WHY Tess, why????

Allow me to premise this review by saying that I have read every one of Ms. Gerritsen’s books and loved most of them (barring only the Mephisto Club). She is a brilliant writer, and the first few novels of Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles were wonderful, theatrical worthy thrillers. This book was an ENORMOUS disappointment.

For awhile, her books have slowly and steadily become less about the crime and mystery thriller aspects, than about some personal agenda. Each new book seems to be a mirror to what is going on in the world; paranoia about black ops, corrupt government, secret societies and now, in this latest, polygamist cults AND black ops.

The plot was weak, several secondary characters developed and then deserted (this was a good 1/3 of the book. WHY BOTHER???)as if she could not be bothered to finish their story. Several faulty research issues also annoyed me, like building a roaring fire inside of an ice cave she and her young companion built-what survivalist would have done that? They’d have melted their structure and been suffocated.

Both Maura and Jane have become very one-dimensional characters in this novel. Nothing worth writing home about. The overall novel was very disjointed. It was a quick read because 2/3 of the book was uneccessary filler you could skim. It almost felt like the author and editor were breaking the book up into sections with three different mini mysteries in order to create 3 separate TV episodes for the new show… Which BTW, I like, but it is NOT the real Jane Rizzolli and Maura Isles. If you like the TV show BONES, however, you will like “Rizzoli & Isles.” Long-time fans of the original books, stay away.

Overall, I am very disappointed. This is definitely not up to the previous quality of Gerritsen fiction. I wasted time and money on this, and am grateful I at least brought it for my e-reader so that I do not have the book sitting on my shelf mocking me.