We have mixed feelings about this eleventh entry in Patterson’s “Women’s Murder Club” series. We have enjoyed all eleven – and would claim they improved significantly when Maxine Paetro took over as co-author starting with book four, rectifying the leading ladies dialogue and behavior. As usual, the stories center around the homicide cases of Lindsay Boxer, who sometimes gets help from professional associates and girlfriends Cindy (reporter), Yuki (Asst. DA) and Claire (ME). The plot unfolds quickly as somebody guns down a drug dealer at a school; the fourth such “execution” over a short time span. Shortly thereafter, someone calls 911 to report the discovery of two heads on the patio of a famous movie star’s compound – and the police team soon uncovers five more skulls to go with those two, but no bodies! As the story proceeds, the police under Lindsay’s lead, pursue both cases, and eventually zero in on the killers in both the drug dealer deaths as well as the seven (eventually identified) “dead heads!”

We have been slowly getting more involved in the four ladies’ personal lives as well. While Claire and Yuki have only a couple mentions in this one, Cindy has shacked up with Lindsay’s police partner, providing glimpses of their ongoing relationship. More importantly, Lindsay is pregnant throughout, but convinced her husband Joe has cheated on her, throws him out and is at odds with him the whole book. Meanwhile, the usual bevy of chapters and parts (with associated blank and half-blank pages) converts the novel to a quick and easy read.

So – moderately entertaining and suspenseful, about as expected; but not so compelling we felt we had to rush breathlessly onward toward the not so “aha” ending. Maybe good beach fare?