2nd Chance

Starred review from February 18, 2002
It's been a long time since we've seen a bestselling author of Patterson's clout credit an assistant author on the cover, and good for Patterson for that. The credit is deserved. This is Patterson's richest, most engaging novel since When the Wind Blows
and, as the second in his Women's Murder Club series (after 1st to Die), yet more evidence that this prolific writer can roam beyond Alex Cross with style and success. Like all Pattersons, the narration mixes first and third person—the first here is voiced, as before, by San Francisco homicide detective Lindsay Boxer, while the third-person sections cover the doings of the other three members of Boxer's informal club, a reporter, a pathologist and a prosecutor, as well as the villain's shenanigans. The basic story line is vintage Patterson, i.e., a serial killer (here, one known as Chimera) goes on a calculated rampage until stopped by the good guys—or in this case, gals. As the victims—a young girl shot dead, an elderly black woman hanged, two cops—pile up, it becomes clear to Boxer and others that they're up against a racist who hates black cops; is the killer a cop himself? The story ripples with twists and some remarkably strong scenes, particularly Boxer's in-prison interview with a crazed con. But what makes this Patterson stand out above all is the textured storytelling arising from its focus on Boxer's personal issues. In the first novel, Patterson personalized Boxer by dealing with her rare blood disease; here, it's the emotionally powerful introduction of Boxer's long-lost father into her life that galvanizes the plot, particularly as Patterson ties the man into Chimera's rampage. Prime Patterson; first-rate entertainment. (On sale Mar. 4)Forecast:Patterson's name, major ad/promo and a 10-city author tour add up to #1; simultaneous Time Warner Audio and large-print edition.

November 15, 2001
This is the second outing of the Women's Murder Club, which debuted in 1st To Die. This time 'round, the women confront the unthinkable: the killer they are tracking may be an ex-cop.

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2002
Patterson, who published no less than three novels last year, returns with his first entry for 2002. It is the second installment in his new series, the Women's Murder Club, which focuses on four females--a police detective, a medical examiner, an assistant DA, and a reporter--who team up to solve grizzly murder cases. Lindsay Boxer, newly made lieutenant, is called to the scene of a shooting that leaves a 12-year-old African American girl dead. When her friend, reporter Cindy Thomas, connects the killing to another murder that appears racially motivated, Lindsay is convinced that the department has a hate crime on its hands. But the subsequent murder of two police officers reveals that the truth about the killer is much more complex than they first realized. Following the only lead they have--a symbol depicting a creature with two lion heads--takes them back to a decades-old crime that has a surprising connection to Lindsay. While she deals with this case and tries to recover from the death of her lover, Lindsay is also contending with the reappearance of her father, who abandoned the family when Lindsay was a child. As with Patterson's best novels, the surprises keep coming until the final pages. This novel solidifies the new series and helps guarantee that readers will flock just as eagerly to the Women's Murder Club books as they do to the Alex Cross novels.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)

May 6, 2002
Patterson (1st to Die) aptly commences the audio version of his latest with a foreword warning listeners they may have to "pull over to the side of the road" when the story gets exciting. His frenetically paced second installment to the Women's Murder Club series finds gutsy San Francisco detective Lindsay Boxer on the trail of a "cold-blooded marksman" who's just killed an 11-year-old choir girl. Lindsay suspects a serial killer targeting blacks after a close friend and crime reporter, Cindy Thomas, informs her that an African-American woman has recently been lynched. The only links between the victims seem to be family members in the police department and a symbol of a two-headed creature present at both crime scenes. With the sometimes unduly forceful projection of a stage actress, Leo lends a conviction and distinct voice to the author's lead female characters. There are some painfully silly sound effects, e.g., just as the case is blown open (punctuated with an explosion sound), and Lindsay has tracked down a lead (accompanied by eerie music), her long-lost father—an ex-cop—resurfaces (serenaded by a haunting sax and sentimental piano melody). But Piven's brief but brilliant readings as the killer and the author's cache of unexpected plot twists make this one fans will enjoy. Simultaneous release with the Warner hardcover (Forecasts, Feb. 18).