Rizzoli & Isles #1
“The important choices are always tough.”
Jane Rizzoli
I knew from the synopsis that this would be a gory book, but I did not expect how gruesome it would be. Rape, mutilation, sexism (going both ways), and unlikable characters made this challenging to finish.
This book doesn’t pull its punches when going into detail about the methods used for removing organs. You are also subjected to the psychology of it, both by the suspect and a disturbingly creepy Zucker. I was more disturbed by him than the suspect due to the way he reveled in the murders.
I could have handled the unsettling story if the characters had been more appealing to me. Unfortunately, bitterness and disrespect seem to be the normal state of affairs in the Boston PD homicide department. Disgusting practical jokes are aimed at the only female on the team, Rizzoli, and she is left out of group discussions on her case. I’d be more sympathetic towards her if she didn’t have a chip on her shoulder the size of a Redwood tree. She snaps at anyone who comes close to her, including her family members, and she sulks when the lieutenant follows proper procedure and points her on desk duty. There is also a plotline where she spitefully retaliates against another officer for refusing to cover up a massive error in judgment on her part. This book is a battle royale of the sexes, and neither gender fares well.
I enjoyed the episode of Rizzoli & Isles that I caught on TV. The Surgeon has made me leery of reading any more of the series the show’s based on.
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