The Women's Murder Club pits four San Francisco women professionals against a serial killer who's stalking and murdering newlyweds in bestselling author James Patterson's newest thriller. Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspector who's just gotten some very bad news. She deals with it by immersing herself in her newest case and soliciting the personal as well as professional support of her closest friend, who happens to be the city's medical examiner. The two women, along with an ambitious and sympathetic reporter and an assistant DA, form an unlikely alliance, pooling their information and bypassing the chain of command in an engaging, suspenseful story whose gruesome setup is vintage Patterson.

"What is the worst thing anyone has ever done?" the killer muses to himself early in the narrative. "Am I capable of doing it? Do I have what it takes?" Answering his own question, he embarks on a murderous spree that takes him from the bridal suite in a Nob Hill hotel to a honeymoon destination in the Napa Valley and thence to a wedding reception at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Dispatching his victims on the happiest day of their lives, he purposefully leaves enough clues for his distaff trackers to discover his identity and put him behind bars. But just when the women think they've got the case all wrapped up, the killer turns the tables on them in a bloody denouement that even the most discerning reader won't see coming. Patterson, author of the popular Alex Cross mysteries, promises future adventures for the Women's Murder Club, which may give him an opportunity to develop his heroines' characters more completely and win new fans among those who prefer their detectives in high heels and lipstick. --Jane Adams

A #1 New York Times Bestseller A Publishers Weekly Bestseller A US Today Bestseller

Imagine a killer who thinks: "What is the worst thing that anyone has ever done?" - and then goes far beyond. Now imagine four career women banding together to track down the demented murderer, who preys on San Francisco newlyweds. In this thrilling series debut, the four women - a police detective, an assistant D.A., a reporter, and a medical examiner - develop intense friendships even as they pursue a killer whose twisted imagination has stunned an entire city. Working together, they have the mettle to follow the leads to an impossibly heart-stopping confrontation with the most terrifying serial killer ever imagined.

Four women--four friends--share a determination to stop a killer who has been stalking newlyweds in San Francisco. Each one holds a piece of the puzzle: Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspector in the San Francisco Police Department, Claire Washburn is a medical examiner, Jill Bernhardt is an assistant D.A., and Cindy Thomas just started working the crime desk of the San Francisco Chronicle. But the usual procedures aren't bringing them any closer to stopping the killings. So these women form a Women's Murder Club to collaborate outside the box and pursue the case by sidestepping their bosses and giving each other a hand. The four women develop intense bonds as they pursue a killer whose crimes have stunned an entire city. Working together, they track down the most terrifying and unexpected killer they have ever encountered--before a shocking conclusion in which everything they knew turns out to be devastatingly wrong. Full of the breathtaking drama and unforgettable emotions for which James Patterson is famous, 1st to Die is the start of a blazingly fast-paced and sensationally entertaining new series of crime thrillers.

This is the first in the Women's Murder Club series and it is the first James Patterson book I've read. He is a popular and prolific writer, and this thriller doesn't disappoint. It may not be great literature, but it is easy reading with very short chapters and it keeps the reader's interest to the end. The reason I read the book is because of the TV series based on these books about four women -- a detective, a medical examiner, a crime reporter and an assistant district attorney -- who band together to solve crimes. They call themselves the Women's Murder Club. In this first book Detective Lindsay Boxer is also battling a serious illness and is involved in a romance as well as solving a series of murders. This is a good book to take along on a trip. It will help pass the time at the airport and on the plane.

First book in the Women's Murder Club series.

Four professional women in San Francisco (a cop, a medical examiner, an assistant DA, and a reporter) join forces to catch a serial killer who is brutally murdering newlyweds.

Lots of page-turning action and Patterson's trademark gruesome, misogynistic murders. Read this for the gory murder mystery, not for the character development. While I didn't love it, I liked it enough that I will continue to read the series.

I started this series on the sixth book, so when I saw this at an airport, I was excited about finding out how the WMC had started. I really enjoyed reading about it unfolding. The mystery of the plot kept me intrigued. It did get a little more graphic than I would have liked at times, and I almost lowered it to 3 stars as a result.

I love murder mysteries, When I first saw this series on television I had to read the books. The only problem I had is that linday has dark hair on t.v. and the books have her as a blonde. Putting that aside the story introduces all the characters, and they work well together and support each other while solving violent crimes. Each woman plays a vital roll to the story. If you do not like women who are in charge and are lead characters, then this is not for you. I personally loved it.

I have a long drive to work and back through lots of traffic, but this book made me drive so much easier.