The SurgeonA friend of mine, Roz, recommended the Rizzoli and Isles series to me. I’m not sure if she did it after I mentioned that I love mysteries or if she did it after I mentioned that I watch the TV show based upon the characters, but either way I’m glad she did.

The series, set in Boston, starts with The Surgeon and features Detective Jane Rizzoli. Without giving anything away, let me tell you right now that Dr. Isles does not feature at all in this first book (I kept waiting for them to introduce her but it never happened). Let me also tell you that Jane Rizzoli, by book description, looks nothing like Angie Harmon (Angie’s too tall and too attractive, IMHO) but I must say, I do think Angie definitely captures the characters “masculinity” well and her brashness. I’ll also tell you, as I’ve taken a sneak peak at the next book in the series, The Apprentice, Sasha Alexander doesn’t look anything like Maura Isles. I can’t speak to her portrayal though because, the author Tess Gerritsen, literally, introduced her character just before I dozed off last night.

What I can tell you is that Dr. Gerritsen writes a gripping mystery, a thriller really, that at times, had me skimming pages. Maybe because she’s a doctor her knowledge of human anatomy fills the story with some gory, if not grotesque descriptions of a serial killer’s “work” that I just couldn’t stomach. I usually prefer lighter mysteries (I’m not good with suspense; I hate when bad things happen to characters I like), but the story compelled me back. I will not lie though, I’d read a chapter of this and then a chapter from the second book in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery (review tomorrow) just to lighten my tension levels.

If you’re familiar with the TV series, than you’ll be somewhat familiar with this story as the series starts with the story in the second book, with back-story information to this one. Still, it doesn’t detract at all from the book.
So on the five point scale:

  • 1 hated it
  • 2 didn’t like it
  • 3 liked it
  • 4 really liked it
  • 5 loved it

I’d give this a strong 3.