Barbara L. (Barbllm) reviewed on 10/13/2014 + 241 more book reviews

Gerritsens sequel to The Surgeon is pretty good as far as sequels go. Gerritsen created Jane Rizzoli, a female Boston homicide detective who is as intense and complex as Patricia Cornwells Kay Scarpetta. However, the book falls flat when it comes to the plot; it seems a re-tread of other, better serial killer novels.

Warren Hoyt, the Surgeon himself, returns but its not great; hes basically a Hannibal Lecter clone and several small chapters/prologues are written in italics in his words. Gerritsen pairs Hoyt with another serial killer known to the Boston PD as the Dominator whose modus operandi is similar to Hoyts. The discovery of a corpse in a ritzy Boston suburb starts the plot rolling.

Rizzoli sees the connection between the Dominators victim and Hoyts other victims, and visits Hoyt in prison. Later, we learn that Hoyt and the Dominator have contacted each other by mail. Added into this volatile mix is Dr. ODonnell, a psychiatrist who wants to understand the human monsters but whose work is viewed with disdain by the police.

There is a great deal of suspense, particularly when Rizzoli realizes that shes the next target of the killers. Theres a lot of forensic information here, as is the case with novels like this. The grisly nature of the murders is sensationalistic. Rizzoli also gets a new love interest in the form of FBI agent Gabriel Dean, and this is handled with realism and subtlety. Dean has the uncanny ability to know where to look for evidence, and what kind of evidence to look for. The ending is very suspenseful, but there are a lot of loose ends unaccounted for. Not the greatest book that Gerritsens written.

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