Book ~ "The 8th Confession" (2009) James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

From Goodreads ~ As San Francisco's most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is watching - waiting for a chance to take vengeance on Isa and Ethan Bailey, the city's most celebrated couple. Finally, the killer pinpoints the ideal moment and it's the perfect murder. Not a trace of evidence is left behind in their glamorous home.

As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally executed - a preacher with a message of hope for the homeless. His death nearly falls through the cracks but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows the story could be huge. Probing deeper into the victim's history, she discovers he may not have been quite as saintly as everyone thought.

As the hunt for two criminals tests the limits of the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and her partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Women's Murder Club now faces its toughest challenge: will love destroy all that four friends have built? 

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

Rich young obnoxious millionaires are mysteriously dying.  There doesn't seem to be any foul play and Claire, the medical examiner, can't find any cause for their deaths.  We, the readers, know, though, as the killer includes us in the killings.  Pet Girl is seeking revenge and she's getting it. Officers Lindsay and Rich are stumped until they get some clues from the past that may tie into the present.

A homeless guy named Bagman Jesus is found dead, beaten and shot.  The police have more important murders to investigate so Cindy, a reporter, takes it upon herself to find out what happened.

Yuki is a district attorney trying the case of a woman accused of bludgeoning her parents in their sleep.  After she gets hurt, she starts dating her doctor.

This is the eighth in the Women's Murder Club series (and the  ninth 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.

Some of the storylines, like Pet Girl and Bagman Jesus, were okay.  Other stories were a bit annoying and unbelievable.  Like Yuki dating the doctor.  It turns out there is an issue between them (which was a bit out there) and Yuki and the rest of the club, though they like Doc, didn't have any compassion about his situation.  Yuki had fallen fast and hard for Doc and behaved like a gushing teenager ... but once she knew Doc's secret, she didn't care anymore.  Very shallow.  Lindsay and Rich still have a crush on each other.  Keep in mind that Lindsay is living with Joe, who had disrupted his life to be with her in San Francisco and had proposed (she's stalled him).  Conveniently Joe is out of town for the next three weeks.  Rich and Cindy start dating and Rich suddenly forgets about Lindsay and she's jealous.  Seriously?

I thought this book was the worst of the series but will continue to get caught up on it.