THE NINTH JUDGMENT: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
THE 9TH JUDGMENT
BY JAMES PATTERSON
& MAXINE PAETRO

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The most personal

A young mother and her infant child are ruthlessly gunned down while returning to their car in the garage of a shopping mall. There are no witnesses, and Detective Lindsay Boxer is left with only one shred of evidence: a cryptic message scrawled across the windshield in bloodred lipstick.

The most dangerous

The same night, the wife of A-list actor Marcus Dowling is woken by a cat burglar who is about to steal millions of dollars' worth of precious jewels. In just seconds there is a nearly empty safe, a lifeless body, and another mystery that throws San Francisco into hysteria.

The most exciting Women's Murder Club novel ever

Lindsay spends every waking hour working with her partner, Rich--and her desire for him threatens to tear apart both her engagement and the Women's Murder Club. Before Lindsay and her friends can piece together either case, one of the killers forces Lindsay to put her own life on the line--but is it enough to save the city? With unparalleled danger and explosive action, The 9th Judgment is James Patterson at his compelling, unstoppable best!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

James Patterson has had more New York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1976, James Patterson's books have sold more than 170 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. Mr. Patterson also writes the bestselling Women's Murder Club novels, set in San Francisco, and the top-selling New York detective series of all time, featuring Detective Michael Bennett. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.

Maxine Paetro is the author of three novels, two works of nonfiction, and the coauthor of seven books with James Patterson. She lives in New York with her husband.

MY REVIEW:

As a James Patterson fan since day one, I have had some concern that a few novels in the past year have not quite lived up to their billing even though I am an easy critic in this regard. Well, not to worry as obviously there is great working chemistry between King James and Maxine Paetro as the newest installment in the Women’s Murder Club Series out this month, THE 9TH JUDGMENT, is back and up to the old high standards I judge on. Those standards for me are the vital elements that make the book worthy of the Patterson name. They are: (1) the short cliff hanger chapters; (2) a great villain (or two); (3) the main players “good guys” or in this case “good gals”, who are well fleshed out and presenting themselves in proper style and character; (4) and, the “Ah-ha! Twist” about two-thirds of the way through the book that makes you sit up and wonder how you didn’t know that only to find out at the end that there is yet another twist to leave you rethinking and flipping through the book to see where was the clue you missed.

With those standards in place, I am happy to report that THE 9TH JUDGMENT has it all! The cliff hanging chapters that keep you turning pages? Check! The “ah-ha Twist”? Check (and how did I NOT see that? is always my question). Great villain(s) with one being not so villainess but rather clever and likable as well as harmless (known as “Hello Kitty”, the Cat Burglar, who strikes the rich for their jewels while they party downstairs totally unaware). Then there is the “Lipstick Killer” who beyond doubt is a psychopath and not only merciless but clever. He is without a conscience and whose targets are unsuspecting young mothers and their small children, often time merely toddlers or babies! He is one sick and mean viscous villain.

The Women’s Murder Club ladies are back and as good if not better than ever. Lindsey Boxer is again leading the pack as she has been put in charge of the case of the Hello Kitty Burglar until the Lipstick Killer strikes…and strikes again and of course, with the help of her team of gals--Yuki Castellano, the defense attorney from the DA’s office who is trying to get a win after a string of failures; Dr. Claire Washburn, the Medical Examiner who overreacts and says some unprofessional things out of frustration about a killer who not only murders women and children, execution style, but leaves his puzzling initials as a clue to his description written in lipstick--that is until he switches to blood instead of lipstick; and Cindy Thomas, the reporter who wants a scoop but winds up helping the team most often. Throw in a beau or partner of the male species and the cast is pretty complete.

THE 9th JUDGMENT keeps the girls going and the murders and robberies coming while the reader turns pages like crazy to see what will happen next. I won’t put in a spoiler except to say, which you would on your own, that surely these two main cases, the serial killer and the robber can’t be the same person or related in any way, can they…or can they? And so my mind is back at ease now knowing that JP is back on track with a real winner in THE 9th JUDGMENT!

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO HENRY AND THE
HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, I HAVE
FIVE COPIES OF THIS POPULAR
BOOK TO GIVE AWAY!


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