Truth be told, I had low expectations when starting this novel, but I came away pleasantly surprised and pleased with it. A man is accused of depriving his wife of the necessities of life after chaining her up in the basement of their home. I am always thrilled to get approved for early copies of his books, so a massive thank you to Random House UK for feeding my addiction. Fast paced,great characters,interesting story but quite gruesome with a random mother and baby being murdered and a passing jogger being murdered as well in the first chapter. For me, the most engaging parts were the trial sequences but sadly they ended and blackout remained.

23rd Midnight - Libby The 23rd Midnight - Libby

First of all thank you to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for the privilege of reading this book. I love James Patterson books and the Women’s murder club ones are usually superb, this one does not disappoint in any way. The murder of one person is a lame excuse to link the story of Yuki’s trial to the story of Boxer’s larger homicide investigation. He is not only obsessed with the killer Cindy wrote about, but he is also using the book as a guide, with embellishments of his own.While Lindsay, Conklin, Brady and the rest of the detective team race to find the identity of this new killer, Yuki is also facing her own courtroom challenge in defending a who has been brutally beaten by her husband who left her to die. A serial killer emulates the crimes of a recently incarcerated mass murderer, hoping to lure Detective Lindsay Boxer and her SFPD team into a game of cat and mouse. It's not a must to read the previous books since the characters are reintroduced and given a brief background but it's a mini trilogy in the series that has a recurring villain from 21st Birthday.

23rd Midnight by James Patterson | Goodreads The 23rd Midnight by James Patterson | Goodreads

While Lindsey and the crew are chasing the elusive killer, Cindy disappears, now everyone realizes that they are working against the clock to stop a madman and find Cindy before she becomes his next victim.It has everything you'd want in a thriller, a clever plot, unique well written characters, twists and turns you don't see coming and the pace is kept up throughout. It starts with us watching a killer at work through his own glasses he murders a young mother and her baby, he also murders a nosey old neighbour who tries to see what he’s doing. Detective Lindsay Boxer , Prosecutor Yuki Castellano, Chief medical examiner Claire Washburn and Journalist Cindy Thomas. Soon thereafter, a body is found and the victim has been killed in a way very similar to one of the Evan Burke murders described in the book. When a new killer appears on the scene, can Lindsey work out why Cindy seems to be a target and save her friend?

The 23rd Midnight by James Patterson | James Patterson

The hunt for the killer is interspersed with another Women’s Murder Club member, prosecutor Yuki Castellano, trying a domestic violence case. I started it not long after finishing a truly epic read and had high hopes that I’d love this story. Key characters emerge as needed and provide the reader with something to enjoy, as they can trace their development throughout the book and series at large. All the while, fellow Murder Club vet, Yuki Castellano is, in court, working on a case with its own dire consequences.I really enjoyed being back in the company of The Women’s Murder Club, I’ve missed a few, my last being the 16th, but it was like catching up with old friends and popping on some much loved comfy slippers. Patterson is one of my favourite authors and he has a way of reeling you straight in and this was no different. Lindsay put prolific serial killer Evan Burke behind bars and her friend, journalist Cindy Thomas, wrote a bestselling book about his crimes. Cindy has just promoting her published her new true crime novel and becomes embroiled when an obsessed fan starts causing problems that mirror the original serial killers actions.