I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Review will be added later.

Madison "Maddy" Webb is an investigative reporter. When Maddy is told her youngest sister is dead due to an overdose, she knows something is wrong. Maddy begins to do what she does best, investigate. She quickly learns that her sister's death is actually a murder and that she was the third victim of a serial killer that may have ties to the People's Republic of China. Take a series of murders, a gubernatorial election, possible police corruption, and an investigative reporter that won't quit until answers are found and you have The 3rd Woman by Jonathan Freedland.

Early on the morning after Maddy Webb has published an expose on local sweatshops, she receives a visit from a police officer and friend telling her that her youngest sister has died of an apparent self-inflicted overdose. Over the course of the next few days, Maddy uncovers two other "deaths" under similar circumstances and all three women are blonde and pale. The more Maddy investigates the more she learns that these murders are being covered up by the police and that there may be ties to the Chinese government. If dealing with a murdered sister isn't enough, Maddy suffers from chronic insomnia, and must deal with the side effects of lack of sleep, as well as the political fallout of her investigation into her sister's murder.

The 3rd Woman is a fast-paced read with a lot of action. The story takes place in USA that's not too hard to imagine. The US has defaulted on its loans and China is the major lender. In an effort to recoup some of the monies owed, the Chinese government has installed "bases" at port cities along the Western coast of the US. The US is now a country that uses Weibo instead of Twitter and where Chinese-manufactured vehicles are just as prevalent as Japanese, European and American-made vehicles. I found the characters and the action to be highly plausible and realistic. Mr. Freedland does provide a couple of twists and turns in the story just to keep things slightly off and the reader unsure of where the story will end (no, I won't tell you how it ends). Yes, there's a lot going on in this story: political campaigns, possible police department corruption and cover-up, a grassroots protest to ensure justice prevails, family and friends mourning deceased loved ones, and more. If you enjoy reading suspense thrillers, then you'll want to add The 3rd Woman to your TBR list. ( )

The 3rd Woman – Stylish Thriller

Jonathan Freedland has finally come out from his nom de plume Sam Bourne and delivered a high quality well thought out thriller that delivers on every level. As Sam Bourne he has sold over 1.5 million books and with The 3rd Woman that will continue, this is a book that will draw you in feel like you are at the centre of plot and with all good thriller writers the clues are there but can you put them together?

The plot centres around LA Times investigative journalist Madison Webb an insomniac with a fervent belief in revealing the truth and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army based in the California ports. The high concept thriller starts with a truth that the Chinese own a lot of the debt of the United States and they have finally got sick of not getting paid so collect taxes and payments from the ports. The Chinese officer class are able to get away with many things such as drink driving, gambling, and drug taking.

Madison Webb’s life takes a turn when her sister Abigail is murdered and the police are telling her it is a heroin overdose and there is no foul play. Madison does not accept this and as she begins her investigation she uncovers that there were two previous murders identical to her sister’s and that the police did not or would not link as the work of the same killer.

As she begins her investigation she makes a link between the murders and a member of the PLA and when she reveals this so begins a fire storm against the Chinese in Los Angeles. With her links to the Police she tries to use her contacts and an unusual source her ex-boyfriend a political campaigner in the California gubernatorial race.

Madison discovers that her murder was not isolated and at the same time this causes problems for the LAPD and its leadership who are under pressure from the mayor who is on the campaign trial at the time. As her investigation clashes she finds that she too is being spied up on by the Chinese and one of her friends has an accident which seems fortunate to some. As she uncovers every bit of the story she is still bent on discovering the truth and always asks who gains from this information being out?

We readers also see the fine balance of what journalistic integrity can do when allowed they will ask the awkward questions and how excellent journalism can impact upon society. It also looks at some American election campaigning and the political correctness and the tensions that bubble away below the surface. As a journalist Freedland shows the spiralling effect of the investigation and the events in this wonderful thriller.

Madison is a wonderful character and her relentless search for the truth will endear her to the readers, even when others are trying to deflect her. The research and writing in this book is excellent, Freedland’s writing draws you in and captivates you, and his excellent way of writing and connecting with the reader pours through the pages. This is a high concept thriller and throughout the book there are modern day truths and news stories mentioned around the text and they pop up when least expected.

The 3rd Woman is an excellent high concept thriller that delivers from the first page to the last with all the twists and turns a person could want. Jonathan Freedland will continue where Sam Bourne left off and has delivered a classic thriller. ( )