





Rizzoli & Isles
13 books
The Rizzoli & Isles series by Tess Gerritsen has 13 books. Start with The Surgeon (2001), then read the rest in the order below.
Rizzoli & Isles reading order

The Surgeon
Tess Gerritsen
A chilling serial killer stalks Boston, meticulously targeting women with surgical precision and leaving behind a trail of ritualistic horror. As Detective Jane Rizzoli and her partner delve into the gruesome murders, they uncover a disturbing connection to Dr. Catherine Cordell, a physician haunted by a violent past. The killer's intimate knowledge of Cordell's life suggests a terrifying link to the man she once believed she killed, raising the stakes as she becomes the next target. This gripping thriller explores the dark intersection of medicine, trauma, and the relentless pursuit of justice.

The Apprentice
Tess Gerritsen
In the sweltering heat of a Boston summer, a series of brutal crimes grips the city, echoing the terrifying methods of a notorious serial killer now imprisoned. Detective Jane Rizzoli suspects a chilling new threat: an apprentice carrying on the madman's deadly legacy. As Rizzoli races against time and faces resistance from her own department, she uncovers a conspiracy involving government secrets and a mysterious agent with his own agenda. The lines between hunter and hunted blur when the original killer escapes, unleashing a final, devastating vendetta that puts Rizzoli directly in the crosshairs.

The Sinner
Tess Gerritsen
A brutal and baffling crime shatters the peace of a secluded convent when two nuns are found brutally attacked. Medical Examiner Maura Isles's autopsy uncovers a shocking secret, but the horror escalates with the discovery of another victim, meticulously disfigured. As buried secrets surface, Isles and Detective Jane Rizzoli are drawn into a chilling investigation that leads them toward a terrifying realization about the killer's identity.

Body Double
Tess Gerritsen
Medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles is confronted with a chilling mystery when a murder victim is discovered who is her exact double, sharing the same birth date and blood type. This shocking discovery forces Maura to confront a past she never knew, revealing a twin sister and a connection to a dangerous serial killer. As Maura delves into her hidden family history, she uncovers dark secrets and must race against time to stop a spree of murders and confront the mother she never knew, who may hold the key to both her life and her death.

Vanish
Tess Gerritsen
In this gripping thriller, a pregnant homicide detective finds herself in a desperate fight for survival when a dangerous former black-ops agent takes over her hospital. With high-level government secrets at stake, her FBI agent husband must race against time to save her and the other hostages from a ruthless enemy. The narrative plunges into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, exploring themes of betrayal, loyalty, and the lengths one will go to protect their loved ones.

The Mephisto Club
Tess Gerritsen
A series of gruesome murders grips Boston, each victim found with a chilling, ritualistic mark. As Medical Examiner Maura Isles and Detective Jane Rizzoli investigate, they uncover a shadowy organization known as The Mephisto Club, a clandestine group of academics obsessed with the occult and the literal existence of the Devil. The deeper they delve, the more they realize the killer may be one of their own, blurring the lines between scholarly pursuit and deadly obsession. This thrilling novel plunges into the dark corners of human belief, exploring the terrifying possibility that evil can wear the most unexpected faces.

The Keepsake
Tess Gerritsen
When a series of bodies begins appearing in Boston's prestigious Crispin Museum, medical examiner Maura Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli find themselves drawn into a chilling investigation that blurs the line between art and murder. As the killer's macabre displays grow increasingly elaborate, the disappearance of a young archaeologist adds urgency to their search, suggesting the killer's obsession may run deeper than anyone imagined. Gerritsen masterfully weaves forensic detail with psychological suspense, creating a puzzle where every artifact and every victim holds a crucial clue. With the museum's dark history and the killer's intimate knowledge of its secrets, Rizzoli and Isles must race against time to uncover the connection between past and present before another body is added to the collection. This gripping thriller showcases the dynamic partnership between the brilliant medical examiner and tenacious detective as they confront a killer who views murder as an art form.

Ice Cold
Tess Gerritsen
Dr. Maura Isles finds herself trapped in a remote Wyoming village during a brutal blizzard, the silence of the deserted streets more unnerving than the storm. When a member of her group suffers an injury, Maura ventures out in search of aid, only to be plunged into a terrifying ordeal. Her desperate plea for help turns into a fight for survival as she is abducted and dragged into the unforgiving wilderness, facing an unknown and sinister threat.

The Silent Girl
Tess Gerritsen
When a severed hand and a brutally murdered woman are discovered in Boston's Chinatown, homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles uncover a chilling connection to a massacre that occurred nineteen years earlier. Their investigation leads them to a mysterious martial arts master—one of the few survivors of that horrifying crime—who has now become the target of a relentless and seemingly supernatural killer. As the detectives race to solve a case rooted in ancient Chinese legend and centuries-old vengeance, they must confront an enemy that is far more cunning and deadly than they ever imagined. With echoes of the past colliding violently with the present, Rizzoli and Isles must use all their skills to stop a swift, avenging blade before it claims another victim. Gerritsen masterfully weaves together procedural crime-solving with dark mythology in this gripping installment of the bestselling series.

Last to Die
Tess Gerritsen
A teenage boy, Teddy Clock, finds himself the sole survivor of a brutal massacre for the second time in his young life. Detective Jane Rizzoli takes on the case, suspecting this is no mere coincidence but part of a killer's calculated plan. She places Teddy in Evensong, a secluded boarding school for victims of violent crime, hoping to offer him sanctuary. However, as unsettling events unfold and other students with similar tragic pasts emerge, Jane and her partner Maura Isles realize the danger has followed them, and a relentless killer has more than one target in their sights.
Die Again
Tess Gerritsen
When a renowned taxidermist is found brutally murdered in Boston, Detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles uncover unsettling links to a long-unsolved killing in the African wilderness. Their investigation leads back to a doomed expedition in Botswana and a circle of survivors whose secrets have remained buried for years. As the detectives piece together the evidence, they confront the dark intersections of obsession, revenge, and the human hunger for conquest. Taut, atmospheric, and suspenseful, this gripping thriller combines forensic detail with a haunting journey into the dangers that follow people home from the wild.

I Know a Secret
Tess Gerritsen
When an indie horror-film producer is found dead in her Boston home, Detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles confront a case marked by disturbing wounds and an unknown cause of death. A second homicide reveals an unsettling connection, drawing the investigators into a labyrinth of buried secrets, a survivor of a shocking abuse scandal, and a horror movie that may be closer to reality than fiction. As Jane struggles with her mother’s collapsing marriage and Maura faces one last battle with her manipulative, dying mother, a cryptic clue points toward a sinister pattern rooted in cruel and unusual deaths. Blending psychological suspense, intricate investigation, and deeply personal stakes, this gripping thriller sends Rizzoli and Isles toward a predator whose secrets could endanger them and everyone around them.
Listen to Me
Tess Gerritsen
When a beloved nurse is found brutally murdered in her Boston home, homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles uncover a trail of secret calls, burner phones, and hidden connections that suggests Sofia Suarez was not the innocent neighbor everyone believed her to be. As Jane pursues the case, her mother, Angela Rizzoli, becomes convinced that something sinister is unfolding in her seemingly peaceful suburb, where a runaway teenager and suspicious new neighbors may be linked to a growing danger. Their seemingly separate concerns begin to converge, testing the limits of instinct, evidence, and trust. A tense and atmospheric crime thriller, the novel explores the secrets concealed behind ordinary lives and the peril of dismissing warnings until it is too late.