The wedding vow “until death do us part” is meant to be a long-term commitment. But not in James Patterson’s “1st to Die.”

Detective Lindsay Boxer is an inspector for the San Francisco Police Department. She has just drawn one of the most bizarre and grotesque murder cases ever.

A bride and groom are found stabbed on their wedding night. Worse yet the bride was sexually assaulted by the killer – postmortem.

“What is the worst thing anyone has ever done?” The killer asks himself that question and wonders, “had he just done it?”

It does not end there. Two more couples are killed on their wedding nights. And the bodies were posed in different sexual acts.

Detective Boxer is frantically searching for the killer, when more bad news hits. She has a rare blood disease that is slowly killing her.

Boxer decides since the case is not going well, another alternative is needed. She forms a club – The Women’s Murder Club.

The club includes Claire Washburn, a medical examiner; Cindy Thomas, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle; and Jill Bernhardt, an assistant district attorney.

This group of four women works outside the box to track down the killer. Their unorthodox style quickly helps them find many leads to break the case.

The one thing they did not count on was being completely wrong.

James Patterson has done it again. A thrilling roller coaster ride of twists and turns lays on each page.

“1st to Die” is just the beginning for The Women’s Murder Club. Patterson has already acquired much success with his Alex Cross series.

Coming in March the second installment, “2nd Chance,” continues the storyline of the Club.

Also, “1st to Die” has been made into a mini-series that will air soon on NBC. Markie Post (“Night Court”) will play Lindsay Boxer.

Patterson’s style of writing is still one of the easiest to read. Short chapters and gripping word pictures pull the reader through the novel.

The characters are introduced in such a way that you feel connected to them without knowing a lot about them.

Patterson lets you in on personal information about the characters gradually and in small portions.

This keeps the storyline moving. The subplot of Boxer’s illness or her new romance does not hinder the main story of the murder investigation.

Like all of his previous books, Patterson includes a twist at the end. You never fully know what the real story is until then.

In fact, Patterson turns the screw in a little more by including a twist after the main twist.

No matter how many twists and turns are included, a book by James Patterson is a sure hit.