The Keepsake (Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles, #7)

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The Keepsake (Rizzoli & Isles #7)

by Tess Gerritsen (Goodreads Author)

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 10,992 ratings · 807 reviews

For untold years, the perfectly preserved mummy had lain forgotten in the dusty basement of Boston’s Crispin Museum. Dubbed “Madam X,” the recently rediscovered mummy is, to all appearances, an ancient Egyptian artifact. But medical examiner Maura Isles discovers a macabre message hidden within the corpse–horrifying proof that this “centuries-old” relic is instead a modern...more

Paperback, 418 pages

Published August 25th 2009 by Ballantine Books (first published 2008)

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Rizzoli and Isles Series

7th out of 7 books — 1 voter

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Aug 25, 2011 Burçak :) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tess her zamanki gibi döktürmüş valla.. Mumyalama teknikleri falan değişik bi kitap olmuş.. Yazarın kitaplarında en çok sevdiğim şey farklı bölümler verip hepsini sonuna doğru birbirine bağlaması :) Katilin çok şaşırttığını söyleyemeyeceğim ama yine işin içinde işler çıkıp tek suçlu katil olmuyor ;)) Ben seriyi okumayanlara kesinlikle tavsiye ediyorum mutlaka okuyun.. okutun ;))

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Dec 02, 2012 ☪ℒiℱ ☚☠☛ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Bu seriyi seviyorum olaylar gerçekmiş gibi... Okurken ürpermekten kendimi alamıyorum. Sır dolu olaylar gene ustaca birbirine bağlanmış ve son ana kadar insanı şaşırtmayı başaran bir kitap :)

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Nov 20, 2010 Birgit rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tess Gerritsen's seventh novel in the series is once again a fast paced read that's hard to put down, especially with Rizzoli being at her wittiest, sarcastic best.
This time it's the archeological or egyptian theme, to put it more precisely, that keeps the two leading ladies busy. Once again a well written book that certainly does the whole series justice, it felt like there could have been a bit more details regarding the personal lives of Rizzoli and Isles, as there are threads that lead throu...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Dustin Crazy little brown owl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2008, goodreads-authors, read-in-2010, amazing, worth-reading-again-and-again, group-reads, summer-2012

The Keepsake has been chosen as the July/August Group Read in the Tess Gerritsen Fans Group. I will re-reading this amazing book yet again and I will also be using The Keepsake to meet the following requirement for the Summer 2012 Reading Challenge in the Dare to Dream Group:

August 26th is Women's Equality Day

Read a book this summer in which the main character is a FEMALE HEROINE

Watch out Patricia Cornwell! Tess Gerritsen is at the top of her game with The Keepsake - the best novel I've read in...more

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Sep 08, 2008 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Tess Gerritsen’s The Keepsake is a fast moving, well-paced whodunit. Medical Examiner Maura Isles is called in to observe the CT scanning of a mummy for a museum. The observers are shocked to find the mummy isn’t ancient at all, but the well-preserved body of a modern murder victim. Solving the murder falls to Jane Rizzoli, a Boston police detective. Soon Rizzoli discovers other women who have been murdered and preserved using disturbing and macabre methods. Knowing the killer has chosen his nex...more

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Jul 19, 2011 İlkim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, favorites, books-i-own

Kesinlikle orijinal bir kurgu daha yaratmış Tess Gerritsen. Her okuduğum kitapta daha bir hayran kalıyorum kadına. Bu romanı da beklediğim gibi beni sardı. Metinde bazı hatalar vardı, konuşan karakterlerin isimlerini karıştırmışlar ama bu da o kadar önemli bir şey değildi. Romandaki baskın karakter Jane idi ve bu zaten kitabı bir anda sevmeme neden oldu. Dizideki Maura hoşuma gitse de kitaptaki Maura beni o kadar da çekmiyor. Ayrıca Frost bu romanda bir anda büyüdü gibi bir şey oldu. Sanırım ser...more

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Nov 30, 2008 Angela Germana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tess Gerritsen's novels are a very good read. Many of them have endings that are unpredictable...which always wins me over. Nothing worse then starting a novel and knowing what will happen within the first 50 pages.

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Feb 23, 2009 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For untold years, the perfectly preserved mummy had lain forgotten in the dusty basement of Boston's Crispin Museum. Now its sudden rediscovery by museum staff is both a major coup and an attention-grabbing mystery. Dubbed "Madam X," the mummy-to all appearances, an ancient Egyptian artifact-seems a ghoulish godsend for the financially struggling institution. But medical examiner Maura Isles soon discovers a macabre message hidden within the corpse-horrifying proof that this "centuries-old" reli...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY

When a before unknown mummy is discovered in the storage basement of the small, private Crispin Museum there is great excitement all around Boston. People love mummies, and the press is out in force as "Madam X" is transported to the hospital to be checked out by a Cat Scan. One of our favorite medical examiners,...more THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY

When a before unknown mummy is discovered in the storage basement of the small, private Crispin Museum there is great excitement all around Boston. People love mummies, and the press is out in force as "Madam X" is transported to the hospital to be checked out by a Cat Scan. One of our favorite medical examiners, Dr. Maura Isles, dubbed by the press "Queen of the Dead", is present at the invitation of the museum curator. But things do not go as expected, because mummies do not have modern dental work or bullets in their legs. Or a very personal message for the Crispin's Egyptology expert Josephine Pulcillo, who it seems, has her own deadly secrets.

Into the investigation steps the team of Detectives Jane Rizzoli and Barry Frost, familiar from Gerritsen's previous books in the series, and before long there are other grisly discoveries for the duo to delve into. Soon there is evidence that they have a serial killer on their hands and indications that Dr. Pulcillo is very intimately tied into this macabre mystery.

Josephine Pulcillo and her mother were on the run for most of J's life. They were running from Bradley Kimball a rich guy's son who was the father of Pulcillo. He was the son of a rich Texas guy who backed a lot of archaeological digs which is where J's mother, Media, got involved with Bradley. Bradley was an off balance kid who had been sent to a private sanitarium for 3 years. In that time he had met a guy named Johnnie Otto who was as crazy as he was. Anyway, they stalk J and Medea until eventually Medea shoots and kills Bradley but everyone except his father thinks it was Otto. At any rate Otto and his sister, aka Debbie Duke, who works at the Crispin, have the plan to kill Medea or her daughter who is working at the Crispin also. After a few turns, both mother and daughter are finally safe after a life of hiding.(less)

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Mar 21, 2013 Alkatraz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: murders, mystery-thriller, thriller, ebook

I admit it, I have a... problem, an addiction, for which there is no cure. I am attracted to novels of murder and serial killers the way a Frat boy is attracted to large breasts and beer. I love the science of it, the mystery of it. The dialog of catching a criminal in a lie. I can't help but be entertained. My attention is held from opening word to last punctuation and few do it better then Tess Gerritsen.

The story starts innocently enough with the CT scan of a mummy found in the basement of a...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Jen Slocombe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gerritsen is my 'comfort read' - I go to her when I want to be immersed in a book without thinking too hard about it or having too many feels. I gave this book 3 stars because it provides what Gerritsen never fails to: a gripping read, difficult to put down, escapism and chapter hooks.

However, it also sees a return to the same, troublesome, themes that run throughout her work: men's ownership of women (see the title), sex and sexuality, ridiculous forensic psychology... all quite offensive. Eve...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Kristen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-thriller

This book was okay, but it wasn't my favourite from Gerritsen. I much preferred both the Mephisto Club and The Bone Garden from this author. Both of them were more intricate and complex stories.

That is not to say that The Keepsake isn't an enjoyable murder mystery suspense story, because it is. The book has some interesting twists, and, as always with Gerritsen, clever and ingenious methods of murder.

The plot is certainly compelling, and the characters are three-dimensional, likeable and intrigu...more This book was okay, but it wasn't my favourite from Gerritsen. I much preferred both the Mephisto Club and The Bone Garden from this author. Both of them were more intricate and complex stories.

That is not to say that The Keepsake isn't an enjoyable murder mystery suspense story, because it is. The book has some interesting twists, and, as always with Gerritsen, clever and ingenious methods of murder.

The plot is certainly compelling, and the characters are three-dimensional, likeable and intriguing - another hallmark of Tess Gerritsen's stories. In this case, a small, dusty private museum suddenly discovers a mummy in their basement that nobody knew they had.

As the testing and investigation to date and identify the mummy progresses, a terrifying discovery is made - this isn't an ancient Egyptian artifact at all, but a modern day woman who after being murdered was mummified and hidden in the museum.

Detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles are called in to investigate, and before long other victims turn up, all murdered and preserved in equally gruesome and unusual ways. Who is the killer, and why is he going to the trouble of preserving these women with these complicated and odd methods?

One of the museum's employees, a young woman seems to be somehow involved in what's going on, and she certainly is harbouring some secrets but exactly how she is connected is unclear.

The story is entertaining, but the mystery is pretty predictable. I figured out several of the key plot points well before they are revealed by the story, and I never figure things out early, so if I knew what was going to happen, it really wasn't much of a mystery.

My other minor complaint is the behaviour of Detective Rizzoli. For a supposedly seasoned, intelligent savvy cop, she makes some really foolish decisions during the story which just didn't fit with what I knew of the character so that rang false for me.

All in all this is a perfectly decent murder/suspense story with interesting characters and a clever [if not surprising] storyline.(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 Primeballerina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Grabkammer" ist ein weiterer Titel der Weltbestseller-Autorin, Tess Gerritsen, der sich um um die Ermittlerin Jane Rizzoli und die Gerichtsmedizinerin, die "Königin der Toten", Dr.Maura Isles, dreht. Ein weiterer Titel, deren Handlung wieder einmal den Leser fesselt und in seinen Bann zieht. Wieder mal ein fantastisches Buch, mit einer unfassbar genialen und unvorhersehbare Handlung.
Im Bostoner Museum wird im Keller eine Mumie entdeckt. Durch die Radiokarbondatierung der Leinen, mit denen der K...more

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May 17, 2012 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, mystery

During the cataloguing of a vast collection at an eccentric museum, a mummy is found. Its discovery sends Detective Jane Rizzoli and Dr. Maura Isles down a rabbit hole of strange disappearances and killings that indicate the killer has profound knowledge of anthropology and how to preserve and keep the dead, including his victims.

'The Keepsake' was my first book by Tess Gerritsen, and I have to say that I wasn't disappointed! I don't usually read novels that are part of these popular mystery ser...more

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May 10, 2011 Lady rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tess Gerritsen's The Keepsake is the seventh book that revolves around Rizzoli and Isles (Gerritsen's dynamic duo). Though many of this series can be read out of order, if you haven't read the Mephisto Club yet it will ruin some parts of it for you, so be sure to read that one first before picking up The Keepsake.

As many of her books do, Gerritsen tend to pick up a second educational interest that goes along with the medical examiner/ criminal justice focus. In this particular book that is Archa...more Tess Gerritsen's The Keepsake is the seventh book that revolves around Rizzoli and Isles (Gerritsen's dynamic duo). Though many of this series can be read out of order, if you haven't read the Mephisto Club yet it will ruin some parts of it for you, so be sure to read that one first before picking up The Keepsake.

As many of her books do, Gerritsen tend to pick up a second educational interest that goes along with the medical examiner/ criminal justice focus. In this particular book that is Archaeology/Anthropology. I say both because part of the information really does have an anthropological teaching to it, yet there is a lot of reference to archeological processes and people.

Personally I enjoy learning something from books. Hard facts enshrouded in fictional storyline is a big draw for me, especially when the topics are well researched and detailed. The Keepsake is full of them, with well researched details. The balance that Gerritsen keeps is important though. She doesn't beat you across the face with two pages of technical jargon like she just stole a page from a research paper on the subject. She intersperses the information with the storyline and her own medical knowledge, combining everything into a nice neat package of historical detail and interesting plot line.

(view spoiler)

In The Keepsake, as in many of her books, the author relies heavily on the intelligence of the reader to be reading between the lines and figuring plot twists out before they happen with just a few clues. Her trust in the reader is double sided though. If they are seeing the pattern, then she is going to throw them off and give a twist to what she was building up to. If the reader doesn't notice, then there is no extra twist. (view spoiler)

Over all the book was hard to set down, as many of her books are. The mystery extends all the way to the very last pages, even when you thought it was over. The twists are always satisfying and the facts are always cold and hard. Another wonderful book by Tess Gerritsen with a flare of history for good measure.(less)

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Feb 23, 2011 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

Titled "Keeping the Dead" in the Uk. Great read from a great author. I skipped one in the series to read this one but I didn't find any glaring plot holes in the personal stories of either Maura or Jane as a result of that which was a good thing. This does mean that I am now only a couple of books away from having read everything by Tess Gerritsen! It makes me weirdly proud. Specific to this book though, and my obvious love of the series and the author aside, this one stuck out to me for a coupl...more Titled "Keeping the Dead" in the Uk. Great read from a great author. I skipped one in the series to read this one but I didn't find any glaring plot holes in the personal stories of either Maura or Jane as a result of that which was a good thing. This does mean that I am now only a couple of books away from having read everything by Tess Gerritsen! It makes me weirdly proud. Specific to this book though, and my obvious love of the series and the author aside, this one stuck out to me for a couple of reasons. Some of the minor characters were given a more prominent role in this novel: Barry Frost, Jane's partner, has been in all of the novels -- discounting The Surgeon I think, because she had an older partner in that who was a force veteran, I can't remember his name off the top of my head -- and his personality has always been well developed, he's the 'boy scout' and often the good cop to Rizzoli's bad cop. This time around we get to see a lot more of him, particularly his faults and failings as a man and naturally that's where the real substance and depth of a character tends to come from. I really enjoyed this and I really liked how the friendship/partnership of him and Rizzoli was handled.

There was less Maura in this book than in the last one, but that was okay because I think out of the two main female protagonists Rizzoli has always been my favourite anyway. I get the feeling though that the next novel is going to focus a bit more on Maura's private life; one of the main characters in The Mephisto Club surfaced a few times in this novel and I just know that's all going to come to a head sooner or later. Without spoiling anyone, I really hope that I think might happen actually happens eeee!

This was another rollercoaster of a book, the plot was so twisty towards the end I was left a bit dazed by who was who and what had really happened but in a good way, in a way that put me in the same boat as the characters who were trying to cut their way through the case. I feel like Gerritsen is really talented at leaving you just enough clues as a reader to know some of what's coming up in the resolution but keeping enough of the plot twists back so that while you might feel a bit blindsided you also feel liek you've worked some things out for yourself, which is always fun in a thriller. Fantastically enjoyable book!(less)

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Aug 15, 2010 Mmyoung rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: police-procedural, thriller

I decided to read this book purely because I saw an episode of Rizzoli and Isles and I wanted to know how much the television version of these characters strayed from the written versions.

My very short review of this book is that it is far better than the television show based on it and I am definitely going to read at least one more Gerritsen before deciding what I think of her as a writer.

Episodic television shows and thrillers differ in ways far beyond the superficial. Rizzoli and Isles is a...more I decided to read this book purely because I saw an episode of Rizzoli and Isles and I wanted to know how much the television version of these characters strayed from the written versions.

My very short review of this book is that it is far better than the television show based on it and I am definitely going to read at least one more Gerritsen before deciding what I think of her as a writer.

Episodic television shows and thrillers differ in ways far beyond the superficial. Rizzoli and Isles is a lightly plotted (as in you had better duck or you might get hit by the trucks driving through those plot holes) buddy show. The big twist is that the buddies are both women. Imagine Bones if you had Bones as a medical examiner and Booth as a woman. When you only have 42 minutes in which to tell a story you tend to make the story fairly straightforward. Thrillers, especially ones written and published in the era of the doorstop sized book, can take their time, fill in back story, let the reader go away and think about things for a while. Television shows cannot afford to do any of those things. There is more need on television shows to trot out all your characters at least once a show while the written form encourages the exploration of what characters are thinking and feeling even if it doesn't really advance the plot.

To move from the general to the specific. Some parts of The Keepsake seems to be included not because they advance the story but because they advance larger arc stories that run from book to book. For example, the several chapters that focus on Isles personal life may seem irrelevant to someone new to the series and as does the times spent on the deterioration of Frost's marriage and Rizzoli's concerns in dealing with the dissolution of her own parents marriage. Because I choose to read this book after seeing the television show this concentration on what seems to be a superfluous character is less jarring than if I had randomly picked up the book because of the cover blurb -- just as they would not be jarring to readers who had read previous books in the series. The reader who picks up this book at random will find many textual clues that indicate that it is part, though not the first, of a series.

As for the story itself it is definitely a page turner. I read it in basically one gulp. I disliked the focus on torturing women and hope that is not a constant theme in Gerritsen's work. Some of the police procedural details seem lightly sketched in and, as is often the case in books such as this, it isn't so much that the detectives do great work it is more a matter that criminals escalate their behaviour and/or kill off suspects to the point where "whodunnit" is fairly obvious.

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Jul 02, 2010 Alisha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books-i-ve-read, mystery-thriller

I have found that it is a bit difficult to write a review on a book that's part of a series, particularly if you have reviewed most of the other books in the series. Chances are that most of what you say in the newest review is going to sound repetitive. Regardless of whether you liked it or not. But, still, review I must. So, I'm going to say that while I have stated my love for the Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles many times in my numerous reviews, The Keepsake was the first one that I felt sort...more I have found that it is a bit difficult to write a review on a book that's part of a series, particularly if you have reviewed most of the other books in the series. Chances are that most of what you say in the newest review is going to sound repetitive. Regardless of whether you liked it or not. But, still, review I must. So, I'm going to say that while I have stated my love for the Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles many times in my numerous reviews, The Keepsake was the first one that I felt sort of "meh" about. Wow! Typing that sentence nearly killed me and now I feel ashamed...

Let's start with the good: the archeology. This was something that I found absolutely fascinating (well, you know, that and the shruken heads) and could not get enough of. That's what I love about Tess Gerritsen's mysteries. Sure, it focuses mainly on the whodunit (is there a more amusing word than "whodunit"? Besides "oy", I mean), but they're usually set to a backdrop of some really intriguing premise. In The Mephisto's Club it was nephilism and here in The Keepsake it's archeology. And, boy do I love it when a novel I'm reading teaches me about things I didn't have a clue about before. I really wished that Gerritsen would've expanded on this just a tiny bit more because it was my favorite part (besides Jane Rizzoli and her utter awesomeness, I mean).

This is book 7 in the series, so obviously by now I'm in tune with the characters since I keep reading. Jane Rizzoli was all types of on in this book. Usually, I like her anyway, but in The Keepsake, I loved her! From being all Mama Bear with Frost to her sometimes dry sense of humor that's so dry you can't really tell if she's joking or not, she was just great. Definitely my favorite character in this one. Barry Frost was another one that I was endeared to. He's just so sweet and dopey. Although, that whole "losing objectivity in the face of an attractive woman" thing was sort of grating, though.

Here comes the "while not bad, it definitely was annoying" part of the review: Maura Isles. She's usually my favorite character in most of these books. But in The Keepsake, she really didn't serve a purpose besides whining about her relationship with the priest. This was made even more obvious by the fact that she was gone for half the novel. Seriously, I was halfway through when I suddenly thought "Wait! Where's Maura?". It just seemed like the author had shipped her off to destinations unknown. Just as suddenly as it hit me that Maura wasn't there, there she was again. But she came back to the plot in a way that had me believing that Gerritsen forgot about her for a bit and thought "Crap! I've been so focused on everything else, I forgot all about Maura. Well, maybe, I can plug her in right here and explain it using this lame plot point..." Well, it didn't really work.

So, I have to say that The Keepsake might've been my least favorite of the series (I hesitate to say "worst" because Tess Gerritsen's "worst" is a lot better than most mystery authors' "best"), but I can't really complain (more than I have above) because it was a quick page-turner and it kept me intrigued. And I'm still looking forward to the next book (which I have right next to me and am trying to restrain myself from reading it for at least a week) and I'm so excited for the Rizzoli & Isles series that premieres on TNT in about a week and a half.
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Jun 21, 2010 David rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: completed

The Keepsake is another competent thriller from author Tess Gerritsen. This time, Isles and Rizzoli encounter a murdered who preserves his victim's bodies, after holding them hostage for a period of time.

In order to write this one, Gerritsen had to do some research on preservation methods of human remains and comes up with a number of variations on this theme that are spooky as all heck. She also creates several small mysteries surrounding the big mystery.

Rizzoli and Isles are interesting char...more

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Sep 07, 2009 Christy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The discovery of a preserved mummy in the basement of Boston’s Crispin Museum causes much media attention. Egyptologist/ archeologist Josephine Pulcillo, in hopes of not disturbing the wrappings, plans to scan the mummy beforehand to see what they can learn. Medical examiner Maura Isles is invited to be present for the scan and discovers this is no Egyptian mummy of ancient times but a woman who died more recently. When a shrunken head is discovered behind a wall in the museum, homicide detectiv...more

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Jul 10, 2009 Kayeb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Seems to be a theme in books I am reading lately....more of the person from teh past coming forward to exact revenge. I enjoy Gerritsen.

[close:] New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen knows how to expertly dissect a brilliantly suspenseful story, all the while keeping fascinated readers riveted to her side. By turns darkly enthralling and relentlessly surprising, The Keepsake showcases an author at the peak of her storytelling powers.

For untold years, the perfectly preserved mummy had...more
Seems to be a theme in books I am reading lately....more of the person from teh past coming forward to exact revenge. I enjoy Gerritsen.

[close:] New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen knows how to expertly dissect a brilliantly suspenseful story, all the while keeping fascinated readers riveted to her side. By turns darkly enthralling and relentlessly surprising, The Keepsake showcases an author at the peak of her storytelling powers.

For untold years, the perfectly preserved mummy had lain forgotten in the dusty basement of Boston’s Crispin Museum. Now its sudden rediscovery by museum staff is both a major coup and an attention-grabbing mystery. Dubbed “Madam X,” the mummy–to all appearances, an ancient Egyptian artifact–seems a ghoulish godsend for the financially struggling institution. But medical examiner Maura Isles soon discovers a macabre message hidden within the corpse–horrifying proof that this “centuries-old” relic is instead a modern-day murder victim.

To Maura and Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli, the forensic evidence is unmistakable, its implications terrifying. And when the grisly remains of yet another woman are found in the hidden recesses of the museum, it becomes chillingly clear that a maniac is at large–and is now taunting them.
Archaeologist Josephine Pulcillo’s blood runs cold when the killer’s cryptic missives are discovered, and her darkest dread becomes real when the carefully preserved corpse of yet a third victim is left in her car like a gruesome offering–or perhaps a ghastly promise of what’s to come.

The twisted killer’s familiarity with post-mortem rituals suggests to Maura and Jane that he may have scientific expertise in common with Josephine. Only Josephine knows that her stalker shares a knowledge even more personally terrifying: details of a dark secret she had thought forever buried.

Now Maura must summon her own dusty knowledge of ancient death traditions to unravel his twisted endgame. And when Josephine vanishes, Maura and Jane have precious little time to derail the Archaeology Killer before he adds another chilling piece to his monstrous collection.(less)

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May 29, 2009 Douglas rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, borrowed

This was a good mystery. I swallowed it up in one evening, so the story was engaging and kept my attention. I found the ghoulish keepsake deaths well detailed and exotic. Gerritsen's medical background added enough realism to ground the story, but not so much realism that I was bored. Many of the characters were well fleshed out and entertaining to read about. The pacing of the story was also well done.

My only quibbles were as follows:

1) After such a well-paced and suspenseful setup I found the...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Stuart rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-mystery

The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen. I bought this at an airport when my plane was delayed three hours, and finished it before the plane took off. You’ll gather it’s an easy read. But an enjoyable one, nonetheless. It is the seventh Rizzoli and Isles book. The story starts when an apparently newly discovered Egyptian mummy is taken to a Boston hospital for an X-ray scan. Dr Maura Isles is present, and when the X-Ray reveals a bullet, the mummy becomes a criminal case. The mummy is quickly joined by m...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Marianne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Keeping The Dead is the 7th in Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli/Isles series. Maura Isles is invited to be present for the CT scan on a mummy recently found in the basement of the Crispin museum. When the scan first shows a dental filling, and then a bullet lodged in the calf, a historical find becomes a murder investigation, and Jane Rizzoli takes the case. As more bodies, or parts of bodies, are uncovered, an association with archaeology becomes apparent. The target seems to be Josephine Pulcillo, an...more

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Feb 10, 2011 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bought this book at a lovely store in Notting Hill. I am not really into thrillers and stuff like that but this author, Tess Gerritsen, caught my attention because of the TV Show Rizzoli and Isles. I didn't really know what to expect when I bought it because I hadn't read any of the series' books. Still, as it was quite cheap and I was about to go on holidays, I decided it would be nice to give it a go and I am so glad I did. I couldn't put it down... it was like the story was hunting me as mu...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Stacia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-fiction, 2012

I started reading the Rizzoli & Isles series because I enjoy the TV show, but it quickly became clear to me that they are two completely separate entities. Although I do visualize (and hear) the TV characters as I read, that's really the only thing that carries over; the R&Z interaction that is the heart of the TV program is largely absent from the books, each of which focuses on one of the women, with the other making relatively brief appearances. That doesn't affect my enjoyment of the...more

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Aug 05, 2012 rachel rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: from-library, 2012, criminals-or-tremendous-creepers

It's not that The Keepsake is "worse" than the other Rizzoli & Isles books I've read so much as it brings to light the fact that a couple of things that frustrate me about the series are actually series staples.

1.) There always seems to be a guy pinging the interest of either Maura Isles or a book-specific secondary female character in some creepo way (i.e. long stares or persistent attempts at trying to "help" her). These dudes are rarely the bad guys. Is the Edward Cullen "stare and relen...more

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Mar 27, 2010 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: james patterson fans

Recommended to Liz by: alison cardone (stepmom)

Shelves: mystery-suspense

I really enjoyed this suspense-filled book. Medea Sommers is pregnant with a child, and is constantly on the run after she supposedly shoots a friend of the fathers who is psychopath. Changes names and towns very often, all Medea knows is to run. As Josie grows up she has been through numerous names but has moved on with her life working for the Crispin Museum as an Egyptologist when a mummified woman is found in the basements collection. They learn that the woman is from present day and not fro...more I really enjoyed this suspense-filled book. Medea Sommers is pregnant with a child, and is constantly on the run after she supposedly shoots a friend of the fathers who is psychopath. Changes names and towns very often, all Medea knows is to run. As Josie grows up she has been through numerous names but has moved on with her life working for the Crispin Museum as an Egyptologist when a mummified woman is found in the basements collection. They learn that the woman is from present day and not from Egypt. They also discover shrunken heads of modern day women. Josie gets the surprise of her life when she discovers a woman in her truck while on a hike looking for a person whom knows her original last name who sent her a letter with coordinates on it. One thing in common with all the dead women with Josie is the looks. As the detectives investigate they learn of Josie's false past and learn the truth. The delve into looking for Bradley Rose, the supposed killer. They encounter a tough obstacle in Bradley's father. His father is will known in the archeological circles and has loads of money to get whatever he wants. Towards the end of the book, Josie is captured and held captive in a darkened cellar, however she tries to escape to only be stopped by a face she recognizes. As Jane investigates, someone steps forward to Detective Frost. Surprisingly it is Josie's mother whom everyone thought was dead. As the tale unravels, we learn that it was Bradley Rose that was killed in the apartment in San Diego when Josie was a teenager and not Jimmy Otto whom his sister identified. Mr. Rose is also wrapped up in making everyone believe it is Otto that is killed to, for his wife's sake. The killer who currently has Josie knows that Medea is still alive and the only way for her to surface is by keeping Josie alive. As the detectives break this case, Jimmy and Carrie (his sister) are both killed when Medea steps forward to them. Josie is set free. Medea has her day with Mr. Rose and is shot, but she is wearing a wire and kevlar vest and the police are there to witness Mr. Rose committing suicide. Finally for the first time in Medea and Josie's life are they able to live and not run.(less)

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Jan 12, 2013 Lorne Oliver rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a great book to start 2013 with. The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen is just a ripper of a great book. I’m a slow reader and I finished it in a week. That’s a good thing. I had to keep reading, I had to keep turning pages.

The Keepsake is the 7th book in Gerritsen’s Rizzoli & Isles series, her 21st novel all together, and I feel it is an amazing addition to the collection. When the curator of the Crispin Museum and an archeologist bring the found treasure of a mummy named Madame X to get a CT...more What a great book to start 2013 with. The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen is just a ripper of a great book. I’m a slow reader and I finished it in a week. That’s a good thing. I had to keep reading, I had to keep turning pages.

The Keepsake is the 7th book in Gerritsen’s Rizzoli & Isles series, her 21st novel all together, and I feel it is an amazing addition to the collection. When the curator of the Crispin Museum and an archeologist bring the found treasure of a mummy named Madame X to get a CT scan, Dr. Maura Isles discovers this may not be a 2000 year old mummy at all. Detective Jane Rizzoli is immediately called in to try and help figure out what is going on. More mysteries build up instead of clues that can solve what has happened and to find who may be out there. The clues start to come in and as the reader you have to turn the page to get to what else is going on. I had to flip through. I had to find out who the killer was and how many more victims would fall.

I became a fan of Tess Gerritsen because of the TNT TV show Rizzoli & Isles. My wife had been a fan long before, but I did not read any of her novels until after seeing the show. The only trouble that there is, is remembering that the Rizzoli and Isles from the novels are not the same characters from the television show. There are a lot of similarities, but their descriptions are different and except for the novel The Apprentice where the two characters first work together in the novels the show goes off in a completely different direction.
I’ll be honest, I skipped The Surgeon – the first novel in the series for no other reason than I did not have that one in our collection. The books seem to get better as they go along.

As I said in other reviews, the ending is one of the important things to me when I read a book. First I want a good start that pulls you right in and then I want a finish that leaves the reader satisfied. The Keepsake did this for me. There were enough clues that the reader had a chance of figuring out what was going on just as Detective Rizzoli was figuring it all out. I love that.
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Oct 13, 2010 Sylvia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

True to fashion, Tess Gerritsen delivers another suspenseful masterpiece. No her novels may not be literary gold mines but as far as Mystery/ Suspense goes she's carved out her own special place, at least in my library. I have yet to read one of her books and not thoroughly enjoy it from beginning to end. (Note: I have not read any of her romance novels)

The Keepsake is a fast paced well researched novel that brings the ancient smack dab into the present. With twists and turns that keep you hangi...more

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About Tess Gerritsen

Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.

While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller...more

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Quotes from The Keepsake

“The heart makes its choices without weighing the consequences. It doesn't look ahead to the lonely nights that follow.” — 92 people liked it

“Deves prestar sempre atenção aos teus sonhos, ensinara-lhe a mãe. São vozes que te dizem o que já sabes, sussurrando-te conselhos que ainda não seguiste.” — 3 people liked it

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The Keepsake (Rizzoli & Isles #7)

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