Best Maxine Paetro Books
Maxine Paetro is best known as James Patterson's longtime co-author on the Women's Murder Club series, a partnership that has produced one of crime fiction's most durable franchises — numbered entries from 4th of July through 12th of Never and beyond, each built around San Francisco detective Lindsay Boxer and her circle of sharp, capable women. The books move fast, with short punchy chapters, rotating perspectives, and plots that stack personal stakes against procedural ones. Paetro's fingerprints are most visible in the emotional texture: the friendships feel real, the relationships carry weight, and the female characters never feel like window dressing in their own stories. Readers who want propulsive thrillers that don't sacrifice character for pace — and who have the discipline to stop before book fifteen — will find this series deeply satisfying.
Best Maxine Paetro Books
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4th of July
Women's Murder Club • Book 4
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Lindsay Boxer's split-second decision to fire her weapon unleashes a chain reaction that destroys a family and threatens her career.
★ 4.12 Goodreads (99.8K ratings) - 2
The 9th Judgment
Women's Murder Club • Book 9
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Two shocking attacks on families push the Women's Murder Club to their limits as they race to stop a killer targeting parents with a cryptic message written in blood.
★ 4.15 Goodreads (60.8K ratings) - 3
10th Anniversary
Women's Murder Club • Book 10
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Patterson combines a missing infant investigation with courtroom drama as the Women's Murder Club tackles their most personal case yet.
★ 4.14 Goodreads (58.2K ratings) - 4
7th Heaven
Women's Murder Club • Book 7
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Lindsay Boxer investigates fires that kill wealthy couples while the search for missing Michael Campion yields horrifying results. Patterson weaves multiple cases together as the Women's Murder Club faces their darkest mysteries.
★ 4.12 Goodreads (73.1K ratings) - 5
The 5th Horseman
Women's Murder Club • Book 5
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Lindsay Boxer and attorney Yuki Castellano investigate a string of unexplained patient deaths at San Francisco General Hospital. Patterson balances medical conspiracy with legal thriller elements in this club installment.
★ 4.10 Goodreads (84.4K ratings) - 6
15th Affair
Women's Murder Club • Book 15
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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A dead man in a luxury hotel room pulls detective Lindsay Boxer into a case that could destroy everything she's built—her marriage, career, and life.
★ 4.14 Goodreads (44.2K ratings) - 7
25 Alive (WMC #25): A Women's Murder Club Thriller
Women's Murder Club • Book 25
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Detective Lindsay Boxer and her crime-solving partners tackle the shocking murder of a former police chief in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. This twenty-fifth series entry promises familiar characters and Bay Area settings.
★ 4.16 Goodreads (29.0K ratings) - 8
16th Seduction
Women's Murder Club • Book 16
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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January LaVoy balances the personal and professional stakes as the Women's Murder Club faces their most puzzling case yet.
★ 4.12 Goodreads (44.3K ratings) - 9
11th Hour
Women's Murder Club • Book 11
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Lindsay investigates murders linked to weapons stolen from her own police evidence locker, making every colleague a suspect as she navigates pregnancy and betrayal within the SFPD ranks.
★ 4.10 Goodreads (53.8K ratings) - 10
The 6th Target
Women's Murder Club • Book 6
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Children vanish with their nannies across San Francisco while one member of the Women's Murder Club lies in critical condition — personal stakes meet citywide terror.
★ 4.07 Goodreads (77.2K ratings) - 11
14th Deadly Sin
Women's Murder Club • Book 14
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Detective Lindsay Boxer and the Women's Murder Club try to celebrate Claire's birthday while recovering from recent trauma, but new dangers threaten their hard-won peace.
★ 4.10 Goodreads (45.7K ratings) - 12
22 Seconds
Women's Murder Club • Book 22
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Gun smuggling across the Mexican border intersects with a killer hunting ex-cops, leaving cryptic warnings for Lindsay Boxer. Patterson weaves current political tensions into personal danger.
★ 4.11 Goodreads (38.9K ratings) - 13
The 8th Confession
Women's Murder Club • Book 8
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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When San Francisco's power couple is murdered at their own exclusive party without a trace of evidence, Lindsay Boxer faces a killer targeting the city's elite.
★ 4.08 Goodreads (62.0K ratings) - 14
12th of Never
Women's Murder Club • Book 12
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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New mother Lindsay Boxer juggles a newborn and two killers when a football star becomes a murder suspect and her own life faces deadly threat.
★ 4.09 Goodreads (51.1K ratings) - 15
Unlucky 13
Women's Murder Club • Book 13
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Patterson throws Lindsay Boxer's past back at her when gruesome bridge murders connect to her former partner, forcing the Women's Murder Club to investigate one of their own.
★ 4.08 Goodreads (48.9K ratings) - 16
The 17th Suspect
Women's Murder Club • Book 17
by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
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Lindsay Boxer's investigation into random sniper attacks becomes deeply personal when the killer's motives remain completely obscured. Patterson keeps the tension relentless as bodies drop across San Francisco.
★ 4.03 Goodreads (40.3K ratings)