Catherine Cordell, a charismatic ER doctor, is the only known survivor of the serial killer “the Surgeon,” a brutal murderer who rapes and butchers his victims. So when the Surgeon—or perhaps a copycat killer—seeks revenge and begins to pursue Cordell again, detectives Thomas Moore and Jane Rizzoli are put on the case, embarking on a harrowing journey to save Cordell’s life. While the 2001 story contains some dated generalizations about sexual assault and mental illness, the book’s gripping characters and spine-chilling narrative landed it on the New York Times best seller list. The novel is the first entry in the popular Rizzoli & Isles series by doctor-turned-author Tess Gerritsen, as well as the inspiration behind the hit TNT TV show of the same name. —Rachel Sonis
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