Sunday 1 May 2022

Book ~ "22 Seconds" (2022) James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

From Goodreads ~ SFPD Sergeant Boxer has guns on her mind.

There's buzz of a last-ditch shipment of drugs and weapons crossing the Mexican border ahead of new restrictive gun laws. Before Lindsay can act, her top informant tips her to a case that hits disturbingly close to home.

Former cops. Professional hits. All with the same warning scrawled on their bodies.

You talk, you die.

Now it's Lindsay's turn to choose.

This is the 22nd in the Women's Murder Club series (I've read them all). Though it is part of a series, it works as a stand alone.  There are four members of the Women's Murder Club who have been friends for years ... police officer Lindsay, reporter Cindy, medical examiner Claire and prosecutor Yuki.  Like most of the books, Lindsay storyline is the focus.  Yuki is barely there in this one and Claire momentarily has some unrelated side story about a child's death in another town.  Cindy has a small part in Lindsay's storyline and has an unrelated side story about writing a convicted murderer's bio.

The gun laws have recently changed in the U.S. and there are protesters.  Plus guns and drugs are illegally being brought up from Mexico.  Lindsay and Joe, her husband who is recruited by the FBI, are both working on these cases for their respected agencies.  Former police officers are turning up murdered with the same message ... "you talk, you die".  Lindsay and Joe are trying to find out who is behind it all and to stop them.

I liked the short choppy chapters.  The point of view shifted ... it was first person perspective when the focus was on Lindsay and third person perspective when the focus was on others such as Joe, Cindy, and Claire.  I found this story long, draggy and drawn out ... it might have been more interesting if it has been tighter.  I found Julie, Lindsay and Joe's young daughter, annoying and doesn't add anything to the story.  As a head's up, there is swearing.  

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