The Surgeon
-
-
4.4 • 178 Ratings
-
-
- $15.99
Publisher Description
HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE IT HURTS...
‘This is crime-writing at its nerve-tingling best’
Harlan Coben
A killer is targeting lone women, torturing and murdering them. The precision of his methods leads Detective Jane Rizzoli to suspect he is medically trained.
Then Jane makes a terrifying discovery. Years ago a young woman was assaulted in a similar way. She escaped by shooting her attacker dead.
So why does it feel like he’s stalking her again?
IT'S GORY, IT'S GRIPPING, IT'S GERRITSEN
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A creepy cerebral serial killer vaguely reminiscent of Hannibal Lecter pursues a charismatic female doctor in this thoroughly satisfying if somewhat derivative thriller. Skillfully drawn surgical backdrops sizzling with ERintensity balance out the obligatory romantic intrigue and familiar plucky police professionals, attesting to Gerritsen's authentic medical expertise as a former physician. Dr. Catherine Cordell, the main character in this chilling tale, thought she had shot and killed her rapist and would-be murderer two years earlier in steamy Savannah, where he was a surgery intern at her hospital. Now, in Boston, as another hot summer begins, he appears to have miraculously returned and embarked once again on his grisly mission: he rapes women, then surgically removes their wombs. As two intrepid detectives Thomas Moore and Jane Rizzoli investigate, Cordell begins to doubt her own memories (or lack of) and discovers that not even her OR is safe. Gliding as smoothly as a scalpel in a confident surgeon's hand, this tale proves that Gerritsen (Harvest; Life Support; Bloodstream; Gravity), originally a romance writer, has morphed into a dependable suspense novelist whose growing popularity is keeping pace with her ever-finer writing skills.
Customer Reviews
Liked it
Looking forward to the next one
Made for TV
Author
American. Always wanted to be a writer, but her Chinese-American parents insisted she get a real job. Did medicine and became an internist (general physician). Married another doctor and wrote her first novel while on maternity leave in the 1980s. Started out with “romantic suspense”, then medical thrillers, then police procedurals with a medical element. This book represents the debut of gritty female Boston detective Jane Rizzoli. Its 2002 sequel The Apprentice introduced Rizzoli’s crime fighting other half: female medical examiner Maura Isles. Mr G has now churned out 12 Rizzoli and Isles titles, and a similar number of standalone novels. The small screen adaptation of R & I is still going strong after 105 episodes, I believe.
In brief
Misogynistic male psycho killer trope meets nobody takes me seriously because I’m a girl cop trope. Sprinkle in female doc who narrowly escapes trope 1 only to face a re-run two years later and 1000 miles away. Add assorted male chauvinist coworkers to reinforce trope 2, but season with a couple of nice guys to prove all men aren’t bastards. Oh, and blood and guts, plenty of blood and guts not just thanks to the perp, but also to the potential vic who is a trauma surgeon up to her elbows in gore every day. Stir at increasing pace until denouement. Drizzle honey on ending but leave space for dessert, I mean, a sequel.
Writing
Clear, crisp, well-paced. Ms G was 15 years into her career as a published author when she wrote this. It shows. A professional effort that maintained attention to the end despite the predictable plot and caricature-isation. I feel no great urge to explore the series further.
Bottom line
Made for TV even before it was.
Enjoyable
My first read by this author. Couldn't put it down. Will be reading more of hers for sure.