The Surgeon

  The Surgeon
  Tess Gerritsen
  521 pgs
  Ballentine Books












 Amazon Blurb -
A serial killer is on the loose in Boston. The victims are killed in a particularly nasty way: cut with a scalpel on the stomach, the intestines and uterus removed, and then the throat slashed. The killer obviously has medical knowledge and has been dubbed "the Surgeon" by the media. Detective Thomas Moore and his partner Rizzoli of the Boston Homicide Unit have discovered something that makes this case even more chilling. Years ago in Savannah a serial killer murdered in exactly the same way. He was finally stopped by his last victim, who shot him as he tried to cut her. That last victim is Dr. Catherine Cordell, who now works as a cardiac surgeon at one of Boston's prestigious hospitals. As the murders continue, it becomes obvious that the killer is drawing closer and closer to Dr. Cordell, who is becoming so frightened that she is virtually unable to function. But she is the only person who can help the police catch this copycat killer. Or is it a copycat? To complicate matters even further, Detective Moore, often referred to as Saint Thomas as he continues to mourn the loss of his wife, is getting emotionally involved with the doctor.
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This book was great.  My first foray into Tess Gerritsen and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Her writing style is smooth as silk.  No getting bogged down each page just kept turning.  It was a large print book, the only one the library had, 521 pgs and I read it in two days!!

Dr. Catherine Cordell is a survivor.  Let me tell you, I wouldn’t wanna be the kind of survivor she was.  Drugged, tied down and raped by a crazy serial killer who liked to take souvenirs, his victim’s wombs, before cutting their throats.  Sick S.O.B.!!  Catherine managed to free her arm and get the gun her father insisted she have because of these killings, and kill the nut.

Fast forward two years, she has left Savannah and now lives in Boston, a successful Dr., pushing that nightmare out of her mind.  One problem, there’s and copycat killer mimicking what was done in Savannah.  This killer knows things only an eyewitness would. and like the first has some form of medical knowledge, hence being dubbed “The Surgeon” by the cops.

Detectives Thomas Moore and Jane Rizzoli are on the case.  Rizzoli is a tough nut.  She is coarse and harsh, plain looking, just bitter.  Angie Harmon this chick ain’t.  I’ll have to delve into Rizzoli’s series at a later time to see if she improves.  Moore is the exact opposite, almost serene earning himself the nickname St. Thomas.  Rizzoli does some digging and finds the common thread of Dr. Cordell with these victims, so the two go to interview her.  Catherine has buried this horror and isn’t happy at all about reliving it.  As time progresses and another victim is found, that Catherine is the ultimate target for The Surgeon becomes evident.  He is taunting her terrorizing her and Det. Moore is falling for her.  This gets Rizzoli in a tizzy and the events that follow are troubling for both Jane and Thomas.

The suspense builds as they try to catch him and the ending was a major heart racer!  This book is a worthy read.  While I like a little more interaction with the killer, the book moved along nicely keeping you wondering who the bad guy was and then really grossing you out when you find out how he was discovered.  I did like the characters, while I had a hard time with Jane Rizzoli, you see why she is the sourpuss hard ass. I recommend it.

4 cannolis

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