The 8th Confession

The 8th Confession represents the eighth installment in the Women's Murder Club saga, featuring protagonist Lindsay Boxer, authored by James Patterson alongside Maxine Paetro. This book was published on April 27, 2009.

Plot

Stacey Glenn, a former member of high society, is found guilty of several murders through the efforts of Yuki Castellano, the club's attorney. Shortly after entering prison, Glenn is decapitated.

The narrative revolves around two primary investigations: first, the assault and fatal shooting of a homeless man known as Bagman Jesus. Despite Lindsay and her colleagues encountering a community unwilling to speak—viewing him as a saint—they uncover his true identity as Rodney Brooker, a methamphetamine dealer linked to a school bus explosion used as a drug laboratory. Brooker was both feared and despised, ultimately killed by his own associates who attempted to mislead authorities by accusing one another.

Concurrently, a serial murderer labeled "Pet Girl" targets affluent victims, leaving no evidence behind; the bodies remain untouched by external damage. She employs venomous snakes to poison couples, continuing her killing spree until Boxer and her partner Rich Conklin apprehend her during an attempted homicide. Rich survives a snakebite, leading to Pet Girl's capture. The killer is identified as Norma Johnson, who acquired expertise in handling poisonous snakes from her father—a man she murdered after being spurned by his lover. Her series of murders is motivated by vengeance.