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Rizzoli & Isles #13
Listen To Me
Rizzoli & Isles are back! Jane and Maura are investigating a brutal murder with dire implications, and this time, with Jane's intrepid mother, Angela, looking into a mystery of her own.
Mothers know best . . . But who will listen?
Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles are newly plagued by what seems like a completely senseless murder. Sofia Suarez, a widow and nurse who was universally liked by her neighbors, lies bludgeoned to death in her own home. But anything can happen behind closed doors, and Sofia seemed to have plenty of secrets in her last days, making covert phone calls to traceless burner phones. When Jane finally makes a connection between Sofia and the victim of a hit-and-run from months earlier, the case only grows more blurry. What exactly was Sofia involved in? One thing is clear: The killer will do anything it takes to keep their secret safe.
Meanwhile, Angela Rizzoli hasn't had a decent night's sleep in all the years since her daughter became a homicide detective. Maybe the apple didn't fall too far from the tree: Nothing in Angela's neighborhood gets by her--not the gossip about a runaway teenager down the block and definitely not the strange neighbors who have just moved in across the street. Angela's sure there's no such thing as coincidence in her sleepy suburb. If only Jane would listen--instead she writes off Angela's concerns as the result of an overactive imagination. But Angela's convinced there's a real wolf in her vicinity, and her cries might now fall on deaf ears.
With so much happening on the Sofia case, Jane and Maura already struggle to see the forest for the trees, but will they lose sight of something sinister happening much closer to home?
Mothers know best . . . But who will listen?
Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles are newly plagued by what seems like a completely senseless murder. Sofia Suarez, a widow and nurse who was universally liked by her neighbors, lies bludgeoned to death in her own home. But anything can happen behind closed doors, and Sofia seemed to have plenty of secrets in her last days, making covert phone calls to traceless burner phones. When Jane finally makes a connection between Sofia and the victim of a hit-and-run from months earlier, the case only grows more blurry. What exactly was Sofia involved in? One thing is clear: The killer will do anything it takes to keep their secret safe.
Meanwhile, Angela Rizzoli hasn't had a decent night's sleep in all the years since her daughter became a homicide detective. Maybe the apple didn't fall too far from the tree: Nothing in Angela's neighborhood gets by her--not the gossip about a runaway teenager down the block and definitely not the strange neighbors who have just moved in across the street. Angela's sure there's no such thing as coincidence in her sleepy suburb. If only Jane would listen--instead she writes off Angela's concerns as the result of an overactive imagination. But Angela's convinced there's a real wolf in her vicinity, and her cries might now fall on deaf ears.
With so much happening on the Sofia case, Jane and Maura already struggle to see the forest for the trees, but will they lose sight of something sinister happening much closer to home?
307 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2022
2091 people are currently reading
16509 people want to read
About the author
Tess Gerritsen
201 books20.8k followersInternationally 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, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
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, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,697 reviews
May 7, 2022
Another great addition to the Rizzoli & Isles series. Of which I’ve been a devoted follower from the beginning! I’ve read all of Tess Gerritsen’s books. Series and stand-alones. Bottom line…if Tess Gerritsen writes it I’ll be reading it!🙋🏻♀️
We get to visit with all our favorite characters. Jane, the notoriously bad-ass homicide detective and her partner Barry Frost, as well as Maura the quiet medical examiner. And In this latest offering, Jane’s mom Angela plays a prominent role.
While Jane is slightly occupied trying to solve a brutal murder of a nurse, Angela keeps blowing up her phone! Angela has unofficially appointed herself as head of the block watch in her neighborhood. And oh my, Ms. Angela is open for business! She has her suspicious eye on everyone!
Simply a fun addition to the series. Part police procedural, part neighborhood drama!
Honestly, Angela’s antics were a bit OTT at times. But there was a superb balance between the storylines, making for seamless story telling.
If you’re new to the series you could easily jump in here. You’re provided with plenty of information and background on the characters as to not feel you’re missing anything.
This author never disappoints! Looking forward to her next release.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine..
We get to visit with all our favorite characters. Jane, the notoriously bad-ass homicide detective and her partner Barry Frost, as well as Maura the quiet medical examiner. And In this latest offering, Jane’s mom Angela plays a prominent role.
While Jane is slightly occupied trying to solve a brutal murder of a nurse, Angela keeps blowing up her phone! Angela has unofficially appointed herself as head of the block watch in her neighborhood. And oh my, Ms. Angela is open for business! She has her suspicious eye on everyone!
Simply a fun addition to the series. Part police procedural, part neighborhood drama!
Honestly, Angela’s antics were a bit OTT at times. But there was a superb balance between the storylines, making for seamless story telling.
If you’re new to the series you could easily jump in here. You’re provided with plenty of information and background on the characters as to not feel you’re missing anything.
This author never disappoints! Looking forward to her next release.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine..
May 23, 2022
4 shining stars for a welcome addition to the Rizzoli & Isles series. There are a series of events in the beginning which don't connect. But they do tie together in the end. Jane Rizzoli, Homicide detective with the Boston PD is called to the scene of a brutal murder. Sofia Suarez was a nurse who was liked by everyone who knew her.
Another thread involves Angela Rizzoli, Jane's mother, concerned about mysterious things happening on her street, The last thread involves Amy Antrim, and a mysterious man who seems to be stalking her. How these threads tie together makes for an absorbing mystery, which Jane solves with the help of Maura Isles, Medical Examiner for Boston PD, Jane's partner, Barry Frost, and of course, Jane's mother, Angela.
There are many twists and turns in this mystery, and although I had suspicions as to who the killer was, I was not certain until the end. I recommend this book to Rizzoli fans and mystery fans in general. Both my wife and I enjoy this series. She also rates it 4 stars.
One quote: Angela Rizzoli "But tonight everything seems different, as if I've crossed into some parallel world and I'm now looking at the evil twin of my old neighborhood. A neighborhood where every house, every family , hides a secret."
#RizzoliIslesListentoMe #NetGalley. I read this book in 2 days. It is hard to put down.
Thanks to Ballantine Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Another thread involves Angela Rizzoli, Jane's mother, concerned about mysterious things happening on her street, The last thread involves Amy Antrim, and a mysterious man who seems to be stalking her. How these threads tie together makes for an absorbing mystery, which Jane solves with the help of Maura Isles, Medical Examiner for Boston PD, Jane's partner, Barry Frost, and of course, Jane's mother, Angela.
There are many twists and turns in this mystery, and although I had suspicions as to who the killer was, I was not certain until the end. I recommend this book to Rizzoli fans and mystery fans in general. Both my wife and I enjoy this series. She also rates it 4 stars.
One quote: Angela Rizzoli "But tonight everything seems different, as if I've crossed into some parallel world and I'm now looking at the evil twin of my old neighborhood. A neighborhood where every house, every family , hides a secret."
#RizzoliIslesListentoMe #NetGalley. I read this book in 2 days. It is hard to put down.
Thanks to Ballantine Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
March 15, 2023
This is a Police Mystery/Suspense, and this is the 13th book in the Rizzoli and Isles series. I have not read any of the other Rizzoli and Isles books, but I have watched the TV show. I really loved this book. I think my favorite character is Rizzoli's Mother. I enjoyed all the characters in this book, and the characters felt really real. There are a couple of mysteries happening in this book. I guessed some of the twists, but I still really loved this book. The ending of this book was so good. I will have to read more books from this series. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Ballantine Books) or author (Tess Gerritsen) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
June 15, 2022
Another excellent addition to the Rizzoli and Isles series featuring detective Jane Rizzoli and forensic pathologist Maura Isles. In this episode Jane and her partner Barry Frost are investigating the gruesome but seemingly random death of an ICU nurse and the abduction of another woman. Her mother Angela is on alert over some odd happenings in her neighbourhood and keeps imploring Jane to investigate but Jane has more important crimes to prioritise and doesn’t have the time to spend on her mother’s worries.
This was quite an intriguing read. The many plot threads do come together after some good twists and false turns, but not until late in the novel and will keep you guessing at how they could be related. It’s always a pleasure to be back with the characters in this series again. Although Maura plays only a small role in this novel, it was fun to see more of Angela and particularly her mother-daughter relationship with Jane – they are similar in so many ways!
With thanks to Random House UK via Netgalley for a copy to read
This was quite an intriguing read. The many plot threads do come together after some good twists and false turns, but not until late in the novel and will keep you guessing at how they could be related. It’s always a pleasure to be back with the characters in this series again. Although Maura plays only a small role in this novel, it was fun to see more of Angela and particularly her mother-daughter relationship with Jane – they are similar in so many ways!
With thanks to Random House UK via Netgalley for a copy to read
March 27, 2022
Are you ready for more Rizzoli & Isles?
3.5.
Angela Rizzoli has always prided herself on being a good, friendly, helpful neighbour. So she doesn’t understand why the couple across the street (the Green’s), who have recently moved in, have not only snubbed her numerous welcoming gestures, but have selected not to be part of the tight-knit community. Their blinds are drawn, they rarely leave the house, they don’t interact or socialise with anyone, nor receive any visitors. Angela’s instincts tell her there’s something suspicious about them, and she tries to tell her daughter, Boston PD detective Jane Rizzoli, this, but Jane fobs off her concerns as ridiculous.
And besides, Jane is far too busy immersed in her latest case, the murder of a recently widowed ICU nurse in her early fifties, bludgeoned to death in her own home. Who would want to hurt a woman who seemingly lived a quiet ordinary life in the suburbs, and appeared to have no enemies?
Jane, her partner Barry Frost, Medical Examiner Maura Isles, and Angela Rizzoli will, mark my words, get to the bottom of everything.
Listen to Me was my thirteenth read in the phenomenal Rizzoli & Isles series, and unfortunately was one of the weaker instalments. The set-up for the first half was exciting, baffling, and intriguing, and I was eager to see where it was going. But, when it all came together, it was somewhat underwhelming and pretty standard and straightforward, with unnecessary subplots that had nothing to do with anything.
I have loved these characters forever, and I’m happy to report that they were still amazing even though the crime plot wasn’t much to write home about. Listen to Me was definitely Jane-centric, Maura was barely in it, and only narrated a few chapters. Not that this is unusual for this series, and I expect the focus of the next novel will be on Maura. After appearing in the majority of the other books, but only via Jane’s and other character’s thoughts and opinions, it was wonderful to finally be given Angela Rizzoli’s first person POV. And, what a bad ass she was, so like her daughter in so many ways, but light years away in other respects. I always enjoy their mother/daughter interactions, and we were gifted with a lot of them in this book.
I find it interesting with this series, that even though time marches on (COVID-19 was mentioned at one point) the character’s barely age. Jane’s daughter Regina was four-years-old in this one, but her birth took place in Vanish (Rizzoli & Isles book 5) which incidentally was released in 2005. In terms of the mystery, Listen to Me could be read as a standalone, but crucial character development means I recommend reading in order, starting with The Surgeon (2001). You won’t be disappointed in that one, believe me.
Whereas it’s true that Listen to Me wasn’t my personal favourite, I still relished this read, and took great pleasure in indulging in Jane, Maura, and co. after a five year wait between books. I have been reading (and loving) this series for twenty years and will continue to do so. Mary Beth and I buddy read this, and she thought more highly of it than me, so be sure to check out her 4 star review.
I’d like to thank Netgalley, Random House UK – Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press, and Tess Gerritsen for the e-ARC.
Rizzoli & Isles #13 will be released on the 7th July, 2022.
3.5.
Angela Rizzoli has always prided herself on being a good, friendly, helpful neighbour. So she doesn’t understand why the couple across the street (the Green’s), who have recently moved in, have not only snubbed her numerous welcoming gestures, but have selected not to be part of the tight-knit community. Their blinds are drawn, they rarely leave the house, they don’t interact or socialise with anyone, nor receive any visitors. Angela’s instincts tell her there’s something suspicious about them, and she tries to tell her daughter, Boston PD detective Jane Rizzoli, this, but Jane fobs off her concerns as ridiculous.
And besides, Jane is far too busy immersed in her latest case, the murder of a recently widowed ICU nurse in her early fifties, bludgeoned to death in her own home. Who would want to hurt a woman who seemingly lived a quiet ordinary life in the suburbs, and appeared to have no enemies?
Jane, her partner Barry Frost, Medical Examiner Maura Isles, and Angela Rizzoli will, mark my words, get to the bottom of everything.
Listen to Me was my thirteenth read in the phenomenal Rizzoli & Isles series, and unfortunately was one of the weaker instalments. The set-up for the first half was exciting, baffling, and intriguing, and I was eager to see where it was going. But, when it all came together, it was somewhat underwhelming and pretty standard and straightforward, with unnecessary subplots that had nothing to do with anything.
I have loved these characters forever, and I’m happy to report that they were still amazing even though the crime plot wasn’t much to write home about. Listen to Me was definitely Jane-centric, Maura was barely in it, and only narrated a few chapters. Not that this is unusual for this series, and I expect the focus of the next novel will be on Maura. After appearing in the majority of the other books, but only via Jane’s and other character’s thoughts and opinions, it was wonderful to finally be given Angela Rizzoli’s first person POV. And, what a bad ass she was, so like her daughter in so many ways, but light years away in other respects. I always enjoy their mother/daughter interactions, and we were gifted with a lot of them in this book.
I find it interesting with this series, that even though time marches on (COVID-19 was mentioned at one point) the character’s barely age. Jane’s daughter Regina was four-years-old in this one, but her birth took place in Vanish (Rizzoli & Isles book 5) which incidentally was released in 2005. In terms of the mystery, Listen to Me could be read as a standalone, but crucial character development means I recommend reading in order, starting with The Surgeon (2001). You won’t be disappointed in that one, believe me.
Whereas it’s true that Listen to Me wasn’t my personal favourite, I still relished this read, and took great pleasure in indulging in Jane, Maura, and co. after a five year wait between books. I have been reading (and loving) this series for twenty years and will continue to do so. Mary Beth and I buddy read this, and she thought more highly of it than me, so be sure to check out her 4 star review.
I’d like to thank Netgalley, Random House UK – Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press, and Tess Gerritsen for the e-ARC.
Rizzoli & Isles #13 will be released on the 7th July, 2022.
August 31, 2022
It has been a while since the last Rizzoli and Isles book but the author certainly has not lost her skill. Coincidentally, since the title is Listen To Me, I did indeed listen to this book and enjoyed the way the narrator handled it.
Interestingly the book was divided almost equally into Jane Rizzoli's story and that of her mother. Angela Rizzoli is a bit of a Miss Marple in that she lives alone in a quiet street and takes pleasure in observing her neighbours. This gets her into a lot of trouble mostly because she is so convinced that no one listens to her suspicions, and eventually she acts on them.
Jane meanwhile has a strangely complicated and developing case and not much time to listen to her mother. Although I correctly guessed who the guilty party was I had no idea why they did it until Gerritson shared it with us at the end. Everything tied up nicely and I finished the book totally satisfied. Let's hope she does not leave it so long between books again.
Interestingly the book was divided almost equally into Jane Rizzoli's story and that of her mother. Angela Rizzoli is a bit of a Miss Marple in that she lives alone in a quiet street and takes pleasure in observing her neighbours. This gets her into a lot of trouble mostly because she is so convinced that no one listens to her suspicions, and eventually she acts on them.
Jane meanwhile has a strangely complicated and developing case and not much time to listen to her mother. Although I correctly guessed who the guilty party was I had no idea why they did it until Gerritson shared it with us at the end. Everything tied up nicely and I finished the book totally satisfied. Let's hope she does not leave it so long between books again.
July 6, 2022
The gruesome murder in her own home of Sofia Suarez, a trauma nurse at the local hospital, had Detective Jane Rizzoli and her partner Detective Frost, stumped. And forensic pathologist Maura Isles could only give what Sofie's body showed her. Her colleagues were devastated as Sofia was a well-liked and respected team member. Why would she have been murdered? It was Jane's job to discover the answer...
Jane's mother, Angela Rizzoli, was her neighbourhood's matriarch and was called a "busybody" by many, even Jane. But Angela had her eye on the house over the road where new people had arrived. She knew something strange was going on but no one would listen to her.
As Jane discovered more about Sofia, she could see that there was a dark secret from the past which Sofia just might have been investigating. Was it this that caused her death? And who was stalking Amy?
It was so GOOD to fall back into Rizzoli and Isles' lives and live with them as they once again worked on a nasty and nail-biting case. Listen to Me is the 13th in the Rizzoli & Isles series by Tess Gerritsen, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the interactions between Jane's mum and the neighbours, the good and not so good of them. She's a feisty one! And Jane and Frost worked well together, as usual. Maura's quiet demeanor, with Daniel still by her side, was special. All in all, Listen to Me was an excellent read and I hope the author doesn't wait so long between books next time! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Jane's mother, Angela Rizzoli, was her neighbourhood's matriarch and was called a "busybody" by many, even Jane. But Angela had her eye on the house over the road where new people had arrived. She knew something strange was going on but no one would listen to her.
As Jane discovered more about Sofia, she could see that there was a dark secret from the past which Sofia just might have been investigating. Was it this that caused her death? And who was stalking Amy?
It was so GOOD to fall back into Rizzoli and Isles' lives and live with them as they once again worked on a nasty and nail-biting case. Listen to Me is the 13th in the Rizzoli & Isles series by Tess Gerritsen, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the interactions between Jane's mum and the neighbours, the good and not so good of them. She's a feisty one! And Jane and Frost worked well together, as usual. Maura's quiet demeanor, with Daniel still by her side, was special. All in all, Listen to Me was an excellent read and I hope the author doesn't wait so long between books next time! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2022
the setup…
Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli and her partner Detective Barry Frost are called to the home of critical care nurse Sofia Suarez whose murder was discovered by her neighbor. Sofia’s husband had recently died and it appeared she’d returned home and interrupted a robbery. But something about it seems off and when Jane later learns of some odd inquiries Sofia made in recent weeks, it leads her to an unsolved murder that was committed nineteen years ago in Maine. Meanwhile, Angela Rizzoli, Jane’s mother, is concerned about some mysterious new neighbors who have moved in across the street. She’s made it her business to know everything going on in her neighborhood and these people won’t let her in. Sometimes being a nosy neighbor can be helpful…and sometimes it can get you into trouble.
the heart of the story…
It’s been five years since the last book was released in this series so it was great to be back in Boston. But this time, a majority of the focus is on Angela and her neighbors. Every neighborhood has an Angela but she is particularly good at noticing abnormalities in patterns and behaviors. I could certainly see where Jane developed her curiosity as she doesn’t fall far from this tree. There were times when Angela’s behavior seemed close to being outrageous but I couldn’t ignore having the same concerns she felt. Jane’s case was puzzling and I had as tough a time figuring out the connection to that cold case as she did. I knew all of these things would make sense at some point and I was doggedly as determined as Jane to unearth the answers.
the narration…
I’m a fan of the narrator and she was particularly great at capturing the spirit of Angela Rizzoli who had the biggest voice in this story. The scenes with Jane and Angela were the most fun and Eby nailed the dynamics. I’m so glad I opted to listen as she made these scenes special.
the bottom line…
I thought I had things figured out but this really delivered a twisty ending, though I at least was right on the who. It was a nice change of pace to learn more about Angela as she and Jane haven’t always had the best of relationships. Angela’s instincts served her well, even though it got her into some serious trouble but also helped save her. Maura Isles had a limited role here but she did play a significant part in solving the mystery. It was great to see this series return after the long hiatus and I highly enjoyed this unusual case that, in the end, needed Angela’s help to solve.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli and her partner Detective Barry Frost are called to the home of critical care nurse Sofia Suarez whose murder was discovered by her neighbor. Sofia’s husband had recently died and it appeared she’d returned home and interrupted a robbery. But something about it seems off and when Jane later learns of some odd inquiries Sofia made in recent weeks, it leads her to an unsolved murder that was committed nineteen years ago in Maine. Meanwhile, Angela Rizzoli, Jane’s mother, is concerned about some mysterious new neighbors who have moved in across the street. She’s made it her business to know everything going on in her neighborhood and these people won’t let her in. Sometimes being a nosy neighbor can be helpful…and sometimes it can get you into trouble.
the heart of the story…
It’s been five years since the last book was released in this series so it was great to be back in Boston. But this time, a majority of the focus is on Angela and her neighbors. Every neighborhood has an Angela but she is particularly good at noticing abnormalities in patterns and behaviors. I could certainly see where Jane developed her curiosity as she doesn’t fall far from this tree. There were times when Angela’s behavior seemed close to being outrageous but I couldn’t ignore having the same concerns she felt. Jane’s case was puzzling and I had as tough a time figuring out the connection to that cold case as she did. I knew all of these things would make sense at some point and I was doggedly as determined as Jane to unearth the answers.
the narration…
I’m a fan of the narrator and she was particularly great at capturing the spirit of Angela Rizzoli who had the biggest voice in this story. The scenes with Jane and Angela were the most fun and Eby nailed the dynamics. I’m so glad I opted to listen as she made these scenes special.
the bottom line…
I thought I had things figured out but this really delivered a twisty ending, though I at least was right on the who. It was a nice change of pace to learn more about Angela as she and Jane haven’t always had the best of relationships. Angela’s instincts served her well, even though it got her into some serious trouble but also helped save her. Maura Isles had a limited role here but she did play a significant part in solving the mystery. It was great to see this series return after the long hiatus and I highly enjoyed this unusual case that, in the end, needed Angela’s help to solve.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
July 6, 2022
Listen To Me is the thirteenth book in the bestselling Rizzoli & Isles series about a ballsy Boston homicide detective and her best friend, a cool and sophisticated Medical Examiner. I used to love this series, but it’s five years since the last one, and the style has changed completely - I can’t work out whether it’s my taste that has changed, or if the author’s decided to switch from gritty dark thrillers to a more comedic cosy style to tie in with the TV show. You could easily read this as a stand-alone but if you then went back to the early books you could find them quite disturbing by comparison.
Jane Rizzoli and her partner Barry Frost investigate the murder of a hospital nurse killed in an apparent burglary gone wrong. Their enquiries lead them to Amy Antrim, a young student seriously injured in a hit and run accident months before, whose father is an acquaintance of Maura’s. Then Amy reports that a stranger has been stalking her - how do these differing crimes connect? Meanwhile Jane’s mother Angela grows increasingly suspicious of her new neighbours…
On the plus side, this wasn’t about a serial killer, had a carefully constructed plot that kept me guessing, and was easy to read without excessive gore. Jane is determined and intuitive as ever, and Maura played her part although she was reduced to a fairly minor support character this time.
What I didn’t enjoy was the large chunk of the book told from Angela’s first person present POV as she spies on her neighbours, gossips about her so-called friends, whines about Jane not taking her seriously and meddles in relationships that are none of her business. She really is the most annoying character - flattered by the attention of the bodybuilding narcissist over the road while claiming to adore out of sight, out of mind new boyfriend Vince. This part of the plot was a cross between Desperate Housewives and Scooby-Doo, but it wasn’t actually amusing, just silly.
The main mystery was more intriguing, and I was satisfied enough with the resolution. There wasn’t too much of Jane’s home life or Maura agonising about her relationship (it’s there but it’s bearable unlike in some of the earlier books.) Overall I quite liked this but it’s nowhere near as gripping as her earlier efforts. 3.5 rounded down for too much Angie, not enough Maura.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily.
Listen To Me is published on July 7th.
Jane Rizzoli and her partner Barry Frost investigate the murder of a hospital nurse killed in an apparent burglary gone wrong. Their enquiries lead them to Amy Antrim, a young student seriously injured in a hit and run accident months before, whose father is an acquaintance of Maura’s. Then Amy reports that a stranger has been stalking her - how do these differing crimes connect? Meanwhile Jane’s mother Angela grows increasingly suspicious of her new neighbours…
On the plus side, this wasn’t about a serial killer, had a carefully constructed plot that kept me guessing, and was easy to read without excessive gore. Jane is determined and intuitive as ever, and Maura played her part although she was reduced to a fairly minor support character this time.
What I didn’t enjoy was the large chunk of the book told from Angela’s first person present POV as she spies on her neighbours, gossips about her so-called friends, whines about Jane not taking her seriously and meddles in relationships that are none of her business. She really is the most annoying character - flattered by the attention of the bodybuilding narcissist over the road while claiming to adore out of sight, out of mind new boyfriend Vince. This part of the plot was a cross between Desperate Housewives and Scooby-Doo, but it wasn’t actually amusing, just silly.
The main mystery was more intriguing, and I was satisfied enough with the resolution. There wasn’t too much of Jane’s home life or Maura agonising about her relationship (it’s there but it’s bearable unlike in some of the earlier books.) Overall I quite liked this but it’s nowhere near as gripping as her earlier efforts. 3.5 rounded down for too much Angie, not enough Maura.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily.
Listen To Me is published on July 7th.
May 23, 2022
I'm a long-time fan of Gerritsen and this Rizzoli and Isles series but the last few books just haven't had the same innovative darkness as the earlier ones and I'm afraid there's just too much cosiness about this one for my tastes. I especially disliked the parallel plot being 'investigated' by Angela Rizzoli, Jane's mother, who could almost be an American version of one of Richard Osman's OAP investigators!
The main story felt tired and predictable and the writing just coasts. I'm sorry to be critical of such an acclaimed crime writer but all the emotional edginess of the earlier books has gone and the characters have settled into ruts. Where's the Gerritsen who terrified us? I wish she'd come back.
The main story felt tired and predictable and the writing just coasts. I'm sorry to be critical of such an acclaimed crime writer but all the emotional edginess of the earlier books has gone and the characters have settled into ruts. Where's the Gerritsen who terrified us? I wish she'd come back.
July 7, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⏰ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫: Jane Rizzoli is trying to solve the baffling homicide of a normal everyone-loves-her nurse, murdered in her own home. Except Jane’s mom Angela is convinced something is amiss in her idyllic suburban neighborhood when a local teen is missing , so she continuously Karen-calls Jane to investigate. Ugh mothers. But could Angela be on to something sinister?
💡𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: This latest Rizzoli installment is a proverbial breath of blessed air in the running series, focusing o bit on Angela Rizzoli - retired, bored, kinda-Karening her ‘hood in search of something wrong, marking herself as the local busy body. And Angela is convinced something is wrong. Jane is eye rolling her way through the ordeal with a REAL murder to solve - and this one is a head scratcher.
The plot on this one was predictable but not less enjoyable because of Gerritsen’s deft pacing - a beach read mystery perfect for that summer getaway; this is a novel to be read in one big helping, with each page flying by as the gripping story unfolds leaving the reader picking that jaw up off the floor. Yup, pick it up.
Maura Isles takes the back seat on this one but to learn about Angela? The comic relief from this unique mother-daughter duo was worth it. 🤦🏼♀️
𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
📚𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mystery/Police Procedural
😍𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: All the R&I fans of course but universally an awesome read and yup - you could follow without having read previous novels.
🙅♀️ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: Can’t pick anything out. Gore level 6/10 to help ya out.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for introducing Angela, the mom we are all kinda lucky to have as we get older.
⏰ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫: Jane Rizzoli is trying to solve the baffling homicide of a normal everyone-loves-her nurse, murdered in her own home. Except Jane’s mom Angela is convinced something is amiss in her idyllic suburban neighborhood when a local teen is missing , so she continuously Karen-calls Jane to investigate. Ugh mothers. But could Angela be on to something sinister?
💡𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: This latest Rizzoli installment is a proverbial breath of blessed air in the running series, focusing o bit on Angela Rizzoli - retired, bored, kinda-Karening her ‘hood in search of something wrong, marking herself as the local busy body. And Angela is convinced something is wrong. Jane is eye rolling her way through the ordeal with a REAL murder to solve - and this one is a head scratcher.
The plot on this one was predictable but not less enjoyable because of Gerritsen’s deft pacing - a beach read mystery perfect for that summer getaway; this is a novel to be read in one big helping, with each page flying by as the gripping story unfolds leaving the reader picking that jaw up off the floor. Yup, pick it up.
Maura Isles takes the back seat on this one but to learn about Angela? The comic relief from this unique mother-daughter duo was worth it. 🤦🏼♀️
𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
📚𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mystery/Police Procedural
😍𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: All the R&I fans of course but universally an awesome read and yup - you could follow without having read previous novels.
🙅♀️ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: Can’t pick anything out. Gore level 6/10 to help ya out.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for introducing Angela, the mom we are all kinda lucky to have as we get older.
October 23, 2022
This book could have been subtitled "Rizzoli & Isles & Angela". Angela is Jane's mother for those not familiar with the series. The thirteenth book in the series starts with a college student, Amy, who is the victim of a hit and run in Boston. She will play a role in this story later. Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of either Jane, Maura, Angela, or Amy.
Jane and her patner, are investigating the murder of Sofia Suarez, a widowed nurse who was liked by neighbors and co-workers. But Sofia appears to have had plenty of secrets in her last days. Searches on the internet, calls to old contacts and burner phones. What was Sofia doing? Then Jane finds a connection to Amy's accident months earlier. But the mystery only deepens.
Angela in the meantime is keeping a close watch on her neighborhood. Nothing gets by her. There is the teenage girl down the street who has disappeared. Ran away again? There are all of the other neighbors ... including the mysterious couple who moved in across the street. "If You See Something, Say Something". Angela takes that seriously as her calls to Jane prove. But you can't help but admire her. I'm just glad that she doesn't live on my block.
This was a very entertaining read as you ride along with Jane and try to figure out what did Sofia know? What was she doing that resulted in someone killing her to keep that secret? What about Amy? Does she have a stalker? Does someone want to harm her too? Is there a connection to a cold case murder? In the end the answers will be revealed and there are some surprises.
'Mothers know best ...?
Jane and her patner, are investigating the murder of Sofia Suarez, a widowed nurse who was liked by neighbors and co-workers. But Sofia appears to have had plenty of secrets in her last days. Searches on the internet, calls to old contacts and burner phones. What was Sofia doing? Then Jane finds a connection to Amy's accident months earlier. But the mystery only deepens.
Angela in the meantime is keeping a close watch on her neighborhood. Nothing gets by her. There is the teenage girl down the street who has disappeared. Ran away again? There are all of the other neighbors ... including the mysterious couple who moved in across the street. "If You See Something, Say Something". Angela takes that seriously as her calls to Jane prove. But you can't help but admire her. I'm just glad that she doesn't live on my block.
This was a very entertaining read as you ride along with Jane and try to figure out what did Sofia know? What was she doing that resulted in someone killing her to keep that secret? What about Amy? Does she have a stalker? Does someone want to harm her too? Is there a connection to a cold case murder? In the end the answers will be revealed and there are some surprises.
'Mothers know best ...?
May 17, 2022
After five long years, the team of Rizzoli & Isles are back! Listen to Me is the thirteenth novel in the Rizzoli & Isles series, and it is such a welcome comeback. Though Listen to Me is part of a series, it is possible to read it as a standalone.
Detective Jane Rizzoli along with Forensic Pathologist, Maura Isles are tasked with investigating the burtal murder of RN, Sofia Suarez. With very little clues to go by, except a stolen laptop and phone, Detective Rizzoli must piece together the various forensic evidence to solve the murder mystery.
The characters remain unchanged from prior novels. The exception is the addition of Jane’s mom, Angela, who adds an interesting dimension to the narrative. I didn’t particularly care for the Angela Rizzoli sideshow at first. But after a few Angela chapters, I took a liking to Angela’s busybody of the neighborhod antics. Angela added some much needed color to an otherwise sterile environment.
The plot is somewhat complex in that there are at least three different storylines involving a murder, an abduction, and a stalker. But they all connect very nicely at the end for a satisfying finale.
Listen to Me has everything that I love about the Rizzoli & Isles series. And I’m hoping that Gerritsen will continue to write more about Jane, Maura, and Angela. Five stars.
I received a digital ARC from Ballantine Books. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Detective Jane Rizzoli along with Forensic Pathologist, Maura Isles are tasked with investigating the burtal murder of RN, Sofia Suarez. With very little clues to go by, except a stolen laptop and phone, Detective Rizzoli must piece together the various forensic evidence to solve the murder mystery.
The characters remain unchanged from prior novels. The exception is the addition of Jane’s mom, Angela, who adds an interesting dimension to the narrative. I didn’t particularly care for the Angela Rizzoli sideshow at first. But after a few Angela chapters, I took a liking to Angela’s busybody of the neighborhod antics. Angela added some much needed color to an otherwise sterile environment.
The plot is somewhat complex in that there are at least three different storylines involving a murder, an abduction, and a stalker. But they all connect very nicely at the end for a satisfying finale.
Listen to Me has everything that I love about the Rizzoli & Isles series. And I’m hoping that Gerritsen will continue to write more about Jane, Maura, and Angela. Five stars.
I received a digital ARC from Ballantine Books. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
March 11, 2022
Great twists at the end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book is written with what seemed like two different stories in one. On one hand, we have the crime-solving detective and MA working on a big case. On the other side, we have a slightly annoying mother trying to solve problems in her own neighborhood and just stirring the pot.
The balance between the two situations seemed a bit off to me. It almost broke the concentration every time mother got involved but as the story continued you could feel where it was headed.
Interesting blends of situations allowed for the story to evolve into a series of twists and detours that made you stop and think. Not everything is at it seems and that is the beauty of a Gerritsen novel. Read between the lines for the true story.
A mixture of quirky characters, mystery, and crime-solving activities, not to mention a few laughs too. I wish there was a bit more of Maura in this story. It seemed very light and even a bit dry on her part and I enjoy her character the most.
* copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/rizzoli-isle...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book is written with what seemed like two different stories in one. On one hand, we have the crime-solving detective and MA working on a big case. On the other side, we have a slightly annoying mother trying to solve problems in her own neighborhood and just stirring the pot.
The balance between the two situations seemed a bit off to me. It almost broke the concentration every time mother got involved but as the story continued you could feel where it was headed.
Interesting blends of situations allowed for the story to evolve into a series of twists and detours that made you stop and think. Not everything is at it seems and that is the beauty of a Gerritsen novel. Read between the lines for the true story.
A mixture of quirky characters, mystery, and crime-solving activities, not to mention a few laughs too. I wish there was a bit more of Maura in this story. It seemed very light and even a bit dry on her part and I enjoy her character the most.
* copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/rizzoli-isle...
July 17, 2022
An exciting addition to the Rizzoli & Isles series that was hard to put down. The focus is on relationships between family, friends, and neighbors, the good and the bad, and the downright deadly. There were heartwarming moments as well as chilling ones. A satisfying read.
Quotes about tea:
"We head straight for the kitchen. For women, it's an automatic destination, the first place you go to for tea and comfort."
"This is hibiscus tea, all the way from Turkey. Refreshing and full of vitamins."
"They went into the kitchen, where Amy put the kettle on. It was something her mother taught her long ago: In the morning you offer your guest coffee, in the afternoon you offer tea."
Quotes about relationships:
"My brilliant, relentless daughter has magically arrived. She's come to rescue me."
"I can't remember the last time I hugged my daughter this hard."
""She's lucky she has a brother like him." "But I don't think she appreciates it. Complains about everything. His cooking, his driving, his snoring. They've always had a complicated relationship." Which relationship isn't? thought Maura, looking around the table."
Quotes about tea:
"We head straight for the kitchen. For women, it's an automatic destination, the first place you go to for tea and comfort."
"This is hibiscus tea, all the way from Turkey. Refreshing and full of vitamins."
"They went into the kitchen, where Amy put the kettle on. It was something her mother taught her long ago: In the morning you offer your guest coffee, in the afternoon you offer tea."
Quotes about relationships:
"My brilliant, relentless daughter has magically arrived. She's come to rescue me."
"I can't remember the last time I hugged my daughter this hard."
""She's lucky she has a brother like him." "But I don't think she appreciates it. Complains about everything. His cooking, his driving, his snoring. They've always had a complicated relationship." Which relationship isn't? thought Maura, looking around the table."
May 16, 2025
4.5*
I was thrilled to be approved to read the latest instalment in one of my favourite crime-thriller series!
Boston PD Detective Jane Rizzoli and Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles again team up to solve the brutal murder of a widowed nurse in her home. Investigations reveal that Sofia Suarez had been conducting intriguing internet searches and trying to contact former nursing colleagues in Maine - could there be a link with her murder? Another entwined storyline follows a hospital colleague of Sofia's in Boston, whose daughter has a strange encounter with an unknown man at Sofia's funeral.
Meanwhile, Jane's mother Angela Rizzoli has two mysterious issues of her own to get to the bottom of - the disappearance of a local teenager and a suspicious couple who have moved into the vacant house across the road. As in the television series adaptation, based on Tess Gerritsen's books, Angela's antics provide a lighter comic foil to the more serious professional pursuits of Jane and Maura. But this time, Angela might have stuck her nose into something more serious, as shots ring out across the road one night...
I regret that I haven't read this series in order, as there are clear character arcs that would be better appreciated by reading consecutively. In spite of this, Listen To Me was a thoroughly engrossing read, and I'm sure would be appreciated by other readers who haven't read all the previous books or are newcomers to the series. Despite featuring many of the same characters and themes, there are distinct differences between the books and the television adaptation.
Tess Gerritsen's plotting is superb, with the story swinging back and forth enticingly between different narrators, maintaining the reader's interest throughout. I picked one aspect of the solution from about the midway point, but this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the ride to the end. Indeed, it occurs to me that Gerritsen deliberately gives the reader the experience of being ahead of the protagonists on occasion, creating an immersive reading experience. Jane Rizzoli, Maura Isles and Angela Rizzoli feel like old friends, all three strong women with fascinating backstories, identifiable and likeable, despite their various foibles.
I'd enthusiastically recommend Listen To Me to any reader who enjoys well-plotted police procedurals and crime-thrillers. While this is no cosy mystery, there is added domestic and character interest which add occasional light humour to the narrative.
My thanks to the author, Tess Gerritsen, publisher Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press, and NetGalley (UK) for the opportunity to read and review this title.
I was thrilled to be approved to read the latest instalment in one of my favourite crime-thriller series!
Boston PD Detective Jane Rizzoli and Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles again team up to solve the brutal murder of a widowed nurse in her home. Investigations reveal that Sofia Suarez had been conducting intriguing internet searches and trying to contact former nursing colleagues in Maine - could there be a link with her murder? Another entwined storyline follows a hospital colleague of Sofia's in Boston, whose daughter has a strange encounter with an unknown man at Sofia's funeral.
Meanwhile, Jane's mother Angela Rizzoli has two mysterious issues of her own to get to the bottom of - the disappearance of a local teenager and a suspicious couple who have moved into the vacant house across the road. As in the television series adaptation, based on Tess Gerritsen's books, Angela's antics provide a lighter comic foil to the more serious professional pursuits of Jane and Maura. But this time, Angela might have stuck her nose into something more serious, as shots ring out across the road one night...
I regret that I haven't read this series in order, as there are clear character arcs that would be better appreciated by reading consecutively. In spite of this, Listen To Me was a thoroughly engrossing read, and I'm sure would be appreciated by other readers who haven't read all the previous books or are newcomers to the series. Despite featuring many of the same characters and themes, there are distinct differences between the books and the television adaptation.
Tess Gerritsen's plotting is superb, with the story swinging back and forth enticingly between different narrators, maintaining the reader's interest throughout. I picked one aspect of the solution from about the midway point, but this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the ride to the end. Indeed, it occurs to me that Gerritsen deliberately gives the reader the experience of being ahead of the protagonists on occasion, creating an immersive reading experience. Jane Rizzoli, Maura Isles and Angela Rizzoli feel like old friends, all three strong women with fascinating backstories, identifiable and likeable, despite their various foibles.
I'd enthusiastically recommend Listen To Me to any reader who enjoys well-plotted police procedurals and crime-thrillers. While this is no cosy mystery, there is added domestic and character interest which add occasional light humour to the narrative.
My thanks to the author, Tess Gerritsen, publisher Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press, and NetGalley (UK) for the opportunity to read and review this title.
July 10, 2024
Мені в принципі сподобалось, але ДЕ ХОЛЛІ??? Попередня книжка закінчилась так, ніби натякає нам що наступна книжка буде з цим персонажем, але дзуськи. В цій книжці трішки підбісила мама Джейн, бо вона постійно намагалась дізнатися щось про нових сусідів, хоча про своїх старих і то не дуже то і знала, ну в результаті її викрали, отам момент був коли я за неї хвилювалась, але Джейн швидко її врятувала. В цій книжці була історія від обличчя Лілі? здається, я вже забула, і отут мене вона вкінці трішки кумарила, бо гаразд, ви з матер'ю горою одна за одну, але вона виправдовує жінку, яка її виростила в тому, що вона краща мати, але закриває очі на те, що її викрали в дитинстві і вбили біологічну матір, яка її любила, тобто вона навіть не знала її біологічніх батьків, але викреслила їх з пам'яті, а ще вже впродовж цієї книжки і вони вбили і її біологічного батька. Але їй начхати, що її мати вбивця і постійно виправдовує її, і навіть про колишніх батьків не думає.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2022
After being a huge Gerritsen fan back in the day, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read this one!
This is a belter. A gritty read with the well loved characters Rizzoli and Isles doing what they do best!
I have loved coming back to see these two again, they take me back to a time when I first started reading thrillers!
Gerritsen is still writing brilliant novels, with a complex plot which I really enjoyed working out what happened. Whilst the reveal wasn't as much of a 'woww' moment for me, it was cleverly crafted and I loved my trip down memory lane.
This is a belter. A gritty read with the well loved characters Rizzoli and Isles doing what they do best!
I have loved coming back to see these two again, they take me back to a time when I first started reading thrillers!
Gerritsen is still writing brilliant novels, with a complex plot which I really enjoyed working out what happened. Whilst the reveal wasn't as much of a 'woww' moment for me, it was cleverly crafted and I loved my trip down memory lane.
December 29, 2024
Tense and exciting.
Another excellent book from Tess Gerritsen that has twists that kept throwing me off course. There was one clue that I discounted because it was too obvious. An absolutely riveting read from start to finish.
I highly recommend reading it.
Another excellent book from Tess Gerritsen that has twists that kept throwing me off course. There was one clue that I discounted because it was too obvious. An absolutely riveting read from start to finish.
I highly recommend reading it.
July 7, 2022
Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles are plagued by what seems like a completely senseless murder, Sofia Suarez, a widow and nurse who was universally liked by her neighbours, lies bludgeoned to death in her own home. But anything can happen behind closed doors, and Sofia seemed to have plenty of secrets in her last days, making covert phone calls to old contacts and traceless burner phones. When Jane finally makes a connection between Sofia and the victim of a hit-and-run months earlier, the case only grows more blurry, What exactly was Sofia involved in? One thing is clear: The killer will do anything it takes to keep their secret safe.
Each chapter is told from either Jane, Maura, Jane's mother Angela or Amy, the girl who was hit in the hit-and-run accident. With a couple of mysteries to be solved, one was easier solved than the other. Tess Gerritsen has a great style in writing this series and manages to weave together what seems like unrelated crimes seamlessly. I loved Jane's mum, Angela, and her knack of meddling and nosiness. This book could be read as a standalone.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUK #TransworldPublishers and the author #TessGerritsen for my ARC of #ListenToMe in exchange for an honest review.
Each chapter is told from either Jane, Maura, Jane's mother Angela or Amy, the girl who was hit in the hit-and-run accident. With a couple of mysteries to be solved, one was easier solved than the other. Tess Gerritsen has a great style in writing this series and manages to weave together what seems like unrelated crimes seamlessly. I loved Jane's mum, Angela, and her knack of meddling and nosiness. This book could be read as a standalone.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUK #TransworldPublishers and the author #TessGerritsen for my ARC of #ListenToMe in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2022
Boston Detective Jane Rizzoli and Medical Examiner Dr. Maura Isles team up again for a 13th episode in Listen To Me when an ICU nurse is found brutally murdered in her own home. Aided by her partner, Barry Frost, Jane is mystified by the apparent randomness of the killing of Sofia Suarez, a beloved nurse who was a recent widow. She becomes even more perplexed when, with the aid of a 15-year-old neighbor kid, Sofia’s computer history turns up some intriguing search information.
Adding to the mystery is the stalking of a female college student who turns out to have been a patient of Ms. Suarez, and her father, a physician was a colleague of the deceased nurse. The family is well off; the mother is very protective of her daughter, who has been traumatized by a hit-and-run accident and is still recovering from that episode. Now the stalker.
In another story arc, are “treated,” – shall I say? – to the shenanigans of Angela Rizzoli, Jane’s mother. Her boyfriend Vince is away caring for his sister, so she has way too much time on her hands. Now she’s the self-appointed neighborhood watch person. When new neighbors move in across the street, Angie becomes an amateur detective, or perhaps just an overactive busybody. When her detective daughter tells her in no uncertain terms to butt out, well, you can imagine how well that goes over. I found this story line to be somewhat distracting but hang in there. There’s actually a point to all this. There are other things happening in the neighborhood as well, and Angie is in the middle of all of it. It pays to pay attention.
As for the murder case, it’s more complex than first meets the eye. Ms. Gerritsen kept me turning the pages as I kept trying to figure out where the heck this was going to end up. I finally put it together about the same time the detective – the real one, Jane Rizzoli, did. If you’re wondering about Maura Isles, she is all business and helps nudge her pal Jane in the right direction as well. But – we learn something new about the always put-together Dr. Isles, along with her friends. It’s pretty terrific, actually. We get to see another very human side of her, which is very nice.
I wasn’t overly fond of all the crazy neighborhood stuff that was happening with Jane’s mother. A little bit went a long way for me. The search for the killer had me riveted, however. One other thing, though. I generally really love a story that gives me a great sense of place, and I don’t get that with this book, or with too many of the others in this series, now that I think of it. And Boston is a wonderful city. So, I’d like to see more Boston. But, as always, I love our protagonists.
I received Listen to Me as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. My thanks to them, to Transworld Digital, and to the author. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 stars
July 3, 2022
It's been five years since Tess Gerritsen has written a Rizzoli & Isles novel, but the duo is back in the 13th book in the series, Listen to Me, but it was worth the wait!
Detective Jane Rizzoli is investigating the murder of an ICU nurse, Sofia Suarez, who has been bludgeoned to death while Dr. Maura Isles, medical examiner, is examining Sofia's body for any clue that can help find her killer. In the meantime, Jane's mother Angela, the neighborhood busybody, is taking the motto “if you see something, say something,” to the extreme and calling Jane about everything she sees that's just the least little bit suspicious.
Yet, maybe Angela is on to something this time as her new neighbors aren't friendly at ALL: they don't want her prize-winning zucchini bread, they've installed bars over the windows, they keep the shades drawn all day, and she's pretty sure the guy has a gun. But Jane isn't taking her seriously and is busy trying to catch Sofia's killer and figure out what, if any connection, there is to Sofia's death and the hit-and-run several months ago to Amy Antrim, a young college student whose doctor father worked with Sofia.
I love this series, and I was so glad to see another book come out in the series. I do wish Maura had played a bigger role in this book as she was relegated to more of a minor character, which I didn't love at all, and to be honest, although I enjoyed the book, it's not a favorite in the series because Angela played such a prominent role as MC. Gerritsen is a master storyteller though and the plot threads, of which there were several, all come together brilliantly and I was surprised on more than one occasion.
All in all an entertaining mystery that I definitely recommend to anyone who is a fan of police procedurals or mysteries!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Detective Jane Rizzoli is investigating the murder of an ICU nurse, Sofia Suarez, who has been bludgeoned to death while Dr. Maura Isles, medical examiner, is examining Sofia's body for any clue that can help find her killer. In the meantime, Jane's mother Angela, the neighborhood busybody, is taking the motto “if you see something, say something,” to the extreme and calling Jane about everything she sees that's just the least little bit suspicious.
Yet, maybe Angela is on to something this time as her new neighbors aren't friendly at ALL: they don't want her prize-winning zucchini bread, they've installed bars over the windows, they keep the shades drawn all day, and she's pretty sure the guy has a gun. But Jane isn't taking her seriously and is busy trying to catch Sofia's killer and figure out what, if any connection, there is to Sofia's death and the hit-and-run several months ago to Amy Antrim, a young college student whose doctor father worked with Sofia.
I love this series, and I was so glad to see another book come out in the series. I do wish Maura had played a bigger role in this book as she was relegated to more of a minor character, which I didn't love at all, and to be honest, although I enjoyed the book, it's not a favorite in the series because Angela played such a prominent role as MC. Gerritsen is a master storyteller though and the plot threads, of which there were several, all come together brilliantly and I was surprised on more than one occasion.
All in all an entertaining mystery that I definitely recommend to anyone who is a fan of police procedurals or mysteries!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
May 30, 2023
Kaip smagu buvo grįžti prie Tess Gerritsen serijos apie detektyvę Džeine Ricoli ir medicinos ekspertę Mora Ailz. Patiko 👍😉
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May 18, 2025Here’s a new one… open an e-book from the library… start reading. Two chapters in there seems to be a resolution and then a new character (every few chapters is in one of three character voices) chapter begins. Weird… cuz this one has another last minute save too! So I’m thinking, some authors start a book finishing a problem before starting a new one but two solutions only three chapters in?
I groan as I notice that somehow I’d jumped from pg 3 to pg 860-ish. I managed to read two of the last three chapters!! UGH!!!
Sadly, no going back knowing all that info now. I bet it was good… the endings were! 😂🤔😎
I groan as I notice that somehow I’d jumped from pg 3 to pg 860-ish. I managed to read two of the last three chapters!! UGH!!!
Sadly, no going back knowing all that info now. I bet it was good… the endings were! 😂🤔😎
July 16, 2022
Despite the fact that 2022 seems to be the worst reading year for me (I've read more one star books this year than the previous years combined), I was still looking forward to Listen to Me because I tend to really enjoy the book series as a whole. And unfortunately, I found it to be the worst one in the series.
Here's the thing: I've always been acutely aware that the Rizzoli and Isles book series and the Rizzoli and Isles tv series are two separate entities. Love them both, but they are two separate animals. And since I've been reading the book series since before the TV series started (and ended), I've noticed something else. Ever since the tv series ended, it seems as though Gerritsen has been adding a few things from the television series into the book series. It's mainly tonal stuff: like the books now have a smidge more humor than they typically did since the tv series relied heavily on the humor. There's also been less darkness in the plots due to this. But this is the first time that I've noticed how much filler has been involved in the books since the show ended.
There was absolutely no reason for Angela Rizzoli to be as present in Listen to Me as she was. Like she was almost more featured than Jane and was definitely more present than Maura. I've never really vibed with book Mama Rizzoli and again because she's so heavily featured here (she has her own POV and everything), I was annoyed throughout the majority of the book. Because Book Angela is such a damn nosy Karen. Like seriously, almost getting people killed because you just can't seem to mind your own business? Was I supposed to be rooting for her? Because I wasn't. I just didn't care about Angela...or her relationship with Vince. Or her damn neighbors. And the link between her arc and the overall mystery was so damn thin that it just made the entirety of the thing seem utterly pointless.
Speaking of filler, what was up with the whole "Jane feels like Maura's keeping stuff from her" mini arc? It never really went anywhere. And I get it if we were talking about the tv show. You didn't address it on the show at the end of the episode? Whatever. It'll be addressed in the next episode or at the very least at the start of a new season (like cable seasons, which were a few months away. Not streaming seasons that take actual years). But it wasn't addressed here. So will it be addressed in the next installment in 4/5 years? Or will it not get addressed at all? Again, this wasn't a huge arc in the book, but it was brought up enough to make it feel like it was going to be a thing. And now upon finishing the book, it just seemed random and shoe-horned in for no reason. Same thing with Frost's moodiness. It's mentioned that Frost has been in a bad mood lately, but then, it's never brought up again.
Ultimately, though, my biggest gripe with Listen to Me was that I just didn't care. I didn't care about the overall mystery. I didn't care about any of the five seemingly distinct loose threads and how thinly they connected. I sure as shit didn't care about Angela and her homeowner's association bullshit. I didn't care about Maura because she was barely in this. And I didn't really care about Jane because there was no tension/danger she was put in. I'm hoping that with the next installment of this series, Gerritsen goes back to her pre-Rizzoli and Isles tv show writing (i.e. tense and dark with danger and some humor) and stops trying to cater to the tv show crowd (of which I am one, don't get me wrong) because the hybrid model of tv series/book series mashup is just not working for me.
Here's the thing: I've always been acutely aware that the Rizzoli and Isles book series and the Rizzoli and Isles tv series are two separate entities. Love them both, but they are two separate animals. And since I've been reading the book series since before the TV series started (and ended), I've noticed something else. Ever since the tv series ended, it seems as though Gerritsen has been adding a few things from the television series into the book series. It's mainly tonal stuff: like the books now have a smidge more humor than they typically did since the tv series relied heavily on the humor. There's also been less darkness in the plots due to this. But this is the first time that I've noticed how much filler has been involved in the books since the show ended.
There was absolutely no reason for Angela Rizzoli to be as present in Listen to Me as she was. Like she was almost more featured than Jane and was definitely more present than Maura. I've never really vibed with book Mama Rizzoli and again because she's so heavily featured here (she has her own POV and everything), I was annoyed throughout the majority of the book. Because Book Angela is such a damn nosy Karen. Like seriously, almost getting people killed because you just can't seem to mind your own business? Was I supposed to be rooting for her? Because I wasn't. I just didn't care about Angela...or her relationship with Vince. Or her damn neighbors. And the link between her arc and the overall mystery was so damn thin that it just made the entirety of the thing seem utterly pointless.
Speaking of filler, what was up with the whole "Jane feels like Maura's keeping stuff from her" mini arc? It never really went anywhere. And I get it if we were talking about the tv show. You didn't address it on the show at the end of the episode? Whatever. It'll be addressed in the next episode or at the very least at the start of a new season (like cable seasons, which were a few months away. Not streaming seasons that take actual years). But it wasn't addressed here. So will it be addressed in the next installment in 4/5 years? Or will it not get addressed at all? Again, this wasn't a huge arc in the book, but it was brought up enough to make it feel like it was going to be a thing. And now upon finishing the book, it just seemed random and shoe-horned in for no reason. Same thing with Frost's moodiness. It's mentioned that Frost has been in a bad mood lately, but then, it's never brought up again.
Ultimately, though, my biggest gripe with Listen to Me was that I just didn't care. I didn't care about the overall mystery. I didn't care about any of the five seemingly distinct loose threads and how thinly they connected. I sure as shit didn't care about Angela and her homeowner's association bullshit. I didn't care about Maura because she was barely in this. And I didn't really care about Jane because there was no tension/danger she was put in. I'm hoping that with the next installment of this series, Gerritsen goes back to her pre-Rizzoli and Isles tv show writing (i.e. tense and dark with danger and some humor) and stops trying to cater to the tv show crowd (of which I am one, don't get me wrong) because the hybrid model of tv series/book series mashup is just not working for me.
July 5, 2022
Rizzoli & Isles return!
Tess Gerritsen is back with her popular Rizzoli & Isles #13 series with Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura and some fun with Jane's mom, Angela, in LISTEN TO ME.
It has been five years since the last book; however, no worries about reading the past books; you will catch up and can be read as a standalone.
Alternating POVs, we hear from Jane (detective), Maura (medical examiner), Angela (Jane's mom), and Amy (small part, a victim of a hit and run). Past and present.
The case: ICU nurse, Sofia Suarez, has been bludgeoned to death. Why would anyone target a respected nurse well-liked by her friends and neighbors? Sofia was guarding a dangerous secret — a secret that may have led the killer straight to her. The killer will do anything it takes to keep their secret safe.
Angela Rizzoli: Jane's mom is a busybody in her neighborhood (the watcher) and sees and hears everything. You gotta love her! However, she continues to blow up Jane's phone with reports driving her nuts.
MOTHERS KNOW BEST BUT WHO WILL LISTEN?
Jane of course ignores her (in the beginning). Something's wrong with the new neighbors, and she's determined to find out what's happening. She says someone has been kidnapped. But Jane has other worries.
Angela's quirky personality is witty, and she wants to help everyone. She adds a lot of laughs to the novel and constantly calls Jane, questioning her abilities as a detective.
Jane and partner Barry Frost are investigating the nurse's murder and the abduction of another woman. Jane and Maura dig deep into solving a homicide and its connection to a random hit-and-run of a young girl who is being stalked.
Amy, the physician's daughter who ran the ICU where Sofia worked, was involved in a hit-and-run accident months earlier.
Are all three threads connected, and how?
Gerritsen effortlessly switches between the parallel storylines, and although they are both compelling and complex, Angela steals the show, and you cannot help but be drawn to her with her dramatic flair to solve the mystery.
EVERY HOUSE, EVERY FAMILY, HIDES A SECRET.
It was great spending time with Jane and Maura, as they are immersed in the brutal murder case; however, I have to say Jane's mom, Angela was my favorite character in this book. Maura's role was not as prominent in this one since Angela's storyline took a more significant part.
The burning question is, could Angela have her own spin-off series?
A solid mystery suspense crime thriller, an engaging series with relatable characters. Action-packed, suspenseful, fast-paced, engaging, and witty. As always, Tess is a pro at maneuvering forensics and police procedurals, well-developed relatable characters, and twisty plots to keep you glued to the pages.
Fans will devour this one, and new fans will be ready to jump on board the R&I train. LISTEN TO ME is an excellent addition to the series, and I highly recommend all of them.
A special thank you to #RandomHouse #Ballantine and #NetGalley for an ARC to read, enjoy, and review.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars ✨✨✨✨
Pub Date: July 5, 2022
July 2022 Must-Read Books
Tess Gerritsen is back with her popular Rizzoli & Isles #13 series with Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura and some fun with Jane's mom, Angela, in LISTEN TO ME.
It has been five years since the last book; however, no worries about reading the past books; you will catch up and can be read as a standalone.
Alternating POVs, we hear from Jane (detective), Maura (medical examiner), Angela (Jane's mom), and Amy (small part, a victim of a hit and run). Past and present.
The case: ICU nurse, Sofia Suarez, has been bludgeoned to death. Why would anyone target a respected nurse well-liked by her friends and neighbors? Sofia was guarding a dangerous secret — a secret that may have led the killer straight to her. The killer will do anything it takes to keep their secret safe.
Angela Rizzoli: Jane's mom is a busybody in her neighborhood (the watcher) and sees and hears everything. You gotta love her! However, she continues to blow up Jane's phone with reports driving her nuts.
MOTHERS KNOW BEST BUT WHO WILL LISTEN?
Jane of course ignores her (in the beginning). Something's wrong with the new neighbors, and she's determined to find out what's happening. She says someone has been kidnapped. But Jane has other worries.
Angela's quirky personality is witty, and she wants to help everyone. She adds a lot of laughs to the novel and constantly calls Jane, questioning her abilities as a detective.
Jane and partner Barry Frost are investigating the nurse's murder and the abduction of another woman. Jane and Maura dig deep into solving a homicide and its connection to a random hit-and-run of a young girl who is being stalked.
Amy, the physician's daughter who ran the ICU where Sofia worked, was involved in a hit-and-run accident months earlier.
Are all three threads connected, and how?
Gerritsen effortlessly switches between the parallel storylines, and although they are both compelling and complex, Angela steals the show, and you cannot help but be drawn to her with her dramatic flair to solve the mystery.
EVERY HOUSE, EVERY FAMILY, HIDES A SECRET.
It was great spending time with Jane and Maura, as they are immersed in the brutal murder case; however, I have to say Jane's mom, Angela was my favorite character in this book. Maura's role was not as prominent in this one since Angela's storyline took a more significant part.
The burning question is, could Angela have her own spin-off series?
A solid mystery suspense crime thriller, an engaging series with relatable characters. Action-packed, suspenseful, fast-paced, engaging, and witty. As always, Tess is a pro at maneuvering forensics and police procedurals, well-developed relatable characters, and twisty plots to keep you glued to the pages.
Fans will devour this one, and new fans will be ready to jump on board the R&I train. LISTEN TO ME is an excellent addition to the series, and I highly recommend all of them.
A special thank you to #RandomHouse #Ballantine and #NetGalley for an ARC to read, enjoy, and review.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars ✨✨✨✨
Pub Date: July 5, 2022
July 2022 Must-Read Books
August 25, 2023
Detective Jane Rizzoli and Medical Examiner Maura Isles are working the murder of 52-year-old Sofia Suarez. Sofia was a nurse who was bludgeoned to death in her home. Jane keeps hitting dead ends after interviewing Sofia's friends and neighbors. Who would want to kill this woman who everyone claims is an angel?
Meanwhile, Jane's mother, Angela Rizzoli, is worried about some strange things that are happening in her neighborhood. A teenage girl has gone missing. She has a history of running away and the local police believe she will return on her own. Angela starts watching the people in the area. She believes her new neighbors across the street are very mysterious. They keep the window blinds pulled down all of the time. They do not talk to the neighbors. And now they’ve had bars installed over their windows. Jane tells Angela she should mind her own business and leave the neighbors alone. Angela is convinced something nefarious is happening.
I was so happy to read the latest Rizzoli and Isles book. This book did not disappoint. It is told from three different points of view: Jane, Angela, and a young woman named Amy who was the victim of a hit and run. The story was fast paced and both mysteries were compelling. I did guess Sofia's killer in the middle of the book, but it did not lessen my enjoyment of the story. My rating: 5 Stars.
Meanwhile, Jane's mother, Angela Rizzoli, is worried about some strange things that are happening in her neighborhood. A teenage girl has gone missing. She has a history of running away and the local police believe she will return on her own. Angela starts watching the people in the area. She believes her new neighbors across the street are very mysterious. They keep the window blinds pulled down all of the time. They do not talk to the neighbors. And now they’ve had bars installed over their windows. Jane tells Angela she should mind her own business and leave the neighbors alone. Angela is convinced something nefarious is happening.
I was so happy to read the latest Rizzoli and Isles book. This book did not disappoint. It is told from three different points of view: Jane, Angela, and a young woman named Amy who was the victim of a hit and run. The story was fast paced and both mysteries were compelling. I did guess Sofia's killer in the middle of the book, but it did not lessen my enjoyment of the story. My rating: 5 Stars.
April 8, 2022
Well golly gee - has it really been five years since I last Kindle-thumbed my way through the adventures of detective Jane Rizzoli and Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles? Big wonderful surprise: I received an advance copy of this one, the 13th (thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley). An even bigger one: I loved it.
Admittedly, Jane and Maura are the stars of the show - the characters I just can't get enough of; close behind is Jane's husband, Special Agent Gabriel Dean (who, I'm sorry to say, makes not much more than a cameo appearance here). If you're a fan of Jane's mother Angela, though, run out and get a copy immediately; this is her time in the spotlight. Even Maura takes a noticeable back seat to the very Italian mom.
There are also enough subplots to make three other books, I'm guessing - keeping readers on their toes and provided with insights as chapters shift mostly from the perspectives of Angela and Jane. There's a young woman who appears to have a stalker, a nurse who was slaughtered in her own home with no apparent motive and a couple of just-moved in secretive neighbors Angela is certain are up to no good (plus a couple of others who may not be quite the folks Angela always thought they were).
Eventually, Jane - with help from Maura and her capable partner Barry Frost - starts unraveling the tapestry of clues, revealing some long-ago connections that will prove instrumental to solving the stalking and murder cases. Meanwhile, Maura is proving instrumental in a different context, and Angela ignores advice that she should go back in the house and bake zucchini bread. But staying in the background is just not in her genetic make-up so - especially when no one will listen to her - what's a mother to do?
Nothing else to say except this: Welcome back, and pretty please listen to me and make it less time between this one and the 14th!
Admittedly, Jane and Maura are the stars of the show - the characters I just can't get enough of; close behind is Jane's husband, Special Agent Gabriel Dean (who, I'm sorry to say, makes not much more than a cameo appearance here). If you're a fan of Jane's mother Angela, though, run out and get a copy immediately; this is her time in the spotlight. Even Maura takes a noticeable back seat to the very Italian mom.
There are also enough subplots to make three other books, I'm guessing - keeping readers on their toes and provided with insights as chapters shift mostly from the perspectives of Angela and Jane. There's a young woman who appears to have a stalker, a nurse who was slaughtered in her own home with no apparent motive and a couple of just-moved in secretive neighbors Angela is certain are up to no good (plus a couple of others who may not be quite the folks Angela always thought they were).
Eventually, Jane - with help from Maura and her capable partner Barry Frost - starts unraveling the tapestry of clues, revealing some long-ago connections that will prove instrumental to solving the stalking and murder cases. Meanwhile, Maura is proving instrumental in a different context, and Angela ignores advice that she should go back in the house and bake zucchini bread. But staying in the background is just not in her genetic make-up so - especially when no one will listen to her - what's a mother to do?
Nothing else to say except this: Welcome back, and pretty please listen to me and make it less time between this one and the 14th!
April 3, 2022
This is the thirteenth book in the Rizzoli and Isles series by author Tess Gerritsen. It seems such a long time since I read one of this series but all the usual characters were back. I started reading these books awhile ago and was hooked by the characters and also enjoyed the television series. Although it was good to be reading another book from the series I didn’t quite feel it was as strong as many of the previous ones.
Detective Jane Rizzoli and her best friend Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles are investigating the gruesome murder of a nurse, whilst also protecting a young student from a stalker. But a lot closer to home there is a lot more to worry about.
Nurse Sofia Suarez was brutally murdered and there is no obvious motive. What would make a well respected nurse a target for such a sadistic attack. Rizzoli and Isles are on the case and they discover Sofia was hiding a dangerous secret that may have been the reason for the murder.
Angela Rizzoli, Jane’s mother is never far from the action and is conducting her own investigation into suspicious goings on across the road concerning her new neighbours. The problem is, Angela is struggling to get anyone to believe her when she tries to tell them what she has seen.
With Jane and Maura tied up in their own investigations, Angela feels she may have to take things into her own hands which could put her in danger.
I enjoyed the interaction between the characters but felt a little let down by the plot. Still a good read but I was probably expecting more.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Random House UK for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Detective Jane Rizzoli and her best friend Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles are investigating the gruesome murder of a nurse, whilst also protecting a young student from a stalker. But a lot closer to home there is a lot more to worry about.
Nurse Sofia Suarez was brutally murdered and there is no obvious motive. What would make a well respected nurse a target for such a sadistic attack. Rizzoli and Isles are on the case and they discover Sofia was hiding a dangerous secret that may have been the reason for the murder.
Angela Rizzoli, Jane’s mother is never far from the action and is conducting her own investigation into suspicious goings on across the road concerning her new neighbours. The problem is, Angela is struggling to get anyone to believe her when she tries to tell them what she has seen.
With Jane and Maura tied up in their own investigations, Angela feels she may have to take things into her own hands which could put her in danger.
I enjoyed the interaction between the characters but felt a little let down by the plot. Still a good read but I was probably expecting more.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Random House UK for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 29, 2022
Detective Jane Rizzoli and her partner, Detective Barry Frost, are investigating the senseless murder of a ICU nurse named Sophia Suarez. She was found murdered in her home, and the murder wound evidence indicated the use of a round-head hammer. She was a widow who was universally loved in her neighborhood and by her boss and peers. Assisting in the investigation is the quiet, skillful coroner, Dr. Maura Isles. Clearly, Sophia had some secrets, as evidenced by her calls to a traceless burner phone and other random numbers out-of-state. When Jane discovers that Sophia’s murder was linked to a hit-and-run that happened months previously, she is even more unsettled about the case. In the meantime, Jane’s mother, Angela, has her hands full as the self-designated neighborhood watch. But in all fairness, nothing escapes Angela—not the disappearance of the rude young teen down the street, nor the weight-lifting Navy SEAL across the street, nor the infidelity of two other neighbors, nor the new odd neighbors directly across the street. Angela knows there is some kind of trouble, but after calling her daughter and the local police station relentlessly about suspicions and false alarms, when she actually needs help, will anyone listen?
This was a thrilling page-turner of a book by physician Tess Gerritsen, whose writing is so believable that it leaps from the page and captures you right from the beginning! It’s clear that not only the murderer and those murdered had secrets, but Angela’s “quiet neighborhood” had plenty of their own. This was a book full of excitement, with a variety of different happenings and enough twists and turns to keep the reader furiously flipping pages until the very end. Although this book was the last in a series, it read beautifully as a stand-alone. It’s unfortunate that this is my first Tess Gerritsen novel (*embarassed*) but I am now a fan (along with some of my most favorite authors in the genre), and my adventures with Gerritsen and her beautifully drawn characters and scenery have only just begun.
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Tess Gerritsen, and Ballantine Books for the ability to read and review this ARC.
This was a thrilling page-turner of a book by physician Tess Gerritsen, whose writing is so believable that it leaps from the page and captures you right from the beginning! It’s clear that not only the murderer and those murdered had secrets, but Angela’s “quiet neighborhood” had plenty of their own. This was a book full of excitement, with a variety of different happenings and enough twists and turns to keep the reader furiously flipping pages until the very end. Although this book was the last in a series, it read beautifully as a stand-alone. It’s unfortunate that this is my first Tess Gerritsen novel (*embarassed*) but I am now a fan (along with some of my most favorite authors in the genre), and my adventures with Gerritsen and her beautifully drawn characters and scenery have only just begun.
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Tess Gerritsen, and Ballantine Books for the ability to read and review this ARC.
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