Listen To Me is the thirteenth book in the bestselling Rizzoli & Isles series about a ballsy Boston homicide detective and her best friend, a cool and sophisticated Medical Examiner. I used to love this series, but it’s five years since the last one, and the style has changed completely - I can’t work out whether it’s my taste that has changed, or if the author’s decided to switch from gritty dark thrillers to a more comedic cosy style to tie in with the TV show. You could easily read this as a stand-alone but if you then went back to the early books you could find them quite disturbing by comparison.

Jane Rizzoli and her partner Barry Frost investigate the murder of a hospital nurse killed in an apparent burglary gone wrong. Their enquiries lead them to Amy Antrim, a young student seriously injured in a hit and run accident months before, whose father is an acquaintance of Maura’s. Then Amy reports that a stranger has been stalking her - how do these differing crimes connect? Meanwhile Jane’s mother Angela grows increasingly suspicious of her new neighbours…

On the plus side, this wasn’t about a serial killer, had a carefully constructed plot that kept me guessing, and was easy to read without excessive gore. Jane is determined and intuitive as ever, and Maura played her part although she was reduced to a fairly minor support character this time.
What I didn’t enjoy was the large chunk of the book told from Angela’s first person present POV as she spies on her neighbours, gossips about her so-called friends, whines about Jane not taking her seriously and meddles in relationships that are none of her business. She really is the most annoying character - flattered by the attention of the bodybuilding narcissist over the road while claiming to adore out of sight, out of mind new boyfriend Vince. This part of the plot was a cross between Desperate Housewives and Scooby-Doo, but it wasn’t actually amusing, just silly.

The main mystery was more intriguing, and I was satisfied enough with the resolution. There wasn’t too much of Jane’s home life or Maura agonising about her relationship (it’s there but it’s bearable unlike in some of the earlier books.) Overall I quite liked this but it’s nowhere near as gripping as her earlier efforts. 3.5 rounded down for too much Angie, not enough Maura.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily.
Listen To Me is published on July 7th.

I really love Tess Gerritsen's books and it was great to have Rizzoli and Isles back. It was fantastically written as always and I love the characters, in particular Angela so I especially liked that some of the story was written from her perspective. I would highly recommend Listen to Me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for my ARC.

It's been quite a while since the last Rizzoli and Isles and the wait has certainly been worth it. Great characters as always, fascinating plot and the added interest of a storyline featuring Jane's mum make for a wonderful read.

📖BOOK REVIEW📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️

#ListenToMe by #TessGerritsen

⏩for synopsis

So usually I absolutely love a Rizzoli and Isles book and have been really looking forward to this one, but I found it a little strange… The parts of the murder investigation are top notch but they are broken up by quite a strange side story about Rizzoli’s mother, scrabble games and the goings on in her neighbourhood which, was readable but really had no relevance to the plot?! Except perhaps the theme of mothers???

I really enjoyed the murder investigation parts and really wish more had been made of this as that would have made this a five star read. Despite the strange setup, Gerritsen’s story telling is on point, characterisation exceptional and the stories complete, with all loose ends neatly tied up.

I can’t help feeling this is one for the fans, like me, who are willing to put up with a not so great book as part of the series they love. I feel perhaps if this was your first by the author, you may have dnf or certainly been very confused 😳. Fair to say this isn’t my favourite of the series (the would be The Killing Place in case your interested).

With thanks to @netgalley for allowing us to read this one early.

Release: July 7th

-EMILY
@the_book_girls_1

In the immortal words of DKM, "It's been a long time coming"... but instead of the Boys being back, it's Rizzoli & Isles, and they're definitely "Looking for trouble"...
I actually used the same opening in a different review but when I started this one, I though it would be a lot more fitting as the Dropkicks are a Boston band, the city in which this series is set.
So... do yourself a favour and go back and read the previous 12 books. You know you want to and they are all brilliant so...
In this, the 13th (eeks) book, the focus is very much on Angela, Jane Rizzoli's mother as she is worried about shenanigans going on in her neighbourhood. A neighbourhood that is definitely not in Jane's jurisdiction. But she humours her nonetheless, as you do! Indeed, Jane has enough on her plate with the completely senseless murder of a popular nurse, found bludgeoned to death in her home. But as with most people, things are never quite as they seem on the surface and it appears that the more they dig, the more they find. But will they find enough to solve the crime?
It's a tale of secrets and lies, and a healthy dose of duplicitous behaviour to boot. A real doozy for our crimefighting duo. It's been a while since the last book, and with the TV series also finished, I've kinda missed the characters.
Aside: The TV series is great too if you fancy it, although it veers from the books a tad...
The plot thickens as it twists and turns around and about and, although I did guess something early, the majority, and indeed the crux, had me grasping all the way through until finally, all was revealed and I was left wholly satisfied. And a little smug for my guess panning out.
Writing is just as tight as always, the main characters' personal lives are coming on as you would expect but never overshadow the crime(s) being investigated. Writing is tight and there is no superfluous waffle to be found.
All in all, a cracking addition to one of my favourite series, just please don't leave it as long un til the next... My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Huge fan of Tess Gerritsen and this book didn't disappoint. It is the 13th in the Rizzoli and Isles and series but can easily be read as a standalone.
The characters as you would expect are all well written and the story moves along at a good pace. I love the way it is told from the perspectives of different characters, especially from Angela, Janes mum, it's really good to hear her story and get even more of a feel to her character and her insights.,
There are lots of twists and turns along the way, Rizzoli gets led on few different trails but the way they all come together at the end is expertly done.
If you are looking for an easy to read crime drama which will keep you guessing then this one is for you

I've loved Tess Gerritsen & Rizzoli and Isles since the very beginning with The Surgeon (and used to re-read them from the start every time a new book in the series came out, thankfully I don't now as there are a lot)
I was really pleased to see there was a new book in the series as it's been ages.
I found this to be a slow starter and not as gripping as usual, although it was an enjoyable read and I did enjoy a story that was largely from Angela's perspective. It did seem that the various storylines were a bit confused.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for my eARC in return for my honest review

Although I didn’t realise this was part of a series so was not anticipating it as many where I really enjoyed it and reading it has made me want to read all previous books in the series

THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!!
Around a year ago I became obsessed with this series and was very upset when it ended, when I was looking though books available I had to control myself upon seeing this one I requested it and prayed everyday I would be accepted.
Oh my what a ride. Tess is one hell of an author and this book did not disappoint, the characters, storyline and writing makes these books very special indeed. Everyone has to read them

I’d like to thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Listen To Me’ written by Tess Gerritsen in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Detectives Jane Rizzoli and Barry Frost are called to the home of Sophia Suarez where they find her body. Her friends and colleagues are all united in saying that she was a caring and much-loved nurse who gave no reason for anyone to want to harm her. While Rizzoli is involved in solving this senseless murder, her mother Angela is concerned that Carrie and Matt Green who’ve have moved into the house opposite are acting strangely and Matt has a handgun concealed on his person. Angela reports her concerns to the Revere Police Department and despite their warning takes it upon herself to find out more about them and keep her neighbourhood safe.

Not once have I been disappointed with a novel by Tess Gerritsen who’s been a favourite author of mine for too many years to mention so I was especially pleased to be given the opportunity to read ‘Listen To Me’. I’m delighted to say that it’s every bit as exciting and gripping as all the novels I’ve read previously. The addition of Rizzoli’s mother Angela who takes it upon herself to know everything about her neighbours, as well as the irascible Agnes, adds to the story and gives it another interesting dimension. I thought at the start it was going to be a bit mundane but the further I read the more the tension increases until the exciting twists and turns and totally unexpected and unbelievable conclusion make this a breath-taking and highly entertaining thriller that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading.

I have been a follower and a fan of Tess Gerritsen's novels since her very first one, The Surgeon and I was super excited when my reader request was approved.

This is the 13th novel in the Maura and Jane and it made for a really good novel. For me personally, The Surgeon has been the best novel that Tess Gerritsen has written and nothing really comes close to it. Listen to Me was a good read and I did enjoy this novel.

Maura and Jane investigate the murder of a nurse, Sofia and they make a connection between Sofia's murder and a victim of a hit and run a few months ago. This connection raises many questions and the duo start to investigate Sofia in greater depth.

Alongside the main storyline there is another one that involves Jane's mother Angela. Angela lives in a neighbourhood where there are some unusual characters. Angela shows the "like daughter, like mother" as she starts to investigating some things that are occurring.

This is such a good read, and I really enjoyed reading about Angela and her amateur sleuthing.

Thanks to Tess Gerritsen, NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The story starts with a teenager, inappropriately dressed for icy weather, slipping and falling in front of a car.
Roll forward a few months and Jane is called to the scene of the murder of a nurse. There doesn't seem to be any reason for the killing and Jane pursues the few leads she has.
Meanwhile her Mother Angie, who prides herself on saying something if she sees something, Thinks that the new neighbours who have moved in opposite are not what they seem. When she sees that the husband is carrying a concealed gun, she goes to the police and is politely told to leave it alone.
At the funeral of the nurse, Amy, the teenager who was run over and treated by the nurse, is approached by a strange man, who runs off when her father appears.
What follows is a tale of kidnap, murder and witness protection.
An entertaining read.

Oh it’s so good to have a new Rizzoli and Isles book again. It’s been a few years and I’ve definitely missed them both - and Angie of course!
This is a great read and one that I devoured in a few hours.
Jane and Frost are called out when a woman is found brutally murdered in her home. She’s a nurse and looks to have been killed on her return from work, but Jane can’t work out who would want to kill her.
Maura can’t find any clues during the post mortem so Jane and Frost are on their own.
Meanwhile Angie is concerned about some new neighbours and there are also problems with some other neighbours that she’s known for years. Angie keeps an eye on them all but then she gets herself in real trouble.
I love this series so much and hope there will be another book out soon.
A brilliant book that I’d highly recommend.
Whilst the series is not to be missed you can also read this as a standalone book.
Thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Listen to Me is the 13th book by Tess Gerritsen in the Rizzoli and Isles series and this is where I have to admit it is also the first one I have read. I do have all the others in my TBR pile, and I plan to play catch up very soon. Having said that you can read this book in isolation and not feel like you have missed anything that would detract from your enjoyment of the book.
Detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles are called to the murder of Sofia Suarez. Thein nurse appears to have been the victim of a robbery gone wrong but as Jane digs into the last few days of her life she finds that Sofia has been making a lot of calls that link back to the past. What she can’t work out is why and does it have anything to do with her murder. If that isn’t enough to be dealing with she also has to contend with her mother Angela who is convinced that there is something going on with her new neighbours and she wants Jane to check it out. Even when she is told to back off by the local police and Jane she just can’t let it go and it ends up putting her in danger.
The relationship between Jane and her mother can at times be quite funny especially when Angela thinks that Jane can just run roughshod over any police department and investigations just because she wants her to, but when push comes to shove Jane will always help her mother out when she can. I was a little confused by the opening chapter of the book and it did take me a little while to work out where it would fit in to the main crime but as I read further, things slowly managed to make more sense. Whilst I kind of worked out the links to events, I have to admit that I was initially wrong as to who committed the crime. Maura Isles did appear to be a little side-lined in this book, but I can see why this would be the case as a lot of the investigations took place outside their normal area.
The chapters were based on different people’s point of view on what was going on, helping the reader get more invested in the story and I found that this also helped with the pace of the book, keeping me turning page after page and ensuring I was hooked and finishing the book in a day. With a good blend of investigations and personal lives the characters are certainly not one dimensional and you find yourself immersed in their lives.
I was a big fan of the TV series inspired by the books and whilst I could hear the characters voices and see the similarities, there were also differences that gave a different view of the world of Rizzoli and Isles, and I would recommend everyone should delve in and discover it for themselves.

Listen To Me is the thirteenth book in the Rizzoli and Isles series by best-selling, award-wining American author, Tess Gerritsen. It’s late spring when Boston PD Detective Jane Rizzoli and Pathologist Maura Isles are called to the murder scene of a fifty-two-year-old ICU nurse. It seems that Sonia Suarez returned home from work to disturb a burglar who bashed her skull with a hammer and took her purse, her cell phone and her laptop.

When Rizzoli and Detective Barry Frost talk to her shocked colleagues, none can believe anyone would have reason to kill this dedicated nurse. ICU director Dr Mike Antrim mentions the care she gave to his daughter, Amy, after her hit-and-run two months earlier. And that Sonia seemed troubled by a recent phone call.

Sonia’s fifteen-year-old neighbour, Jamal Bird has a reputation for assisting the IT-naive with their devices, and helps Rizzoli and Frost to hack Sonia’s email and internet search history which, together with her phone records, constitute a mystery that Jane can’t let go.

At Sonia’s funeral, Dr Antrim and his daughter become aware of a stalker: a man who seems vaguely familiar to Amy, and has her mother recalling a couple of hang-up calls. When she spots him again while shopping, Amy tells police she fears for her life. Rizzoli knows they need to protect this young woman, but it’s only tangentially connected to her murder case, isn’t it?

Rizzoli is regularly distracted for her work by calls from her mother. Now almost divorced and currently living alone, Angela Rizzoli takes pride in having her finger on the pulse of her neighbourhood, and is concerned by a local teen gone missing.

But what really grabs her attention is the couple who move in across the street, rebuff her offer of friendship, unpack their U-Haul after dark, and keep their blinds closed: what are they hiding?? Matt Green has a gun! And the bars he has put on their windows: are they to keep people out? Or to keep someone in? Because timid Carrie Green is never seen….

Despite Angie’s careful attention to everything going on around her, she still manages to grasp the wrong end of several sticks, getting herself into hot water. However, her unhesitating heroic action probably saves a life, and she provides light relief interludes from the main story.

Once again, Gerritsen gives the reader a tightly-plotted tale with plenty of good detective work and some clever deduction. Maura Isles plays a small but significant role, and demonstrates that she has more than one string to her bow.

By about halfway through the story, Rizzoli’s investigations offer sufficient clues that some may have settled on the who, but the how and why keep the pages turning, and even the most astute reader won’t predict the final chilling chapter. This intriguing crime thriller is Gerritsen at her best.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Random House UK Transworld.

I haven’t read the last few Rizzoli and Isles books so I was pleased to find that this book works quite well as a stand-alone. Some knowledge of the characters personal storylines is probably helpful but it definitely doesn’t impact on the main stories. I liked the way that all the storylines wove together nicely in this book, I can’t say I was that surprised by the ending but I definitely enjoyed getting to it. It didn’t feel as gritty as some of the earlier Rizzoli and Isles that I remember but it was a good read and makes me want to go back and catch up with the ones that I’ve missed.

A fabulous addition to the Rizzoli and Isles series.

Jane and partner Frost are tasked with solving the murder of nurse Sofia. At the same time, Jane's mother Angela is wrapped up in multiple neighbourhood watch issues, and she constantly tries to get her daughter involved. Can Jane solve the murder and help her mum along the way?

I loved seeing more of Angela in this book, she and her neighbours were great characters! Maura Isles was definitely more of a background character in this story, but it was nice to find out something about her that was a bit of a hidden talent.

All in all, a good read.

“Did I mention a homicide?”
“No, but you’re Detective Rizzoli. Everyone knows who you are.”

Can you believe this is the first Rizzoli & Isles book published since 2017? That was pre-pandemic, so by my calculations it’s been 142 years since I read the twelfth book, give or take.

I’ve missed Jane and Maura so much and I loved being able to catch up with them again. Even though it’s been so long since I was able to tag along during one of their investigations, it took no time at all to reacquaint myself with them.

I was able to read from Angela’s perspective for the first time and if you know Angela, you know she’s going to be spending a considerable amount of time getting into someone’s business. And their business and maybe theirs as well… She absolutely delighted me as I followed her around her neighbourhood.

“I’ve lived on this street for forty years and I try to keep an eye on it, that’s all. You can’t prevent bad things from happening if no one notices those things.”

Angela spends her time investigating the mystery of why the new couple renting number 2533 aren’t being neighbourly and the case of a missing teenager, all while facing off against her archenemy and checking out the man across the street. Basic what I’m saying here is that Angela did more than enough to convince me she needs her own spin-off series.

I’m guessing all of my training with Rizzoli over the years has started paying off as I figured out one of the mysteries straight away and got another one half right.

Something I’ve always loved about the Rizzoli & Isles books is how all of the puzzle pieces end up fitting together, even when some of them originally look like they belong in separate pictures. This was the case here as well.

Some books in the series have more of a focus on Jane and others spend more time with Maura. With more page time dedicated to Jane this time, I’m hoping next time I’ll get to hang out in the morgue some more, “reading the language of death” with Maura.

I feel like I’ve just caught up with some old friends I haven’t seen in years and I’m tempted to reread the entire series and binge the TV series (again) while I wait to be invited to join their next investigation.

Bonus points for the ringtone allocated to Angela on Jane’s phone and the reveal of Maura’s secret talent.

Content warnings include domestic abuse and mention of sexual assault.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bantam Press, an imprint of Transworld Publishers, Random House UK, for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 4.5 stars.

At long last, Rizzoli's mum comes completely into her own and drives many aspects of the narrative on this one. I enjoyed that as I find her a very authentic character and enjoy the repartee between mother and daughter.
The main plot line is , as expected from Gerritsen, seamlessly plotted with clues drip fed throughout. I really enjoyed the puzzle of this one - working out how things link together, the relationship between seemingly disparate events and it's absolutely amazing to see how believable the plot it.
The characters are fascinatingly intriguing and as ever, Maura and Jane's personnal lives and friendships come to bear in this one.
Deliciously rich, enticingly real, horrifyingly surprising.

Whilst this is not the best that Tess Gerritsen has ever written it is worthy of a place in the series. Whether it is because we have to read through the statutory nods to racism and sexism before moving onto the main story or whether its because this story involves Jane's mother turning nosiness into her own private 'detectiving' is not clear but they are distractions from the professionalism of Rizzoli and Isles that are a key marker of the earlier books. I think in reality there is a lack of tightness in the writing this time around, I think this is mainly in the tension which is usually taut but is not entirely absent but could be described as missing in action. Notwithstanding all the above there is enjoyment to be had in this book and there are some lovely vignettes into the continuing lives of Maura and Jane.