Rating: 
Summary: A page-turner...but not in a good way.
Review: James Patterson's second installment of his Women's Murder Club series is a fast pased but ultimately unsatisfying read. The central mystery is an intriguing one--a killer is targeting police officers and those connected to police officers who are connected to a mysterious series of events that took place years ago. It's an idea that has merit and has been done better in other mystery stories--most notably anything by Elizabeth George. The mystery has twists and turns, most of them fairly laughable and rather redundant. The Women's Murder Club seems to have everything that could possibly go wrong happen to them--apparently Patterson has decided that at least one of them must suffer a major medical ailment per novel. There are numerous red herrings that come and characters drop broad hints to past events, right before being killed or forced to leave the narrative. This lead to me feeling frustrated with the novel, but no as much so as when I got to the end. Patterson pushes a red herring for several pages only to pull a culprit out of left field to finish the book on a rather unsatisfying note. I've read both of the books in this series and have been, quite frankly, underwhelmed. The mysteries are paper-thin at best, the suspense not really that mind-shattering and the charactes are, at times, one-dimesional. If you are looking for a good and largely forgettable read, try this one. If you want a real mystery with depth that keeps you guessing to the end, find anything by Elizabeth George.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Plot
Review: I truly enjoyed 2nd Chance. I found the characters to be endearing and compassionate. I look forward to whatever follows this but I am still a die hard Alex Cross fan and I am waiting anxiously for the next book in that series.
Rating: 
Summary: If You're A Feminist, You'll Love It
Review: I have just finished "1st to Die" and "2nd Chance." These are also the first books I have read by James Paterson. Several people had highly recommended Paterson so I decided to get him a try. Both books have a great story line and I did enjoy the way Paterson developes his characters. I may try another Paterson book sometime in the future, but it will not any more in this series. If you are a feminist or enjoy reading about men getting slammed, you will love these books. I have to wonder what Paterson's thinking is for these books, is he reaching for the female reading population or maybe he hated his father. I had thought maybe it was just me as I read the first book. Since I already had the second book, I read it immediately after the first. It was the same thing. No more for me. I have off to look for one of regular authors. You can have James Paterson.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: Yet another great read from Mr Patterson. I can hardly wait for #3 in this series !
Rating:
Summary: Ho hum...
Review: Patterson's inagural novel in this series, "1st to Die", was pretty credible. I'm amazed at how he goes to the top of the charts and then hangs around for awhile (just like Grisham) no matter what the quality of the book itself. I kept reading because of plotline, but felt the characterization weak. The Chimera plot is pretty intriguing, and not as muddled as Patterson can sometimes be when he has two or three trains of thought going. I didn't enjoy the unveiling of Lindsay's father, and wouldn't have finished the book that way, but then, having a life-threatening tragedy threaten every one of the other 3 Murder Club members, was even worse. I think I didn't enjoy this book because I'm just not charged up about Lindsay Boxer, herself...no Sharon McCone, Kat Kijewski or Kathy Mallory, Lindsay just doesn't draw the reader in, doesn't make you want to understand her quirks and passions. Dialogue is less than stellar in this effort, and the attempt to bring the FBI in, with Lindsay showing them up, was tepid at best. Difficult to know who to blame, Patterson or Gross; but I'm guessing Patterson is too enamored over the success of these "duet" books he's writing to insure he maintains what made him "buyable". I probably won't return to this series, but am still hanging in with Alex Cross! Wait for the paperback. In fact, I'll probably be selling my 1st & 2nd to Die books on this site very soon, and I never get rid of a book for at least 3 years!
Rating: 
Summary: Almost There but...
Review: Though exciting with a good twist at the end, this book just does not rise to the level that "1st To Die" created. Perhaps more realistic but I was anxious to finish only because I wanted to just find out what happened and move on to my next book. I hope more in this series come out but try "1st to Die" and skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but could have been a lot better
Review: Can't never turn down a Patterson.
However, dissapointed? Perhaps, more at the twists and turns of the story since it is so predictable and extremely dramatic. Instead of reading the typical mystery thriller that Patterson usually writes, I'm surprised to find myself reading a plot that seems to be better categorized under "soap opera drama". As soon as "chimera"'s possible suspect was presented, it was almost too easy to predict who the real "chimera" was.
Can't wait to see what's in line for the next "murder club". Hoping that it would actually be a thriller instead of a "daytime soap opera" like plot.
Am also wondering who the heck is Andrew Gross?
Rating:
Summary: I wanted more
Review: '2nd Chance'was not what I'd hoped. I thought I knew 'whodunnit' by page 134 (hardcover), and I was wrong...kind of. Who I thought had done it was only PARTIALLY involved. Back in the day of "Along Came a Spider" or "Kiss the Girls" I would have had no clue about who was involved at all. I sloughed through '2nd Chance' to see if I was right (and dammit, I was.) Character development? I saw none here. I found a father Lindsay Boxer never knew, but I never got to know him or know Lindsay any better. I learned that Jill was pregnant, and that she was before, but I didn't see her any better and I have no idea what she looks like. Is the reporter's name Cindy? I think it might be. I know that she likes the guy she's dating, and he might be black, but I don't know for sure, because Mr. Patterson never told me. So Cindy (who might be blonde) is dating a preacher (who may or may not be black.) Claire (who is very good as a medical examiner, which means she conducts autopsies) is Lindsay's best friend. Claire is happily married, is probably black, and loves her husband, whose name escapes me, because he was never fleshed out as a character yet played an important role, I THINK. This book disappointed me tremendously. I'm mad at myself for reading it, and mad at James Patterson for writing this pulp [junk].
Rating:
Summary: About the same as 1st to Die ... so so
Review: With this second Womens Murder Club novel we at least start off knowing who most of the characters are: a cop, a coroner, a DA and a reporter. All are women. The characters still lack substantive development and the book lacks something by not having at least one strong male character to balance out the four conspiring women. The storyline is still a good one and there are a number of plot twists to keep you guessing. I'll read another Womans Murder Club mystery but I'll certainly not be buying a hard back.
Rating:
Summary: Bring On Nimber Three!
Review: A series of racially-charged murders puts San Fransisco on a powder keg. Who is doing it and why? Enter Lt. Lindsay Boxer, a crack homicide detective, and her Women's Murder Club, a collection of brilliant friends who are determined to crack the case. Although the second in a series by a series-oriented author, "2nd Chance" is fresh. The reader must contemplate a number of clues with no clear idea as to were the story is going. James Patterson slowly peels a delicious onion of intrigue. He also strikes a good balance, bringing out each of the Murder Club characters. However, the story belongs to the recently promoted Lt. Boxer, who combines brains, passion, vulnerability and a relentless determination when tracking the killer. "Second Chance" was a pleasant surprise. I look forward to number three!
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