11th Hour (Women's Murder Club)

This book is written differently than the other Women's Murder Club. I do not believe James Patterson wrote a line of this book. It is horrible. The characters have the correct names but not their "voice". The wording is extremely simple. The two story lines are chopped up and not smooth.
If I was James Patterson I would be embarrassed to put my name on this book. I know he has been co-writing most of his books lately but this is ridiculous.

I consider good stories to be those that are insightful, engaging and entertaining while rife with lessons. 11th Hour fulfills that. It turned out to be a well-deserved wait. The characters are very real too in a way that most people can relate to them. The pointed narratives and dialogues served their purposes. I enjoyed 11th Hour and Triple Agent Double Cross and will read them again. I like good stories that leave me feeling like I missed something in the story.

I have really enjoyed the previous Women's Murder club books and I was looking forward to reading this one. I was disappointed with every aspect of this story. It lacked intrigue, excitement and edgy moments: it seemed to have been written just to make number 11. I finished it quickly, hoping it would get better... it did not.

Not sure how many times I'm going to get excited for a new James Patterson book only to be disappointed. I said it before but am serious this time...I'm done reading James Patterson. Not sure why, other than greed, he's decided to stop writing his own books. Since then, he's gone down hill. This book actually started off great but then lost steam and he just couldn't pull it back together. There are too many other authors that I can read. I'm done with Patterson's books.

I've been a die hard fan of James Patterson since I read his 1st book years ago. I own most of them and have read them all. His latest books, including "11th Hour",have disappointed me a great deal. I've found myself struggling to get to the end because they've been so predictable. The members of "The Women's Murder Club" should consider renaming their club "The Little Girls Cry Baby Club" instead. The strong, personable and independent women of the past have almost disappeared. They don't seem to be able to handle having professional jobs and personal lives concurrently. One of them has to suffer the price. This doesn't give women much hope of achieving much balance in life if they want both. Patterson seems to be losing interest in the stories as quickly as we are.

I agree with the writer that said this book seems to have been written just so there would be an 11th, it was disappointing. I am an avid James Patterson fan and the women's murder club books have been terrific, except NOT this one I'm afraid. It didn't have the flow that the stories usually do, it was awkward and stumbled around at times. I feel like I wasted my money, an entirely new feeling where Mr. Patterson's work is concerned. I gave 2 stars only because I have a soft spot for this series.

I'm trying to be used to these Women's Murder Club books ending at around 82%, but it's still annoying. Has anyone else wondered why 2 really important parts of these crimes were not mentioned at conclusion? WHO dug up those skulls, and WHY? And, WHY wasn't the confession from our killer/cop person ever given to the police and read? I'm taking a break from the WMC books for a while.

Another great book in a thrilling series. It never fails to keep my interest. I woke up early every weekend to read more before the kids got out of bed. I am already looking forward to the next book. I cannot wait to see what happens next to the brilliant characters in the women's murder club. If you like an easy read and a thrilling series, check out the women's murderer club!

The Women's Murder Club is back for its 11th adventure, in a novel cleverly named 11TH HOUR. I have to give Patterson and random coauthor credit for creating a series that I keep coming back to. I admit that I enjoy the writing style and the familiarity of the characters. However, the quality of these books can solely be judged on the plot. The 9th in the series had a great plot with a serial killer. The tenth tried to have three separate mysteries, and all three bombed. This book sticks with two stories and some of it is good, some bad.

The novel opens with Chaz Smith being gunned down in the bathroom stall at the school of his kid's music recital. Chaz Smith was a big time drug dealer. All evidence points to the killer being a cop since the murder weapon was taken from the police evidence locker. The killer calls himself "Revenge." Also, seven severed heads are dug up in the backyard of the Ellsworth compound, a historical home owned by the famous Harry Chandler. Chandler was tried but not convicted of murdering his wife ten years ago.

Lindsay Boxer, now married and pregnant, gets both cases. Cindy is trying to get the scoop about the heads at the mansion, and Claire is trying to identify the bodies. Yuki doesn't do much in this one. I always hate it when these novels have a bunch of plots going. It reads like a television series. This book seemed more like a novel, but in the end, it really was two unrelated plots that.

What I liked: I like the characters and the description of the police and their harried lifestyle seems spot on. Like I mentioned earlier, the characters are familiar and there is comfort in reading about old friends.

I liked this book until the very end. When I looked back on it, I realized it just didn't have much going for it. The two mysteries were thin, and the character conflict was contrived.

What I didn't like: I could cut and paste my complaints from several earlier reviews from this series. I don't like the two separate mysteries. Neither get the attention they deserve. I don't like the manufactured conflict between Lindsay and Joe. Patterson teases like it might have some bearing on the plot, but it really doesn't.

Like many of James Patterson's books, this one was just okay. The reader is kept guessing as to whodunit, and may actually be in for a surprise. There are lots of twists and turns, but the whole plot is pretty unbelievable. That's okay, because it is a work of fiction. The Women's Murder Club scenarios were pretty much soap opera material. Cindy the newspaper reporter, Yuki the assistant district attorney, Claire the medical examiner and, of course, Lindsay the homicide Sargent have a few of their "friends sharing all their personal trials and tributes" meetings. There isn't much of a surprise element here.

I did not find this book to be a lock the doors, keep on the lights kind of thriller. It was not difficult to continue reading just one more chapter because, like all of this author's books, the chapters are unbelievably short. Dismembered human skulls/heads, a serial killer, a stolen murder weapon from the police property room, a dirty cop and lots of twists and turns make for some mild suspense and mystery as to whodunit. The suspicions as to who the killer was and the plans to catch him provided a bit of intrigue; however, it seemed like the author just "waggled tailed" along hoping to come up with an idea that would move the story along. It was interesting and easy to read; however, I would not call it a top of the line police procedural/thriller book. I like this author, but I think his Women's Murder Club series could use a new coat of paint.