Rizzoli & Isles: Listen to Me - Tess Gerritsen

It's been five years since Tess Gerritsen gave us a new Rizzoli and Isles tale. Well, the thirteenth in the series, Listen to Me, has just released. As this was a series I'd liked in the past, I happily picked up this latest.

For those who aren't familiar - Jane Rizzoli is a Boston homicide detective and  Maura Isles the medical examiner. They're two quite different personalities, but they work well together and are friends outside the workplace. Jane's latest case is the murder of a nurse in her own home, as well as the stalking of a young woman. Maura comes up with clues and facts for Jane.

There's a third person with her own chapters in this long awaited new novel. 
Who you ask? Well, it's Jane's mom Angela! She's lived in her neighborhood for decades and she keeps an eye on everyone that lives on the street. The new folks across the road have piqued her interest. They unloaded their belongings at night and have made it clear that they don't want to interact with the neighbors. There are many supporting players in this storyline. I was reminded of Janet Evanovich's Grandma Mazur and the Burg.  A bit more serious, but still with some humor.

I enjoyed catching up with Rizzoli and Ives, as well as the larger part that Angela played. Gerritsen gives the characters personal lives that have moved forward over the course of many books. The narrative is a nice mix of personal and professional. 

The cases kept me interested and were well plotted. Gerritsen's books make for entertaining, easy reading. See for  yourself - read an excerpt of Listen to Me.