Book ~ "4th of July" (2005) James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

From Goodreads ~ In a deadly late-night showdown, San Francisco police lieutenant Lindsay Boxer fires her weapon and sets off a dramatic chain of events that leaves a police force disgraced, a family destroyed and Lindsay herself at the mercy of twelve jurors. 

During a break in the trial, she retreats to a picturesque town that is reeling from a string of grisly murders-crimes that bear a link to a haunting, unsolved case from her rookie years.

Now, with her friends in the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay must battle for her life on two fronts: in a trial rushing to a climax, and against an unknown adversary willing to do anything to hide the truth about the homicides-including kill again? 

There are four members of the Women's Murder Club ... Lindsay, Cindy, Claire and Yuki.

Lindsay and her former partner, Jacobi, are chasing a car.  When it crashes, their first thought is to rescue the two people inside.  Bad move as it comes back to bite Lindsay in the butt when she is charged with the killing of one and injuring the other.  She has to go to trial for the charges, which could mean the end of her career.

To get away from the media attention, she stays at her sister's house.  There have been some murders in this community and which have a link to an unsolved murder from Lindsay's rookie days.

This is the fourth in the Women's Murder Club series (and the fifth one I've read). Though it is part of a series, it does work as a stand alone.  This book was less about the Women's Murder Club, though, and more about Lindsay.  Sweet Martha, Lindsay's dog, has more face-time than Claire and Cindy (but I was okay with that).

I enjoyed the writing style and it went at a good pace. 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 everyone else ... but it was easy to figure out.  As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

I thought the trial (and the fact there was a trial) was a bit overblown.  The facts and evidence clearly showed that Lindsay did what she had to do so I'm surprised that there was even a doubt she acted inappropriately.

Lindsay discovers whodunnit and the book wraps up pretty quickly after that.  The whodunnit was a bit of a stretch but I went with it.

I liked this book and will continue to get caught up in the series.