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clougreen's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A well written thriller with the perfect amount of plot twists, character development and b-lines that allow the readers to feel connected and invested to the story. There was a good balance of thrill, suspense, and resolve that helped the story flow seamlessly through the various POVs, and helped give the readers the right amount of information at the right times. As this is the first book in a series, it is important to me as a reader to feel attached to the group of women that the series then will follow and I think that this book did a great job building that foundation.
elessor's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
My first Patterson book. I thought it was a good start, hopefully this series grows on me. Murder murder
irinna's review against another edition
5.0
1st to Die by James Patterson
features a tough yet empathetic homicide detective who, with the help of three friends, attempts to solve gruesome murders. As someone targets newlyweds on their honeymoons, Lindsay and her friends establish the Women's Murder Club, determined to apprehend the killer before another attack occurs.
features a tough yet empathetic homicide detective who, with the help of three friends, attempts to solve gruesome murders. As someone targets newlyweds on their honeymoons, Lindsay and her friends establish the Women's Murder Club, determined to apprehend the killer before another attack occurs.
crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
1.0
Disclaimer: I have been reading and reviewing for over a decade, and in that time, I have grown and changed a lot. My views in the following review reflect the person I was when I wrote them and may not reflect who I am today - for better or for worse. While I would love to be able to reread and update my reviews to reflect who I am today, I think my time is better dedicated elsewhere. If you choose to read this review, please bear in mind this attitude.
The beginning had me hooked. Looking through the eyes of the criminal-and the eyes of his soon-to-be victims-was awesome. I started out liking Lindsay, Cindy, and Claire. Lindsay's medical condition helped me grow closer to her (which I found slightly surprising). And as a public transportation rider, I enjoyed the short chapters. But as time progressed, the following began to annoy me:
1. Through most of the book, I had a hard time thinking of Lindsay as a woman. It just felt like a guy writing what he thought a woman might think!
2. I don't see why Patterson bothered to call this a Women's Murder Mystery Club adventure. Almost the entire book centers on Lindsay and her point of view. Cindy has only two major sequences where she does anything of any consequence. Claire is only given one section to herself. Mostly, she appears only when Lindsay consults her. And I don't understand why Jill was brought up at all-her role was completely meaningless.
3. The formation of the club is something I would expect from a young adult novel. One minute, the women go out for drinks, the next, they are bragging about having sex and where they have tattoos (yes, this is exactly what I do when I just meet a new group of women!). And what do the four really do to solve the mystery? I don't see how they helped Lindsay out much at all.
4. Lindsay and Chris were a cute couple, but their romance went way too fast. They started off okay, and then suddenly, they were in bed with each other. Their chemistry was thrown together hastily and more "telling" than "showing".
5. Once the last couple is killed, I feel that there is no more reason to be invested in the story. It's almost as though Patterson said, "I've killed the last couple now." I would really have preferred him to allude to a fourth murder, and for Lindsay and Chris to rush to the rescue.
I was really looking forward to reading this book and was sorry to see it continue to fall below my expectations as each page progressed. As soon as I finished it, I took it to a bookstore and traded it in for something else. I really would like to give Patterson a second chance-perhaps some of his earlier works-but after this novel, I am a little more wary about how I spend my $8.
Spoiler
It has been some time since I have read any mystery novels, so after much hunting through bookstores, I eagerly picked up the New York Bestselling book, 1st to Die.The beginning had me hooked. Looking through the eyes of the criminal-and the eyes of his soon-to-be victims-was awesome. I started out liking Lindsay, Cindy, and Claire. Lindsay's medical condition helped me grow closer to her (which I found slightly surprising). And as a public transportation rider, I enjoyed the short chapters. But as time progressed, the following began to annoy me:
1. Through most of the book, I had a hard time thinking of Lindsay as a woman. It just felt like a guy writing what he thought a woman might think!
2. I don't see why Patterson bothered to call this a Women's Murder Mystery Club adventure. Almost the entire book centers on Lindsay and her point of view. Cindy has only two major sequences where she does anything of any consequence. Claire is only given one section to herself. Mostly, she appears only when Lindsay consults her. And I don't understand why Jill was brought up at all-her role was completely meaningless.
3. The formation of the club is something I would expect from a young adult novel. One minute, the women go out for drinks, the next, they are bragging about having sex and where they have tattoos (yes, this is exactly what I do when I just meet a new group of women!). And what do the four really do to solve the mystery? I don't see how they helped Lindsay out much at all.
4. Lindsay and Chris were a cute couple, but their romance went way too fast. They started off okay, and then suddenly, they were in bed with each other. Their chemistry was thrown together hastily and more "telling" than "showing".
5. Once the last couple is killed, I feel that there is no more reason to be invested in the story. It's almost as though Patterson said, "I've killed the last couple now." I would really have preferred him to allude to a fourth murder, and for Lindsay and Chris to rush to the rescue.
I was really looking forward to reading this book and was sorry to see it continue to fall below my expectations as each page progressed. As soon as I finished it, I took it to a bookstore and traded it in for something else. I really would like to give Patterson a second chance-perhaps some of his earlier works-but after this novel, I am a little more wary about how I spend my $8.
javorncg's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
grandmashenanigans's review
4.0
Was rolling my eyes at the start but determined to finish the book. Once I got going, I wasn't so bored. Although I didn't enjoy this as much as Patterson's Alex Cross Series, it was nice to have a female heroine. Nice for a quick read, but not a repeat read. Check it out from the library so it doesn't collect dust at home.
martinapennetta's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
pirategirl121's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the characters and the crime was excellent but I was not a huge fan of the love story. It felt incredibly unnecessary and slowed the book down.
greggbaconroll's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
redvelvetpenguins's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this! I was a bit worried a book written 15 years ago would date itself but luckily it stayed away from anything that would suggest it was written a small lifetime ago. The characters were fun and easy to follow and the twist kept coming. Only knocked a star off because I felt the story could've been wrapped up about an hour before it was. I will definitely be going on in the series.