James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. 4th of July (2005) 400 pp.
SFPD Lt. Lindsay Boxer and the Women’s Murder Club return for their fourth case. A young girl is killed in crossfire after a routine arrest goes terribly wrong and Lindsay has to defend herself against a charge of police brutality. While awaiting trial, she escapes to her sister Cat’s home in the beautiful town of Half Moon Bay. But the peaceful community there is reeling from a string of gruesome murders. Working with her friends in the Women’s Murder Club, Lindsay finds a link between these killings and a case she worked on years before—an unsolved murder that has haunted her ever since. As summer comes into full swing, Lindsay battles for her life on two fronts: before a judge and jury as her trial comes to a climax, and facing unknown adversaries who will do anything to keep her from the truth about the killings—including killing again. It all comes to a head before the big annual 4th of July celebration on the waterfront at Half Moon Bay.