The Sinner

Title: The Sinner

Author: Tess Gerritsen

Date Finished: July 22, 2011

Personal Book Count: 26 out of 75

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Genre/ Subject: mystery

First Line: The driver refused to take him any farther.

Why did I pick this book?: This book is part of the Rizzoli and Isles series.

Summary and Review: from the author's website-

“Within the walls of a cloistered convent, a scene of unspeakable carnage is discovered. On the snow lie two nuns, one dead, one critically injured – victims of a seemingly motiveless, brutally savage attack.

Medical examiner Maura Isles’ autopsy of the murder victim yields a shocking surprise, but the case takes a disturbing twist. The body of another woman has been found. And someone has gone to a lot trouble to remove her face, hands and feet.

As long buried secrets are revealed, so Dr Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli find themselves part of an investigation that leads to an awful, dawning realisation of the killer’s identity…”

OK, this is only my third, but probably my favorite Gerritsen book so far. This one is refreshing. The first two were very similar, and although they were good, it started to feel like it went on for too long. The Sinner is very layered, and a lot of interesting things are going on at once. In this book we get to know Maura Isles better. Much of the story is told from her point of view. I like the way we saw her personality, and her past. I also like that the author isn't trying to introduce a whole bunch of new characters to us in the first book of a series, and trying to jam in a whole bunch of back story. She is taking her time and spreading them out. Or maybe she didn't know where it was going when she started. Either way, it makes it a very comfortable pace for the reader. My pet peeve in this one was that at points it seems like Isles fancies herself the cop. She goes off half cocked, following leads or hunches. It not only irritated me, but was distracting at times. In a cozy mystery, I would believe that. For an intelligent, educated woman, it seemed a little hard to swallow. I thought the ending of this one was great. There is wrap-up of both the personal and mystery story lines. And you know I like a neat, all ends tied, ending.

After reading this one, I have trouble choosing who I like more, Rizzoli or Isles.

If you have read any Gerritsen, who is your favorite character, and why?

Agree? Disagree? Recommendations? Any insights, suggestions, or comments on the book or format, or blog at all are most welcome. If you have read this and/ or review it yourself, please let me know. Can you think of any books like this? Give me a recommendation! =D