I love crime stories. True crime, cold cases, mysteries, private eyes, court room drama, you name it and I have probably seen the movie. Something about hearing the why behind a crime is fascinating. Even more so when the criminal has an identifiable quirk like John Wayne Gacy. I think it goes back to watching Law & Order or Dog the Bounty Hunter with my Dad. It was great bonding time and introduced me to the characters the reside in the world of crime.
One of my favourite crime shows is Rizzoli & Isles, which is based on the crime series by Tess Gerritsen. For the first few seasons I didn’t know there were books to be discovered, and I’m so glad I found them. Each novel is strategically laid out so you don’t know much more than the lead detective, adding to the thrill of the story.
The Surgeon
The Surgeon is the first novel in the Rizzoli & Isles Series:
“A killer who targets lone women, who breaks into their apartments and performs terrifying ritualistic acts of torture on them before finishing them off. His surgical skills lead police to suspect he is a physician – a physician who, instead of saving lives, takes them.
But as homicide detective Thomas Moore and his partner Jane Rizzoli begin their investigation, they make a startling discovery. Closely linked to these killings is Catherine Cordell, a beautiful doctor with a mysterious past. Two years ago she was subjected to a horrifying rape and shot her attacker dead.
Now the man she believes she killed seems to be stalking her once again, and this time he knows exactly where to find her…”
My Take
This novel has everything I love. An intelligent detective, strong female characters, a taunting criminal, and the perfect level of suspense. It pulls you in from the first page and is difficult to put down (I don’t recommend starting to read it late at night). This is my second time reading through the series. It’s been long enough that each twist catches me off guard. I can’t recommend this book enough – even for those that don’t often reach for the crime novel. It does have some graphic details of crimes, but the dynamics between the characters balances that out nicely.
You can find The Surgeon on GoodReads, Amazon and at your local library.
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