Book List 2013

The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen

The Mephisto Club (Rizzoli & Isles, #6)The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book took me quite a bit longer than the others in this series to read, in part because it was so rich in detail and in part because I was so fascinated by the religious history, and the mythological history in it that I frequently stopped to further research what was being talked about, wanting to know more.

I think that is one of the things that makes a book like this a really great book, it leaves you wanting to know more about some of the source material, therefore leaving it’s mark on you further than just any old novel.

I loved the different concepts of evil which were played with in this novel, from sociopathic tendencies to the possibility of Satanic possession. The weakness of Maura isles was completely fascinating to me, as it showed a lot of frailty to a character who often seems to make the best decisions based purely on logic.

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Book List 2013

Vanish by Tess Gerritsen

Vanish (Rizzoli & Isles, #5)Vanish by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is more chilling than any of the books that came before it and the crimes, so realistic, and sickening. And sadly, do happen in real life quite frequently although not quite with the same connections.

It was interesting to me to see the shift with Gabriel and Jane, as well as Isles’ analytical mind. There are few words to express how well I feel this book was written.

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Book List 2013

The Body Double by Tess Gerritsen

Body Double (Rizzoli & Isles, #4)Body Double by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book absolutely terrified me, but I loved it completely.

It was chilling, and often nauseating because of the subject matter but I was driven through it, needing to know what would happen and how it would end.

I do feel terribly sorry for Isles though, who doesn’t seem to catch a break at all when it comes to relationship, but loved the revelation of family, and the value of nurture over nature. This was a fantastic read .

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Book List 2013

The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen

The Sinner (Rizzoli & Isles, #3)The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was the first glance we got to see of the cases through Maura Isles’ eyes and man do I love her as a character. S

he’s enjoyable, analytical but seems to have more of a heart than anyone would give her credit for.

It was a heartbreaking novel, and yet warming for Jane. I don’t even know how to explain this book except to say that I devoured it and loved every minute of it.

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Book List 2013

The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen (Spoilers Abound)

The Apprentice (Rizzoli & Isles, #2)The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was such a quick read for me, and genuinely, brilliantly written. While not your standard mystery, the gritty details are all laid out before you and I found as a reader I could not help but feel the revulsion, and fear of Rizzoli. I absolutely love this book, even though there were parts that made me cringe, due to my weak stomach and wild imagination.

The return of the Surgeon was absolutely brilliant, where it could have ended up being cheesy. I liked meeting Korsak and Dean was an interesting new development.

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Reviews

"A" is for Alibi by Sue Grafton

I expected to enjoy this book quite a bit more than I actually did because I had been hearing such good things about this series for so long. However I found the beginning lagged a bit but was determined to trod through it.

Kinsey is an interesting character but I wish her own bitterness and lack of trust had been filled in more, and it wasn’t until near the end I found myself actually sucked into the plot of the book and needing to know who had done it. I will give Grafton her credit where it is due of course because I was not entirely sure who had done it and kept switching my answers.


Also, despite an initial like of Kinsey I found her character to be rather cliched, for it seems there cannot be a strong female character without some kind of hatred toward the males of the species which is rather ridiculous. However since Kinsey came along awhile before many of the female detectives of today perhaps I should not so readily judge her character.

Although my reaction to this novel is rather lukewarm I suspect I will end up continuing to read the series mainly because I cannot start a series without finishing it. Even if it is a little trite, dull and convoluted.

Reviews

Darkness, Take my Hand by Dennis Lehane

Dennis Lehane is an author I can respect for more than a few reasons the least of which being that he sticks to his roots and Boston and the most being that he isn’t afraid to pull any punches. 

His writing is vivid, it’s gritty and at times definitely horrific but yet once I started really getting into this book I couldn’t even imagine putting it down. I needed to know who the monsters were, who the people were who would ever consider doing something so horrible to other human beings.

The character of Patrick is as likeable in this book as he was in the first, perhaps moreso because we as readers got to see the softer side of him and then in the end the more brutal side. Angela improved immensely in this series and despite myself I like Bubba which really makes me wonder about my own psyche.

The novel was colourful but beyond that it was memorable and well written. However it is not for the faint of heart or those who can’t handle violence that much is certain.