The 8th Confession

Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Fans of Sex and the City ripoffs may best appreciate Patterson's eighth Women's Murder Club novel, his fifth coauthored with Patero (after 7th Heaven). Det. Lindsay Boxer, of the San Francisco police department, is searching for a killer who's knocking off the well-to-do without leaving any signs of violence on the bodies. The investigation is going nowhere until the department's repository of institutional memory recalls a series of unsolved killings from 1982, in which the unidentified perpetrator used a krait, a rare Indian snake, to poison the victims. Meanwhile, Boxer's gal pal, journalist Cindy Thomas, is pressing the police to devote resources to a low priority murder-that of a homeless man known as Bagman Jesus, whose real name is a mystery. The romance that develops between Thomas and Boxer's hunky partner, Det. Rich Conklin, includes a striking moment when Conklin, magician-like, slips "his hands into the flimsy fabric of her panties, making them disappear."
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Review
"Patterson never, and I mean never, disappoints." (USA Today Larry King )

"James Patterson is king of the bestseller hill." (Publishers Weekly )

"Patterson has mastered the art of writing page-turning bestsellers." (Chicago Sun-Times )

"The Man Who Can't Miss." (Time Lev Grossman )

"When it comes to construction a harrowing plot, author James Patterson can turn a screw all right." (New York Daily News )

"America's #1 storyteller." (Forbes )
Product Description
As San Francisco's most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is watching--waiting for a chance to take vengeance on Isa and Ethan Bailey, the city's most celebrated couple. Finally, the killer pinpoints the ideal moment, and it's the perfect murder. Not a trace of evidence is left behind in their glamorous home.

As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally executed--a preacher with a message of hope for the homeless. His death nearly falls through the cracks, but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows the story could be huge. Probing deeper into the victim's history, she discovers he may not have been quite as saintly 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 faces its toughest challenge: will love destroy all that four friends have built? The exhilarating new chapter in the Women's Murder Club series, The 8th Confession serves up a double dose of speed-charged twists and shocking revelations as only James Patterson can. And remember, this is the only Murder Club episode of the year.

About the Author
James Patterson published his first thriller in 1976 and since then has become one of the best-known and bestselling writers of all time, with more than 160 million copies of his books sold worldwide. He is the author of the two most popular detective series of the past decade, featuring Alex Cross and the Women's Murder Club, and he has written numerous other #1 bestsellers. He has won an Edgar Award--the mystery world's highest honor--and his novels Kiss the Girls and Along Came aSpider were made into feature films starring Morgan Freeman. His website, www.ReadKiddoRead.com, lists the very best books for kids--titles that kids will gobble up and ask for more. He lives in Florida.

Maxine Paetro is a novelist and journalist. She lives with her husband in New York.

From AudioFile
Carolyn McCormick gives the impression of multiple narrators with powerful characterizations of victims, detectives, and murder suspects in two intricate San Francisco killings. The spree-style murder of a glamorous millionaire couple reveals that the killer stalked his victims and chose his moment--leaving no evidence behind. In addition, the murder of a homeless preacher, Bagman Jesus, appears to be random until reporter Cindy Thomas discovers he wasn't the saint everyone thought. McCormick's versatile range and vocal skills portray lead Detective Lindsay Boxer and her partner, Rich Conklin, with decisiveness, and even a love interest. She perfectly renders their commitment to work the homeless case on personal time. Add meth labs, drugs, and poisonous snakes--and McCormick delivers a high-octane thriller that won't disappoint. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine