Product Description

Detective Lindsay Boxer is jogging along a beautiful San Francisco street as a ferocious blast rips through the neighbourhood. A townhouse owned by an internet magnate explodes into flames, three people die and a sinister note signed ‘August Spies’ is found at the scene.

Soon a wave of violence sweeps through the city – and it seems that whoever is behind it is intent on killing someone every three days.

Even more terrifying, the four friends who call themselves the Women’s Murder Club discover that the killer has targeted one of them. And Lindsay learns that one member of the club is hiding a secret so dangerous and unbelievable that it could destroy them all.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #94721 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-31
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Review
'[James Patterson] defies expectations in a shocking way. Readers will love him for it...clever manipulation of an audience serves Patterson as well as it served Hitchcock: his fans will only clamor for more' Publishers Weekly, 23/2/04 -- Publishers Weekly 20040223 'A solid thriller' Australian Daily Telegraph, 1 Mar 04 -- Australian Daily Telegraph 20040301 'James Patterson has evolved and refined a medium of his own: the crime thriller that moves faster than a book, but not quite as fast as an hour of television!does it keep you reading? I found I couldn't stop, in an obsessive-compulsive way' Sydney Morning Herald, 1/5/04 -- Sydney Morning Herald 20040501 'Another page-turner from the masters of the very short chapter with a surprise twist. In a word: thrilling' Herald Sun, Melbourne, Australia 3/4/04 -- Herald Sun, Melbourne, Australia 20040403 'This book won't disappoint. It's no surprise that it's still at the top of the bestsellers list' Burnie Advocate, 12/4/04 -- Burnie Advocate 20040412

About the Author
James Patterson is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past decade: the Women's Murder Club, the Alex Cross novels and Maximum Ride, and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand-alone thrillers. He has won an Edgar Award, the mystery world's highest honour. He lives in Florida with his wife and son.

Customer Reviews

Another excellent title by Patterson
A gripping story line mixed with a hint of sadness. Even after being a huge fan of detective Alex Cross, I have found the tales of the Women's Murder Club and Lyndsey Boxer just as captivating. I'm sure any Patterson fan will love this book too. Enjoy reading...

A good read.
I enjoyed this book but I did feel that the plot to kill off one of the main characters was a bit weak and throughout the last book I felt that one of them would die eventually. I enjoyed the storyline about the violent relationship and felt that it made you feel a bit closer to the character and made her feel a bit more human. I read the whole book in about 4 hours although it is a book you could easily pick up and put down.
Being a big fan of James Patterson, I felt that it wasn't one of his best but still an enjoyable plot.

A Disappointing Sequel to Two Excellent Books in the Series
For me, crime fiction has to have enough ring of truth that I can imagine the circumstances really happening. Otherwise, the book is simply a fantasy, and my pleasure depends on the symbolism, metaphors and issues explored. 3rd Degree didn't work well for me from either perspective.

If you have read and enjoyed 1st to Die and 2nd Chance, you should read this book because there are important developments for the four women in the Women's Murder Club. Otherwise, if you pick up the fourth book in the series when it comes out, you will find yourself a little lost.

The book opens with a bang when Homicide Detective Lindsay Boxer observes a home explode during her jog. There are more explosive events ahead as the book chronicles Lindsay's efforts (abetted by her women friends) to locate the terrorists behind a series of attacks on those who have gained at the expense of others and have upheld law and order. Because of the magnitude of the events, the whole antiterrorist forces of the United States become involved. Lindsay finds herself being attracted to one of them. At the same time, there's trouble in Jill's marriage.

The problems with the book come from the story's development of the terrorist theme. The terrorists just don't seem like real people. They are like cardboard drawings that haven't even been cut out of the cardboard so that they can stand two-dimensionally on their own. The way they work together and their motivations didn't ring true with me either.

Mr. Patterson and Mr. Gross also didn't seem to develop the four female characters more than the minimum to build the story and draw your interest in reading a fourth book in the series. These four women could have made for wonderful characters if the authors weren't so plot and action obsessed.

After you finish this book, think about whether your time is spent on the right priorities.