23rd Midnight: A serial killer behind bars. A copycat killer on the loose… (Women’s Murder Club 23) (Women's Murder Club)

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In my opinion, this series, written by Patterson and Paetro since the fifth book has been really hit and miss over the last five to eight outings. At times, it has lost steam, including superficial and ludicrous serial killer villains, repetitive and formulaic storylines that have grown old, and stagnant growth in most of the primary characters.

The hunt for the killer is interspersed with another Women’s Murder Club member, prosecutor Yuki Castellano, trying a domestic violence case. That is horrible enough, although fascinating in the way events get interpreted and twisted, but pales in comparison to the senseless, nihilistic murders committed by the killer. Practically speaking in terms of the reading experience this translates into non stop action and a plot full of twists and turns. I got really immersed and could feel the tension and frustration of the characters as the murders pile up and Yuki waits for a verdict. This isn’t always a given in the authors’ work as sometimes they substitute action for emotion, but today I felt it and finished the novel in one sitting, desperate for a successful outcome. That means that I adored the final prison scene and my righteous enjoyment of comeuppance. One of Detective Lindsay Boxer’s greatest feats as part of the San Francisco PD was putting serial killer Evan Burke behind bars. Burke’s murder spree was long and complicated, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. Fellow member of the Wommen’s Murder Club, Cindy Thomas, uses her crime reporting skills to work with Burke to write a tell-all book about the killer’s life and some of the gruesome acts he committed. Now published, the book is selling like mad and Cindy has been on the book signing junket, in hopes of garnering even more press. No one gets this big without natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades Lee Child As expected the chapters are short and punchy, just making you want to read on and on and because they are short you keep promising yourself 'just one more chapter ' which turns into 5, 6, 7....

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For the first time I'm not giving 5*. Not because of anything negative but in all honesty it's got to the point where alot of what is happening (bar the actual plot) I've come to sort of predict. The characters a came across as quite one dimensional and I struggled to connect with them or feel anything towards them. I’m aware that this is a part of a series but equally I should’ve been made to feel like I was part of ‘the gang’. Instead I was left utterly confused as to why this group of women ‘the murder club’ felt it was totally okay to talk shop with one another - because they are friends. Midnight is the twenty third book in James Patterson and Maxine Paetro's Women's Murder Club series and I am always excited when a new title in this series comes out as I have really enjoyed them all. Truth be told, I had low expectations when starting this novel, but I came away pleasantly surprised and pleased with it. Again, it’s not great, but good. Patterson and Paetro played around enough with their established formula and structure to provide a better casual read. Up front disclosure. 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 with more weak outings than not.

What I would add though, is that I think it would be good to give Yuki a different kind of storyline. It seems that every plotline she’s involved with is prosecuting the case of her career. It’s time to develop her in other ways that are outside of the courtroom. Show that she’s more well-rounded and has other aspects to be explored. These are delightful female characters ably supported by an excellent ongoing male supporting cast. For those who are avid readers and fans of this series, I have some good news. Not great, but still, good.

In a separate case Yuki is prosecuting a domestic violence case against Lewis Sullivan for the attempted murder of his wife who is left with horrific injuries. Patterson boils a scene down to a single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind Michael Connelly I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an advance copy of 23rd Midnight, the twenty-third novel to feature Detective Sergeant Lindsay Boxer of the San Francisco PD and her friends, known collectively as the Women’s Murder Club. And appealing to my personal wants, we got a classic "Women's Murder Club" meetup to sift through evidence and bounce ideas around. But this time, Cindy was not there - because it was her they needed to save. I love James Patterson books and the Women’s murder club ones are usually superb, this one does not disappoint in any way. In fact once I started reading it I couldn’t stop and read it in a day!