57 pages 1-hour read

James Patterson

25 Alive

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2025

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

A dedicated San Francisco Police Department homicide investigator. She is married to Joe Molinari and fiercely devoted to her five-year-old daughter, Julie. The sudden murder of her former partner deeply affects her, blurring the line between her professional duties and personal grief as she leads a new task force.

Key Relationships

Former partner of Warren Jacobi

Wife of Joe Molinari

Mother of Julie

Best friend of Claire Washburn

Friend of Cindy Thomas

Friend of Yuki Castellano

Partner of Rich Conklin

Subordinate to Jackson Brady

Patient of Dr. Sidney Greene

Collaborator of Bao Wong

An Assistant District Attorney tasked with prosecuting a prominent cartel member. She faces intense public pressure and severe physical threats to her safety. Despite the immense danger directed at her courtroom and personal life, she maintains her composure and relies heavily on her close friends for emotional support.

Key Relationships

Wife of Jackson Brady

Prosecutor of Esteban Dario Garza

Subordinate to Len Parisi

Friend of Lindsay Boxer

Friend of Cindy Thomas

Friend of Claire Washburn

An investigative crime reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. She possesses a natural curiosity and a wide network of contacts, allowing her to uncover details outside official police channels. She constantly works to balance her professional ambition with her deep loyalty to her friends in law enforcement.

Key Relationships

Wife of Rich Conklin

Friend of Lindsay Boxer

Friend of Yuki Castellano

Friend of Claire Washburn

Contact of Steven Wilson

A polished and articulate FBI agent who becomes a person of interest during a nationwide homicide investigation. He presents himself as a smooth professional while facing intense scrutiny regarding his personal history and the suspicious circumstances surrounding his previous marriages.

Key Relationships

Former colleague of James Walsh

Former son-in-law of Joann Kinney

Former husband of Angela Kinney Palmer

The ruthless patriarch of the Diablo cartel. He operates with extreme brutality and uses intimidation tactics to protect his family's criminal enterprise. He focuses his resources on disrupting the legal system as it attempts to prosecute his son.

Key Relationships

Father of Esteban Dario Garza

A retired SFPD homicide lieutenant and Lindsay's former partner. He secretly conducts off-the-books investigations into unsolved cases that continue to haunt him long into his retirement. His unexpected death serves as a catalyst for a massive, emotionally charged police manhunt.

Key Relationships

Former partner of Lindsay Boxer

Romantic partner of Miranda Spencer

The Chief Medical Examiner for San Francisco. She provides crucial forensic evidence for police investigations while serving as a warm, stabilizing presence for her closest friends during times of intense, personal trauma.

Key Relationships

Best friend of Lindsay Boxer

Friend of Yuki Castellano

Friend of Cindy Thomas

Supporting Characters

A pragmatic inspector with the SFPD homicide squad. He provides a grounded, steady presence during high-stress investigations and supports his wife's journalistic endeavors, though he strictly maintains his professional police boundaries.

Key Relationships

Partner of Lindsay Boxer

Husband of Cindy Thomas

Subordinate to Jackson Brady

An FBI agent and devoted family man. He offers domestic stability and comfort to his wife and young daughter, though his dangerous international assignments frequently introduce profound anxiety into their home life.

Key Relationships

Husband of Lindsay Boxer

Father of Julie

Partner of Bao Wong

Subordinate to Craig Steinmetz

A skilled FBI agent who undertakes dangerous undercover assignments in hostile territories. She displays significant courage under fire and bonds with local law enforcement over shared professional hazards and trauma.

Key Relationships

Partner of Joe Molinari

Subordinate to Craig Steinmetz

Collaborator of Lindsay Boxer

A wealthy young man from a powerful cartel family. He stands trial for a gruesome murder, maintaining a disruptive, arrogant, and defiant attitude in the courtroom while protests occur outside.

Key Relationships

Prosecuted by Yuki Castellano

Client of Jon Credendino

An SFPD lieutenant who oversees the homicide division. He manages departmental resources during overlapping crises and ensures the physical safety of his personnel and his family when violence spills out of the courtroom.

Key Relationships

Husband of Yuki Castellano

Employer of Lindsay Boxer

Employer of Rich Conklin

An FBI Special Agent tracking a national pattern of murders. He seeks unofficial cooperation from local law enforcement to pursue a highly sensitive lead involving fellow federal personnel, requiring absolute discretion.

Key Relationships

Colleague of Brett Palmer

The grieving girlfriend of a retired police officer. She provides crucial information and hidden digital evidence to investigators, shedding light on her partner's secret daily activities.

Key Relationships

Romantic partner of Warren Jacobi

The five-year-old daughter of Lindsay and Joe. She represents the peaceful domestic life her parents strive to protect from the violent realities of their respective careers.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Lindsay Boxer

Daughter of Joe Molinari

An aging family dog facing a sudden health scare. Her condition causes deep concern for the household, grounding her owners in everyday domestic worries amidst their chaotic jobs.

Key Relationships

A professional therapist who helps law enforcement personnel process the psychological trauma associated with their high-stress careers. He encourages honest communication about mental health.

Key Relationships

Therapist of Lindsay Boxer

The District Attorney who oversees high-stakes prosecutions in San Francisco. He makes difficult logistical decisions to ensure the safety of his staff when a trial becomes targeted by outside violence.

Key Relationships

Employer of Yuki Castellano

An FBI Section Chief who coordinates international undercover missions. He handles stressful logistical changes and diplomatic negotiations when field operations face sudden complications.

Key Relationships

Employer of Joe Molinari

Employer of Bao Wong

A Detective Sergeant investigating a local homicide. He shares crucial case details that help establish a broader, interstate pattern of similar crimes.

Key Relationships

Contact of Cindy Thomas

A grieving mother who suspects foul play in her daughter's death. She provides a key piece of physical evidence to aid an unofficial investigation into her former son-in-law.

Key Relationships

Mother of Angela Kinney Palmer

Former mother-in-law of Brett Palmer

The presiding judge in a highly publicized and dangerous murder trial. He faces severe intimidation and threats from outside forces attempting to derail the legal proceedings.

Key Relationships

Husband of Sandra Orlofsky

A successful romance novelist whose sudden murder links to a larger pattern of violence, prompting a major police investigation into newly wealthy victims.

Key Relationships

Former wife of Paul Robinson