Tue 29 Aug 2017
Reviewed by LJ Roberts: TESS GERRITSEN – I Know a Secret.
Posted by Steve under Reviews[11] Comments
Reviews by L. J. Roberts
TESS GERRITSEN – I Know a Secret. Rizzoli & Isles #12. Ballantine, hardcover, August 2017.
First Sentence: When I was seven years old, I learned how important it is to cry at funerals.
Detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles have two murders to investigate. Although they occurred in separate locations and no connection seems to exist between the two victims, there is a commonality in their wounds. Also when Maura visits her biological mother, an imprisoned serial killer who is dying of cancer, she receives a cryptic message. What does her mother know?
Such a well-done beginning. It is one filled with very intriguing information and leaves one with many questions— “You’ll find another one soon.†–to which one wants answers.
Third-person, anonymous narration is a writer’s element; i.e., trick, which can be annoying, and disruptive to the flow and tension of the story. Bear with it, however, as it not only makes sense but leads one down an unexpected path.
Gerritsen really knows how to write natural dialogue. It serves many purposes, even to indicate the difference in educational backgrounds between Isles and Rizzoli— “Bilateral globe enucleation,†said Maura softly. “Is that some kind of fancy medical talk for someone cut out her eyeballs?†“Yes.â€
The dialogue is only one aspect of Gerritsen’s literary voice. Excellent analogies is another— Cops were like terrorists. They tossed devastating bombs into the lives of victims’ friends and families, and then they stood around to watch the damage they’d done.”
Learning about the families of the protagonists gives them dimension and life. It makes them vulnerable and realistic. If one has a character who is Italian, one can also be ensured of large meals with good food— “The leg of lamb was studded with garlic cloves and roasted to a perfect medium rare. Surrounding it were bowls of crisp rosemary potatoes, green beans with almonds, three different salads, and homemade dinner rolls.†–Yet one is also reminded that cops don’t get Christmas off.
A fascinating benefit of Gerritsen’s novels, due to her background, is the medical and scientific information one learns. It takes the investigative information just another step up.
The plot is so skillfully developed. The investigation is layers built on layers. It is refreshing even when theories are developed that don’t prove out … or do they? And the twists keep coming, one of which could not have been more unexpected. What is particularly enjoyable is that they don’t feel contrived, although you know Gerritsen labored long and hard on them, because the logic works.
I Know a Secret is an excellent book. It is skillfully plotted with twists that give definite “Wow!†moments. Gerritsen is a “must read†author.
August 29th, 2017 at 12:56 pm
RIZZOLI & ISLES, the TV series on TNT, ended last September after seven seasons. I watched the first episode and enjoyed it enough that I purchased the first season on DVD, which as far as I’ve gone with it. Obviously it proved to be very popular.
I did try one of the books. I don’t remember how far I got into it, but when I put it down, I never got around to picking it up again.
What I don’t remember reading about is how much involvement Tess Gerritsen had with the TV show, or even how happy (or not) she was with the characters and the stories.
August 29th, 2017 at 11:26 pm
I think my curiosity is satisfied re the similarity between series and books.
Falls into the “awfully good, if you like it” category for me I fear, though I might try one.
August 30th, 2017 at 6:16 am
My wife was a big fan of the early books, but she quit reading them when (WARNING: SPOILER ALERT, REALLY) Isles got sexually involved with a priest (END SPOILER).
She tried the TV series, but disliked what they did with the Isles character and other changes, and never got past a couple of episodes.
Your mileage may vary,
August 30th, 2017 at 12:05 pm
On the other hand I was OK with the TV series, not having any preconceptions in mind based on the books.
August 30th, 2017 at 12:50 pm
Never really that interested to try the books but the TV series was a typical average procedural TV crime show. What did set it apart in the later seasons was the fans. Not since Batman and Robin have a group of fans focused on the sexuality of two characters. I know a fan who looked at me as if I was crazy when I told her that the LGBT group had adopted Rizzoli and Isles.
And if my memory is correct the author approved of the TV series (because it increased sales most likely).
August 30th, 2017 at 1:25 pm
Yes, there’s been a lot of speculation about the romantic relationship between the two, starting with season one. Any such intent has been consistently denied by any of the people involved with the show, including the two actresses themselves.
Here, for example, is an early article from the LA TIMES that appeared between the first and second seasons:
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/03/entertainment/la-ca-rizzoli-isles-20110703
August 30th, 2017 at 10:27 pm
As the series got older the writers loved to tease while denying…
https://www.buzzfeed.com/skarlan/rizzoli-and-isles-is-the-gayest-non-gay-show-on-television?utm_term=.ewEOlMMMM#.apZVyzzzz
August 31st, 2017 at 12:57 am
More than I was aware of, Michael. Thanks for the link.
Sounds like they were having a lot of fun with it, that’s for sure.
August 31st, 2017 at 12:00 am
To answer the question as to how much input Tess Gerritsen had in the television series, she doesn’t. She sold the rights and the television production company takes it from there.
August 31st, 2017 at 2:17 am
That’s probably the standard way deals like that are done. I’m willing to be corrected, but as an example that came up here a while ago, I don’t believe that Michael Connelly’s hands-on involvement with the Bosch series is the norm.
It’s probably not connected, but there’s been a gap of three years between this latest book and the previous one, and some fans were beginning to wonder if there was going to be another one or not. I think they’re hoping that now the series is over, Gerritsen will start writing them more often again.
September 2nd, 2017 at 12:44 am
Similarly the BONES series had so little to do with the books they had to do novelizations for the TV fans.