Rating: 
Summary: Powerful and intense
Review: I liked this book but feel compelled to say that many avid mystery and thriller readers will find it not to their taste-it features graphic scenes of sexual violence towards women ,and indeed has an atmosphere of violence so potent as to touch every aspect of the story.Add to this the detailed description of surgical procedures heavy on blood and viscera and you have a novel from which many will flinch.All I can say to such people is "respect "but if you feel the violence is gratuitious then I must demur.The unflinching honesty of the book and its writer extends to not glossing over the physical and emotional distress that violence-and more especially sexual violence-causes its victims,It is tantamount to bereavement in the loss of self confidence and despair that it inflicts on the post trauma lives of those who are the prey of the vile and depraved who prey upon those weaker than themselves-or simply less prepared .The setting is Boston -a city where the eponymous killer is at work ;his victims are all women who have been raped some weeks before and his modus operandi is surgical mutilation ,namely the removal of the vagina .His particular target is the capable and controlled surgeon Dr Catherine Cordell who when living in Savannah had killed a trainee doctor Andrew Capra who had tried to kill her using the same methods as "the surgeon ".He targets her for a campaign of terror ,
The novel pays attention not merely to Catherine but to the police seeking the killer and in particular to the only female cop ,Rizzoli -driven ,marginalised by her own family and harrassed by most of her colleagues who feel homicide is no place for a woman She is not only marginalised by others but in dreadful danger of allowing their attitude to marginalise herself in her own eyes..The compassionate cop Thomas Moore is drawn to Catherine and the build a relationship against the background of a manhunt.
The climax is powerful ,bloody and tinged with love ,hope and compassion . Read it -unless the subject is not for you .This is strong meat but not lip smackingly gloating in its stance to its subject .Ms Gerritsen can write about depravity without smearing it all over the reader and that is no small skill
Rating:
Summary: Another Bestseller!
Review: Dr. Catherine Cordell, a trauma surgeon at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, is trying to get her life back. Before coming to Boston, she was nearly killed by a junior hospital resident, Andrew Capra. Fortunately, she was able to free herself and shoot Capra before he could kill her.
Now women are being murdered in the same way Andrew Capra had previously killed.
The police are at a standstill until it is discovered that similiar killings happened in Savannah, Georgia.. where Dr. Cordell once lived. After questioning Cordell, detectives Rizolli and Moore begin to think that the murders have something to do with Dr. Cordell but they can't figure out why. They need to find out who is killing these women before he gets to Dr. Cordell.
Rating: 
Summary: Loved this book!
Review: This is an awesome book-fast pace, good characters, good plot, good ending. This is a very talented writer, one who knows how to keep the pages turning.
Rating:
Summary: A Serial Killer Back from the Dead, or Not
Review: I'm a big fan of the Jane Rizzoli we see in THE APPRENTICE and THE SINNER and for the life of me, I don't know how I missed THE SURGEON. Well, I have been away at sea for the last ten years or so, so a few books have been able to sneak by me unnoticed and this was one of them. However, I've read it now and I must say I was delighted to read about the hard-edged, unsure of herself Jane Rizzoli Gerritsen writes about here. Though all of her books are stand alone efforts, this book gives us great insight into the tough, but flawed Rizzoli. The book opens with Boston homicide detective Thomas Moore walking in on an autopsy. The young female victim had been brutally killed in the same manner as a woman had been in a year-old case he hadn't been able to solve. Rizzoli immediately tells Moore that she's the lead on the case. Two years ago a serial killer down in Atlanta had been killing in a similar fashion, but the last victim managed to free herself, grab a gun she'd had under her bed and send the killer to his not so happy hunting grounds. Rizzoli finds out that last victim was Catherine Cordell who is now working in Boston and she's a surgeon. What a coincidence, that's the name the cops have given their serial killer, the Surgeon. Before long it becomes obvious to Moore and Rizzoli that the killer is taunting Dr. Cordell. She's the one that got away and now he wants her dead. But wait, how could he want her dead, when he's dead himself? Dr. Cordell killed him. Is it a copycat? If it is he has access to police files. Could he be a cop? Meanwhile, the Surgeon strikes again, this time leaving the victim alive so that she'd have to be transported to the ER and Dr. Cordell would see just what he has in store for her. Can Rizzoli and Moore stop him in time? I have to admit, I was worried about that and you will be too if you read this excellent five star story by one of the best thriller writers going today. Reviewed by Vesta Irene
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Stunning!
Review: I loved this book for all the right reasons. It gave me the chills, kept me interested and above all, made me eager to know what would happen next. The writing of Tess Gerritsen is not to be missed. She is brilliant and a master at her craft. Tight plotting, breakneck speed, medical information, and intrigue all make this book a definate must have for fans of the genre. Tess Gerritsen has just become my new favorite writer. I loved the fact that this book was so easy to read, the wealth of medical knowledge and teminology was easy to understand and introduced in a way so that it complements the story and does not detract from the experience in any way. Gerritsen has created a diverse universe of characters and lives that intertwine to solve this wonderfully compelling thriller. From Rizzoli, the cop with an attitude that dwarfs her small stature and a thirst to prove herself to Moore, the officer that is cool under pressure and never cracks his facade, Gerritsen has populated her novel(s) with immediatley likable and realistic people. The central players in this book have just as much heart and pain and past as the victims that find themselves at the mercy of the killer. Gerritsen does a great job of handling multiple view points and a chilling subject matter. Excellent novel, I will definatley purchase all her future works...they are sure to be equal to, if not better, than The Surgeon.
Rating:
Summary: A True Page Turner
Review: This is the first Tess Gerritsen book I ever read and I was hooked afterwards. This is an intense and at times grisly novel. It gets going fast right away and doesn't let up until the last page. At times you feel slightly repulsed, especially during the finding of the murder victims, but you can't help being slightly fascinated as well. This book is part medical thriller and part psychological thriller. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Just Thrilling!
Review: Tess Gerritsen is an outstanding author. Her medical expertise along with her powerful writing style combine to deliver a thriller that just cannot be surpassed. The character portrayals are flawless. I loved the conflictual personality of Detective Rizzoli who burns with a passion to be validated by her own family. The serial killer is deliciously evil and brutally delivered. The evolving romance between detective Thomas Moore and Dr. Catherine Cordell is another interesting element to an outstanding storyline.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling!
Review: Hate to admit it, but this is the first book by Tess Gerritsen I've read. The story line looked interesting, so I thought I'd give it a try, and I'm glad I did. Gerritsen is an intelligent, creative writer - I like her better than Patricia Cornwell. Although the characters seemed a little bit stereotypical, this did not detract from the suspense factor or the brutal serial killer portrayed. Great read. I'm now a fan of this author.
Rating:
Summary: Made me shiver
Review: Great read, this book really made me double check the locks on my doors. Kept me guessing and eager to get to the end. This is my first Tess Gerritsen book and I'm hooked.
Rating:
Summary: Exciting Medical Thriller : Suspence and Romance Included
Review: The Surgeon introduces us to Jane Rizzoli and Thomas Moore, detectives investigating the brutal murder of a woman which links to other murders in the past - and the survivor of one of the attacks, Dr Catherine Cordell, a surgeon. The characters are strong and interesting. The growing romantic relationship between Thomas Moore and Catherine Cordell may be predictable, but is believable. However the character that really stood out for me was Jane Rizzoli. This is a woman who is BITTER; about her family relationships (her mum and dad are much more interested in her brothers), about her status as the much put upon only female homicide detective for Boston PD, and about Thomas Moore's attraction to Cordell which she deems as inappropriate and unfair. In many ways Jane and Catherine are polar opposites, Catherine is cold, icy and attractive, whilst Jane is fiery and blunt, and described as intense rather than pretty. I loved her character although she was often rude and belligerent, simply because she was so intriguing. It made a nice change for a woman to take centre stage in fiction who is complex, not classically beautiful, and rather controversial. Overall The Surgeon accomplishes much. It is a smooth, thoughtful novel and I much admire Tess Gerritsen's stylish writing. The plot is clever and pacy, and the insights into the murderer are chilling. The only complaint I have is when Catherine Cordell and Thomas Moore fall out for a long time when a simple phone call would have set everything straight, however, I suppose the nature of fiction requires some conflict to drive the plot along so I can forgive that! I'd recommend this to people who like competent thrillers, absorbing characters and are also looking for a bit of romance thrown into the mix as well. JoAnne
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