12th of Never
Women’s Murder Club Mystery
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Little, Brown & Company 2013
Easily read over a two day period, 12th of Never is the latest Women’s Murder Club mystery novel by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. It follows a number of interesting and complex cases: An eccentric English professor delights in his new-found precognitive ability to dream upcoming murders with uncanny detail. A former sleazy lawyer’s wife and young daughter are believed dead. The body of the fashion designer girlfriend of a prominent San Francisco 49ers player unexpectedly goes missing from the morgue, and most notably, a cagey serial killer enjoys messing with the minds of his law enforcement captors. Kindle version at Amazon
All occur in the working life of Detective Lindsay Boxer, a new mother recently returned to the job, who now also has an ill child on her hands and on her mind.
12th of Never is characteristic James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. Short interesting chapters grab and hold, making for a fast and entertaining read. This reader believes scenes are best and more relevant when focus is maintained on a single case for a longer period of time before another shift occurs. Although there is flipping back and forth between cases, the writing is organized, compelling and well done.
There is a crazy, explosive trial, decidedly odd twists, and complicated shockers that cause you to stop and take notice, all while life behind the scenes has a very human feel.
Lighter than The Private Novels and the Alex Cross series, 12th of Never by James Patterson is a good book, with enough meat on its bones to interest Women’s Murder Club fans, and also those of not-too-intense but definitely not fluffy mysteries.