differences in the reviews for this book from two stars up to five. Many different opinions too. Some have said that you can never go wrong with this series, other said, has the series run it's course, is it really done? Hmm something to think about. One thing is true, have been reading this series for about 20 years, guess what, we are all some 20 years older.

The Women's Murder Club of San Francisco, is comprised of a cop, a lawyer, a reporter, and medical examiner. A very cool diverse group of women that have hit it off in their friendship. With time they have met special guys through work who still work with them in their jobs. Fun to spend time with the kids and dogs again too. Gee, we sure do get attached.

This case "26 Beauties" is about sadly human trafficking schemes that touch each of the girls, if in fact they can save their lives. Quite a few lives lost in this book too. There is a lot of involvement with all four of the club members. This is a case that tries all of their talents, partners, spouses, and more. Recommend. Not my favorite of the series. But was still good to get a fix.

I went back this morning to see of their were any I had not read. Found 23, 23.5 and 24. That was probably during my time away due to illness. Better get at them. I've given this book a 3.0 Star rating.
Profile Image for Tiffany Murphy.
907 reviews84 followers
June 16, 2026
“I have a story I’d like you to investigate and write. An incredible story.” “My seventeen-year-old daughter disappeared three months ago.”

I have loved every single book in The Women’s Murder Club series and I truly need to read all of the others in the series. I kind of worried that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy this one as much since I haven’t read all of them but that absolutely wasn’t the case. I love each of the women who make up the murder club and their spouses. I love how strong each of them are individually but especially how working together makes them stronger and helps them with their individual jobs. I love the relationship between Lindsay and Joe. I really enjoyed the Interpol agent, Alain, that came to help with the case and really would love if he makes more appearances in future books. The characters and storyline are so well developed and this one kept me guessing all the way through. There were just enough details to make my thoughts go in one direction when I should have been thinking in a different direction entirely. As a law and order fan, this series really is up my alley. I’m absolutely going to be starting this series over so I don’t miss a second!
Profile Image for WM D..
710 reviews27 followers
June 30, 2026
I just completed reading the latest book of the women’s murder club series . It was in my opinion a very well written book. It took the reader into the subject of human trafficking and how they had to investigate the missing women. They also had to bring in a gentleman from France who is with interpol. What started as a routine investigation turned quickly into a serious investigation into how many girls were involved in this incident. I really enjoy reading his books. Very short chapters and full of great exciting stories. I would recommend anyone who likes reading a good mystery to read his books.
164 reviews1 follower
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.
Profile Image for Darcy.
14.8k reviews547 followers
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.
Profile Image for Gerri.
828 reviews9 followers
June 18, 2026
Full disclosure – if you follow my reviews you know I pretty much have gave up on Patterson series some time ago but did enjoy the Women's Club until the past dew novels and will now likely give up on this series too. The story line was slow paced, disjointed and showed no character development at all. At times I felt as if I was reading excerpts from previous novels. All in all it was the same-ole-same ole for this series.
546 reviews
June 12, 2026
Detective Lindsey Boxer has a case involving young women missing or dead. Cindy is helping a father find his missing daughter. Claire is first on the scene when a body washes up on shore. Can they all be connected? Cindy is trying a high profile drug case. As always lots of excitement in this series.
Profile Image for Jill Leal.
7 reviews1 follower
June 10, 2026
I love this series and the characters, but this one was not one of my favorites. Saw the main twist coming, and some of the happenings seemed disjointed and surface-level.

Will anxiously await #27. Still love the club!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 595 reviews