Audiobook Review - The Spy Coast

Normally, I usually like a post up on here once a week. Otherwise, the blogger anxiety kicks in and I feel like I have failed as a book blogger (even though, compared to other cooler blogosphere [on booksagram, booktube or booktok and other places], my little corner of the Internet is tiny!) and I know I shouldn’t worry so much, but I do. I should practice what I preach over doing this your way and no one else. 

Anyway, no blog posts last week and two this week. One audiobook that I preordered and one physical that I treated self to after I did a job interview that I thought I did really well (I didn’t get the job so can’t of gone that well). Now, getting sidetracked so let me get the details of this preordered audiobook up and then we can have a chat. 

Title and Author: The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

Publisher: Penguin

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought

Buy From (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org

The first in the Martini Club series, The Spy Coast follows Maggie Bird in Purity, Maine. She’s a nice neighbour, loves her chickens and is a good shot with a gun. She, also, doesn’t talk about her past. 

So, when an unidentified body is dumped on her drive while she was at “book club”, Maggie realises that the past is coming for her. 

She and her fellow book club members (former spies for US government) must find out what is going on and why quickly is Maggie wants to keep her new, peaceful life. But the past is a tricky thing and Maggie’s past might get her killed…

eBook Review - Listen to Me

It's been a long time since I read a Rizzoli and Isles thriller. I actually had plans for past few months to reread some older Rizzoli and Isles thrillers (Body Double, Vanish and The Mephisto Club). So, when I was on NetGalley months ago and saw that Tess Gerritsen was going to release this series's thirteen outing, I had to jump on it. I missed these characters and I am ready to return to this world and these characters... 

Title and Author: Listen to Me by Tess Gerritsen

Publisher: Bookouture

Bought, Gifted or Borrowed: eProof gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction.

Buy From (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

There's something strange about Angela Rizzoli's new neighbours. They keep to themselves, the blinds in their windows are always drawn and Angela can't shake the feeling that the wife's in danger. But no one believes her, not her neighbours, not her boyfriend, not even her daughter, Detective Jane Rizzilo...

Jane can't think of her mother and her wild theories right now. She finds herself investigate the gruesome yet senseless murder of nurse Sofia Suerez. She was well liked and well respected nurse. No one has a bad word to say about her. But there's something not right, and it seems to be linked to a former patient, a daughter of a doctor Sofia worked with. Is the doctor's teenage daughter, Amy, just suffering from a string of bad luck, or is there something more sinister going on...?

Audiobook Review - The Bone Garden

Tess Gerritsen is one of the first crime/thriller authors I tried when I was in my late teens/early twenties that I enjoyed (same goes for Kathy Reichs, not so much for Patricia Cornwell but THAT'S a different story!) and I have always dipped in and out of her books. I first read Body Double, then dipping in and out of her Rizzoli and Isles series.

Tess's stand-alone were very hit and miss with me. I really enjoyed Harvest when I read it YEARS ago, I DNFed Life Support & Playing with Fire and The Shape of Night was a bit meh for me (review for that is here, if you're curious on my thoughts when I first read it in 2019) 

But I have always, ALWAYS wanted to read Bone Garden. It just sounded creepy with how it looks at early medicine in Boston 1830s.

Title and Author: The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen

Publisher: Transworld

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought eBook and borrowed audiobook from library via BorrowBox app.

In the present day, Julia impulsively bought a house to get over her divorce. As she is digging up the garden, she discovers a skull. The skeleton, it seems, was buried over a hundred years ago. But who is she, and how did she die?

In 1830s Boston, an impoverished medical student and a young Irish immigrant who suddenly becomes guardian of her baby niece find their paths keep crossing as a terrifying serial killer. Something sinister is happening in Boston, and it has nothing to do with the grave robbing or body snatching...

#re3 - The Surgeon

My first reread of 2021! And it's in one of my fave genres - crime and thriller. I admit that IO'm not exactly sure why I decided that I wanted to reread (via audiobook) The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen. I haven't read this since, I think, when I first read it back in April 2006 (?). I usually read her later books such as Body Double (this I hope to reread later this year as well as Vanish and The Mephisto Club. I have really affection for Body Double and Mephisto Club, hence why these two are high on my To Be Reread List). 

Now, if you don't know this book, let me get some info down and chat a little about the book. 

Title And Author: The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen

Publisher: Bantam/Transworld Digital

Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Audiobook

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Borrowed audiobook from local library via BorrowBox

Length: 416 Pages or 10 Hours 49 Minutes

A serial killer is attacking vulnerable women in Boston. He tortures them, does medical procedures on them and then kills them, only to neatly fold their nightgowns and leave the scenes. All these attacks have horrible, if not exact, similars to a spare of killings that happening Savannah two years ago. Expect the surviving victim killed the perpetrator. But the final girl - a doctor now - is working is Boston and, the more the Police investigate the new killings, the more they realise that she is at the heart of it all.

Murder Month 2019 - The Shape of Night

• Title And Author: The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen
• Publisher: Transworld
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: eBook
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: eBook gifted by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction
• Length: 288 Pages

Have you guys ever watched Grey’s Anatomy? If I said to you “ghost sex”, you’ll know what episode and storyline I’m talking about, right? Ok, keep that in mind while I do this write-up. 

It’s been quite a long time since I read a Tess Gerritsen. I tried to read Playing With Fire when that first came out, but couldn’t get past the first few pages. I never warmed to it the way I warmed to Tess’s Rizzoli and Isles series (I plan to reread one or two of them in the coming few months so keep your eyes peeled for those). So, when I saw The Shape of Night on NetGalley for review, I jumped at it, making sure I didn’t read anything about it. I wanted to go in as blind as I could. 

Ava arrives at Brodie’s Watch, she thinks she’s found the perfect place to find writing her cookbook. And the perfect place to hide from her past - something awful happened. Something she’s desperate to forget. 

But the old house that Ava plans to stay in till October welcomes and repels her and soon, Ava can’t scare the feeling that she isn’t alone… But is she? Is she in danger? If so, is the danger outside the house, inside the walls, or inside her own guilt-ridden head?

GoodRead - John Doe

This was meant to be my first read for a themed month I was planning for next month - Murder Month - but something happened (will reveal the news soon) so thought I would throw this at you now, rather than keep it on the back burner. And it's with one of my fave crime authors (and one I haven't read in AGES!), Tess Gerritsen with her eNovella, John Doe.

Dr Maura Isles is at a boring social event. So when a good looking young man chats her up, she's thrilled. And then... nothing. She can't remember anything about that night after he goes gets her a glass of champagne. She's at home, with Jane Rizzoli banging on her front door with two pieces of news. A man is dead - and he has Maura's address in his pocket...

As someone who follows the TV show, Rizzoli and Isles (which the book series is inspired from), this short story sounded very similar to an episode in season 4 called Killer in High Heels. This is one of the main reasons I held off reading this till now.

But once I started reading this, I realised that the two are very different. The TV show pushes Maura into a situation we have never seen her in - a prison. Whereas the book took a much darker turn in questioning how sexual assault is handled by the Police.

I was hooked in reading this - like I said, it's been FOREVER since I read Tess Gerritsen and I haven't got any of her latest books on my TBR pile! - and while I think most crime fans will read this and go "Typical eNovella thriller", I'm quite excited to go back to her again. It's been too long. Maybe I will reread Body Double (my first Tess Gerritsen), Vanish or The Mephisto Club... Or should I try her latest...?

GoodRead - Freaks

As some of you guys know, I quite like Tess Gerritsen and am quite excited about the TV show inspired by the characters, Rizzoli And Isles (which will be shown in the UK on Alibi tonight!). The show is huge on its US channel, TNT, that a third season has been commissioned. And so, when Tess's US publisher wondered if she would write an short story on the TV show's US website, as an experiment. A way, really, to introduce the fans of the TV show to Tess's books and, in America, to give some extra titbits.

In the UK, you just the story, some information about the book series and a small advert for the TV series on Alibi (expect they got the date wrong. It's Tuesday 13th September, not Wednesday 13th September). And it's a FREE short story!

In Freaks, Boston homicide cop Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles investigate the death of Kimberly Rayner. Her body was discovered in an abandon church, next to a open coffin. She looks like she's been strangled, but what's weird is that the young man who ran away from the scene says that he and Kimberly were vampires. But did this guy kill Kimberly? And what about Kimberly's father who suddenly burst onto the scene...?

Now, I must stress something. This is a FREE SHORT STORY! I feel I have to stress this as Tess has written a blog about the reactions to this (here it is) and some of them were quite negative.

But I like it. It was fast and somehow mixed both the books with the TV show (for those wondering, this story takes place between The Killing Place [aka Ice Cold in the USA] and The Silent Girl), but this is a fast read. It would have fitted perfectly into the Quick Reads range, as I read this very quickly - less than half an hour. And the flow of the writing kept you reading.

I know Tess said she won't write another short story, but if she did, I would be very pleased!

GoodRead - No Rest For The Dead (Unabridged Audiobook)

As you guys know, I am a bit of crime nut. I do love reading or audiobook a good murder mystery so No Rest For The Dead is probably a biggie for all you other crime fans out there. Why, I hear you ask? Because 26 crime and thriller authors - including Kathy Reichs, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Alexander McCall Smith & R L Stine to name a few, with an introduction from David Baldacci - all helped writing this, each writing a chapter or two each. And with the audiobook version, you had six readers, in which made the story feel more it was told from several people, which I like.

The story starts when Rosemary Thomas was executed in the state of California for the murder of her husband, Christopher Thomas. Chistopher was discovered inside an Iron Maiden, a torture device that was on loan from Germary to the San Francisco's Museum of Fine Art, where both Thomas and Rosemary worked at. All the evidence pointed to Rosemary, even though she claimed she was innocent. Ten years later, a memorial is being held on the ten year anniversay of Rosemary's execuation. But what happens if Rosemary was innocent? What happened if an innocent woman was executed? But if she was, then who killed Christopher Thomas?

Now, should I talk about the story, the authors or the readers? Where should I begin?

The story. The story in itself is fast and will have the reader on the edge of their seats guessing and double-guessing. I never saw the end coming but I suspect that some of you crime die-hards out there might. I think most, if not all of you, will get it at the same time I did (dare I say which author wrote the chapter? No. I better not. I don’t want to ruin the fun!).

But what makes this story so different from the others out there is the fact that you get 26 authors involved in this, each bring their own style to the story. Some chapters are more emotional, others more action, others more technically than the rest of the book, but you can hear the voices of each crime writer. There are a few chapters where the chapter doesn't gel with the story, but you forgive that as each chapter has been written by a different author. And with the audiobook version, you have six readers so with this, you still get the feel that this is the same story, but being told from several people's point of views, which makes the story feel more textured.

Now, I can imagine all you crime die-hards out there rushing out to grab this book/audiobook as it has the crème de la crème (or the crime de la crime) of writers out there - I mean, I got very excited when listening to Tess Gerristen and Kathy Reichs chapters (as they are my fave crime authors). But there will be a few of you going "Huh? What is he/she doing in?". Yeah, I had that, with Alexander McCall Smith and R L Stine. Now, Alexander McCall Smith, I can understand as he does crime (though some of you would call his work "gentle crime") but R L Stine? Bestselling author of the teen series, Goosebumps? What is he doing there? His chapters (only two, actually) are short and very different from the rest of the story - but, when you read/listen to his chapters, it makes perfect sense. But saying that, most of the chapters are told in third person but there are a few chapters told from the characters.

All in all, crime fans will love this. Not entirely certain I like the final two/three chapters (this includes the diary entry - which shouldn't count as a chapter, but I do), but with the list of well-loved and well-respected crime writers help writing this story, this is a must for crime fans!

GoodRead - The Killing Place

Have I ever told you that I am a bit of a crime nut? Well, I was a few years ago. And the main author I read before I discovered Kathy Reichs was Tess Gerritsen. For a while, I kept seeing this book when I entered my job's (at the time) nearest book shop and it really held my attention, but I always put it off. It was a hardback and whenever I seem to buy hardback books, I usually end up hating the book and cursing myself for wasting money. So, when the book came out in paperback, with a scarier-looking cover, I snapped it up and read the first few chapters within a coffee shop. That was Body Double. And then, I devoured Vanish, The Mephisto Club and backtracked into read The Surgeon and then Harvest.

But I haven't read anything else of hers for a while. So while I was chatting to a book blogger, Sya (from the book blog, The Mountain Of Instead – click here if you want to check out her blog). I mentioned about her reading Tess Gerritsen's latest novel, Sya very kindly (and surprisingly) lent me her copy! How nice of her!!!

So, let me talk about The Killing Place (or Ice Cold as it is called in the USA). After getting catch in a snow storm and trusting a GPS, Maura Isles and four others find themselves lost and stranded, they stumble down a private road to the valley of Kingdom Come where they take shelter...

... and then vanish.

Days later, Jane Rizzoli goes in search for her missing friend, only to be told that crashed vehicle has been found with four badly burned bodies. One of which, assumed by the authorities, is Maura.

But is it? And if it isn't, where is Maura? And what terrible secret is Kingdom Come hiding?

This, to me, is more a thriller than crime, but I like that. There were times I was reading this and lost tract of time. So much for reading one or two chapters, huh? I think it was the idea of getting lost into a snow storm and vanishing off the face of the earth that held my attention. What would happen if this happened? What happened then?

It's been a while since I've read a Rizzoli and Isles novel, but this seemed to be nice welcome back to the series. And I have a copy of a Rizzoli and Isles novel “Keeping The Dead” (aka The Keepsake in the USA)... maybe I should read that after I get through my Books To Be Read Pile...

Body - a 30 Minute Write-Off! (Short Story)

So, every now and then, I make myself have a go at writing something out within 30 minutes. Or I try to, seeing as today, my keyboard was playing up. So, I wrote in 35 minutes (because I had to run and get batteries!). So, enjoy!

Warning - this short story deals with dead bodies. (Thanks Kathy Reichs and Tess Gerritsen).

*

I know death. I work with it. Hey, you can say we’re the best of buddies.

I am a forensic anthropologist, and let me tell you, my job isn’t exciting. Don’t believe that CSI crap. I deal with dead bodies. Whether they are burned, decomposed, mummified (don’t ask!), mutilated, dismembered or skeletal. So, they’re not exactly a chatty bunch.

I prefer working with skeletal remains. Nothing scary about skeletons. It feels safe working with them, knowing that there are 206 bones in the body. It’s like working on an old maths question you feel comfortable with.

I do not feel comfortable working with anything else. I have to pushed into the autopsy room, half the time. Mostly because I don’t have a Starbucks in my hand (other coffee brands are available). But the idea of doing a Y-incision into the dead’s chest – doing it to a female is more disturbing, but if you’re a man (or a lesbian), you’ll instinctively look at the breasts. And then you have get to the brain, which is worse because you have to cut through the scalp, collapse the face (!), and then saw through the bone.

Yeah. Dealing with skeletal remains is much better for me.

And it was dealing with a skeletal remains of a woman (black, mid to late thirties) is when I heard it.

I heard something. I wasn’t sure what, but I heard… movement?

Now that was impossible. I was the only person in the morgue. I was working late to make sure all my notes and findings made sense. I was getting dental records tomorrow and I was sure that we would have an ID for her. For her and for her family’s sake.

“He-hello?” I called out.

Nothing. As quiet as the grave.

I sighed, looked at the clock – 10:47pm – and decided that I should really go home. I was seriously behind on my Grey’s Anatomy – a secret vice no one knew about. Plus, I wanted a shower. I wanted to wash the smell of death that I knew had clung to my clothes, my hair, my skin.

I stretched, feeling my joints pop out of my sockets when I heard it about. A low, muffled sound. I stood perfectly still, arms still above my head, trying to pinpoint the sound.

There was nothing.

I should ignore it. It’s nothing. I mentally told myself. And yet… and yet, I knew I couldn’t.

So, guessing that weird the noise had come from, I walked across the morgue, pass the gurneys and pushed the doors open.

A chill ran over my skin. I felt goosebumps rise. The cold room has that effect on people. It never bothered me before. But it did now.

Eight stainless steel gurneys were taken. Each holding a black body bag. I felt my skin tightened as I walked to the first. I forced myself to work confidently. I had nothing to fear here. It wasn’t like the dead could rise again.

I checked the tag. White female. No date. No time.

Okay, that’s odd.

I unzipped the bag. Inside was a naked white female. Her skin was practically translucent. Her black hair looked wet and was pulled back, revealing a woman with a large forehead. Her eyes were closed, given the impression that she was sleeping.

“Oh, get a grip of yourself.” I told myself aloud, zipping the body bag shut. “You’re tired. You’re cranky. Go home.”

I turned to leave. I made two steps before I stopped. Okay, that time, I definitely heard something.

I turned. It had to be my imagination. Had to be. There was no way -!

Slowly, I edged back to the body bag I had just opened. Then stopped, hand frozen in mid air.

“Get a grip,” I told myself, as I took the zip and unzipped the bag.

Again, there she laid. Her eyes closed. Her hair still pulled back.

My fingers, acting of their own accord, moved towards her throat. If she was dead, there would be no pulse. If she was dead, she would be cold skinned. If she was dead –

The corpse’s eyes opened.

I gasped, recoiled, almost lost my footing and stared, opened mouth.

Her eyes were open!

“Oh – OH MY GOD!” I couldn’t stop myself from saying the words. I grabbed the gurney and kicked at the brake.

Get her out of the cold!

“Sweetie!” I said, kicking at the brake again and feeling my foot making contract. “It’s okay. I got you. You’re going to be okay.”

I hope.

I wheeled the gurney out of the cold room. I thought I heard someone.

“Call an ambulance!” I called out, hoping that I wasn’t alone.