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Women's Murder Club #16.5
The Medical Examiner
Two bodies arrived at the morgue--one was still breathing.
A woman checks into a hotel room and entertains a man who is not her husband. A shooter blows away the lover and wounds the millionairess, leaving her for dead. Is it the perfect case for the Women's Murder Club--or just the most twisted?
BookShots
LIGHTNING-FAST STORIES BY JAMES PATTERSON
Novels you can devour in a few hours Impossible to stop reading All original content from James Patterson
A woman checks into a hotel room and entertains a man who is not her husband. A shooter blows away the lover and wounds the millionairess, leaving her for dead. Is it the perfect case for the Women's Murder Club--or just the most twisted?
BookShots
LIGHTNING-FAST STORIES BY JAMES PATTERSON
Novels you can devour in a few hours Impossible to stop reading All original content from James Patterson
86 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2017
4361 people are currently reading
12410 people want to read
About the author
James Patterson
955 books355k 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 1,024 reviews
May 3, 2019
A suspenseful short story featuring (most of) the Women's Murder Club. A nice change of pace to see Rich and Cindy as the lead couple. Intriguing storyline had me hooked, this one's a winner!
September 30, 2017
Continuing a mini BookShots binge, I found myself gravitating to another piece that links one of James Patterson’s long-running series, The Women’s Murder Club. Working in collaboration with Maxine Paetro, Patterson has been able to keep these stories entertaining and usually of high quality, amidst a number of hit and miss attempts at writing. With Detective Lindsay Boxer on a much needed vacation, the Club is down to three active members. Dr. Claire Washburn arrives to work on Monday and finds herself scanning the weekend carnage that’s made its way into the Medical Examiner’s Office. When she hears a sound within one of the shelves, Claire discovers that one of the dead bodies is anything but deceased. After a time, Joan Murphy is able to explain that she has no idea how she was shot or who might have been found in bed with her. The faux death can be explained by catalepsy, a rare condition but one that has many people still confused. Claire is baffled by the entire experience and when the SFPD are called in, they begin trying to decipher what happened. News leaks to another Club member, Cindy Thomas, whose crime beat with the San Francisco Chronicle is sure to reach a number of people. Detective Richard Conklin discovers that the mystery man is a second-rate actor, but still Murphy denies knowing anything. When approaching the husband, Conklin learns that he and Murphy have a loving, but distant relationship. Further investigating reveals that Murphy and her ‘man’ were likely part of a hit deemed complete, so there may be someone out there waiting to kill Murphy once and for all. Cindy and Claire both make their way to Murphy’s home, independently, where more trouble awaits. With Lindsay out of the picture and the pieces not fitting together nicely, Claire and Cindy will be forced to turn into sleuths before the killer re-emerges. A great story that never loses its momentum and shines the spotlight on another of the Club members. Series fans will likely enjoy this bridge as they wait for the next full-length novel.
I am a fan of some of Patterson’s series and this is surely one that I have followed from the get-go. Paetro brings an interesting flavour to the writing and the stories are usually fairly well-crafted, full of humour and intrigue, even when the characters step aside and allow Lindsay Boxer to get much of the development. I applaud Patterson and Paetro for placing Boxer on the shelf and turning the attention to other Club members. While Claire’s backstory is not fully developed here, the reader can see some progress and curious nature in her personality, taking her out of the ME’s office, yet still on the job. I can only hope that future stories (BookShots even) will allow Cindy and Yuki to receive much of the attention, as it proves highly refreshing. The story itself worked well, introducing the reader to catalepsy and turning the tables on what was an expected double murder. While things sped by in this short piece, the reader is kept informed and forced on a quick adventure as the story develops. Told with the traditional short chapters for which Patterson is so well known, things come to a swift end with most of the threads tied off. Well presented and whetted my appetite for another Women’s Murder Club novel. Bring it on!
Kudos, Mr. Patterson and Madam Paetro, for another great piece of collaborative work. I am impressed to see that the momentum has not waned and your work keeps readers interested.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I am a fan of some of Patterson’s series and this is surely one that I have followed from the get-go. Paetro brings an interesting flavour to the writing and the stories are usually fairly well-crafted, full of humour and intrigue, even when the characters step aside and allow Lindsay Boxer to get much of the development. I applaud Patterson and Paetro for placing Boxer on the shelf and turning the attention to other Club members. While Claire’s backstory is not fully developed here, the reader can see some progress and curious nature in her personality, taking her out of the ME’s office, yet still on the job. I can only hope that future stories (BookShots even) will allow Cindy and Yuki to receive much of the attention, as it proves highly refreshing. The story itself worked well, introducing the reader to catalepsy and turning the tables on what was an expected double murder. While things sped by in this short piece, the reader is kept informed and forced on a quick adventure as the story develops. Told with the traditional short chapters for which Patterson is so well known, things come to a swift end with most of the threads tied off. Well presented and whetted my appetite for another Women’s Murder Club novel. Bring it on!
Kudos, Mr. Patterson and Madam Paetro, for another great piece of collaborative work. I am impressed to see that the momentum has not waned and your work keeps readers interested.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
October 27, 2017
I didn't know that this existed until one of my friends reviewed it. Thank you Matt.
2 homicides come into the medical examiner's lab. 1 of them isn't dead and helps unzip the body bag she's in. CREEPY. She doesn't know anything about the man she was in bed with and has no recollection of the night. Dead end until gun shots trigger her memory and this case is off and running!
I'm addicted to The Women's Murder Club series. I liked that 16.5 was a BookShot. It had all the thrills in a condensed read. Patterson and Paetro are a good combo. I was wondering if we'd see some of these characters in #17, but it doesn't appear so. I'd love to see a cameo of Joan in the future.
Lindsay and Joe are absent in this one, but it was just as good without them.
2 homicides come into the medical examiner's lab. 1 of them isn't dead and helps unzip the body bag she's in. CREEPY. She doesn't know anything about the man she was in bed with and has no recollection of the night. Dead end until gun shots trigger her memory and this case is off and running!
I'm addicted to The Women's Murder Club series. I liked that 16.5 was a BookShot. It had all the thrills in a condensed read. Patterson and Paetro are a good combo. I was wondering if we'd see some of these characters in #17, but it doesn't appear so. I'd love to see a cameo of Joan in the future.
Lindsay and Joe are absent in this one, but it was just as good without them.
August 28, 2022
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This felt like I was reading WMC Fanfiction written by a fan of Cindy's. Who is a fan of Cindy's? Please.
Bad writing, bad dialogue. Lazy plot.
Ohhhhhh a dead body in a morgue that isn't actually dead?! *fart noises*
An in-the-closet gay man and his boring ass wife? *fart noises*
And who does Joan think she is? She doesn't belong in the WMC. No one is friends with Joans in real life. Go away, Joan.
(No offence, Joans)
⭐⭐ | 2 stars
This felt like I was reading WMC Fanfiction written by a fan of Cindy's. Who is a fan of Cindy's? Please.
Bad writing, bad dialogue. Lazy plot.
Ohhhhhh a dead body in a morgue that isn't actually dead?! *fart noises*
An in-the-closet gay man and his boring ass wife? *fart noises*
And who does Joan think she is? She doesn't belong in the WMC. No one is friends with Joans in real life. Go away, Joan.
(No offence, Joans)
⭐⭐ | 2 stars
September 24, 2017
When ME Claire Washburn entered the mortuary for another day’s work she had no idea she’d be confronted by a little-known phenomenon that she’d heard of but not encountered before. With her night doctor passing the notes of the previous hours to Claire, she learned there had been several fatalities overnight. But it was the sudden awareness of noises that alerted Claire to the fact that not all residents were deceased…
When Sergeant Lindsay Boxer and her husband Joe left town for a week’s vacation, it was up to the rest of the team to discover what had happened. Detective Rich Conkin was leading the case and finding it to be one of the most bizarre he’d ever worked. Would they be able to discover what had happened?
The Medical Examiner is #16.5 in the Women’s Murder Club series by James Patterson; one of the BookShots shorts. It was a great catch up with the ladies of crime, but it wasn’t the best I’ve read of this series. All the same, I enjoyed it and recommend it.
When Sergeant Lindsay Boxer and her husband Joe left town for a week’s vacation, it was up to the rest of the team to discover what had happened. Detective Rich Conkin was leading the case and finding it to be one of the most bizarre he’d ever worked. Would they be able to discover what had happened?
The Medical Examiner is #16.5 in the Women’s Murder Club series by James Patterson; one of the BookShots shorts. It was a great catch up with the ladies of crime, but it wasn’t the best I’ve read of this series. All the same, I enjoyed it and recommend it.
June 6, 2023
اگه "خب که چی؟!!!!!!!" یه کتاب بود، دقیقا همین ایشون میشد
نمیدونم بیشتر چی میتونم بگم
🚶♀️🤦♀️🤷♀️
نمیدونم بیشتر چی میتونم بگم
🚶♀️🤦♀️🤷♀️
March 24, 2018
I hope we see more of crazy, but amusing Joan in future women’s murder club books, because that woman was entertaining to read about. Actually this BookShot had a few very entertaining characters. This is by far my favorite BookShot I have read to date. It had a great plot (woman not dead but pronounced dead) and gave a sweet fix on the characters we have come to love from this series.
My quick and simple overall: why couldn’t this have been longer? I needed this to be a full sized novel. Fun read!
My quick and simple overall: why couldn’t this have been longer? I needed this to be a full sized novel. Fun read!
August 13, 2017
Love the series, hate the book. The writing is dreadful. People don't talk like the characters were talking in this book. There is no way an ME is going to call for an ambulance and say, "I need an ambulance pronto." Pronto was actually said twice. There were many of these. I was listening to an audiobook, or I would give more examples of the horrible writing.
December 15, 2017
The Medical Examiner is a short story in the Women’s Murder Club series by prolific American author, James Patterson. It is published under the BookShots: stories at the speed of life banner and is co-written by Maxine Paetro. It starts out with Claire Washburn being surprised by a body in the morgue that is not actually dead. Lindsay Boxer is on vacation with Joe Molinari, so Richie Conklin investigates. But reporter Cindy Thomas, always after a good story, sniffs out some details of her own and gets into hot water.
At 125 pages, it’s a quick read, with an intriguing (and somewhat convoluted) plot, but some of the execution is a little clumsy, as if bits of it are still in draft form, and the wooden dialogue in the prologue does the story no favours. There also seems to be quite a bit of padding with mundane detail that has no bearing on the story. Yuki Castellano and Lindsay are conspicuous by their absence, appearing for only fleeting glimpses, so it’s really the Claire, Cindy and Richie show for this one. Perhaps essential reading for die-hard WMC fans, other readers can get it from the library.
At 125 pages, it’s a quick read, with an intriguing (and somewhat convoluted) plot, but some of the execution is a little clumsy, as if bits of it are still in draft form, and the wooden dialogue in the prologue does the story no favours. There also seems to be quite a bit of padding with mundane detail that has no bearing on the story. Yuki Castellano and Lindsay are conspicuous by their absence, appearing for only fleeting glimpses, so it’s really the Claire, Cindy and Richie show for this one. Perhaps essential reading for die-hard WMC fans, other readers can get it from the library.
August 3, 2019
Lindsay Boxer gets a well-deserved vacation and Cindy and Claire take center stage in this Women's Murder Club short.
A woman is placed in the morgue with multiple gunshot wounds. Nothing extraordinary for a day in Claire's world. It's only when the woman wakes up and starts talking that her day gets more interesting.
How is this woman is alive and who thought they killed her? James Patterson invites us into yet another of gritty mysteries with the skilled and gutsy women of the Murder Club.
A woman is placed in the morgue with multiple gunshot wounds. Nothing extraordinary for a day in Claire's world. It's only when the woman wakes up and starts talking that her day gets more interesting.
How is this woman is alive and who thought they killed her? James Patterson invites us into yet another of gritty mysteries with the skilled and gutsy women of the Murder Club.
July 18, 2021
FIRST READ: The Medical Examiner (Women's Murder Club)
I've really enjoyed some of the Bookshots written by some of the authors lately. I really like the Women's Murder Club books. I've read most of them, and when I saw this book, thought that would be very interesting and enjoyable. I was wrong. This came out quite disappointing. Was sorry it was so lacking in plot. The plot was light in this book and the story just seemed to miss the mark on this one. The concept is kind of a fun idea, but this one was a bust. Was very sorry it was so poor. Some folks liked it better than I did, just didn't much like it.
SECOND READ: A woman checks into a hotel room and entertains a man who is not her husband. A shooter blows away the lover and wounds the millionairess, leaving her for dead. Is it the perfect case for the Women's Murder Club—or just the most twisted? When ME Claire Washburn entered the mortuary for another day’s work she had no idea she’d be confronted by a little-known phenomenon that she’d heard of but not encountered before. With her night doctor passing the notes of the previous hours to Claire, she learned there had been several fatalities overnight. But it was the sudden awareness of noises that alerted Claire to the fact that not all residents were deceased…
When Sergeant Lindsay Boxer and her husband Joe left town for a week’s vacation, it was up to the rest of the team to discover what had happened. Detective Rich Conkin was leading the case and finding it to be one of the most bizarre he’d ever worked. Would they be able to discover what had happened?
I've really enjoyed some of the Bookshots written by some of the authors lately. I really like the Women's Murder Club books. I've read most of them, and when I saw this book, thought that would be very interesting and enjoyable. I was wrong. This came out quite disappointing. Was sorry it was so lacking in plot. The plot was light in this book and the story just seemed to miss the mark on this one. The concept is kind of a fun idea, but this one was a bust. Was very sorry it was so poor. Some folks liked it better than I did, just didn't much like it.
SECOND READ: A woman checks into a hotel room and entertains a man who is not her husband. A shooter blows away the lover and wounds the millionairess, leaving her for dead. Is it the perfect case for the Women's Murder Club—or just the most twisted? When ME Claire Washburn entered the mortuary for another day’s work she had no idea she’d be confronted by a little-known phenomenon that she’d heard of but not encountered before. With her night doctor passing the notes of the previous hours to Claire, she learned there had been several fatalities overnight. But it was the sudden awareness of noises that alerted Claire to the fact that not all residents were deceased…
When Sergeant Lindsay Boxer and her husband Joe left town for a week’s vacation, it was up to the rest of the team to discover what had happened. Detective Rich Conkin was leading the case and finding it to be one of the most bizarre he’d ever worked. Would they be able to discover what had happened?
May 5, 2019
I'm brand new to the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. I listened to the audio version of "The Medical Examiner" on a flight from Boise to San Diego and it didn't disappoint. This thriller series features an all-female cast of main characters—a homicide detective, reporter, chief medical examiner, and a district attorney. Will I read more books in the series? You betcha! And lest I forget, the voice talent for this audiobook was offered by Kate Russell—she was excellent!
September 2, 2017
Loved this bookshot of the Women's Murder Club. Can't wait for the next full book in the series!
June 9, 2021
اعتراف میکنم انقدر خستهکننده بود برام که خیلی نفهمیدم چی به چیه :|
August 17, 2017
I generally don't write reviews on the books I read, because I never have much to say other than whether or not I liked it. But I'm feeling the need to comment here because as much as I hate to say it, this series has gone so downhill. These past few books have been difficult to get through, but this was probably the worst. It felt like I was reading WMC fanfiction.
My other complaint is Cindy. She is becoming more and more unbearable with every book and it makes me wonder WHY these women are friends with her. The scene in this book when she goes through the woman's bag while totally ignoring Claire's multiple orders not to, I can't even explain how angry I was. She oversteps the boundaries constantly, and then when she gets called out on it, she twists it around in such a way that she gets an apology from them. She trespasses on private property and thinks it's ok because she's the press. It's so frustrating, and it makes me not want to read any further WMC books because the character is just so obnoxious. End rant.
My other complaint is Cindy. She is becoming more and more unbearable with every book and it makes me wonder WHY these women are friends with her. The scene in this book when she goes through the woman's bag while totally ignoring Claire's multiple orders not to, I can't even explain how angry I was. She oversteps the boundaries constantly, and then when she gets called out on it, she twists it around in such a way that she gets an apology from them. She trespasses on private property and thinks it's ok because she's the press. It's so frustrating, and it makes me not want to read any further WMC books because the character is just so obnoxious. End rant.
December 15, 2017
A great book that short and sweet. The only disappointment is that Lindsay does not make a major appearance in this book.
August 31, 2024
This is James Patterson book number 84 I have completed and women’s murder club #16.5 I’m on the hunt I catch my mom who I still think is on number 21 lol 😂
August 5, 2017
Good but..................
I have enjoyed ,very much so, all of James Patterson books!!! Especially, The Women's Murder Club Series!!! But in my opinion THIS SERIES DOES NOT BELONG IN THE BOOKSHOT CLUB!!!!!!! Putting it to a bookshot literally takes away from the story because it is so rushed !! It felt like every sentence of scene had to be written as quickly as possible so that it could remain in the "Bookshot Club"!!!!!
Please leave The Women's Murder Club Series in regular form😉😉😉
I have enjoyed ,very much so, all of James Patterson books!!! Especially, The Women's Murder Club Series!!! But in my opinion THIS SERIES DOES NOT BELONG IN THE BOOKSHOT CLUB!!!!!!! Putting it to a bookshot literally takes away from the story because it is so rushed !! It felt like every sentence of scene had to be written as quickly as possible so that it could remain in the "Bookshot Club"!!!!!
Please leave The Women's Murder Club Series in regular form😉😉😉
August 26, 2017
It was nice having a story more focused on Claire and Rich, but it seemed a little strange being in this world without Lindsay Boxer.
April 27, 2025
Was a quick read, and grabbed my attention early on. Bought a few other books from this series. Seems you can read these out of order if you want!
June 18, 2019
3.5 stars. I did like this story, it was nice not to have Lindsay as the focal point for once and get more with the other characters this time. I also liked it more I think since I’ve read all the books in this series. That way it takes out some of the rushed feeling because you know the characters already. Even so, I did feel like the story could’ve been more developed, if not for the short format. I enjoyed it, it was a full story with beginning middle and end, it just didn’t hook me that much. I felt like I enjoyed it more for more time with characters I enjoy than a great mystery plot.
April 21, 2023
A short but excellent read that spared the extraneous details. Joan is found in the Morgue alive, presumed dead. She has no memory of being in a hotel with a murdered man. The Women’s Murder Club is participating in solving and investigating. It’s full of suspense and excitement. My only complaint was I didn’t want it to end!
September 11, 2017
You can find this review on my website at http://touchmyspinebookreviews.com/20...
Claire Washburn, Chief Medical Examiner thinks it's going to be a busy night at the morgue when two bodies show up at the morgue but she is even more surprised when only one of them is dead! Since Lindsay Boxer is away on a much needed vacation with her husband Joe, Rich Conklin takes on the case of millionaress that returns from the dead was found in a hotel left for dead with her lover(not her husband) dead on top of her. This book ends up being more surprising by the minute as Detective Conklin and the rest of the Women's Murder Club try to find the murderer.
This book was more 3.5 out of 5 stars. I have enjoyed and read all of the Women's Murder Club books and have enjoyed them thoroughly. I usually like reading these bookshots when I am looking for something quick to read. I felt this book had potentially to be a great story but because it was 100-150 pages long it lacked in sustenance. If you are reading all the Women's Murder Club books it won't hurt if you miss this these novellas in between. Can't wait until the next adventure with the Women's Murder Club!
August 19, 2017
Getting past the fact that I don't like short stories, at least this one was about one of my favorite James Patterson series, the Women's Murder Club. I always enjoy old friends Lindsey, Claire, Cindy and Yuri. Claire and Cindy figure most prominently in this story. The good part about these Bookshots is that they are easy and fast to read. One downside is being too short to develop the relationship between victim and killer.
July 16, 2025
This one was... an interesting idea.
It was interesting to have the rest of the Murder Club take over the story while Lindsey was out of town. But this ended dup resulting in a different narrative voice than had been used in the rest of the series, and I wasn't a big fan.
The case was kind of interesting but never really got off the ground.
My least favorite addition to the series thus far.
2.5 Stars
It was interesting to have the rest of the Murder Club take over the story while Lindsey was out of town. But this ended dup resulting in a different narrative voice than had been used in the rest of the series, and I wasn't a big fan.
The case was kind of interesting but never really got off the ground.
My least favorite addition to the series thus far.
2.5 Stars
August 4, 2017
Very enjoyable
As always the Women's Murder Club did not disappoint. The story was short but was filled with a lot of plot twists. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward the the ladies next adventure.
As always the Women's Murder Club did not disappoint. The story was short but was filled with a lot of plot twists. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward the the ladies next adventure.
August 2, 2017
3.5/5 stars...funny and mysterious with one of my favorite Clubs :))
October 4, 2017
Bookshots are so hit or miss. Though I love the WMC series and was glad to hear more from Claire, this shorter story fell super flat. Very forgettable and cliche.
October 27, 2017
Cute novella from the Women’s Murder Club.
December 24, 2017
So great!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,024 reviews