Customer Reviews

2nd Chance (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (Women's Murder Club (Prebound))

5 star:		(90)
4 star:		(72)
3 star:		(56)
2 star:		(41)
1 star:		(33)

 

 

I had to give this book four stars, but only because it follows the EXACT same formula as the first book. The plot is still very exciting and the story grabs you. I made the mistake of reading one right after the other and it became too predictable to how the story was going to end. I would highly recommend this book, but not right after you've read the first one.

In this novel you follow the Women's Murder Club again, but this time it is a serial sniper that is taking people out. There is a "women's" story intertwined, though not love this time, but there's a pregnancy and Lindsay is reunited with her dad. Patterson does a good job casting suspicion on certain characters to sidetrack you. The end will surprise the reader, but only as to who the killer actually is. You think you've caught him, but have you really? Same formula as the first one...

If you're looking for great fiction, don't read James
Patterson. If you're looking for a fast-paced, fast-read
mystery, then you might want to pick up this book. "First
to Die" was the first in the Women's Murder Club mysteries.
Loved it! This one didn't disappoint me. The premise of
a homicide detective, D.A., coroner, and news writer combining their talents and intellect to solve a mystery is quite innovative. "2nd Chance" begins with a murder that might be
viewed as a hate crime. However, with the help of her best
friend the coroner, Lindsey the detective sees another pattern forming. Another killing that leads in a totally different direction. Then, just when you think you know the
outcome...yikes! there are still 70 pages to go. Lindsey's dad returns after a 20 year hiatus. Sympathize or suspect
While I love those books that I can savor over a week's time,
I also love those I can't put down until I finish it the same
day. Patterson is a same day read...

Lately, I've been doubting James Patterson's ability to turn out a decent read. "When the Wind Blows" didn't work for me. "Cradle and All" just seemed silly. "1st to Die" was a great thriller, and it is followed by another great thriller, "2nd Chance."

The Women's Murder Club is back in business when a killer strikes San Francisco, commiting hate crimes. Lindsay Boxer, the newly appointed Lieutenant, joins her pals Cindy, Claire, and Jill to solve the mystery.

The plot of "2nd Chance" moves along rather quickly, rarely stopping for a breather. When Lindsay isn't dealing with the stresses of her job, her personal life is there to stress over. Her father returns to get a second chance at being a good dad, she finds out one of her friends is pregnant, and she still is trying to cope with the fact that Chris Raleigh is dead.

"2nd Chance" is one of Patterson's better books. It moves the plot forward with every page, but doesn't feel rushed. It reassured me that the Patterson that wrote amazing thrillers wasn't dead... he was just sleeping. Here's to hoping he continues this series with another strong installment.

I was beginning to worry about James Patterson. After a few great books early on in the Alex Cross series, the quality of his work had started to drop off significantly. It looks now, however, that he has turned his efforts to writing about the Women's Murder Club. Is he getting tired of writing Alex Cross? Tough to tell. One thing is certain - 2nd Chance is a fine read.

The plot of the novel is similar to that of 1st to Die. Of course, there is a different killer, different murders, and different methods, but the basis of the book remains the same - 4 women - a cop, an assistant D.A., a medical examiner, and a reproter - get together to solve a series of killings that seemingly no one else can. The differing professions of the women allow Patterson to bring detail to the reader that would otherwise be tough to introduce. For example, Claire, the M.E., discovers that one of the victims has tattooed skin under her nails. Each character brings their own talents and insights to the investigation.

Another glaring difference frequent Patterson readers will notice about 2nd Chance is that the author is much more attentive to character development in this series than he has been with the Alex Cross series. Each character has personality strengeths and flaws and Patterson illustraits them in detail. One deals with a pregnancy while Cindy becomes involved with a minister. By allowing the reader to feel personally connected with his characters, Patterson only makes the story that much more exciting.

Highly recommended to anyone who liked 1st to Die or books from the Alex Cross series.

The "Women's Murder Club" is back from Patterson's (solo) "1st to Die" -- three professional women friends of our leading lady, San Francisco Homicide Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer. Except for no sex, this book is a cross between "Sex and the City" and John Sandford's "... Prey" series about detectives against serial killers. But unlike the TV show, neither Patterson nor co-author Andrew Gross seem to have a clue about how women think, act, or interact with each other. While some might view Lindsay's rash actions in chasing the killer "to the death" as heroic, she violated every standard police procedure several times: proceeding without backup, failing to call in her location, not waiting for the SWAT team, etc. That action seens unrealistic as does Lindsay just dodging serious injury on each of those instances. The other three of "my girls" do exhibit really girlish behavior and dialogue, hardly what you would expect of any post-adolescent let alone these supposedly high-achieving experts in their respective posts of District Attorney, Reporter, and Medical Examiner.

On the other hand, the identification and capture of the "Chimera", who seems to be targeting police or their relatives with a variety of deadly sharp shooting (although conveniently not as "sharp" when it comes to our protagonists!) kept me guessing til quite near the end. Even if one suspects a rat early, it's still a well-crafted story, Patterson's strength. Lindsay's father, gone since childhood, shows up for some interesting sub-plot material along the way...

If you like short chapters, this book's for you, as a span of two to three pages is the most we can muster. Are our authors maybe angling for a screenplay and book all wrapped up in one? - probably you know Patterson has had a fair degree of luck selling his titles to the big screen people...

Maybe what Patterson needs for "3rd Time's a Charm" or whatever he decides to call it is a FEMALE co-author. We like the foursome in these stories, but we need a lot more credible womanhood than this on display to do themselves justice.

While I have found Mr. Patterson's books to be extremely well written in the past, the 2nd Chance and Beach House have been poor by comparison.

The plot here was so outrageous as to be not within the ranges of belief. Details were poorly connected. Substance was thin - sometimes transparent - sometimes just not connected.

Whether his use of co-authors is the reason, as was also true with Beach House, (a different co-author),which also fell short, causes speculation about who is doing the writing.

Very disappointing. Have probably bought my last Patterson book.

As a big fan (or former big fan, actually) or Patterson's Alex Cross thrillers, I was more than disappointed with the last few - his most recent, "Violets Are Blue," was just plain ludicrous, a good idea for a novel executed badly. I enjoyed "1st to Die" last year, Patterson's first novel in the Women's Murder Club series, and just today finished "2nd Chance" --

About time, Mr. Patterson, to get the formula right again! Lindsay Boxer, newly promoted to Lieutenant of the Homicide Division in San Francisco thanks to her work with the Bride and Groom killer ("1st to Die"), is confronted with the case of a seemingly-random shooting of a little African-American girl outside of a church. Someone with a rifle has opened fire on the young church choir, and with all the shots fired it seems a miracle there was only one fatality. That is, until Lindsay's good friend and fellow Murder Club member Claire Washburn, the city's M.E., informs her that two bullets - one nearly on top of the other - ended the young girl's life; and that the marksmanship of the shots was such that she feels the girl was the target all along . . .

So begins what seems to be a series of racially-motivated murders terrorizing San Francisco. Digging deeper, Lindsay discovers a second, disturbing connection the victims had to each other, other than race - each was related to (or was themselves) a city cop. Is there a serial cop killer loose? Why are all the victims black?

Further complications arise when Lindsay's father comes back into the picture - and her life - after an absence of over 20 years. And as the body count gets higher, the shootings closer to home, Lindsay realizes she must get to the solution FAST - even when her own father seems to suddenly be connected to the case . . .

This book has all the action and gunfire and suspense typical of a James Patterson novel, but in all honesty this is the first book I've read of his in awhile where I really cared about the characters. Lindsay, Claire, Cindy and Jill are all developed a bit more in this book, especially Lindsay's personal life, and you get a better feel for their personalities and care a bit more about what happens to them. The identity of Chimera, the serial killer, is not entirely surprising but a nice twist since Patterson drops a few red herrings along the way to make you think it might be someone else. With Patterson you can expect three or four or even five twists in the plot before you get to the last page, there were only a couple here but the last 40-50 pages made me late for work, and that's always a good sign when reading a thriller. I am wary of the release of "Four Blind Mice" as it is an Alex Cross novel, but please Mr. Patterson, let's hear more from the Women's Murder Club soon!

so will this intense thriller attract the avid mystery reader. Patterson's style of first person narrative and short chapters is so compelling that it is hard to lay the book down.
This is his second in a series about the Women's Murder Club-a group of four friends; a reporter, an Assistant D.A, a medical xaminer and Lindsay Boxer, who have banded together to not only be there for each other but to share their expertise, especially when solving murders.
Lindsay Boxer, a Homicide Lieutenant is confronted with some difficult cases. This one starting with the schoolyard shooting of a young black girl, seemingly singled out of all the other children present. Murder both precedes and follows this terrible crime and soon it is apparent that a serial killer is at large - one connected to a group who sport an unusually grotesque tattoo, and equally grotesque beliefs.
To add to the mystery, it seems that anyone connected with Lindsay is a target, including the police.
The suspense builds and the journey to unravel the twisted mind of the muderer is cleverly and expertly done. Patterson handles the female sleuths without getting carried away. They show both
their strength and weaknesses which makes them so very true to life and does not compromise his characters in any way.
You won't want to miss this second in the series...and,it is nice to know that yet another is in the works along with a new Alex Cross.
A great read and one that keeps you thinking long after you are finished. You will be intrigued by the many twists in the plot and if you are not already a fan of Patterson, you will be. Enjoy!!!

James Patterson writes a great thriller. However...he hit a dry spell with VIOLETS ARE BLUE as a result of his seemingly incredible faux pas at the end of ROSES ARE RED (i.e. he TOLD us the identity of the Mastermind thus rendering one-half of the "BLUE" storyline impotent). Nevertheless, in 2ND CHANCE, the Women's Murder Club theme is solid and has panache.

Our new hero, Lindsay Boxer, had her life ripped apart in the first rendition of Patterson's Women's Murder Club, 1ST TO DIE, simply an outstanding thriller if you've not read it. 2ND CHANCE opens with Lindsay, now a Lieutenant, on sabbatical attempting to heal the wounds inflicted upon her, mentally and physically, in 1ST. Although unsure of the timing of her return, it becomes etched in stone when a young girl is gunned downed in front of a church by a sadistic sniper.

During her investigation, it quickly becomes apparent that this attack wasn't random rather, the young girl was a specific target. Further investigation leads Lindsay to a symbol, ultimately determined to be a Chimera. Just as quickly as the clues begin to dry up, an apparent suicide in Oakland is suddenly thrust into homicide status when Lindsay finds a chalk drawing of a Chimera at the scene. Lindsay now has her hands full with another serial. However, Lindsay has another problem; with the two murders linked, the murderer appears to be sending a racially-motivated message as both victims were black.

The plot thickens with another sniper-like murder, this time the victim is a cop. However, the killer doesn't stop there. In bold fashion, he steps up and delivers an incredible blow to Lindsay and the City with the very public murder of a highly visible individual (I'll leave it to the unsuspecting reader to find out!). With the politicos calling the spree racial, the heat has been turned up to high. Although Lindsay is now incensed, her investigation appears to be sending the message that the murderer isn't targeting race. Just where is this sadistic sniper leading her?

As introduced in 1ST, Lindsay calls upon her "investigative team," the members of the Women's Murder Club. Each member brings varied and pertinent skills and experience to the table. Claire is the medical examiner, Cindy, a newspaper reporter and Jill, the assistant D.A. As in 1ST, the Club is able, through its incredible spectrum of informational sources, to break down the mystique behind the Chimera and trace its roots...the prison system.

2ND CHANCE is Patterson's unheralded return to the thriller. While he appeared to be slumping in his last few Alex Cross renditions, 2ND CHANCE has the making of a solid performer. As always and almost in Patterson trademark form, 2ND CHANCE is a fast-paced read (a/k/a Patterson's "short" chapters) which makes the book tough to put down. The storyline remains relatively fresh throughout albeit corny in spots.

One off-tangent (which ultimately becomes ON-tangent) line is Lindsay's reunion with her estranged father, Marty. Marty left his family when Lindsay was a teenager and now, he's come back to make amends with his daughter. Marty becomes a beneficial character; as such, its important to know that he was formerly a cop.

Although 2ND CHANCE didn't "thrill" me the way 1ST TO DIE did, it is a fun, intriguing read. The members of the Women's Murder Club are intelligent and grounded...and fun. My hope is that Patterson continues to search for storylines which run the edge of the envelope.

2ND CHANCE won't disappoint.

I have been troubled about this book ever since I read it. I couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong...until I read the May 14, 2002 Wall Street Journal. The book itself is an enjoyable piece of fluff, quite unlike the dark steamy thrillers of Michael Connelly, a true master.

My discomfort about Patterson and his "co-author" Andrew Gross seems to have been well-founded. As Gross told the WSJ, "I don't want to go into what I do, but we both add value." Added value is not a literary term; it is the language of business, of marketing, of advertising. And it should sound like it, since it turns out Patterson is the former CEO of J. Walter Thompson USA, one of the largest ad agencies in the world.

This book, and by implication the inchoate series of which it is a part, exist to sell more books on the West Coast, according to the Journal. Other audience grabbers that do not add at lot of value to the plot is the continuation of "The Women's Murder Club." This sounds like some Nancy Drew type grown ups playing detective, not the improbable convergence of female cop, prosecutor, reporter and coroner.

None if this seems to trouble Patterson, who expressly likens his books to cereal brands. As he told the Journal, "The key to a brand is trust...The trust is that I will deliver a very commercial book that you won't find disappointing."

Well Jim, Andrew, whoever, I am disappointed. And I feel a bit used.