The 9th Judgment (Women's Murder Club)

by James Patterson

Other authorsCarolyn McCormick (Reader)

2011

Status

Available

Publication

Little, Brown & Company (2011), Edition: Abridged

Description

A young mother and her infant child are ruthlessly gunned down while returning to their car in the garage of a shopping mall. The same night, the wife of A-list actor Marcus Dowling is woken by a cat burglar and in just seconds there is a nearly empty safe, a lifeless body, and another mystery that throws San Francisco into hysteria. Before the Women's Murder Club can piece together either case, one of the killers forces Detective Lindsay Boxer to put her own life on the line--but is it enough to save the city?

User reviews

LibraryThing member ffowles

Usual gripping story but a bit disjointed and rather unsatisfactory at the ending. Not sure what the point was of drawing parallels between the two main stories. The epilogue was completely unnecessary - what's the point of faking a death effectively? Also, no really satisfactory motivation given

for the killings - what's the point of that. Completely unnecessary nudity on Lindsay's part too. Bit too much sex. Disappointing as a thriller really but I still read it in one sitting.

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LibraryThing member jaypee

Another fast-paced book by James Patterson. The premise makes me uncomfortable, and some of the scenes are so disturbing I had to read fast and not dwell on the descriptions. The ending was kind of unbelievable but sweet. The epilogue... not sure what's the point?

LibraryThing member DanieXJ

If I recall correctly I didn't love 8th Confession. (Really, I haven't liked any of the WMC books since the 3rd book or so). But the 9th book in Paetro... uh, I mean Patterson's series isn't all that too bad actually.

There's a lot going on in it, and for the most part it focuses on Lindsey Boxer

more than the rest of the WMC, which is fine with me. She gets caught up in two cases, as a Detective and literally, though, at least this time her apartment comes out of the novel intact. One of the cases is a serial killer who kills mothers and their children, while the other is the murder of the wife of a movie star.

And then there's Sarah and Heidi's story. Honestly I'm a bit of a cynic when it comes to mass media these days (and Patterson pretty much exemplifies the mass in mass media) so I was totally ready for their story to go almost anywhere, good or bad, except where it went.

All three stories interweave and blend nicely and then there's the end. A cliffhanger. I'm not a great fan of TV style cliffhangers being used in books, but, because I can seemingly never find enough books to read that I want to read these days, I was going to read the 10th book in the WMC series anyway, so, no harm no foul in the cliffhanger for me.

A solid 4 stars and much, much better than the last few WMC series books.

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LibraryThing member C.Ibarra

This is the 9th book in The Women's Murder Club series. I have been a fan since the beginning, and enjoyed catching up with Lindsay and her pals. James Patterson has created a diverse group of female characters, and most readers will relate to at least one of the ladies that make up The Women's

Murder Club. Whether it be Detective Lindsay Boxer, reporter Cindy Thomas, medical examiner Claire Washburn, or district attorney Yuki Castellano.

The crimes that take place in The 9th Judgement are gruesome. This is definitely not a book for the faint of heart. I was actually hesitant to pick this one up because of the violent nature of the crimes. I tend to avoid books with brutality against children. I am so invested in the lives of these characters that I couldn't skip this installment, even though I was concerned the plot might be too heavy for me. I wasn't thrilled with the serial killer story line, but the cat burglar part was interesting. While I wouldn't consider this the best book in the series, it also wasn't the worst.If you've read the previous books you'll most likely enjoy The 9th Judgement, but I don't feel it would be strong enough to hold the interest of a newbie to the series. The ending was a cliffhanger, and left me wanting more.

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LibraryThing member she_climber

The 9th installment of the Women's Murder Club series and more of what I've come to expect with this series. Entertaining, quick read, but nothing earth shattering.

LibraryThing member daisygrl09

Just okay. Patterson should stop worrying about quantity and start thinking about quality.

LibraryThing member blockbuster1994

Something about this Women's Murder Club mystery novel seemed contrived. I really wanted to love it, but ultimately, the writing seemed very commercial and formulamatic, right down to the gratuitous sex scenes, which were too numerous and did nothing to more the story forward.

The central character

was Lindsay Boxer, though, and I did enjoy her presentation.

I am not done with the series yet, although I hope the next installment sizzles instead of being just another business obligation for the author(s).

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LibraryThing member cmeilink

I've been a fan of James Patterson since the very beginning, and, in fact, met this author just prior to the release of the first book in the Women's Murder Club series.

I liked this book better than his last few and really enjoyed the interaction between the characters. It was a quick read--read it

in a day; I can read his books almost as quickly as he puts them out.

Lindsay is the central character in this book, on the trail of a serial killer who is killing young mothers and their children. Woven into this story is the burglar, Hello Kitty, who just happens to burglarize a house where a woman is murdered. Does this play into the serial killer's murder spree, or is this something else? Read the book and find out.

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LibraryThing member scoutlee

Lindsay, Claire, Yuki and Cindy are back for the ninth installment of The Women’s Murder Club series. A serial killer, penned the Lipstick Killer by the police, is terrorizing the streets of San Francisco. Mothers and their children are being targeted and killed in a vicious manner. The killer

only leaves one clue: a message in lipstick “WCF”. Lindsay and her partner, Rich Conklin, are angry that someone is killing mothers and innocent children. They are determined to bring the killer to justice.

Lindsay and Rich are also pulled into the “Hello Kitty” case. A robber, who breaks into homes while the home owners are entertaining, to steal their jewelry. This time, the jewelry thief breaks into the home of actor Marcus Dowling and before the night is over, Casey Dowling, his wife, is shot and killed. Given his celebrity status, Lindsay and Rich have their hands full trying to solve his wife’s murder.

I really enjoyed The 9th Judgment. It started out with a bang—literally—and did not slow down until the final page. The authors did a good job with going back and forth between the two cases. What helped with the transitions were reading the perspectives from both the Lipstick Killer and Hello Kitty. I do have to admit, I wasn’t prepared for knowing the identities of both from the beginning. It added to the suspense when Patterson and Paetro revealed more of their private lives.

All in all, The 9th Judgment is a great addition to The Women’s Murder Club series. Fans will sympathize with the police force as they race to stop the Lipstick Killer from killing innocent mothers and children. True to Lindsay’s style, she risks her life to make sure justice is served. As usual, I’m waiting for the tenth book to be released. I do hope Patterson will soon allow Lindsay and Joe to marry. I want Lindsay to receive her happy ending—she definitely deserves it!

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LibraryThing member Justjenniferreading

This book was provided for review by Hachette Book Group.

Even though I didn't realize it was abridged until after I finished it, I still liked it. I would like to know what was cut out from the original version, but even without it I don't feel as if I was shorted.

The killer in this one is sick,

truly sick. To go around and kill mothers and their children is just wrong. But it made for a great story. I did feel for the burglar though, once I realize why the burglaries were being done I almost felt sorry and wished the burglar had taken different actions to get what was needed. But both of these story lines going on together made the story that much more interesting. Trying to figure out two separate plots really kept me engaged (and I need to find a new adjective... Thesaurus anyone?).

The character I connected the most with was the Hello Kitty burglar. That character was so dynamic. Like I said I almost was sympathetic to what was going on. The other characters were well written, and they all played an integral part in the story, they just didn't draw me in like the burglar did.

I liked the narrator for this one. Her voice was almost soothing to listen to. I don't want to say she used different voices for the characters, as that implies an almost puppet show feeling, but she did a good job a differentiating for the listener who was talking without being able to read who was talking.

This was the first Patterson book that I've read, and I really enjoyed it. I don't know if I'll go back and start the series from the beginning, but I will definitely grab more of his books as they come out.

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LibraryThing member dawnymae

The women's murder club is back! I enjoyed this as it had several cases that were being solved yet the were also entwined with a nice teaser at the end. Can't wait for the 10th installment.

LibraryThing member kissmeimgone

This was by far one of my favorite James Patterson books that I've read. Twisted and full of suspense, I found I was not capable of putting this book down. I recommend this book to James Patterson fans and people who are fans of murder novels in general, for it's a very good read.

LibraryThing member mikedraper

The prologue of the novel reveals a cat burglar who is stealing jewels from Casey Dowling, wife of movie star, Marcus Dowling. As the thief leaves, she knocks over the console table and wakes up the Dowlings. Their marriage was on the rocks and Marcus sees this as an opportunity to murder his wife

and get away with it. He kills Casey and blames it on the thief.

Another case involves a psychopathic killer whose motto is "women and children first." He kills women and thier babies and terrorizes San Francisco. He becomes known as The Lipsitck Killer.

Detective Lindsay Boxer of the homicide division is working with her partner, Rick Conklin, to catch both killers.

As the killer of the women and babies kills again, Det. Boxer intensifies her search but she is hindered by the lack of witnesses.

Spending more time together, Lindsay and her partner find their emotions toward each other growing. They have difficulty concentrating on the cases and not giving in to their feelings about each other.

Lindsay is a well described character with her bravery and determination. The plot did have plenty of action but it was predictable.

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LibraryThing member TomWheaton

I liked this installment of the Women's Murder Club better than the last few. Both storylines kept me turning the pages. As all of Patterson's books are, this one was a quicj read with the short chapters. What is revealed at the very end will keep readers waiting for the publication of number 10 to

find out the fate of Lindsay.

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LibraryThing member luvlylibrarian

I listened to the NLS Talking Book version for our library's book club. Oh, my goodness. I felt so bad for the poor babies and mommies in this novel. I didn't want to finish the novel, but I had to hear for how the bad guy got caught. The book is a definite page turner. I've never read Patterson's

thrillers/mysteries before, so I can't compare it to his other books. The book did generate a lot of discussion, especially about the effects of post-traumatic stress syndrome on soldiers who served in war zones.

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LibraryThing member skinglist

A predictably quick Patterson read. The cliff hanger at the end makes me glad I don't have a long wait before 10t anniversary comes out. The Lindsay/Joe dynamic remains fun and intriguing because it's on the outside of the story rater than the focus, which I like.

LibraryThing member buffalogr

Another great Women's Murder Club story--my 9th. Lindsay Boxer, our heroine, solves another couple of crimes in San Francisco.

LibraryThing member littlewatkins

I am a huge fan of this series, nothing bad can said about this author as far as I am concerned. No need for a review, if you like his books, his style of writting, you will never be let down.

LibraryThing member mvshamrock

The book was an intense murder mystery, but I found it a bit bloody. There were a lot of murders. That being said the frame of mind of the killers was so believable that that's what made it.

LibraryThing member delphimo

This is James Patterson's, the Women's Club, set in San Francisco. I enjoy the main character, Lindsay Boxer, and her circle of friends. I am unsure about Lindsay's love interest, Joe. I think I would rather see Lindsay with her partner, Rich Conklin. In this episode, Lindsay and Rich investigate

the murder of an actor's wife and the psycho serial killer who kills young women and their babies. The count climbs as Lindsay and the FBI attempt to locate the killer. I cannot say enough about Patterson's style of writing with short paragraphs that egg the reader to complete another chapter. Patterson's stories do not delve into the psychology of the killer nor do they involve detailed setting and characters. His books are fun and a little scary.

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LibraryThing member mountie9

Dear James

I can call you James right, after all your books I have read, I feel we are on a first name basis. Now James, you know I love you, but lets talk about your latest novel, The 9th Judgment. For the first time I have had to put down one of your books and decide not to finish it. I know this

is a first for us, so I need you to understand. James, you murdered an infant and sweetie, I just cannot seem to handle that sort of storyline. My youngest child is close in age to the infant you knocked off and that just hits too close to home.

Now I AM going to forgive you for this and not treat you like I did Stephen King after being horrified while reading Pet Cemetery. I actually finished that book, but it took me 20 years to get over my disgust and pick up another one of his books, even though his book The Stand is my favorite. Instead I have decided to treat you with the same respect that I gave Joss Whedon, even though he broke my heart twice. The first time with the sudden death of Buffy's Mom by brain aneurysm (Sorry Joss, but I like Buffy came home to find my mom dead of a brain aneurysm, I CANNOT watch that episode ever again) The second time from the abrupt death of Wash, one of your most beloved characters. Joss, you made me cry, but I came back for more and James I am going to do the same for you now.

Now promise me darling, no more murdering innocent children --or while we are at it no evil murdering toddlers back from the dead either. However I do approve of the killing of psychopaths or politicians -- oh never mind, that is the same thing, so keep up with that.

Thanks for all your previous books, I know many people say you aren't a good writer, but don't listen to them. A good writer to me, is someone who tells a good tale and makes you not want to put a story down, well except for when you murder off innocent children of course.

Thanks
Jen

Rating: DNF

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LibraryThing member writergal85

While reading The 9th Judgment, I kept picturing Angie Harmon as Detective Lindsay Boxer as I watched [and quite liked] the short-lived television show The Women’s Murder Club based on the series of books by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.. Now I wonder why it hasn’t just been made into a

film with Harmon. But I digress.

The 9th Judgment lists a bevy of promises on the back cover—“the most dangerous, the most personal and the most exciting”-- as if Patterson and the Women’s Murder Club fans will not pick up this latest tome. All I thought about after reading The 9th Judgment? That hype reminds me of the ads for every Bachelor episode. Although I believe that the Women’s Murder Club and The Bachelor share the same audience. The 9th Judgment follows a straight-forward and formulaic pattern. Lindsay and her galpals: Medical Examiner Claire, D.A. Suki and reporter Cindy all get involved in an unimaginably violent case—where lives become endangered, love lives intermingle, friendship and smart women rule in the end. I stopped reading anything else by Patterson—the cases too violent and gruesome-- I’m not interested. The Women’s Murder Club books and the tenacious, autonomous character of Detective Lindsay Boxer appeal to me. A light read, The 9th Judgment flies by and doesn’t require much thought.

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LibraryThing member bookczuk

We listened to this during a car trip. It was the first Patterson experience for javaczuk and my first exposure to the Women's Murder Club segment of his writing. (I've read some stand alones, and also the Maximum Ride series.) We tend to read authors such as Mankell, Nesbo, and the late James

Thompson, so this was a decided break from Nordic noir. It was good for the trip, but I'm afraid there were a number of plot inconsistencies (most of which could have been caught by a good proof/consistency edit) and on the whole, we were left feeling a little disappointed. I don't know if this was because it was a co-written book, or that the characters didn't grab us. It just seemed a little thin and a little obvious in some places. I may try Patterson again, but I doubt javaczuk will.

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LibraryThing member yonitdm

Interesting how the story lines intertwined. I enjoyed the chase!

LibraryThing member AnglersRest

The latest instalment of the Lindsay Boxer series. As with all of the books in the series, there is always two or three events carrying on simultaneously, and through the craft writing of these storylines, the conclusion always arrives at a nice neat package which ties the events all together.

Hello

Kitty is a burglar who breaks in and steals the jewellery of well to do members of society whilst the owner is entertaining. Then there is a school teacher who has a close relationship with a fellow teacher, both are married to brutes! and finally there is a murderer who slaughters women and their children in public places. The strands of these three sets of people merges in a rather complex way. Coupled with the relationships with other members of the Women's Murder Club - a lawyer, a reporter and a pathologist Lindsay keeps it all together and brings the storyline to a conclusion. To find out who committed what crime, you'll have to read the book!

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