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Women's Murder Club #19
The 19th Christmas
It's not sleigh bells that are ringing this Christmas.
As the holidays approach, Detective Lindsay Boxer and her friends in the Women's Murder Club have much to celebrate. Crime is down. The medical examiner's office is quiet. Even the courts are showing some Christmas spirit. And the news cycle is so slow that journalist Cindy Thomas is on assignment to tell a story about the true meaning of the season for San Francisco.
Then a fearsome criminal known only as "Loman" seizes control of the headlines. He is planning a deadly surprise for Christmas morning. And he has commissioned dozens of criminal colleagues to take actions that will mask his plans. All that Lindsay and the SFPD can figure out is that Loman's greed -- for riches, for bloodshed, for attention -- is limitless.
Solving crimes never happens on schedule, but as this criminal mastermind unleashes credible threats by the hour, the month of December is upended for the Women's Murder Club. Avoiding tragedy is the only holiday miracle they seek.
As the holidays approach, Detective Lindsay Boxer and her friends in the Women's Murder Club have much to celebrate. Crime is down. The medical examiner's office is quiet. Even the courts are showing some Christmas spirit. And the news cycle is so slow that journalist Cindy Thomas is on assignment to tell a story about the true meaning of the season for San Francisco.
Then a fearsome criminal known only as "Loman" seizes control of the headlines. He is planning a deadly surprise for Christmas morning. And he has commissioned dozens of criminal colleagues to take actions that will mask his plans. All that Lindsay and the SFPD can figure out is that Loman's greed -- for riches, for bloodshed, for attention -- is limitless.
Solving crimes never happens on schedule, but as this criminal mastermind unleashes credible threats by the hour, the month of December is upended for the Women's Murder Club. Avoiding tragedy is the only holiday miracle they seek.
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First published October 7, 2019
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About the author
James Patterson
954 books356k 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 2,239 reviews
December 7, 2019
The one star because I can’t give a zero! Why, oh why, do I persist with Patterson and his posse of co-writers (oh yeah, they get my money)! I’m done with this JP series for good!
Women’s Murder Club has become a cast of one - Boxer!
Cindy appears briefly in the weirdest side story of the decade.
Yuki, the same, some weird side story that is so unbelievable it is unbelievable - pretty sure you’ll forget she even appeared.
Clare...a tango (literally) at the end.
Plot...starts off well enough but what the...again literally...what? This next comment may be considered a spoiler...there is absolutely no rhyme, reason or resolution to the plot. No idea what was even meant to be stolen!
As for the Epilogue - I actually turned back to see if I was reading a preview of the next book...nope ...some weird ass twist involving Joe!
If an English student wrote this they’d fail.
Women’s Murder Club has become a cast of one - Boxer!
Cindy appears briefly in the weirdest side story of the decade.
Yuki, the same, some weird side story that is so unbelievable it is unbelievable - pretty sure you’ll forget she even appeared.
Clare...a tango (literally) at the end.
Plot...starts off well enough but what the...again literally...what? This next comment may be considered a spoiler...there is absolutely no rhyme, reason or resolution to the plot. No idea what was even meant to be stolen!
As for the Epilogue - I actually turned back to see if I was reading a preview of the next book...nope ...some weird ass twist involving Joe!
If an English student wrote this they’d fail.
August 20, 2021
I never got very interested in the storyline but soldiered on hoping my interest would increase. Unfortunately, in the end this was another disappointing read in the Women’s Murder Club series. My biggest grievance is that after all the buildup, everything wrapped up abruptly. It happened first when Yuki and Cindy’s wrongful imprisonment case was just suddenly resolved out of the blue in 2 sentences about 2/ 3 of the way through the book. It was noticeably abrupt and disappointing as that subplot was more intriguing than the main plot.
Then to cap it off, after Loman is finally caught, precious few details are provided regarding means and motive for his many felonious acts. So once again, I’m left feeling cheated out of the whys and wherefores of the story. Without that, you’re essentially left with random bad happenings and no satisfactory resolution. The story starts out and remains as one where some cops chase after an unknown man who is rumored to soon be possibly committing an unknown crime. You don’t get to know what or why, and at the end of the book you’re still left not really comprehending what or why. I felt dissatisfied; all that for what exactly?
If you’ve made it this far, I know you hope I’ve aired all my complaints, but I have just one more. Why was that epilogue included? Was it supposed to stir up interest for the next book? For me, the epilogue does not leave me anticipating the next book in the series. After several disappointing entries in the series, I think we’re all hoping for more of the Women’s Murder Club – more of the women working together, more of a presence for each of the women in every book, more of the friendship and camaraderie. I like the small snippets we get to see of their personal lives and the celebratory get-togethers at Susie’s Café, but it seems that we’re getting less and less of that in each new book. And now to introduce a new character and take the personal dynamics in a different direction, well, I just don’t welcome it. I feel this epilogue could be expanded into a between-the numbers Bookshot and would do just fine there, but I have no interest in seeing it play out in 20th Victim. I would like to see the Women’s Murder Club get back to its core objective, but sadly they’ve drifted so far afield that I’m not sure it can ever be what it once was.
Then to cap it off, after Loman is finally caught, precious few details are provided regarding means and motive for his many felonious acts. So once again, I’m left feeling cheated out of the whys and wherefores of the story. Without that, you’re essentially left with random bad happenings and no satisfactory resolution. The story starts out and remains as one where some cops chase after an unknown man who is rumored to soon be possibly committing an unknown crime. You don’t get to know what or why, and at the end of the book you’re still left not really comprehending what or why. I felt dissatisfied; all that for what exactly?
If you’ve made it this far, I know you hope I’ve aired all my complaints, but I have just one more. Why was that epilogue included? Was it supposed to stir up interest for the next book? For me, the epilogue does not leave me anticipating the next book in the series. After several disappointing entries in the series, I think we’re all hoping for more of the Women’s Murder Club – more of the women working together, more of a presence for each of the women in every book, more of the friendship and camaraderie. I like the small snippets we get to see of their personal lives and the celebratory get-togethers at Susie’s Café, but it seems that we’re getting less and less of that in each new book. And now to introduce a new character and take the personal dynamics in a different direction, well, I just don’t welcome it. I feel this epilogue could be expanded into a between-the numbers Bookshot and would do just fine there, but I have no interest in seeing it play out in 20th Victim. I would like to see the Women’s Murder Club get back to its core objective, but sadly they’ve drifted so far afield that I’m not sure it can ever be what it once was.
October 12, 2019
The Women’s Murder Club is back with another thrilling tale set in the days around the holiday season, headed by the great collaboration of James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. While out shopping with her family, Detective Lindsay Boxer encounters a man who is disrupting holiday shoppers as he flees in a panic. Once in an interrogation room, the man spills that he has news of an upcoming ‘big event’ that is set to happen on Christmas Day. Not wanting to take any chances, Lindsay takes up the case, looking for a mysterious ‘Loman’ who might hold all the answers. While following leads, Boxer and her SFPD Homicide team are pushed in many directions, some red herrings, while others seem to point to a major heist only a few days away. Meanwhile, while working on a Christmas story, Cindy uncovers an undocumented man who has been sitting in prison for two years, charged with a murder he says he did not commit. Working her angle, Cindy soon pulls Yuki in from the D.A.’s office and tries to bring a little holiday cheer to a family that has been frazzled for the past few years. When Boxer and her crew feel they may be close to an answer, all things go haywire at the airport, on Christmas Day no less, forcing everyone to take drastic actions in order to save the general public. Well into this series, Patterson and Paetro still have a great handle on the series that does not show signs of letting up. Recommended for series fans looking to augment their holiday season, as well as those readers who enjoy the quick pace of a well-written Patterson novel.
This book is a true gift and will likely be one that series fans have been hoping to receive. While there seems to have been some confusion with readers who were baffled throughout the eighteenth instalment, Patterson and Paetro were forced—silly, as it is—to explain the flashback they used in the past novel and promised that this instalment was entirely present-tense. The returning characters proved highly entertaining, not least of which Lindsay Boxer. She has left her character development and backstory behind, but is ready to tackle anything set before her as she hunts down a man keen on causing trouble at Christmas. Others characters will be familiar to many who are well-versed in the series, as well as adding a few new faces. The story ran well and sped along with quick chapters that push the reader to ‘try a few more pages’. At a time when no one can be sure what Patterson will do with the books bearing his name, this was a refreshing return to his strong skills, alongside the equally capable Maxine Paetro. A great stocking stuffer, if the reader can wait that long. If not, pull out the apple cider or eggnog and offer up a cup as the reader devours this treat!
Kudos, Mr. Patterson and Madam Paetro, for another great book in the series. I hope you two have the collaborative stamina to keep going.
Love/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/...
This book is a true gift and will likely be one that series fans have been hoping to receive. While there seems to have been some confusion with readers who were baffled throughout the eighteenth instalment, Patterson and Paetro were forced—silly, as it is—to explain the flashback they used in the past novel and promised that this instalment was entirely present-tense. The returning characters proved highly entertaining, not least of which Lindsay Boxer. She has left her character development and backstory behind, but is ready to tackle anything set before her as she hunts down a man keen on causing trouble at Christmas. Others characters will be familiar to many who are well-versed in the series, as well as adding a few new faces. The story ran well and sped along with quick chapters that push the reader to ‘try a few more pages’. At a time when no one can be sure what Patterson will do with the books bearing his name, this was a refreshing return to his strong skills, alongside the equally capable Maxine Paetro. A great stocking stuffer, if the reader can wait that long. If not, pull out the apple cider or eggnog and offer up a cup as the reader devours this treat!
Kudos, Mr. Patterson and Madam Paetro, for another great book in the series. I hope you two have the collaborative stamina to keep going.
Love/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/...
January 4, 2020
Lindsay Boxer has only one Christmas wish: to spend the day with her husband, daughter and their beloved Border Collie. She’s been with San Francisco Police Department long enough to know that “wish” is the right word.
Accustomed to the typical increase in crimes during the holidays, Boxer and her partner fully expect a frenzy the few days before Christmas. But, even their combined experience in law enforcement did not prepare them for the full-out chaos created by the most unassuming of men.
This recent addition to The Women’s Murder Club Series by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, embodies everything I’ve come to expect from this righteous writing team. Flipping pages fast enough for paper cuts, I was mentally juggling the balls being hurled at Boxer—not in a confused way, but in a wholly engrossed, moral-support, sort of way.
If you are already a fan of the four brilliant, hard-working women that make up the self-dubbed Murder Club, The 19th Christmas is sure to hit the spot when you reach for your next fast-paced, suspense-filled read. But, there’s no need to have read the previous stories, this series can be started at any point…but you may not be able to stop.
Huge thank-you to Goodreads First Reads & Hachette Book Group for this copy!
Accustomed to the typical increase in crimes during the holidays, Boxer and her partner fully expect a frenzy the few days before Christmas. But, even their combined experience in law enforcement did not prepare them for the full-out chaos created by the most unassuming of men.
This recent addition to The Women’s Murder Club Series by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, embodies everything I’ve come to expect from this righteous writing team. Flipping pages fast enough for paper cuts, I was mentally juggling the balls being hurled at Boxer—not in a confused way, but in a wholly engrossed, moral-support, sort of way.
If you are already a fan of the four brilliant, hard-working women that make up the self-dubbed Murder Club, The 19th Christmas is sure to hit the spot when you reach for your next fast-paced, suspense-filled read. But, there’s no need to have read the previous stories, this series can be started at any point…but you may not be able to stop.
Huge thank-you to Goodreads First Reads & Hachette Book Group for this copy!
November 14, 2019
4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I just love this series and was super excited that Patterson teamed up with Paetro and decided to do a Christmas installment with the ladies of the Women’s Murder Club.
The holidays are the same as any other day when you’re in law-enforcement. When a criminal is planning to carry out a huge robbery, Lindsay Boxer and the rest of the group can kiss their quiet plans for Christmas goodbye.
I found the story to be really entertaining and held my interest til the end. The short, cliffhanger chapters and twists that I’ve grown to love with the series is what makes these books such quick reads. The end was sweetly tied together. I can’t wait for the 20th book - coming soon!
I just love this series and was super excited that Patterson teamed up with Paetro and decided to do a Christmas installment with the ladies of the Women’s Murder Club.
The holidays are the same as any other day when you’re in law-enforcement. When a criminal is planning to carry out a huge robbery, Lindsay Boxer and the rest of the group can kiss their quiet plans for Christmas goodbye.
I found the story to be really entertaining and held my interest til the end. The short, cliffhanger chapters and twists that I’ve grown to love with the series is what makes these books such quick reads. The end was sweetly tied together. I can’t wait for the 20th book - coming soon!
October 20, 2019
Let me be honest up front. 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 hit and miss over the last couple of years with more weak outings overall.
“The 19th Christmas” takes place from December 20th through January 2nd with a heavy focus on the holidays. It begins with each of the Murder Club members and their families preparing for Christmas and then the major mystery kicks off with Detective Lindsey Boxer and her partner, Rich Conklin, getting caught in a street crime in San Francisco’s Union Square.
Catching the young criminal is only the beginning of their troubles as they are given clues about a fearsome criminal known only as "Loman", who is supposed to be planning a deadly surprise for Christmas in San Francisco. As the clues come in, it appears that “Loman” has organized himself a team of criminal colleagues who are out committing multiple crimes with the intent of distracting, dividing, and wearing out the police force before putting his real plan into action. Lindsay, Conklin, Brady, Jacobi, and the rest of the SFPD are running around chasing their tales with no real idea of who “Loman” is and how destructive his plan really is.
There is also another subplot involving journalist Cindy, who is given an assignment to tell a story about the true meaning of the season for San Francisco, and discovers an immigrant family in which the father has been falsely imprisoned for murder and detained by ICE for 2 years pending a trial. She pulls in lawyer Yuki to help her try and get his freedom. This secondary plot started out well, but got choppy at key moments. The worst part was the key climactic moments took place off screen, disrupting the flow and letting the reader down.
Patterson and Paetro weave between the primary and secondary plotlines in an overly fast-paced but predictable manner. There are foreseeable twists and turns along the way, but most of the distractions and obstacles “Loman” through at our heroes were not that compelling or interesting. Although “Loman” seemed interesting and had potential to be a quality villain, too much time was spent on the SFPD reacting to each of the distractions in a foolhardy manner rather than taking a strategic approach.
To make it worse, the biggest weakness in this book (and I have to be careful to give away any specific spoilers) is that suddenly at the last possible moment, our heroes get all of the information on who “Loman” is and what he looks like in a manner that is so unrealistic and unbelievable. All of the plot development of the first 270 pages is suddenly discarded and all of the complex dots connecting the villain’s plan are just ignored in a way takes away all of the worthiness of the villain and turns him into a crybaby. The climax of the primary plot was a raging mess.
Patterson and Paetro also add a well-intended epilogue with the women’s club being together on New Years eve and Joe’s first daughter suddenly showing up from his past. However, the part about Joe felt awkward being thrown in at the end. It didn't connect to anything else and would have been better used as a subplot in a book where it could be developed better than just being a throw-in.
In my humble opinion, the structure of the book, using the Christmas holiday season, and creation of a strong villain had a lot od potential. However, the actual writing came across as a rushed first draft, lacking strong editing and rewriting to fill the obvious plot hole problems. In addition, other than Joe’s weird epilogue there was no real growth or development for any of the main characters, either professionally or personally. Our fearless club members are so stagnant that they almost seem like caricatures. Some of the things that disappointed me included no connective tissue between the four Murder Club friends until the very end, Joe being relegated to Super House-husband, and Claire Washburn being sent out of town and missing in action for the most part.
Overall, Patterson and Paetro have lost some of their Women’s Murder Club mojo over the last three or four books, and that includes this time out. If you like the standard Patterson recipe, then I hope you can find a way to enjoy this. But this one breaks no new ground or character development, and the obvious plot problems make it feel way too one-dimensional. For me, this is a weak outing for Patterson and Paetro.
“The 19th Christmas” takes place from December 20th through January 2nd with a heavy focus on the holidays. It begins with each of the Murder Club members and their families preparing for Christmas and then the major mystery kicks off with Detective Lindsey Boxer and her partner, Rich Conklin, getting caught in a street crime in San Francisco’s Union Square.
Catching the young criminal is only the beginning of their troubles as they are given clues about a fearsome criminal known only as "Loman", who is supposed to be planning a deadly surprise for Christmas in San Francisco. As the clues come in, it appears that “Loman” has organized himself a team of criminal colleagues who are out committing multiple crimes with the intent of distracting, dividing, and wearing out the police force before putting his real plan into action. Lindsay, Conklin, Brady, Jacobi, and the rest of the SFPD are running around chasing their tales with no real idea of who “Loman” is and how destructive his plan really is.
There is also another subplot involving journalist Cindy, who is given an assignment to tell a story about the true meaning of the season for San Francisco, and discovers an immigrant family in which the father has been falsely imprisoned for murder and detained by ICE for 2 years pending a trial. She pulls in lawyer Yuki to help her try and get his freedom. This secondary plot started out well, but got choppy at key moments. The worst part was the key climactic moments took place off screen, disrupting the flow and letting the reader down.
Patterson and Paetro weave between the primary and secondary plotlines in an overly fast-paced but predictable manner. There are foreseeable twists and turns along the way, but most of the distractions and obstacles “Loman” through at our heroes were not that compelling or interesting. Although “Loman” seemed interesting and had potential to be a quality villain, too much time was spent on the SFPD reacting to each of the distractions in a foolhardy manner rather than taking a strategic approach.
To make it worse, the biggest weakness in this book (and I have to be careful to give away any specific spoilers) is that suddenly at the last possible moment, our heroes get all of the information on who “Loman” is and what he looks like in a manner that is so unrealistic and unbelievable. All of the plot development of the first 270 pages is suddenly discarded and all of the complex dots connecting the villain’s plan are just ignored in a way takes away all of the worthiness of the villain and turns him into a crybaby. The climax of the primary plot was a raging mess.
Patterson and Paetro also add a well-intended epilogue with the women’s club being together on New Years eve and Joe’s first daughter suddenly showing up from his past. However, the part about Joe felt awkward being thrown in at the end. It didn't connect to anything else and would have been better used as a subplot in a book where it could be developed better than just being a throw-in.
In my humble opinion, the structure of the book, using the Christmas holiday season, and creation of a strong villain had a lot od potential. However, the actual writing came across as a rushed first draft, lacking strong editing and rewriting to fill the obvious plot hole problems. In addition, other than Joe’s weird epilogue there was no real growth or development for any of the main characters, either professionally or personally. Our fearless club members are so stagnant that they almost seem like caricatures. Some of the things that disappointed me included no connective tissue between the four Murder Club friends until the very end, Joe being relegated to Super House-husband, and Claire Washburn being sent out of town and missing in action for the most part.
Overall, Patterson and Paetro have lost some of their Women’s Murder Club mojo over the last three or four books, and that includes this time out. If you like the standard Patterson recipe, then I hope you can find a way to enjoy this. But this one breaks no new ground or character development, and the obvious plot problems make it feel way too one-dimensional. For me, this is a weak outing for Patterson and Paetro.
September 14, 2020
Sergeant Lindsay Boxer and her partner Rich Conklin were on the spot to catch the bag snatching thief but when they took him in to interview him, he gave them threads to a planned heist which would happen on Christmas Day. From then on, Lindsay barely saw her husband Joe and three-year-old daughter Julie as they chased leads, followed misinformation and generally grew more and more frustrated.
As the SFPD tried to cover every area they could think of, including the mayor, Lindsay and Rich inched closer to the conclusion. But would they catch the perpetrator before the heist went down, and before more people died? Would they see their families any time over the Christmas holidays?
19th Christmas is another fast-paced thriller for the Women’s Murder Club by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro and I loved it. The short chapters are great because you can easily read “just one more” until suddenly it’s finished! Lindsay was front and centre in this one, with Cindy, Yuki and Claire doing their own things on the side; quick, easy and interesting to follow. I’m looking forward to #20 which I have ready and waiting on my book shelf 😊 Highly recommended.
As the SFPD tried to cover every area they could think of, including the mayor, Lindsay and Rich inched closer to the conclusion. But would they catch the perpetrator before the heist went down, and before more people died? Would they see their families any time over the Christmas holidays?
19th Christmas is another fast-paced thriller for the Women’s Murder Club by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro and I loved it. The short chapters are great because you can easily read “just one more” until suddenly it’s finished! Lindsay was front and centre in this one, with Cindy, Yuki and Claire doing their own things on the side; quick, easy and interesting to follow. I’m looking forward to #20 which I have ready and waiting on my book shelf 😊 Highly recommended.
December 19, 2024
To make a bad pun, this one is definitely a bust!
Ladies and gentlemen, meet THE WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB - Lindsay Boxer, police sergeant and homicide detective; Yuki Castellano, prosecutor and assistant district attorney; Claire Washburn, medical examiner and forensic scientist; Cindy Thomas, writer and investigative journalist. Their novels are as predictably formulaic as the proverbial Hallmark movie but that formula (as of the writing of THE 19TH CHRISTMAS) was (note the intentional use of that past tense) working like a well-oiled high speed machine so don’t expect authors Paetro and Patterson to be breaking the pattern any time soon.
Think of a WMC novel as a mash-up of two or three novellas or short stories, each involving one of the WMC ladies as a lead protagonist – a murder, trial or legal issue, medical drama, rape, breaking news story, kidnapping, bombing, arson, social issue … you get the idea. The stories weave in and out of one another in real time to produce a single larger novel but the interaction between stories is typically minor, incidental, or coincidental (or in this case, nonexistent).
Story #1 was an intriguing drama involving an illegal immigrant, a wrongful conviction for murder, and, of course, WMC attorney Yuki Castellano. Story #2 is a straight-up police procedural in which a nefarious, ostensibly über-intelligent mastermind criminal (à la Moriarity) leads the police on a twisted maze of red herrings, false leads, and police resource gobbling distractions as he works his way toward zero hour and the ultimate payday, a heist forecast to net its perpetrators a multi-million if not billion dollar payday! As the bloody body count also ratchets through the roof, it’s obvious that this nasty piece of work is intent on eliminating any possible witnesses along his twisted path to the target booty.
"What are we looking for? We have a bunch of pieces and parts that add up to a big fat pile of nothing."
Well, they sure got that right because then came the bust, literal and literary. The immigrant murder trial is simply reported as having been won without the reader so much as sniffing the inside of a courtroom. The criminal mastermind, in a definitely anti-climactic climax is nabbed with undue ceremony (probably because Patterson and Maestro had reached the required number of pages for the novel). And guess what the objective of that heist was! I mean it … guess! Your guess will be as good as anyone else’s because, if Patterson and Maestro had anything particular in mind, they’re forgot to include it in the published version of the novel. A ridiculous ending if there ever was one.
Save yourself some grief and skip the novel. It simply isn’t worth the time. Go right to the epilogue and read that because there is a little bit of (ridiculously) unrelated personal stuff that might find its way somehow into 20TH VICTIM.
Paul Weiss
Ladies and gentlemen, meet THE WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB - Lindsay Boxer, police sergeant and homicide detective; Yuki Castellano, prosecutor and assistant district attorney; Claire Washburn, medical examiner and forensic scientist; Cindy Thomas, writer and investigative journalist. Their novels are as predictably formulaic as the proverbial Hallmark movie but that formula (as of the writing of THE 19TH CHRISTMAS) was (note the intentional use of that past tense) working like a well-oiled high speed machine so don’t expect authors Paetro and Patterson to be breaking the pattern any time soon.
Think of a WMC novel as a mash-up of two or three novellas or short stories, each involving one of the WMC ladies as a lead protagonist – a murder, trial or legal issue, medical drama, rape, breaking news story, kidnapping, bombing, arson, social issue … you get the idea. The stories weave in and out of one another in real time to produce a single larger novel but the interaction between stories is typically minor, incidental, or coincidental (or in this case, nonexistent).
Story #1 was an intriguing drama involving an illegal immigrant, a wrongful conviction for murder, and, of course, WMC attorney Yuki Castellano. Story #2 is a straight-up police procedural in which a nefarious, ostensibly über-intelligent mastermind criminal (à la Moriarity) leads the police on a twisted maze of red herrings, false leads, and police resource gobbling distractions as he works his way toward zero hour and the ultimate payday, a heist forecast to net its perpetrators a multi-million if not billion dollar payday! As the bloody body count also ratchets through the roof, it’s obvious that this nasty piece of work is intent on eliminating any possible witnesses along his twisted path to the target booty.
"What are we looking for? We have a bunch of pieces and parts that add up to a big fat pile of nothing."
Well, they sure got that right because then came the bust, literal and literary. The immigrant murder trial is simply reported as having been won without the reader so much as sniffing the inside of a courtroom. The criminal mastermind, in a definitely anti-climactic climax is nabbed with undue ceremony (probably because Patterson and Maestro had reached the required number of pages for the novel). And guess what the objective of that heist was! I mean it … guess! Your guess will be as good as anyone else’s because, if Patterson and Maestro had anything particular in mind, they’re forgot to include it in the published version of the novel. A ridiculous ending if there ever was one.
Save yourself some grief and skip the novel. It simply isn’t worth the time. Go right to the epilogue and read that because there is a little bit of (ridiculously) unrelated personal stuff that might find its way somehow into 20TH VICTIM.
Paul Weiss
October 23, 2019
2 stars. Lindsay and the SFPD are being led around by a master villain named Loman, who is planning a big score on Christmas Day. He is leaving clues everywhere to confuse and overwhelm the police, including a series of dead bodies. Yuki and Cindy and working on freeing an innocent man wasting away in the legal system, and Claire is pretty much gone (to a conference in San Diego.) It was nice to have Lindsay's ex-partner, Warren Jacobi, come back to assist. Other than pure greed, we really don't get much insight into Loman either.
October 25, 2019
I wish I could just let this series go. It's been a surface level churn for so long, I wonder what's wrong with me that I keep hanging on. This latest installment makes matters worse, and after the book with exploding cheeseburgers, that's surprising. Not only is the cat and mouse thriller a stinker, but the women don't even interact. Women's Murder Club. Seems like a weird element to leave out. They never meet to discuss the mystery, because really there isn't anything good to discuss, and the subplots they do have are underdeveloped and uninteresting. Where is Claire? Seriously, she's always the lowest on the totem pole, but did she even make a single appearance? I can't even remember and I read it in one sitting. So many of the other reviews were this book are unbelievable. Makes me wonder if this "social media" site is just as bot-infested as the others. "Great to have the women back together!" Seriously? What page were the women back together? Boxer has become Benson, she's surrounded by dudes, not her girls, and this read like another generic episode of another generic cop show.
I'm pissed I paused reading another book to jump on this one. James Patterson must think his readers are idiots, and because I'm one of the ones who keeps buying, hoping for a resurgence of the quality these characters deserve, he must be right.
I'm pissed I paused reading another book to jump on this one. James Patterson must think his readers are idiots, and because I'm one of the ones who keeps buying, hoping for a resurgence of the quality these characters deserve, he must be right.
October 19, 2019
By now, the 19th book in the series, the members of the self-described Women's Murder Club seem like old friends to me: San Francisco Police Department Detective Lindsay Boxer, attorney Yuki Castellano, medical examiner Claire Washburn and crime reporter Cindy Thomas. As usual, Lindsay's escapades take center stage in this one, with Yuki and Cindy getting some page time as they deal with inequities in the U.S. immigration system (a timely issue for sure). Claire shows up only a couple of times - seems she left town over the Christmas holidays to teach college students.
For the most part, it's the usual fare (which is fine with me, for the record); the only noticeable difference here is that the first and last chapter or two are set in the present, while the rest of the book takes place five years earlier. Everything ties together just fine in the end, but I can't say it made the book any better or worse.
It all begins with all four women hoping for a carefree Christmas holiday with their significant others. Then readers are backtracked to a time when Lindsay and her partner Rich (Cindy's beau) chased down a street thief. He spills the beans on a really bad guy who's holed out in a hotel; the FBI is called in and a shootout ensues. Yuki and her sweetie Brady are prepping for a pre-Christmas dinner with the district attorney (Yuki's boss) when Brady gets called to the hotel scene. From that point on, it's mostly Lindsay and Rich investigating leads that suggest something big-time is going to go down with an eye toward prevention and apprehension. Concurrently, based on Cindy's research that suggests an innocent immigrant man may be languishing in jail too long awaiting trial, Yuki gets involved with trying to get justice for him as Cindy hustles to make her story deadline.
All told, it makes for an enjoyable adventure that won't tax your brain - great for curling up next to a cozy stocking-hung fireplace with a mug of hot mulled cider.
For the most part, it's the usual fare (which is fine with me, for the record); the only noticeable difference here is that the first and last chapter or two are set in the present, while the rest of the book takes place five years earlier. Everything ties together just fine in the end, but I can't say it made the book any better or worse.
It all begins with all four women hoping for a carefree Christmas holiday with their significant others. Then readers are backtracked to a time when Lindsay and her partner Rich (Cindy's beau) chased down a street thief. He spills the beans on a really bad guy who's holed out in a hotel; the FBI is called in and a shootout ensues. Yuki and her sweetie Brady are prepping for a pre-Christmas dinner with the district attorney (Yuki's boss) when Brady gets called to the hotel scene. From that point on, it's mostly Lindsay and Rich investigating leads that suggest something big-time is going to go down with an eye toward prevention and apprehension. Concurrently, based on Cindy's research that suggests an innocent immigrant man may be languishing in jail too long awaiting trial, Yuki gets involved with trying to get justice for him as Cindy hustles to make her story deadline.
All told, it makes for an enjoyable adventure that won't tax your brain - great for curling up next to a cozy stocking-hung fireplace with a mug of hot mulled cider.
December 12, 2019
Another great installment of the Womens Murder Club. The series is showing no signs of slowing down. Loved that we get a sneak peak at book 20 at the end.
November 3, 2019
Just someone tell me what the big heist even was, because At the end , we still don't know. All that distraction and murder to rob a computer company? Of what?
This book is one big plot hole. The plot is set up then nothing happens. Big buildup to the courtroom scene for the ridiculous plot of Yuki getting a motion set up in less than a week to free the poor, hapless immigrant, but then we only know what happens from a newspaper story. Doh!
Back to the main ridiculous plot that the mysterious super villian , who has the power to force people to commit crimes and go to jail just to distract the police, just gives up at the end with no fight. OK he kidnapped the company CEO, shot his own accomplice, and forced the CEO inside a secure room...then NOTHING HAPPENS! We next see him in overalls, super cop Boxer picks him right out a crowd instantly, they have a brief standoff and boom, it's over. Come to find out, through a retelling days later, that while there was surveillance video of Super Villian shooting his accomplice, there is no video of where he hid the CEO and he, not even dead, is found in an a.c. room. What happened? That's the main theme of the book; set up a scene, then just drop it, leaving readers frustrated.
If SV were going to steal from a computer company on Christmas when the place would be empty but for the CEO, there would be zero need for a week of distraction and threatening even the mayor. Why even gives hints of the heist? Just do it. Once we found out the target, the book totally fell apart. The only way to have saved it would have been if SV had successfully stolen whatever, gotten away and had to be chased down. But no, the authors has 12 other books to write and decided this one was over.
Proof of this is the nonsensical epilogue where Joe's daughter shows up out of nowhere. Huh? The epilogue should bring it all together and answer any questions. But again, no, the main plot is just over and we're on to something else. Then there's a teaser for the 20th book. Sheesh! I think I'm done with JP and this series. Enough phoning it in. We don't need numerous books a year. Take some time and write good books. Fans will wait.
This book is one big plot hole. The plot is set up then nothing happens. Big buildup to the courtroom scene for the ridiculous plot of Yuki getting a motion set up in less than a week to free the poor, hapless immigrant, but then we only know what happens from a newspaper story. Doh!
Back to the main ridiculous plot that the mysterious super villian , who has the power to force people to commit crimes and go to jail just to distract the police, just gives up at the end with no fight. OK he kidnapped the company CEO, shot his own accomplice, and forced the CEO inside a secure room...then NOTHING HAPPENS! We next see him in overalls, super cop Boxer picks him right out a crowd instantly, they have a brief standoff and boom, it's over. Come to find out, through a retelling days later, that while there was surveillance video of Super Villian shooting his accomplice, there is no video of where he hid the CEO and he, not even dead, is found in an a.c. room. What happened? That's the main theme of the book; set up a scene, then just drop it, leaving readers frustrated.
If SV were going to steal from a computer company on Christmas when the place would be empty but for the CEO, there would be zero need for a week of distraction and threatening even the mayor. Why even gives hints of the heist? Just do it. Once we found out the target, the book totally fell apart. The only way to have saved it would have been if SV had successfully stolen whatever, gotten away and had to be chased down. But no, the authors has 12 other books to write and decided this one was over.
Proof of this is the nonsensical epilogue where Joe's daughter shows up out of nowhere. Huh? The epilogue should bring it all together and answer any questions. But again, no, the main plot is just over and we're on to something else. Then there's a teaser for the 20th book. Sheesh! I think I'm done with JP and this series. Enough phoning it in. We don't need numerous books a year. Take some time and write good books. Fans will wait.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2019
The Women's Murder Club books used to be my favorites of James Patterson's. I enjoyed the way the women all have different specialties and each used their expertise to help solve the crime of that particular book. There used to be a number of scenes with them working together and then meeting to enjoy each other during the process.
However, now the Women's Murder Club seems to be a club in name only. There is little to no interaction between the women and the cases they are working on don't even overlap, in many cases. The solution of this book was interesting but not enough to really carry the book alone. I sorely missed the interaction of the women. One of them wasn't even present for the entire book until the very end. The book was okay, but I was disappointed in it overall. I won't rush to read the next installment.....if I read it at all.
However, now the Women's Murder Club seems to be a club in name only. There is little to no interaction between the women and the cases they are working on don't even overlap, in many cases. The solution of this book was interesting but not enough to really carry the book alone. I sorely missed the interaction of the women. One of them wasn't even present for the entire book until the very end. The book was okay, but I was disappointed in it overall. I won't rush to read the next installment.....if I read it at all.
December 22, 2019
4.5 really. I can only say a spot-on, wonderful, pre-xmas read. Of course I have a weakness for the Women's Murder Club series. This one was delightful.
November 28, 2020
Another, rather light tale, of the Women's Murder Club. Challenging crime solution of an unusual criminal to keep Lindsay confused as to the actual crime. Enjoyed the story, but felt that this story was rather light. Not up to my usual expectation of an outstanding tale from this writing team.
February 9, 2023
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I mean, what is there to say about these books anymore? I don’t think I’m ever going to write a serious review for Patterson again. I just can’t. And you don’t want me to either, let’s be real.
You know I don’t think Patterson is a very good writer, or even the main writer of his own books. If you like him, whatever. I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything. I’m just speaking my mind. To each their own, but this is easily consumable mediocre writing that isn't doing anything new.
The only reason I keep reading this particular series is that I’ve been reading it since high school. Maybe that’s not a good reason and I should just quit instead of experiencing the wrath of every Goodreads Karen who loves Patterson sooooo much. But, these are short, mindless, easy books to listed to on audio during work. So whatever.
This book has all the markers of the previous ones – multiple storylines that don’t necessarily intersect and lots of soap opera-ish personal elements. It’s just that this instalment takes place over Christmas so I guess that’s different.
The writing is simple. It reads like a first draft that was rushed to publication. It’s sparse, it’s corny and super formulaic – following the Patterson recipe to the letter. It’s that’s your thing, have at it. A lot of people really enjoy his work because they know exactly what they’re going to get from him.
I am not one of those people. Maybe I’m just too optimistic (don’t laugh!), just waiting for the day when I actually like one of these novels again.
Me, coming back to read this fucking series once more:
⭐⭐ | 2 stars
I mean, what is there to say about these books anymore? I don’t think I’m ever going to write a serious review for Patterson again. I just can’t. And you don’t want me to either, let’s be real.
You know I don’t think Patterson is a very good writer, or even the main writer of his own books. If you like him, whatever. I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything. I’m just speaking my mind. To each their own, but this is easily consumable mediocre writing that isn't doing anything new.
The only reason I keep reading this particular series is that I’ve been reading it since high school. Maybe that’s not a good reason and I should just quit instead of experiencing the wrath of every Goodreads Karen who loves Patterson sooooo much. But, these are short, mindless, easy books to listed to on audio during work. So whatever.
This book has all the markers of the previous ones – multiple storylines that don’t necessarily intersect and lots of soap opera-ish personal elements. It’s just that this instalment takes place over Christmas so I guess that’s different.
The writing is simple. It reads like a first draft that was rushed to publication. It’s sparse, it’s corny and super formulaic – following the Patterson recipe to the letter. It’s that’s your thing, have at it. A lot of people really enjoy his work because they know exactly what they’re going to get from him.
I am not one of those people. Maybe I’m just too optimistic (don’t laugh!), just waiting for the day when I actually like one of these novels again.
Me, coming back to read this fucking series once more:
⭐⭐ | 2 stars
April 8, 2020
Oh no! I love the Women's Murder Club series and look forward to each new installment. #19 was little bit of a let down.
I liked the whole Christmas feel when Lindsay and her family are holiday shopping when she witnesses a guy grabbing shopping bags from unsuspecting people. Her instincts kick in and she is in hot pursuit. When she does catch up to him and begins to interrogate him, he has key information about a guy "Loman" who is going to bomb the city. Boxer and her partner Conklin are on the case to find this guy.
A second storyline is where Cindy discovers an immigrant family and the father has been in prison for 2 years for a crime he did not commit. Yuki steps in to help. This has all the Christmas feels, but felt like it truly was secondary and spliced in.
Overall I enjoyed this Christmas themed edition, but fell short of my expectations compared to the rest of the series. Onward to #20!
I liked the whole Christmas feel when Lindsay and her family are holiday shopping when she witnesses a guy grabbing shopping bags from unsuspecting people. Her instincts kick in and she is in hot pursuit. When she does catch up to him and begins to interrogate him, he has key information about a guy "Loman" who is going to bomb the city. Boxer and her partner Conklin are on the case to find this guy.
A second storyline is where Cindy discovers an immigrant family and the father has been in prison for 2 years for a crime he did not commit. Yuki steps in to help. This has all the Christmas feels, but felt like it truly was secondary and spliced in.
Overall I enjoyed this Christmas themed edition, but fell short of my expectations compared to the rest of the series. Onward to #20!
October 18, 2019
I have read all of the Women’s Murder Club books. This one was the worst by far. By about 3/4 through the book I really didn’t care who did what to who. I just quit. The characters seemed overly dramatic, the plot absurd and really just boring. I rarely give up on a book and waited longer than I should have to call it quits. I cared so little I didn’t look to see how it ended. I didn’t care. The last few WMC books haven’t been great but this one did it for me. I’m done with the series.
January 23, 2020
I love JP. This series turned me into a reader when I picked up 1st to Die but this book wasn't executed well. Loman is the brilliant criminal but then they magically find his photo, he turns into a dumb criminal and what exactly was he going to steal? The Joe plot should've been brought up during the actual book not the epilogue
April 4, 2024
3.5 stars.
The 19th Christmas is another fast-paced addition in the Women's Murder Club series and follows two cases in this book. Lindsay and Conklin are racing against the clock to stop one of the biggest predicted heists after a tip off. As more tips filter through, they have their work cut out to uncover which are real and which are bogus and stop the heist from occurring. Meanwhile, Cindy is working on a story about immigrants and how they celebrate/traditions they have at Christmas when she receives a message from a lady who claims her husband was jailed and framed for a murder he didn't commit. Cindy decides to see where this story takes her and enlists the help of Yuki to get to the bottom of what happened. Claire was only briefly in this book as she was going away with her husband, so we got a brief moment with her at the beginning and end.
The end of the book was wrapped up well and I'm intrigued with the very end with a surprise visitor and need to get to the next book in the series ASAP to find out more!
The 19th Christmas is another fast-paced addition in the Women's Murder Club series and follows two cases in this book. Lindsay and Conklin are racing against the clock to stop one of the biggest predicted heists after a tip off. As more tips filter through, they have their work cut out to uncover which are real and which are bogus and stop the heist from occurring. Meanwhile, Cindy is working on a story about immigrants and how they celebrate/traditions they have at Christmas when she receives a message from a lady who claims her husband was jailed and framed for a murder he didn't commit. Cindy decides to see where this story takes her and enlists the help of Yuki to get to the bottom of what happened. Claire was only briefly in this book as she was going away with her husband, so we got a brief moment with her at the beginning and end.
The end of the book was wrapped up well and I'm intrigued with the very end with a surprise visitor and need to get to the next book in the series ASAP to find out more!
October 13, 2019
Readable, but a weak one in the series. This one has a lot of Cindy, but not the other two friends. I think there's a lack of depth due to authors trying to crank out two books a year plus book shots. A let down.
October 11, 2019
I didn’t get it.
Really nonsensical plot. I have been following this series enthusiastically for years but the last couple have made me feel it’s time to move on.
Really nonsensical plot. I have been following this series enthusiastically for years but the last couple have made me feel it’s time to move on.
March 21, 2025
A Fast & furious read!! Typical Patterson fare, needed more familiarity w/members of Murder Club to keep them (& partners) straight! Kind of an odd antagonist this time…and I was not particularly invested in any of various characters. And it made me sleepy as all main characters were sleep-deprived! Ha!
November 13, 2019
San Francisco Homicide Detective Lindsay Boxer and her partner Rich Conklin are using their lunch hour for a little holiday shopping, and they happen to be on hand to catch a petty criminal. The criminal immediately wants to talk deals. He’s heard rumors that someone named Loman is planning some kind of big heist on Christmas Day. As the tips begin to pour in, the police are left chasing their tails as they try to figure out what Loman really plans. Or who he even really is. Meanwhile, reporter Cindy Thomas has landed the story of an illegal immigrant accused of a murder and gets assistant district attorney Yuki Castellano involved in her attempts to free him. And medical examiner Claire Washburn leaves town to teach a course during Christmas week to college students down in San Diego.
As popular as Christmas books have become, this is one series I hadn’t expected to offer one since some of the storylines in other books don’t lend themselves to the season. These storylines do, but unfortunately, the books is a mixed bag. I didn’t buy their excuse for writing Claire out of the book, and Cindy and Yuki’s sub-plot is undercooked. It felt like it was there more to preach than entertain. Fortunately, the main mystery was entertaining and kept me turning pages, although it relied on the villain taunting police, a trope I have trouble buying. Add in an epilogue that came out of nowhere and left me wondering if they are setting up the next book in the series. On the other hand, I got plenty of Christmas spirit from the book. As I said, this is an average entry in the series.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
As popular as Christmas books have become, this is one series I hadn’t expected to offer one since some of the storylines in other books don’t lend themselves to the season. These storylines do, but unfortunately, the books is a mixed bag. I didn’t buy their excuse for writing Claire out of the book, and Cindy and Yuki’s sub-plot is undercooked. It felt like it was there more to preach than entertain. Fortunately, the main mystery was entertaining and kept me turning pages, although it relied on the villain taunting police, a trope I have trouble buying. Add in an epilogue that came out of nowhere and left me wondering if they are setting up the next book in the series. On the other hand, I got plenty of Christmas spirit from the book. As I said, this is an average entry in the series.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
November 5, 2019
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What a fast-paced read. I loved the Christmas setting and reading it in front of my Christmas tree made the setting even more so. Now to wait until March for the 20th Women’s Murder Club. The crime plot of this one moves at a good rate but it’s the epilogue that really adds even more so to this installment of the series.
What a fast-paced read. I loved the Christmas setting and reading it in front of my Christmas tree made the setting even more so. Now to wait until March for the 20th Women’s Murder Club. The crime plot of this one moves at a good rate but it’s the epilogue that really adds even more so to this installment of the series.
December 30, 2019
I love this series! It was a 4.5 stars but rounded up since it was set in the season of giving - Christmas!❤️❤️🎄 The entire gang is back in this read - unlike the previous book. So it made this gal a happy reader!
January 18, 2020
The authors should be unabashedly ashamed of themselves. Worst. Ending. Ever.
September 5, 2025
Entertaining.
December 24, 2025
This installment drops the Women’s Murder Club into a high-stakes holiday setting, blending crime, courtroom drama, and personal fallout. The story revolves around a violent home invasion tied to organized crime, while Lindsay Boxer finds herself on the opposite side of the law, fighting to clear her name and protect her future.
The plot moves quickly, with short chapters and constant momentum. The Christmas backdrop adds pressure rather than coziness, reinforcing how little room there is for comfort when everything is unraveling at once. The legal drama involving Lindsay is compelling, and the loyalty between the core group remains the emotional anchor of the book.
That said, this entry doesn’t fully stand out from earlier installments. The mystery feels straightforward, some twists are predictable, and the emotional beats don’t hit as hard as they could. The holiday theme feels more like a timestamp than an integral part of the story, and the resolution arrives without much lingering tension.
Overall, "The 19th Christmas" is a solid, fast-paced continuation that delivers exactly what the series promises, but nothing more.
The plot moves quickly, with short chapters and constant momentum. The Christmas backdrop adds pressure rather than coziness, reinforcing how little room there is for comfort when everything is unraveling at once. The legal drama involving Lindsay is compelling, and the loyalty between the core group remains the emotional anchor of the book.
That said, this entry doesn’t fully stand out from earlier installments. The mystery feels straightforward, some twists are predictable, and the emotional beats don’t hit as hard as they could. The holiday theme feels more like a timestamp than an integral part of the story, and the resolution arrives without much lingering tension.
Overall, "The 19th Christmas" is a solid, fast-paced continuation that delivers exactly what the series promises, but nothing more.
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