(finished some time in late June)

I got this one from the library because I really needed something to escape with and I enjoy what I’ve read by Paetro. (I am NOT big on Patterson alone.) So I started this morning but something seemed very familiar.  Huh??? –  Have I read this? I checked my blog – nope – not there.  (See how handy it is?).  

The 4th of July 
by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro 
2005 (400 pp) 
Read by Carolyn McCormick 7h 35m
Rating: A- / thriller 
Women’s Murder Club #4 

Then I remembered. I’d borrowed it and started but only got a few chapters – maybe 2 chapters and put it down due to other books calling. Now I figured this was a better time anyway because the title is 4th of July and that’s only about a week away.  I do like reading seasonal books. I like seasonal foods. I like seasonal decorations. When I taught I did a lot of seasonal lessons and activities. So this is just natural and I’ve been doing it now for probably a couple decades although it’s expanded from Christmas mysteries to other holidays and with various genres coming up. The 4th of July is a new holiday but it’s a common thriller.  I’ll read history books at Thanksgiving if I have to, or St. Pat’s Day biographies.  

Anyway – this is only the 4th in the series of 22 books now.  I’ve read 7 and guess what – my first of the 7 was the 19th book, The 19th Christmas.   That’s the way it’s been with others, too.  

For openers, Lindsay Boxer shoots a teenage girl in self-defense, is arrested and goes to trial in spite of the fact she had life-threatening injuries, too.  Meanwhile, the girl’s brother, an accomplice, was also shot and is barely alive in the hospital. Also, Lindsay’s partner, Jacobi, is shot and survives. 

 I love legal thrillers and this is a pretty good one even if the legal aspect isn’t as accomplished or well developed as I’ve read. 

Meanwhile, over the years there have been too many strange serial-type murders in Half Moon Bay and Lindsay is unable to participate in the chase and arrest of the suspects. She’s badly wounded and also on leave of absence resting with her sister in that community  This takes on the role of second story in the novel and the stories are only very loosely integrated but better at the end.  I suspect that Patterson wrote one and Poetro the other and they put them together.  the second feels kind of anti-climactic, but after you get into it it’s also quite good.  I think most of Patterson’s co-authored books have two story-lines going 

Anyway, in 4th of July we follow Lindsay as she tries to get back to work with the murders continuing. She reads about them and discusses them with her “club” of Claire a medical examiner and Cindy who is a reporter. Jill was killed in an earlier book.  

We also follow the guys who are doing the murders – although there may be two or even more. In the story they are “the Seeker,” and “the Watcher.”  Lindsay is supposed to “relax and keep a low profile,” but she is super anxious to DO something. 

Yuki becomes Lindsay’s attorney and also a part of the Murder Club in this book. 

I love these mysteries and imo, Paetro is the talent behind the series.  This one is a thriller to the max, it has a compelling story-line and the 

The narrator is quite good but the musical accompaniment is annoying in places.  I may be something of a purist in this regard.  I like audio books to consist of a narrator reading a book to the listeners.  I don’t want a lot of over-dramatizing, I don’t want sound effects.  I don’t want a movie or radio or podcast experience.  I want the book to sound pretty much like it sounds when I read it silently.