The 6th Target (Women's Murder Club, #6)

Title: The 6th Target (Women's Murder Club, #6)

Author: James Patterson

Published in: 2007

Date read: 24th August 2013

Score: 4/5

Genre: Crime, Thriller, Detective

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The 6th Target" by James Patterson (co-authored with Maxine Paetro) hurls Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer and the Women's Murder Club into an unprecedented and terrifying crisis that directly impacts one of their own, while a new, devastating crime spree grips San Francisco.

The story opens with the shocking abduction of a popular and beloved television news anchor's daughter from her school. What initially appears to be a kidnapping for ransom quickly escalates into something far more sinister when the kidnappers make a public, chilling demand: they want one hundred children for one hundred million dollars, and they give a specific deadline for their demands to be met. If their terms are not fulfilled, they threaten to kill the children.

As the city descends into panic, Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer is assigned to the high-stakes case. The kidnappers are incredibly sophisticated, leaving few clues, and the pressure mounts with each passing hour. However, the case takes an even more horrifying and personal turn for Lindsay when it's revealed that one of the abducted children is the niece of Claire Washburn, the medical examiner and a core member of the Women's Murder Club.

With Claire's niece's life on the line, the Women's Murder Club pulls together with unparalleled urgency:
• Claire Washburn, despite her personal anguish, uses her forensic expertise to analyse any potential evidence left behind by the kidnappers, even as she battles her own fear and desperation.
• Reporter Cindy Thomas leverages her media connections to gather information and help disseminate crucial details to the public, while navigating the ethical dilemmas of reporting on a case where children's lives are at stake.
• Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano works tirelessly to navigate the legal complexities of the situation, while simultaneously dealing with the public and political pressure for a swift resolution.

The club races against time, not only to locate the missing children and their cunning captors but also to figure out the true motive behind this audacious and unprecedented crime. They must work together, pushing their skills and their emotional limits, in a desperate attempt to save the innocent lives caught in the hands of a truly ruthless enemy. The book is a high-stakes thriller that deeply explores the bonds of friendship and the lengths to which individuals will go to protect those they love.

Comments:
Another excellent instalment. I wonder if JP will ever run out of ideas for stories. This one had the ability to be "OK" until Claire's family were involved. The tension certainly mounted up then.

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)