1st To Die

by James Patterson

2007

Status

Available

Publication

Warner Books (2007), Edition: Reissue

Description

Four women-four friends-share a determination to stop a killer who has been stalking newlyweds in San Francisco. Each one holds a piece of the puzzle: Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspector in the San Francisco Police Department, Claire Washburn is a medical examiner, Jill Bernhardt is an assistant D.A., and Cindy Thomas just started working the crime desk of the San Francisco Chronicle. But the usual procedures aren't bringing them any closer to stopping the killings. So these women form a Women's Murder Club to collaborate outside the box and pursue the case by sidestepping their bosses and giving one another a hand. The four women develop intense bonds as they pursue a killer whose crimes have stunned an entire city. Working together, they track down the most terrifying and unexpected killer they have ever encountered-before a shocking conclusion in which everything they knew turns out to be devastatingly wrong.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member yarmando
Why is this author so popular? The characters are hollow, their personalities completely unbelievable. Their dialogue is cliched. The only way Patterson can sustain a mystery is by deliberately misleading readers, and he uses deus ex machine devices to railroad his plot in certain inorganic
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directions. (An earthquake so the suspect can get away? Please).
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LibraryThing member susandennis
Patterson abandons his usual character - Alex Cross - for four women in this new book and it looks like it's going to be a series. The four women - a homicide detective, prosecutor, medical examiner and reporter - 'club' together to find the killer of brides and bridegrooms. This book is an easy
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read. However, the farther I got into it, the more annoyed I got at its tone and cheap tricks. I rarely post a negative review but this story is simply a collection of cheap shots. And, of course, it will make a monetarily successful movie.
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LibraryThing member stonelaura
Typical Patterson - cliched and predictable, but entertaining if you like that
LibraryThing member gilroy
To be honest, I'm trying to decide whether I want this guy in my collection at all. Based on just this book, he'd have to go.

Some of this may be style but the chapters are exceedingly short, to the point of being snippets, not true scenes. After about twenty of these, the book annoyed me more than
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enticed me. Early chapters had a flipping point of view that also added to the distraction. The most sympathetic characters from the entire book, for me, were the dead ones. I'd probably have preferred the reporter be the primary point of view, instead of the detective. She seemed more fascinating. However, she didn't have the pulse of the investigation without the inspector prompting her.

Early in the book, we were given a few chapters from the killer's point of view. Then these just disappear. Worse, when they come to the actual killer, the answer comes from out of left field, with very little supporting evidence to back it up. Not even the epilogue put everything in the right place.

I realize this is the first book of the series, and a lot of this is establishing the characters, but dang. He's stretching things out without actual investigation happening. The cops are doing more command and talk among themselves than they are pounding the beat finding answers. Some things that should be stretched were written as one sentence, whereas things that should be a couple sentences rated... a full chapter.

The author gave the main character a disease that is, in the end, fatal. By the hints in the prologue, she survives a while, but it's not an intelligent writing item for the primary point of view character. Not really a smart fatal flaw when looking at an extended series. Honestly, not smart writing at all... since it could potentially kill the character

HOW is this guy such a big deal writer?
I have more of his, but he goes to the back of the shelf until I get through some other stuff. And he may prove to be high on the weeding list when time to be rid of things.
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LibraryThing member edwardsgt
The first of a series about woman homicide inspector Lindsay Boxer, who has to solve the mystery of a brutal serial killer of brides & grooms, whilst fighting her own health problems. Well written and easy to read.
LibraryThing member jjbookseller
this whole series is great!the women's murder club can go on forever!
LibraryThing member Ste100
It's... okay, to say the least. Could have been better, but it honestly could have been a lot worse.
LibraryThing member JuliaEllen
Of the James Patterson series, this is one of my favorites, although admittedly graphic. The Women's Murder Club is delightful.
LibraryThing member Heptonj
An excellent plot about the murders of honeymoon couples with interesting back-ground details and interactions of the main characters. Very readable.
LibraryThing member rockdg9
The murders were ok, but this was a little too saccharin as Patterson always tends to be. It drove me a little nuts.
LibraryThing member rrabbit
The women's club was interesting but they lacked logic when it appeared the suspect didn't commit the crime. The group was still adamant about moving forward against him full of hate and anger. When everyone wants the "real" murderer to be put away not just any suspect. Plus too quick to 'Love" and
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to correct her neediness, kill him off. Just not my cup of tea.
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LibraryThing member debavp
I know it will be a good series when the first installment leaves you instantly wanting more :)
LibraryThing member jannastarkey
My favorite of the WMC Series. I found it to be disturbing and interesting. Patterson does a wonderful job of allowing the reader to get into the mind of a psychopath. The characters are likeable and the ending is one you will never see coming. A must read!
LibraryThing member wittlal
very fast read, short chapters,
I liked it and read all the follow up books
LibraryThing member Djupstrom
I love Patterson's Alex Cross series, and I am now a fan of the women's murder club!!
LibraryThing member burningtodd
Great book, a little predicable, about someone killing a bunch of newly weds in San Francisco. Good book but predictable. Great dialogue, and very well done.
LibraryThing member reannon
The first I heard of the Women's Murder Club series was through the short-loved TV series, which i really liked. Then I read the 6th book in the series, which was good. So I decided to go back and read the series in order. Patterson hasn't been my favorite author. I got tired of the Alex Cross
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series. So far, I liked the TV show better than the books, but they are good enough I will read the whole series.

The villian of this piece is a nasty guy, killing couples who have just married. Detective Lindsey Boxer is determined to catch him. She winds up turning for advice to her old friend Claire, the medical examiner, and her new friend, Cindy, a reporter. By the end they also bring in Jill from the D.A.'s office.

Worth reading.
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LibraryThing member AndrewCottingham
Reasonably well written although I did not share in other critics delight about the short chapters, some of which I found unnecessary to the story.
LibraryThing member deweys
First in the "Women's Murder Club" series. The four main characters are introduced and the informal club is formed. Fast paced and holds your interest.
LibraryThing member EmScape
A nice little mystery. Kept me guessing, which is unusual. Not a fan of who happens to be the "first to die" as I really don't think stuff like that should happen, but overall, a good read. (And quick, considering how many pages it contains)
LibraryThing member thorswitch
This is a fun book - good for when you want something kind of lightweight, but smart. My biggest complaint is with a twist thrown in at the very end. I don't want to spoil anything, but if Patterson felt the twist was necessary, there were a number of ways he could have done it better - the way
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it's written, it - IMO - takes something away from one of the characters. All in all, though, I can easily recommend it.
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LibraryThing member NickKnight
This is the first book I read by james Patterson. I loved every word of it. It's fast paced, keeps your interest and is over all a really great mystery. I started reading the Alex Cross books after reading this, But the Womens Murder Club will always be my fav.
LibraryThing member kingsportlibrary
This is the first book in the Women's Murder Club series and stars Linsdsey Boxer, a homicide inspector, and three other professional women in San Francisco who are pitted against a serial killer who is murdering newlyweds on their wedding night. When we first meet the killer early in the story, he
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is thinking, "What is the worst thing anyone has ever done?" In answer, he begins a murderous plot to kill newlyweds that takes him from California to Ohio. The book takes you on a wild ride with twists and turns from beginning to end. Just when Lindsey and the Women's Murder Club thinks they have solved the cases of the murdered newlyweds, along comes another twist! It is a very realistic story of a dedicated, hard working police officer who, in spite of serious personal problems, is focused on solving the gruesome murders. If you enjoy a good mystery with great character development, read First To Die.
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LibraryThing member madamejeanie
In San Francisco, newlyweds are being stalked and slaughtered. Lindsay
Boxer is a homicide inspector in the police department who is among the
first on the scene after the first couple's bodies are discovered. She
enlists the aid of her best friend, Claire Washburn, the city's top medical
examiner,
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in going over some disturbing clues. Before long, they decide to
team up with Cindy Thomas, a crackerjack reporter for /The Chronicle/ and
Jill Bernhardt, a prosecutor from the District Attorney's office to all put
their heads together and pour over the facts and clues and solve the case.

This is the first book in the series so Patterson had to bring his
characters together and make them friends. While the relationship between
Lindsay and Claire is completely believable, the fact that they both
instantly bonded with and embraced Cindy and Jill as best friends, also,
just didn't quite cut it. This is a man trying to write about what is going
on inside women's minds and he simply cannot do it. The storyline was
interesting enough and the mystery itself was pretty good and well played
out. But this is another of those books that have two and three page
chapters, that has the story move forward in small lurches (kind of like
"Law and Order" on TV -- yet another "crime" show that I simply cannot
watch), and that got in my nerves pretty quick. That method of writing
worked very well in The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, but
really fell short in this book.

I'm going to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, though, and read at
least one or two more in this series. Now that he's got the characters
together in their little "girls' night out murder club" we'll see if the
plots of the subsequent books in this series rise above the choppy writing.
In the meantime, this one gets a 2.5 from me.
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LibraryThing member litelady-ajh
Thought I would read this one to see what all the fuss is about (this series has a large circulation in our library) it was OK.

Awards

Colorado Blue Spruce Award (Nominee — 2004)

Original language

English

Original publication date

2001

Physical description

8.43 inches

ISBN

0446610038 / 9780446610032

Barcode

1601025

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