James Patterson and Maxine Paetro’s The 6th Target is another high-octane installment in the bestselling Women’s Murder Club series — a literary franchise that combines police procedural grit, courtroom drama, and emotional insight into women’s friendships. Set in San Francisco, this sixth book continues the intertwined stories of four remarkable women: Lindsay Boxer, the tenacious homicide inspector; Claire Washburn, the medical examiner; Cindy Thomas, the intrepid reporter; and Yuki Castellano, the rising assistant district attorney.
The story opens with a shocking public crime: a shooting spree aboard a San Francisco ferry. Several passengers are wounded, one is killed, and the shooter — a seemingly mild-mannered man named Charles Danko — claims temporary insanity.
Lindsay Boxer quickly becomes the central figure in the case, balancing her professional pursuit of justice with personal uncertainty about her relationship with Joe Molinari, her dependable yet emotionally distant partner.
While the ferry shooting dominates the early chapters, Patterson and Paetro weave in two other compelling subplots. One involves a chilling string of child abductions in the city — young girls taken from affluent families, leaving few clues behind. The other thread focuses on the Women’s Murder Club itself, as the friendship and trust among the four women are tested by professional pressures and emotional strain. Each subplot adds layers of suspense and human drama, maintaining the reader’s engagement through shifting perspectives and brisk, cinematic pacing.
True to Patterson’s signature style, The 6th Target unfolds in short, sharp chapters that propel the reader through rapid turns of action and revelation. The prose is lean and direct, offering just enough detail to set a scene or capture emotion before the next twist arrives. The collaboration with Paetro adds a steady, empathetic touch — particularly in scenes that explore the psychological toll of violence on the victims and investigators alike.
One of the novel’s attractions lies in its balance between the procedural and the personal. While Lindsay Boxer continues to be the emotional core of the series, each member of the Women’s Murder Club contributes meaningfully to the narrative. Claire provides forensic clarity, Cindy uncovers hidden leads through her journalistic instincts, and Yuki’s courtroom battles inject both legal tension and moral complexity. Together, they embody a rare portrayal of professional women supporting one another amid chaos and danger.
Thematically, The 6th Target explores the unpredictability of violence in everyday life — how ordinary settings like a ferry or a neighbourhood park can become scenes of trauma. It also delves into questions of justice versus sanity: Can someone who commits a brutal act but claims mental illness ever be fully accountable? Patterson and Paetro handle these questions with enough nuance to provoke thought without bogging down the momentum.
If there’s a minor weakness in the story, it lies in the sheer number of storylines. At times, the novel feels like it’s juggling too many threads at once, causing some emotional moments to feel hurried. Yet Patterson’s ability to keep the tension taut and the pages turning makes this forgivable.
Ultimately, The 6th Target is a gripping, emotionally charged thriller that delivers both suspense and heart. It reinforces what fans love about the Women’s Murder Club — fast-paced plotting, relatable heroines, and just enough humanity to make the horror of crime feel real.