First of all, I have to admit that I only read this book because I didn't prepare for my library's renovation and there was nothing new around.

The entire time I was reading, I felt like I was waiting for it to end. Now I just wish I had re-read one of my own books.

I thought it would be interesting as I'm usually a big fan of James Patterson's works. However, this one seemed to go on forever. Maybe it was because I read this without reading the prequels. The plot sounded appealing, but while reading, I felt there were too many plot lines. Some authors can handle multiple story lines and keep the book clear, but that wasn't the case here. It seemed to jump from one case to another and then back. At one point, I had to re-read a chapter as I missed some details without realizing it.

What I disliked most was the characters. They all seemed so fragile, not in the normal human sense, but rather broken down by the most trivial things. I sighed a lot at some of their overreactions.

Overall, the book was okay, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. If you have a choice between this and an old favorite, go with the favorite. Two stars for the effort.

This is one of the better books in the series.

Living in San Francisco, I am extremely particular about the location details in any literary work.

To my great delight, this book has managed to get them all right, which earns it an extra point in my eyes.

The author's meticulous attention to detail in描绘 the various locations in San Francisco adds a layer of authenticity and vividness to the story.

It makes me feel as if I am actually walking along the familiar streets and neighborhoods, experiencing the events along with the characters.

This not only enhances my reading enjoyment but also gives me a new perspective on the city I call home.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story and has an interest in San Francisco.

The pacing of this story was rather good, as it presented several distinct cases, which kept the readers engaged.

However, while the trial scenes were well-written, they didn't quite give the impression of being overly realistic.

The aspect regarding Lindsay Boxer's romance and the way she interacted with another character seemed to me to somewhat undermine the overall seriousness of the situation.

Nonetheless, I really loved the way the 6th Victim emerged and introduced a great twist to the plot. It added an element of surprise and excitement that elevated the story.

Overall, I would rate this story 4 stars. It had its strengths and weaknesses, but the engaging cases and the unexpected twist made it an enjoyable read.

I just finished reading another installment of the Women's Murder Club series, and this is the second one I've read in quick succession. The previous book, "4th of July," left me with some doubts about the series. I didn't think it was all that great. So, I wanted to try another one right away to see if I could just get rid of this batch of books on my to-be-read shelf.

"The 6th Target" starts off with a mass murder on a ferry by a crazy guy. Then, surprisingly, the crazy guy turns himself in, which made me wonder what the rest of the book would be about. The last book turned into a slightly interesting but not overly exciting story about a trial, and I thought this one would follow the same pattern. I wasn't exactly thrilled. Fortunately, the trial in this book is only slightly more interesting and, thankfully, shorter. The author seems determined to show that the tabloid-like realities of cases like Rodney King and O.J. Simpson are not forgotten.

After testing our prurient interest, suddenly, the story shifts to a child kidnapping case with a possible murder, which brings our heroine back into the picture. For the most part, it's not really clear to me that we're dealing with a heroine rather than a hero, except when she's in bed with her boyfriend or pining after him. Other than that, the fact that she's a woman cop is hardly noticeable. (One of the reasons I chose this series was because of the woman cop angle, so I'm quite disappointed.)

But let's just see where this goes, shall we? The chapters in this book are notably short, as in the previous ones, and that does keep the story moving along relatively quickly. There are several cases vying for our attention: the crazy mass murderer, the child kidnapper, and the apartment building noise vigilante all have their moments of implausibility. And, of course, there's our heroine's on-again, off-again romance.

The cover of this sixth book in the series promises the "toughest case ever," but if that hype isn't obvious enough, the follow-up seventh book offers the "most terrifying case ever"! These paperbacks must fly off the supermarket racks as they're churned out. I can't help but wonder if I should praise lead author James Patterson for openly sharing credit with Maxine Paetro, who is also listed as a co-author on the cover, or criticize him for taking the credit and royalties for a book written by someone else. I can only do a Google search and grin skeptically about the relationship between the two writers, as Patterson gets all the kudos on the book jacket and Maxine is simply described as "living with her husband in New York."

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I bought several books in the Women's Murder Club series, lured in by the promised but ultimately disappointing "Women's" connection. I've now read several of them and must consign the remaining ones to the free library giveaway rack at the restaurant across the street. I gave my first encounter with the series four stars a couple of years ago, a reprise three stars last week, and this most recent offering only two stars for its tired and predictable plot. It's time to make room on my overcrowded bookshelf for some more worthwhile reads. Farewell, James Patterson. RIP, Maxine Paetro. I've been so gullible and desperate for entertainment. But I must raise my standards.

The writing was bad. The idea was good, three different crimes, with the most intense one being the kidnapping of a child. But the story was full of holes and illogicalities. It was as if his "colleague author" had written it and Patterson hadn't even read it.

Kumski Book Club 2024 - 1

Global goals: continuation of the series.

The poor quality of the writing really detracted from what could have been an interesting narrative. The concept of having three distinct crimes was promising, especially the one involving the abduction of a child, which had the potential to create a great deal of tension. However, the numerous flaws and lack of coherence within the story made it difficult to fully engage with. It seemed as if there had been a lack of proper editing or perhaps even a miscommunication between the authors.

Despite these issues, the Kumski Book Club 2024 - 1 still has the global goal of continuing the series. It will be interesting to see if they can address the problems with the writing and create a more polished and engaging story in future installments.

I have to say that I am truly falling out of love with this author.

In the past, I was once a big fan of his works, but these days, I just find his books very samey.

It seems that he is stuck in a rut, using the same plot devices and character archetypes over and over again.

The stories lack the innovation and freshness that they once had, and I find myself getting bored easily while reading.

I still remember the excitement I felt when I first discovered his books, but now that feeling has long since vanished.

I hope that he can break free from this pattern and come up with something new and exciting in the future, but for now, I think I will be looking for other authors to satisfy my reading cravings.

Three short stories for the price of one novel!

I wouldn't claim that THE 6TH TARGET is an outstanding, heart-stopping thriller. It really isn't! However, when compared to some of the terrible junk that the "James Patterson et al" publishing machine has been churning out in large quantities lately (like the execrable YOU'VE BEEN WARNED), THE 6TH TARGET is quite enjoyable. It makes for some fun, though forgettable, light reading. This is especially true for fans of The Women's Murder Club stories.

The plot, or rather, the plots, are not very deep. In fact, THE 6TH TARGET consists of three short and only moderately interconnected sub-plots. Each of these sub-plots might have enough substance to be developed into a long stand-alone short story or novella.

The first sub-plot is about the arrest and trial of Fred Brinkley. Under the influence of the menacing voices in his head, he shoots six times at the passengers of a landing ferry, killing four and seriously injuring medical examiner Claire Washburn. Prosecuting attorney Yuki Castellano, a fellow member of the WMC, will do her best to prevent him from using the insanity defense.

In the second story, we see Lindsay Boxer on the hunt for a serial kidnapper who targets nannies and children. But the nannies are killed and the children disappear without a trace. This is a well-written and interesting police procedural sub-plot that involves the white slave trade and the particularly heinous crime of sexual trafficking in children.

The final and least interesting story of the three focuses on animal cruelty that escalates to murder within the apartment where the final member of the WMC, reporter Cindy Thomas, lives.

Six consecutive well-written successes in a series that continues to be strong! Surprisingly, I'm looking forward to reading the next one in the series, 7TH HEAVEN.

Recommended.

Paul Weiss

In this sixth installment of the series, the members of the Women's Murder Club find themselves deeply intertwined with a series of heinous crimes.

There are murders that occur on a ferry, sending shockwaves through the community. Additionally, attacks in an apartment building add to the chaos and mystery.

To make matters worse, a young girl has been kidnapped, and the lack of a ransom note only deepens the mystery.

Lindsay Boxer, one of the club members, has a new partner and a new title. However, her relationship with Joe is facing some challenges and growing pains.

As the story unfolds, readers will be taken on a thrilling ride, getting a glimpse into the minds of not just one, but multiple criminal minds. They will also have the opportunity to go to court with Suki.

Overall, I found this installment to be an engaging read. While it had its flaws, I would rate it 3.5 out of 5, rounding up to 4 stars. It kept me on the edge of my seat and left me eager to see what happens next in the lives of the Women's Murder Club.

This is a thrilling crime novel, and it happens to be the sixth book in the captivating Women's Murder Club series.

I have to say that I truly relished this book. In fact, I firmly believe it to be one of my absolute favorites within this series thus far.

The characters in this book are simply endearing. They are so well-developed that you can't help but become emotionally invested in their lives and fates.

Moreover, the storyline is nothing short of excellent. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing.

The writing in this book is also top-notch. It flows smoothly, making it a pleasure to read.

I must admit that I didn't have the same level of enthusiasm for the last few books in this series, and as a result, I even stopped reading for a while.

However, I'm extremely glad that I decided to pick up this particular book.

I opted to listen to the audiobook version, and I have to commend the narrator. They did an outstanding job of bringing the story and the characters to life.

Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good crime thriller.

Anytime I find myself in a reading funk, I am certain that I can simply pick up a Patterson book and soon become completely immersed in the story.

Although his writing may not be of the highest caliber, it is highly entertaining and has the power to keep me reading late into the night.

It took me some time to warm up to the main characters in the Women's Murder Club series. However, I can now say that I have finally become deeply invested in their lives and individual stories.

This particular book did an excellent job of dividing its time among the four women. There were two mysteries that were part of the main plot. In one, the killer was revealed immediately, while in the other, it was not until the end. I really liked this mix.

As is usually the case, the chapters were all very short and always seemed to end on some sort of crisis. It may not be the most intellectual or stimulating read, but it is definitely worth reading.

I truly have a great passion for his "Women's Murder Club" series of books. There are four best friends in the story. One of them is a medical examiner working for the coroner, another is a police detective, the third is an assistant district attorney, and the last one is a criminal reporter. Together, they solve various crimes and share their personal problems.

This particular book features three ongoing crimes. The police detective, Lindsay, is involved in all of them. There is a person who is killing in the new apartments where the criminal reporter has just moved in. A child from a wealthy family has been kidnapped. And a madman shoots innocent people on a San Francisco ferry, killing some and wounding Claire, the medical examiner. Meanwhile, Lindsay is dealing with her romance with Joe, who is an FBI agent, and she is also being demoted from Lt. The reason for her demotion is that her true gift lies in solving crimes rather than sitting behind a desk.

Throughout the entire book, I was completely engrossed and held my attention firmly. The endings were truly surprising and kept me on the edge of my seat. This book is definitely worth reading, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrilling mystery novels.

Solid 3.

I really thought this book was rather chaotic. There wasn't much substance to the Women’s Murder Club in this installment. There were a number of cases that initially made one think they were all related, but in the end, they didn't correlate to each other. However, I did appreciate how they ended the book with a bit of a cliffhanger. It actually makes me curious to see if they will continue with this character in book 7. Fred, the schizoaffective killer, might actually be the most exciting character in this book. And to be honest, I'm just about done with Lindsay and Joe’s relationship. I thought it was cute at first, but now it's just becoming tiresome.

Detective Boxer can't seem to catch a break. One of her close friends gets shot and is fighting for her life. A child prodigy kidnapper is on the loose, and a tenant is killing off his neighbors. And that's just her work life. Her love life is a whole other story. When a second man catches her attention, what's up with Joe?! She hasn't seen him in months. She's sick of the back and forth and isn't sure if a long-distance relationship (LDR) is really what she wants.

My goal is to finish the entire series. It's going to be hard if they continue to be just a 3 out of 5 for me. But I'm always up for a challenge. Let's see how this goes.