Book ~ "11th Hour" (2012) James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

From Goodreads ~ Lindsay Boxer is pregnant at last! But her work doesn't slow for a second. When millionaire Chaz Smith is mercilessly gunned down, she discovers that the murder weapon is linked to the deaths of four of San Francisco's most untouchable criminals. And it was taken from her own department's evidence locker. Anyone could be the killer - even her closest friends.

Lindsay is called next to the most bizarre crime scene she's ever witnessed: two bodiless heads elaborately displayed in the garden of a world-famous actor. Another head is unearthed in the garden, and Lindsay realises that the ground could hide hundreds of victims.

A reporter launches a series of malicious articles about the cases and Lindsay's personal life is laid bare. But this time she has no one to turn to - especially not Joe.

Lindsay and her partner, Rich, are working on two cases.  Someone is executing drug dealers and it's suspected that it might be a cop.  Unfortunately that means that Lindsay and Rich have to start suspecting that it's their friends and colleagues.

Two heads surrounded by necklaces of fresh flowers were discovered in the backyard of an actor's home.  Harry, the actor, hasn't lived in the house for years but he is a suspect.  His wife, Cecily, disappeared ten years ago and Harry was suspected then of killing her but was acquitted.  Lindsay and Rich have to figure out who the heads belong to and where are the rest of their bodies.

A thorn in Lindsay's side is a reporter who has no problem making things up when he doesn't have the true story ... and he's focusing a lot on her and making her look bad.

This is the eleventh in the Women's Murder Club series (and the twelfth one I've read). Though it is part of a series, it does work as a stand alone.

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, adult activity and violence.

I thought this book was okay.  There are four members of the Women's Murder Club ... Lindsay, Cindy, Claire and Yuki.  And for the first time in a lot of books in this series they actually work together to solve a crime.

There's always a physical description of the four of them.  I always feel sorry for Claire because the fact she is overweight is always emphasized.  And does anyone beside these four go around calling friends "girlfriend"?!

With Lindsay being pregnant, there is a lot about her hormones raging.  At one point, she freaks out on Joe without first asking his side of the story which I thought was a bit extreme.

I found it unbelievable that two homicide cops would let Cindy, a reporter, tag along with them even though they said no because they don't want her mad at them (Cindy is one of Lindsay's good friends and is Rich's fiancee).  Lindsay acknowledged that she could lose her job and Cindy could be in danger but they still let Cindy bully them.

One more to go to get caught up on the series.