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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exciting Medical Thriller, 26 Sep 2003
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.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you like serial killer thrillers, here's a goodie, 31 July 2006
This was my introduction to Tess Gerritsen and it has left a very positive impression, such that I have quickly ordered half-a-dozen more from her portfolio to add to the three I already own. As a background, I enjoy the works of Val Mcdermid, Karin Slaughter, Mark Billingham, PJ Tracy, Jeffrey Deaver, Simon Kernick and Jilliane Hoffman, all of whom have produced their own particular take on serial murder and who have at times also developed stories whose central theme is sexual assault, as is the case in The Surgeon.
There is never any doubt as to the authenticity and credibility of the events in and around the operating room, for this is a thriller with heavy emphasis on the anatomical aspects of assault and murder rather than a display of violence for its own sake. In this way the imagery created is altogether more convincing because the impression is always that the author is completely confident in describing the medical, physical and forensic details of events leading up to, and all police investigations after, a horrific sexually oriented murder.
In this, the first of what has become a series involving Boston-based homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and her partner in crime Detective Thomas Moore, three women have been assaulted (two fatally) and in a particularly gruesome fashion. It emerges that the very attractive surgeon Catherine Cordell is being hunted down by the killer, for she was once assaulted by a friend of his two years earlier when she lived further south in Savannah, Georgia. It seems that the killer has followed her to Boston and has a uniquely intimate understanding and knowledge of her body and movements, even though she has no recollection of ever having met him. Love blooms between Catherine and Moore, much to the disgust and possible jealousy of the less than stunning Rizzoli. Suspects in the form of red herrings are dangled here and there, and in fairness this is a thriller that could be said to thrill right to the very end - it could not be accused of being clichéd or formulaic, and the conclusion was, for a pleasant change, constructed and executed with skill and finesse. This is a story which cried out for a good ending and did not disappoint in this regard.
Welcome to the serial killer club, Tess - I hope the follow-ups to this introduction to the series are at least as good as this one. Definitely recommended.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Easily a Cover to Cover Read, 24 April 2003
This book was absolutely brilliant - I am a fan of Patricia Cornwall , but she has not had anything out lately and I was missing that type of novel. Tried some other authors, but came across nothing sensational, then picked up The Surgeon - could not put it down and the last few chapters I actually had to stay up half the night until early hours of the morning to finish it, I honestly could not put it down even though my eyes were begging me to sleep.........
Now, I have to start The Apprentice......
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