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ABC's Women's Murder Club

Is TV Series Better than the Book?

Oct 13, 2007 Sandy Mitchell

The new ABC series based on the James Patterson "Women's Murder Club" books is surprisingly well done, leaving viewers eager for next week's episode.

Regular readers will know that I'm not a fan of James Patterson's formula-style, quickly-written mystery novels. I expected a similar two-dimensional experience from the new ABC television series based on his "Women's Murder Club" series. It was a pleasant surprise to find the television show peopled with good actors; complex characters who don't reveal too much too soon, and a multi-layered and intriguing plot line. In short, it's a good show.

Lindsey Boxer and Company

The Women's Murder Club centers around four San Francisco women, all involved in some way with law enforcement. There's Lindsay Boxer, played by Angie Harmon (of "Law and Order" fame), a SFPD detective; Jill Bernhardt, played by Laura Harris, an assistant District Attorney; Claire Washburn, played by Claire Newsome, the city's Medical Examiner; and Cindy Thomas, a crime reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. All the women are all close friends.

Series Premiere

The first episode of Women's Murder Club finds Lindsay waiting to meet a journalist acquaintance, Theresa Woo, in front of a street-side news stand. As she waits, Ms. Woo comes sailing off the top of the building, landing dead on Lindsay's parked car. As Lindsay and her friends work to find the journalist's killer, they find an affair, a stalker, and a cub reporter, Cindy Harris, who they might just let join the "club."

The plot is complicated by the women's personal lives. Lindsay must deal with her ex-husband, Tom Hogan (played by Rob Estes), who was just appointed her precinct's lieutenant. Jill is torn between her hard-won independence and moving in with the man she loves.

In the first episode, viewers learn that Lindsay's obsession with the "no tell" murderer two years previously led to the demise of her marriage. The sadist, who left the bodies with their lips sewn shut, was never caught, a fact that still bothers Lindsay. In the last scene of the first episode, we learn that the killer is back.

James Patterson

Patterson, the author of over 40 mystery novels, is the executive producer of the series and the first episode followed the first novel, "1st to Die," fairly closely. Presumably, next up are "2nd Chance" and "3rd Degree."

The series, which airs on Fridays at 9pm, is worth checking out, especially for mystery fans. Did you miss the first episode? You can watch the entire show on the ABC Web site.