PREFACE

This review of “8th Confession” by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro is submitted by “Syed Zamin Ali Shah” who is the student of MBA (Eve.) in Iqra University, Karachi, Pakistan. He is registered in this institute under the ID “8914”. This book review is submitted to “Mrs. Syeda Ambreen Murtaza” who is facilitating the students as the visiting faculty member of Iqra University. The course in which I’ am registered entitled “Business English” is facilitated by her.

About the Book:

Name: 8th Confession.

Authors: James Patterson.

Category: Novel.

Country: United States.

Genre: Action/Crime/Mystery/Romance/Thriller.

ISBN: 9780099514589.

ISBN for Export Edition: 9780099538943.

Language: English.

Pages: 460.

Publication Date: 27th April, 2009.

Published By: Arrow Books.

Price: $ 16.99.

Series: Women’s Murder Club.

Preceded by: 7th Heaven.

Followed by: 9th Judgment.

About the Author:

James Patterson was born on 22nd March, 1947, he is an American author. He is a Roman Catholic. James received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Manhattan College, along with a Master of Arts in English from Vanderbilt University. He lives in Newburgh, NYC, United States with his wife Susan Patterson and his child Jack Patterson. He is largely known for his novels about fictional psychologist Alex Cross, the protagonist of the Alex Cross series. Patterson also wrote the Michael Bennett, Women's Murder Club, Maximum Ride, Daniel X, and Witch and Wizard series, as well as many stand-alone thrillers, non-fiction and romance novels. His common theme is Young-Adult-Fiction. His books have sold more than 270 million copies. Patterson currently lives in Palm Beach, Florida, United States.

Novel Structure:

The structure of the novel contains two things, its Plot and Characterization.

Plot:

When a rock star, a fashion designer, a software tycoon and a millionaire heiress are all murdered in a very mysterious circumstance, Detective Lindsay Boxer is quickly assigned to high-profile investigation.

As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally dead, but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows that the story could be huge. Inquiring deeper into the victim's history, she discovers he may not have been quite as good as everyone thought.

As the hunt for two criminals tests the limits of the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and her partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Women's Murder Club now going to face its toughest challenge. Will the friends be strong enough to stick together, or will the strain and drama shred them apart? The 8th Confession serves up a double dose of speed-charged twists and shocking revelations as only James Patterson can.

Characterization:

Detective, Lindsay Boxer:

Lindsay Boxer is a homicide detective for the “San Francisco Police Department”. Lindsay is five foot ten. She is a sociology major and graduated from “San Francisco State University”. She loves beer and ice cream.

In the novel Lindsay has been divorced once and now married to long-time boyfriend Joseph Molinari. She has a younger sister named Cat and a father named Marty.

Reporter, Cindy Thomas:

Cindy Thomas is a pretty, blonde and cool girl. She is a crime desk reporter for the “San Francisco Chronicle”. Cindy is a graduate from the “University of Michigan” where she was a journalism major.

She loves yoga, jazz music and dance. She is even a member of a book club. She has a tattoo on her left shoulder.

Dr. Claire Washburn:

Claire Washburn is a good lady, Claire is black and heavyset. She love jokes, Claire is wise, confident, kind, and the Chief Medical Examiner for “San Francisco Hospital”. She is married in this novel. Claire and her husband Edmund have two teenage sons and a young daughter.

She has a nickname "Butterfly". She also has a embroidered butterfly on her lab coat, she wear at work.

Attorney, Yuki Castellano:

Yuki Castellano is an ambitious and young San Francisco district attorney. She is passionate, brilliant, given to speaking at 90 miles per hour, and sometimes wears a magenta red streak in her glossy, black, shoulder-length hair.

Her mother is Japanese and her father is Italian American. Yuki's favorite drink is a Germain-Robin sidecar.

Story Review:

8th Confession is the eighth installment of Patterson’s popular “Women’s Murder Club” series. It starts with a bomb blast. A black-windowed school bus explodes on a busy San Francisco street, killing several naive people. Soon after a local hero in the destitute community is brutally murdered.

This novel features our four main characters working more independently than most others books have. Cindy, the reporter, manages to be walking outside of her apartment and stagger upon a fresh dead body of a homeless man respected by the homeless population and called Bagman Jesus. She calls Lindsay, the detective, to the scene. Naturally, Lindsay and her partner don't have much time to work the case of a homeless man, even one shot over and over again and probably not the victim of the usual homeless on homeless crime. Still, the two detectives promise to work on this case in their spare time.

Meanwhile, Yuki, the district attorney, on a wicked losing streak, is awaiting the verdict of a high-profile case of a young woman Stacey, who supposedly killed her parents for the insurance money. Also, the young, rich and fabulous in San Francisco are suddenly dying while our experts can find no cause of death on their young, fit, healthy bodies. Soon, Lindsay's working the high-profile cases with a very little time for Bagman Jesus. Naturally, Cindy decides to solve his murder herself.

There is a lot going on, but not much really happens. The reads introduced to the killer of the young and fabulous quite early on, but knowing the killer's name and reasons for killing took away much of the suspense. Yuki barely got to interact with the other three, and her subplot was rather tedious. I would have much rather seen her spending time in the courtroom and be a witness to the actual trial than picking up during jury deliberations. The killer's weapon was interesting, but the early outing of the killer's identity kill the suspense that could have accompanied the crimes.

Conclusion:

I really enjoy the “8th confession” of “Women's Murder Club Series”. Some have certainly been better than others, but the stories are very interesting. James Patterson is a great writer. There is usually at least one time I moan out loud at the prologue.

The 8th Confession had a lot of great elements of a good mystery. Unique method of killing, the reality of relative ethics and importance when it comes to solving crimes against the rich and poor. For such a short mystery, there were too many storylines, and too much time spent on the romance lives of Cindy, Yuki and Lindsay.

Women's Murder Club is at its best when the four heroines work together, combining their skills and jobs for the good. A few meetings for a quick conversation do not drive this series. Yuki needs something to do. She needs some good luck to come her way.