80 out of 80 people found this review helpful.
Killing Sprees, Romance, Illness, Drama: 1st to Die Starts a New Series
Date of Review: Mar 12, 2003
The Bottom Line: I enjoyed this book for it's varying elements and fast pace. I hope that there will be more books to come in this series!
In February 2003, I caught the beginning of the made-for-tv movie based on James Patterson's book, 1st to Die. Although I didn't make it very far into the movie, the plot caught my interest, and I checked for the book at my library. I was unable to get my hands on the book right away, and had to settle on the sequel, 2nd Chance. I loved this second book, and it didn't give away much of anything about the first book, so I decided to keep looking for it!
The Book
The copyright on this one is 2001, so the "Women's Murder Club" series (which I will explain) is fairly new. My hardcover version was 424 pages long.
With 126 Chapters, the book flies along, changing time and place as well as point of view.
Characters & Plot
The plot is fairly simple. With homicide inspector Lindsay Boxer as the main character, the book opens. There are a series of killings taking place, aptly called the "bride & groom murders".
Starting at the time of the first murder, a "Women's Club" starts to form. Lindsay meets a reporter, Cindy. Although they don't get along right away, they form an alliance with two other women- medical examiner Claire and assistant D.A. Jill- to try and solve the case.
Patterson introduces a few other characters, with the most prominent being a love interest for Lindsay. There are the usual assortment of characters, from Lindsay's boss to other workers.
I reviewed 2nd Chance before reading and reviewing this book. In my review, I mentioned that the "Women's Club" was a strong point, but not an overwhelming factor in the book. However, in 1st to Die, the club had a different, more "girly" vibe. There were plenty of moments where the women savored and wallowed in their successes. On the other hand, it brought together four women struggling to make their careers and allowed them to put their heads together.
Another aspect of 1st to Die was its romantic drama. There are several parts of the book that deals with Lindsay and Chris being together sexually, to the point of almost feeling like a romance novel.
The last major aspect of the plot is Lindsay's illness. Early in the book (this isn't much of a spoiler), Lindsay is diagnosed with a blood illness. This adds another element to the plot, as readers have to wonder about Lindsay's race against time and race to solve the murders.
What I Liked About The Book
The mystery aspect of the book is great. It is intriguing, thrilling and complex. There are plenty of twists and turns, and is very fast-paced. I read this book in two days, and was often unable to put it down. The crimes are creative and interesting, and it kept my attention as I read along while the pieces of the puzzle were put together.
There is a nice change of view between Lindsay's character and then once in a while, the killer. It sets a very ominous tone, and gives the reader a sense of foreboding. Just as you start to forget about the threat of the killer, lurking on the outside, it is brought up once again.
The surprises in this book were amazing at times. Just when I wasn't expecting it, something new cropped up. Nicely done!
I liked the many chapters and the division of the plot. Because the chapters are so short, every few pages are like their own little story. This really kept my interest, and also made it easier to put down the book. (Although, I might add, the paradox of that would be that this book was so compelling, it was difficult to step away from the book at all!).
My Dislikes
I wasn't always thrilled with the "Women's Murder Club". I liked the idea of it, but I wasn't completely into the whole basking in one's self glory. Accomplishment is one thing, but this did become a stereotype at times. Between the club and the steamy romance sections, I doubt this is much of a book for guys. (However, it is possible that it is balanced out by the horrific crimes).
There is a point toward the end of the book where there was quite a lull in the plot. The storyline slowed down and there was little in terms of content. I was skimming through this section, because I was ready for the finality of the story.
There are some plot holes. Nothing major, just a few points here and there that didn't quite add up or were lost along the way.
Websites
Official James Patterson site:
http://www.jamespatterson.com
Price & Where to Find
As usual, I was able to get this book at my local library. James Patterson books are pretty popular, so the shelves are filled with dozens of his books, literally. Otherwise I'd try half.com, where bestsellers go for very cheap!
Overall
In some ways, I wish I had read this book first, before 2nd Chance. Not much was revealed in the sequel, but just the few inevitable facts gave away quite a bit. At the same time, I liked the second book better, so reading it first made me want to finish the series. This book definitely had more to do with developing the women's club and issues with the main (female) character, as compared to the second book. They are both different, and have their own unique plot lines.
I enjoyed 1st to Die. Just from the little I saw on the TV movie, the plot had been changed quite a bit. However, I still found this book to be both entertaining and thrilling. I am looking forward to more books in the series.
My Rating
4 out of 5 stars, for a well-written book. I think it is ironic that this felt like a movie as I was reading it, since it wasn't just a mystery. 1st to Die had those movie must-haves- the steamy sex, the life-threatening illness, the drama- all in addition to the main theme of the book. Still, nice page-turner.
