“The 8th Confession” by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro – No Safety in Riches nor Poverty

 

James Patterson and Maxine Paetro never seem to run short on ways to test the Women's Murder Club, and in The 8th Confession, they're subjected it to the trials of love sending the ladies after two separate killers. The first one is targeting the wealthiest people in the city, while the second one has murdered a street preacher who might not be nearly as saintly as everyone around him expected.

James Patterson and Maxine Paetro Split the Cases

Social class is often thought of as a refuge from the unsavoury elements of life; most notably, the criminal endeavours which seem to disproportionately plague the economically-disadvantaged. However, in The 8th Confession by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, two different killers leave people on both ends of the spectrum fearing for their lives.

To begin with, Sargent Lindsay Boxer and her partner Rich Conklin are faced with a string of devious crimes in San Francisco, leaving numerous dead bodies in its wake, formerly belonging to noticeably affluent people. Working with about as little as they usually have and under pressure from their superiors and the people, they set out to catch a madman whose work obviously isn't random.

Perhaps even worse, his methods are rather unconventional, if not revolutionary, for not even the coroner is capable of identifying the cause of death. Though he stands to defy the far-reaching capabilities of modern science, the Women's Murder Club still takes the challenge head-on.

While all this is happening, Cindy Thomas from the San Francisco Chronicle is following a lead of her own into a case which captured the attention of few: the murder of a street preacher known to all as Bagman Jesus. There was obviously a personal motive behind the shooting of the homeless man, one which suggests he might not be the saint everyone thought he was.

While her friends are plunged into their own cases, Yuki Castellano is fighting her own battle in a trial nearing its end. The case is already shaky, and there are talks of a problematic juror who might lead to a mistrial, forcing a fresh restart for the case. While walking across the street from the hotel where the jurors are deliberating she gets hit by a car, wakes up in the hospital and begins a new chapter in her life.

The Obscured Murder Method in The 8th Confession

There are plenty of factors we could identify as being integral to a captivating murder mystery, but I believe one of the most important ones is the author's ability to outwit the reader on a level playing field. In other words, can the author create a logical mystery few readers can solve despite having all the necessary tools to do so?

Personally, I would argue Patterson and Paetro have accomplished just this in The 8th Confession, in relation to the principal case, the one focusing around the murder of wealthy people. The murder weapon and method are well-kept under wraps and serves its job as a profound hook which rarely lets the reader go until it is resolved.

I'll be the first to admit the conclusion to this question has already been seen more than once in literature, but things only end up becoming obvious in retrospect: the power of hindsight inevitably makes any mystery lose some of its impact. If you're capable of figuring it out before the resolution, you can likely consider yourself an amateur sleuth.

Naturally, there is more to this part of the book than simply figuring out how a person is killing the rich... there is also the matter of identifying and catching the culprit. As was the case in the previous book, and pretty much all the ones before it in the series, the chapters are short and the action advances at a very rapid pace.

James Patterson and Maxine Paetro have evidently mastered the art of trimming anything superfluous from the story, placing a rather strict focus on either the progression of the two cases at hand, or the few characters who become recurring staples of the genre. The chase after the killer is fast and furious as expected, and the big questions are answered in a satisfying manner.

The San Francisco Atmosphere

As has become customary in the series at this stage, the main story is broken up with various other segments, the most prominent one being Cindy's investigation into Bagman Jesus and the injustice committed in the investigation of his murder. This story is quite interesting in its own right, and I personally found the exploration of the homeless man's biography no less fascinating than our chase after a high-profile killer.

While there is also the question of finding a murderer here, things are a bit more complicated as the motive seems to take on a greater amount of importance. We are constantly led to wonder about the kind of man he really was, about whether or not his killing might have somehow been justified by his executor.

Through the investigation on Bagman's life the authors also take the opportunity to show bits and pieces of San Francisco, its people and their way of life. While I've never personally been there, it seems to me Patterson and Paetro have captured the place's special atmosphere, one where people from all walks and rungs of life come to clash and meet in a melting pot.

The characters are also given their due attention, with their personal lives seeing some developments here and there without ever stopping the action for too long of a period. Most notably, we see how the Women's Murder Club responds to a strain placed on it by a certain romantic relationship and Lindsay is forced to make the kinds of decisions she really doesn't need to think about with all she has to deal with.

Some questions get answered (the important ones, at least), but many others are left open for development in future books, or so I hope at the very least. I think the authors have managed to achieve something truly special, creating a persistent world with this series, its existence further and further reinforced by each additional chapter in the saga of the unusually-productive Women's Murder Club.

The Final Verdict

The 8th Confession by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro is a fantastic thriller and murder mystery with two principal storylines each having their own positively outstanding elements. The characters and the setting are also given a special consideration, making the eighth chapter in the Women's Murder Club series feel somewhat realistic and engaging on multiple levels.

If you're looking for a good example of what this series has to offer, or simply in search of a solid murder mystery which can challenge you, then this book would be a perfect fit for you.

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James B. Patterson Personal site James Patterson is an American writer who has dedicated a large part of his literary career to writing murder-related thrillers, inventing in the process two memorable character-based series in Alex Cross and Michael Bennett. His most prominent works include Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider.

Maxine Paetro Maxine Paetro is an American author who began her published career all the way back in 1979 with How to Put Your Book Together and Get a Job in Advertising, which was revised for the fourth time in 2010. She has remained an active author, writing numerous novels since then, including Manshare, Windfall and Woman of God. Additionally, she is known for collaborating with James Patterson on numerous entries in the Women's Murder Club series.