Review: Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen

Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen

Ballantine Books

August 2012

Format: Hardcover; 352 pages

First line: We called him Icarus.

From the inside cover:  For the second time in
his short life, Teddy Clock has survived a massacre. Two years ago, he
barely escaped when his entire family was slaughtered. Now, at fourteen,
in a hideous echo of the past, Teddy is the lone survivor of his foster
family’s mass murder. Orphaned once more, the traumatized teenager has
nowhere to turn—until the Boston PD puts Detective Jane Rizzoli on the
case. Determined to protect this young man, Jane discovers that what
seemed like a coincidence is instead just one horrifying part of a
relentless killer’s merciless mission.

Jane spirits Teddy to
the exclusive Evensong boarding school, a sanctuary where young victims
of violent crime learn the secrets and skills of survival in a dangerous
world. But even behind locked gates, and surrounded by acres of
sheltering Maine wilderness, Jane fears that Evensong’s mysterious
benefactors aren’t the only ones watching. When strange blood-splattered
dolls are found dangling from a tree, Jane knows that her instincts are
dead on. And when she meets Will Yablonski and Claire Ward, students
whose tragic pasts bear a shocking resemblance to Teddy’s, it becomes
chillingly clear that a circling predator has more than one victim in
mind.

Joining forces with her trusted partner, medical
examiner Maura Isles, Jane is determined to keep these orphans safe from
harm. But an unspeakable secret dooms the children’s fate—unless Jane
and Maura can finally put an end to an obsessed killer’s twisted quest.

My thoughts: This is the 10th and latest book in Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli & Isles series and I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read and review this book. I love the TNT television series Rizzoli & Isles with Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander and that is actually what got me started on reading this series. Now, I usually like to read books in a series in order and while I’ve only read the first in this series, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read this one.

Last to Die is a chilling tale of three orphans who can’t seem to stay away from harms way and Detective Jane Rizzoli and Medical Examiner Maura Isles team up to save them. The three orphans – Claire, Teddy and Will – are placed at the Evensong Boarding School in Maine, which is run by the mysterious Mephisto Society. This is a school where the students all happen to be victims of some violent crime and are taught survival skills.

This was a fast-paced book, with quite a few twists and turns. When
all of the lies, deceits and truths come out, it’s quite the surprise to find out who was
behind the murders of the three families and all the danger they put the three
teens in. I love delving into the world of forensic medicine and police work – and I am definitely excited to read the earlier books in the series that I missed.

That being said, I just wanted to share this. One of the reasons why I love reading series in order is that you get the complete character development over the course of the series. Does that detract from the enjoyment of this book in particular – no. However, had I read the earlier books, I would have a better understanding of the relationships between some characters, plus, events are mentioned repeatedly that probably happened in earlier books – another reason why I will definitely be reading the earlier books!

Have you read any of the books in this series? Do you watch the TV show Rizzoli and Isles?

I received a complimentary copy of Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen from Mary at Elevate Communications. 

Books in this series:

1. The Surgeon                                7.  The Keepsake            
2. The Apprentice                          8.  Ice Cold
3. The Sinner                                    9.  The Silent Girl
4. Body Double                                9.5  Freaks
5. Vanish                                            9.7  John Doe
6. The Mephisto Club                    10.  Last to Die