A Disappointing Sequel to Two Excellent Books in the Series, 25 Jul 2004

By	Donald Mitchell "a Practical Optimist" (Boston) - See all my reviews

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.

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