Change the sectioning level created by `thebibliography` environment

I use the environment thebibliograghy for a document of the book class, but I’d like to have a bibliography title formatted like a section title (no page clearing, for example) instead of a chapter title (the book is a collection of papers each one being a chapter and having its own bibliography).

Can thebibliography environment be changed so to create a title formatted like the one of a section instead of chapter?

Thanks in advance for any clue.

usepackage{etoolbox}
patchcmd{thebibliography}{chapter*}{section*}{}{}