The Surgeon

I knew from the synopsis that this would be a gory book, but I did not expect how gruesome it would be. Rape, mutilation, sexism (going both ways), and unlikable characters made this challenging to finish.

This was SUCH a good read! The episodes of violence and/or sexual content were brief and pertinent to the story (although “brief” and “pertinent” are pretty subjective, so others may disagree). This is the kind of book that found me totally absorbed with the characters and the action; saying things like, “No! Don't go there!!” and “C'mon! You know better than that!” I'm hoping that I'm not the only one who “converses” with the characters in a book. I experienced all of the ups and downs of the investigation right along with Jane Rizzoli. I'm now reading the next in the series, “The Apprentice” and it is just as compelling. I plan to read the whole series. NOTE: If you watch the TV series, you will see that there are some differences, such as the physical description of Rizzoli and of Isles, as well as some differences in other characters. I just don't find this distracting.

4.5. I will be back with a review

First of all, I want to say that the cover is a bit misleading. You can see a picture of the TNT show on the front, and it says “A Rizzoli & Isles novel.” However, not only is Det. Jane Rizzoli barely present in the first three quarters of the book, but Dr. Maura Isles isn't even in this book! Nothing (well except one) in this book was ever talked about on the show though, so I can forgive the fact that Maura wasn't in this one.

50 pages in, and the disappointment was gone. Gerritsen has a very particular way of telling this story, and it sucks you in. I could barely put it down.

Full review over @ the hungry bookster