Happy birthday Woman’s Murder Club!

Book Review: 21st Birthday by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Rating: ★★★★☆

21st Birthday is a standout in the Women’s Murder Club series, and dare I say, it’s the best one yet. Detective Lindsay Boxer takes center stage again, this time vowing to protect a young woman from a serial killer long enough to see her twenty-first birthday. The stakes are higher than ever, and the tension is palpable.

When Tara Burke, a young wife and mother, goes missing with her baby girl, suspicion immediately falls on her husband, Lucas. He tries to paint her as a wayward wife, but when grisly evidence comes to light, the investigation quickly shifts from a missing persons case to something far more sinister.

As always, the Women’s Murder Club crew is on the case. Chronicle reporter Cindy Thomas is hot on the trail of the story, while M.E. Claire Washburn’s theories don’t quite line up with the SFPD’s. Meanwhile, ADA Yuki Castellano suspects Lucas is the textbook domestic offender—until an unexpected twist turns everything on its head. If Lucas’s claims hold even a shred of truth, the danger is far more widespread than anyone imagined.

This book is pure escapism at its finest, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Patterson and Paetro have crafted a gripping, fast-paced thriller that keeps you turning the pages late into the night. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to dive straight into the next installment, and I can guarantee that I will be doing just that.

If you’re a fan of the series or just looking for a thrilling read, 21st Birthday is a must. It’s a solid four-star read that delivers exactly what you’d expect—and maybe even a little more.