4th of July (Women's Murder Club, #4)

Title: 4th of July (Women's Murder Club, #4)

Author: James Patterson

Published in: 2005

Date read: 26th July 2013

Score: 4/5

Genre: Crime, Thriller, Detective

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"4th of July" by James Patterson (co-authored with Maxine Paetro) takes Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer of the San Francisco Police Department into a deeply personal and career-threatening crisis, while simultaneously drawing her into a new and disturbing murder investigation.

The story begins with a dramatic incident where Lindsay, during a high-speed car chase, is forced to use her weapon in self-defence. This action, while justified, leads to devastating consequences and results in a sensational civil lawsuit against her for wrongful death and excessive force. The case becomes a media circus, threatening to ruin her career and her reputation.

Under immense pressure and facing a pivotal trial, Lindsay is placed on administrative leave. To escape the relentless scrutiny and the media frenzy, she retreats to a seemingly peaceful coastal town called Half Moon Bay, staying at her sister's house. However, her attempt to find quiet solace is short-lived.

Soon after her arrival, a series of gruesome murders begins to plague Half Moon Bay. The crimes are baffling, with no clear witnesses or discernible pattern. Yet, Lindsay quickly recognises unsettling similarities to a cold case from her early days as a rookie, a case that has haunted her for years. Despite being off-duty and without official jurisdiction, her detective instincts kick in, and she begins to informally investigate the killings.

The narrative cleverly weaves between Lindsay's high-stakes court trial, where her future hangs in the balance, and her clandestine investigation into the Half Moon Bay murders. She relies on her friends from the Women's Murder Club – medical examiner Claire Washburn, reporter Cindy Thomas, and the newly introduced assistant district attorney Yuki Castellano (who steps into a more prominent role in this book) – for support, insights, and to help her navigate both the legal battle and the chilling new hunt for a killer who seems determined to keep their secrets buried, even if it means killing again.

Comments:
I was worried that this one was going to be 100% about the court case and media, however, the chance to see he in action in Half Moon Bay (which I remember from a flight simulator as a child).

Books that we've read by James Patterson (32):
Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross, #1) (1993), Kiss the Girls (Alex Cross, #2) (1995), Jack & Jill (Alex Cross, #3) (1996), Cat & Mouse (Alex Cross, #4) (1997), Pop Goes the Weasel (Alex Cross, #5) (1999), Roses Are Red (Alex Cross, #6) (2000), 1st to Die (Women's Murder Club, #1) (2001), Violets Are Blue (Alex Cross, #7) (2001), 2nd Chance (Women's Murder Club, #2) (2002), Four Blind Mice (Alex Cross, #8) (2002), The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross, #9) (2003), The Jester (2003), 3rd Degree (Women's Murder Club, #3) (2004), London Bridges (Alex Cross, #10) (2004), 4th of July (Women's Murder Club, #4) (2005), Mary, Mary (Alex Cross, #11) (2005), 5th Horseman (Women's Murder Club, #5) (2006), Cross (Alex Cross, #12) (2006), The 6th Target (Women's Murder Club, #6) (2007), Double Cross (Alex Cross, #13) (2007), 7th Heaven (Women's Murder Club, #7) (2008), Cross Country (Alex Cross, #14) (2008), 8th Confession (Women's Murder Club, #8) (2009), Alex Cross's Trial (Alex Cross, #15) (2009), I, Alex Cross (Alex Cross, #16) (2009), The 9th Judgment (Women's Murder Club, #9) (2010), Cross Fire (Alex Cross, #17) (2010), 10th Anniversary (Women's Murder Club, #10) (2011), Kill Alex Cross (Alex Cross, #18) (2011), 11th Hour (Women's Murder Club, #11) (2012), Merry Christmas, Alex Cross (Alex Cross, #19) (2012), Alex Cross, Run (Alex Cross, #20) (2013)