Reviews

Listen to Me by Tess Gerritsen is the thirteenth novel in the Rizzoli and Isles series. I have not read any of the previous books in the series, but I have watched every episode of the television series. This knowledge allowed me to read Listen to Me. Listen to Me is an engaging story. The story is told from Amy, Angela, Maura, and Jane’s point-of-view. It did take me a little bit of time to adjust to the alternating POV. It does allow readers to see things from each character’s perspective. There are a couple of different storylines in the book. There is the murder of nurse, a nineteen-year-old hit by a car, a missing teen, and Angela Rizzoli is worried about her mysterious new neighbors. I enjoyed following the various stories and seeing how it all came together in the end. There are some twists along the way (some expected and other are not). The characters are realistic and developed. I enjoyed learning more about Jane Rizzoli, Angela Rizzoli, Barry Frost, and Maura Isles. Vince is out of town taking care of his sister, but we get to interact with him through phone conversations with Angela. The mystery was well-plotted. I thought it was cleverly done. I enjoyed the challenge (it was a fun whodunit to solve). There are good clues to help readers identify the guilty party. It was great how all the various parts came together. I thought there was a good reveal and wrap-up. Jane’s mother, Angela is certainly a busy body. I would not want her in my neighborhood. She knows everybody’s business (and if she does not, she will make it her mission to learn it). Angela is a spunky woman. I like that Angela is with Vince. I am glad that I picked up Listen to Me. It has good characters and a thought-out mystery that makes for an enjoyable reading experience. Listen to Me is an intriguing mystery with a hit-and-run misfortune, a curious stalker, a slain nurse, new neighbors, a meddlesome mother, baffling burglaries, an absent teen, a marvel of a medical examiner, and a dedicated detective.

mynameis_emely's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

casey_mcd92's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

pam2375's review against another edition

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4.0

What can I say about lucky book #13 in this Rizzoli & Isles series? Tess Gerritsen does not disappoint in this thriller!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books. This book is scheduled for release on July 5, 2022.

haapalaiida's review against another edition

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mysterious

4.0

paulabrandon's review against another edition

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3.0

Det. Jane Rizzoli is investigating the murder of Sofia Suarez, a nurse. Her and partner Det. Barry Frost can't seem to find any reason why anybody would want her dead. Intercut with this is the story of Amy Antrim, who has recovered from a hit and run, and it seems that she is being stalked by a strange man. Her family knew Sofia, so is there a connection? Finally, Jane's mother Angela is highly suspicious over some neighbours who have moved in across the street. She thinks something nefarious is going on, but nobody will believe her, not even her own cop daughter.

While still an enjoyable thriller, this is probably the weakest entry in the Rizzoli & Isles series. At first, I was hooked, wondering how all these different plot strands would tie in together. However, they don't. Angela's subplot is mostly tangential to the story and really doesn't have anything to do with anything. It wraps up in a fashion that is completely out of tune with the rest of the book. Why was it here? I also didn't like the implication that Angela is vindicated because something (however arbitrary) was up. She was a total and utter busybody. She complains about not being seen or heard because she's an older woman, but really, you couldn't blame anyone for telling her to bug off. I'm disappointed Gerritsen was unable, like in previous books, to connect all these story threads into one cohesive whole. This felt like two completely different books.

Also, this was a lot slower paced and more predictable than the usual Rizzoli & Isles thriller. It's clear Gerritsen wants to move on from this series, but either readers or publishers won't let her.

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