You know how sometimes you mention to a friend that you kinda like James Patterson, and suddenly you’re five books deep in a 20+ book series? Yeah. That’s me now. Someone recommended the Women’s Murder Club series, and after loving 1st to Die, I picked up 2nd Chance. Spoiler: I didn’t put it down unless I absolutely had to do something like “sleep” or “be a responsible adult.”
This time around, our girl Lindsay Boxer is bouncing back from... well, a lot. In book one, she was dealing with heartbreak, serial killers, and a life-threatening illness called Negli’s aplastic anemia. (It’s fictional, but it’s based on a very real and very serious blood disorder—not technically cancer, but definitely no joke.) Now, in 2nd Chance, she’s in remission, newly promoted, and, naturally, knee-deep in another string of murders. Because some people decompress with yoga, and others hunt criminals.
One of the things I love about James Patterson is how he shifts between characters without leaving your brain in knots. The timeline stays clean, the story moves fast, and you get a real-time look at what’s happening from every angle. It’s like watching a high-speed chess game, but with homicide detectives, journalists, and forensic pathologists.
Also, let’s talk about the twisty-ness. I did not guess the killer. Not even a little. When Lindsay and the gang started floating the idea of an inside job, my brain just sort of nodded politely and said, “Sure, maybe.” It never occurred to me that the killer could be the child of a cop. The twist hit me like a plot-driven freight train—in the best way.
Reading these books in order definitely pays off. The characters grow, their relationships deepen, and there are little threads tying each story to the next. Cindy’s in a new relationship, Claire’s home life shines through, Jill is working through serious emotional pain, and Lindsay? Still carrying the team and navigating her dad’s… let's call it "questionable parenting." They all feel so real. Like I’d actually invite them over for wine, then remember they’d probably be solving a crime halfway through the second glass.
Oh—and for the record? I disagree with Agatha Christie on one thing: I like a little romance in my murder mysteries. Not the bodice-ripping kind, but something soft that makes the characters feel more human. Patterson nails that balance. Cindy and Aaron’s slow-burn relationship is sweet and subtle and totally works.
So, would I recommend 2nd Chance to someone who doesn’t usually read thrillers? Totally. Patterson knows how to tell a story. The writing is quick and sharp, the plot moves fast, and the characters feel like people you could root for—even while they’re chasing down cold-blooded killers.
Final verdict: Loved it. 3rd Degree is already en route, and at this rate, I’ll be 10 books in before anyone can stop me. Catch me in 2027, finally caught up with the rest of you.
