4th of July by James Patterson

3/5 Stars

It's been awhile since I read 3rd Degree, the last book in the series before this one. I really didn't care for the plot and it kept me from reading this one for a long time. It didn't take long for me to get back into the series. I found this book to be very enjoyable but with a few minor plot flaws. Lt. Lindsey Boxer is haunted by a 10 year old unsolved murder of a John Doe. When similar murders start to happen she can't resist trying to solve them, even though its not in her juridistion. There is a second plot, and it felt totally unrelated, where Lindsey finds herself on trial after firing her weapon in the line of duty.

This book almost could have been two seperate books. The plots are almost totally seperate from each other. The trial is the reason she leaves town and gets involved in the other murder investigation. But that's all that ties the two of them together.

Even with the minor flaws, I thought this was a very good book. It kept my attention from the beginning and didn't let up until the end. I figured out two of the three murderers, but not the motive. I thought the ending was a little forced, especially the confession of one of the murderers. For the most part the these murders were almost unsolvable and the murderers are forced into confessing all by themselves.