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The name Rizzoli and Isles refers to a series of novels written by Terri Gerritsen. The books are suspense thrillers. They follow the exploits of a Boston Police Department Detective and the Massachusetts Chief Medical Examiner.
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Order of Rizzoli & Isles Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Surgeon | 2001 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Apprentice | 2002 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | The Sinner | 2003 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Body Double | 2004 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Vanish | 2006 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | The Mephisto Club | 2006 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | The Keepsake / Keeping The Dead | 2008 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | Ice Cold / The Killing Place | 2010 | Description / Buy | |
| 9 | The Silent Girl | 2011 | Description / Buy | |
| 10 | Last to Die | 2012 | Description / Buy | |
| 11 | Die Again | 2014 | Description / Buy | |
| 12 | I Know a Secret | 2017 | Description / Buy | |
| 13 | Listen to Me | 2022 | Description / Buy |
Order of Rizzoli & Isles Short Stories
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freaks (Short Story) | 2007 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | John Doe (Short Story) | 2012 | Description / Buy |
Even though the Rizzoli and Isles series is expected to revolve around both characters, the books initially give special attention to Rizzoli. The Detective makes her debut in The Surgeon, the first novel in the Rizzoli and Isles series.
There she confronts a demented killer who hates women and takes pride in removing their wombs. Rizzoli’s brush with this particular villain is a little too close for comfort and she is never the same afterward.
Doctor Maura Isles only comes into the picture in the third novel. While the second novel gives her a passing role, it isn’t until the third novel that she truly comes into the picture, acting as a bit of a foil to Rizzoli; though the pair work pretty well together as they endeavor to bring the community’s infestation of vicious killers under control
Rizzoli and Isles live in different professional worlds, primarily because Rizzoli is a self-hating and largely envious detective that is always striving to garner the recognition she believes she deserves in her male-dominated precinct while Isles stands at the head of her field in the state.
Rizzoli was initially rejected by fans for being a little too unlikeable and whiny. However, over the course of the books, she begins to change, growing confident in her own abilities.
The Rizzoli and Isles books are not for the faint of heart. Generally described as medical thrillers, the books are very graphic in their depiction of rape, murder and the like. And the author definitely pushes the envelope in some places, though the novels are not so dreary as to drive readers away.
But the series is likely to offend those more sensitive audiences.
Rizzoli and Isles Awards
The first book in the Rizzoli and Isles series received a RITA Award in 2002. Vanish, another Rizzoli and Isles novel received a Nero Award in 2006, this along with being nominated for an Edgar Award and a Macavity Award.
All these accolades probably pale in comparison to the praise Terri Gerritsen has received from Stephen King and James Patterson for her Rizzoli and Isles novels.
Rizzoli and Isles Books into Movies/TV
The Rizzoli and Isles series became a procedural television show of the same name in 2010. Adapted by TNT, and produced and developed by Janet Tamaro, the television show stars Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander as Jane Rizzoli and Doctor Maura Isles.
The television show has been known to differ from the books in some minor aspects. For instance, Rizzoli and Isles only have a professional relationship in the books. In the television show, they are the best of friends.
The descriptions of Rizzoli and Isles also vary, both in their physical appearance and personalities.
Best Rizzoli and Isles Books
These Terri Gerritsen novels have been praised for being especially visceral and engaging, with some of the best books in the series including:
The Apprentice: The summer heat was bad enough. Now murder is rife in Boston, the shocking kind, where wives are brutalized before their wealthy husbands.
Everyone thinks that Warren Hoyt is to blame. But Jane Rizzoli already put him away for his crimes. The idea that he might have acolytes at large frightens Rizzoli because it will force her to confront the physical, mental and emotional wounds that Hoyt inflicted upon her.
But there is nothing she won’t do to permanently bury Hoyt’s legacy. The government’s sudden interest definitely intrigues Rizzoli who cannot figure out what Special Agent Gabriel Dean is hiding.
Double Trouble: As a pathologist, Doctor Maura is accustomed to death. She sees corpses on a daily basis. However, even she is shaken when she comes across a murder victim that looks exactly like her. It isn’t long before the tests prove what she suspected, that the victim was her twin sister.
Maura goes on the hunt for answers, finding herself in Maine where an unknown murderer is on the rampage.
Other Book Series You May Like
The “Lincoln Rhyme” Series by Jeffrey Deaver is a really great series as well. When an NYPD Homicide Detective becomes a quadriplegic, he joins the Forensic Consultant game, operating alongside a partner who acts as his legs and his eyes at crime scenes.
You may also like the acclaimed “Alex Cross” Series by James Patterson. Alex Cross is a detective with the Metropolitan Police Department. The African-American is also a widowed father who must balance his work catching bad guys with his obligation to his family.
What Is The Next Book in The Rizzoli & Isles Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Rizzoli & Isles Series. The newest book is Listen to Me and was released on July, 5th 2022.
I was pretty excited when I found out they were making this series into a TV show, but as with most TV/movie adaptations, the show left a lot to be desired. It wasn’t terrible, but the books are way more believable and I actually prefer the characters not being friends outside of work. Along those same lines, the books are much better at keeping you intrigued in the plot, but I do find myself watching episodes every now and then. I hope Terri Gerritsen adds to the series soon!