I happened onto the Rizzoli and Isles book series because of the spin-off TV series. Since then I have been hooked, so you can imagine my delight at scoring an arc of “Listen to Me” currently the 13th and most recent book in the series.

We pick up with Jane Rizzoli juggling family life and work, her latest case is an ICU nurse - Sofia Suarez - who was brutally murdered after returning home from work. The crime scene is that of a burglary gone wrong, but the cop instinct has Rizzoli feeling that all is not as it seems, the murder itself seems too personal however initial inquiries find that everyone who knew the nurse liked and respected her. As she delves deeper, Rizzoli finds that Sofia had been up to something that no one knew or suspected; along with her partner Frost, Jane follows each tidbit of a crumb that leads to a hit and run victim, to another murder over a decade old, to more and more questions. One thing Jane doesn’t have time for is all the imagined troubles her Mother practically insists she looks into, a missing teenager - probably ran away – again. Definitely not anything to do with the mysterious new arrivals across the street… still Jane cannot convince Angela Rizzoli that all she’s doing is making mountains out of pot holes!

Mother Rizzoli makes more of a contribution to this installment. With all her little birds having flown the nest and her boyfriend Korsak out of state helping his sister, she has too much time on her hands that she uses to conjure up scenarios of what her neighbors are up too. From Jane’s point of view her mother is annoying, interfering and if only she would just mind her own business, from Angela’s point of view the neighborhood IS her business, and after living there most of her life, raising her children, she knows her neighborhood, and she knows something is not right.

*** If only they would listen to her. ***

Tess Gerritsen weaves together all these threads into a stay up way past your bedtime mystery that has a bit of a rollercoaster ending. 100% recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the arc of Listen To Me in exchange for an honest review.

This is the thirteenth book in the Rizzoli and Isles series and a welcome additional to the collection. I am a huge Gerritsen fan and she did not disappoint with this book. It felt like coming back home to characters you know and love. Five year was too long to wait!

I want to thank NetGalley, Tess Gerritsen and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

I enjoyed reading this suspenseful story. This is an author that I never hesitate to pick up. I have enjoyed reading her books from the first one. I enjoy this author's writing style as well as her attention to details that make their stories realistic. This book is no different. This is a well written story about Jane and Maura and their next case. Will they lose sight of what is really happening or is there something that is much closer than they realize? I enjoy their characters and watching them work the case throughout the story. They bring life and suspense to the story. The twists and turns are like no other, edge sitting for sure. This is a fast paced story that is hard to put down. You don't want to miss what happens next for Jane and Maura. This is a really great story that I found easy to read as well as entertaining. I highly recommend this book and this author.

*Thank you to Random House, Tess Gerritsen, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/listen-to-me/

“The weaving of life between mother and daughter is just like the making of a basket. As time goes by, the interlacing takes shape and becomes stronger.”

― Haley Elizabeth Garwood, Ashes of Britannia

While I have read no previous books in this series, I can’t wait to go back and start the first book after reading this one. The thirteenth book in the series starts on an eerie, dark night when a college student, Amy, is returning from the library and becomes the victim of a hit and run on a Boston street. She doesn’t appear in the story for a few more chapters but plays an important role. This book is told from three points of view; Jane Rizzoli, Maura Isles, Angela Rizzoli (Jane’s hilarious mother) and Amy, the college student.

Jane Rizolli and her partner are investigating the death of Sofia Suarez, a widowed nurse who seemingly had no enemies but many secrets. After searching her call log, internet searches and texts on her phone, they are even more confused about what she was doing. Who would want her dead and why was she so brutally murdered? When Jane finds a connection to Amy’s hit and run, the case becomes even more mysterious.

Angela Rizzoli, amid a divorce from her cheating husband, has all the time in the world to make sure her neighborhood is safe. Nothing gets by her. Call her the neighborhood watchdog, and when the Greens move in across the street, Angela makes it her job to find out just what they are up to. Why are their shades always down, and why is Mr. Green in the backyard putting bars on the windows? If only Jane would listen and investigate instead of avoiding her calls. But what happens when the boy cries wolf? Will Jane come to her rescue?

There are several stories going on in Listen to Me, and it can become confusing when trying to put everything together. There is a murder in Maine that happened over 18 years ago, a mother spying on her neighbors, and Rizzoli and Frost trying to solve the brutal murder of a loved nurse with no enemies. An interesting mix of stories that the reader has no sense of how they will all come together. But as one reviewer said, not everything is what it seems, and that is the ingredient that keeps the reader hooked until the end. Maura Isles was not featured as much in this book and seemed like a secondary character. I liked her personality and hope she shines more in the previous books.

As much as I am groaning at myself for starting a review with this, I am doing it anyway. Anyone who grew up in Boston or the Boston area will completely high five me for doing it and tell me how “frikken wicked awesome” it is of me to do it. I love that the setting of this book was in Boston! How cool is that?! I love the Boston city references, the dialect (who doesn’t recognize and appreciate the Boston accent?), the realistic ties to a juicy homicide? Of COURSE the killer will do anything it takes to keep the secret safe. Of COURSE there are strong ties and relationships. Of COURSE there is more than meets the eye. This is BOSTON! All joking aside, this book is really good. It is fast-paced, intriguing, interesting. This author has a knack for creating and presenting great characters and relationships, as well as intriguing storylines and plot twists. It’s always great to add a book that messes with your mind a little bit and really make you think. This one has so much going on that you are going to be kept awake at night because you aren’t going to be able to either stop thinking about the book and what you just read, or you won’t be able to put it down!

In Rizzoli & Isles: Listen to Me you have the comfortable familiarity of a well-known series. If you’ve read any of the books or watched the popular tv series, you know what you’re in store for. The main dynamic in this episode is Jane and her annoying mother, Angela. . Frankly I would have preferred more Jane and Maura (who is barely heard from except as a piano soloist) and less of the self-absorbed Angela. The mystery itself is a good one, with lost and kidnapped children both in the present and nineteen years ago and the murder of a well-loved hospital nurse who may be connected to earlier crimes. In addition, much of the action takes place in Angela’s neighborhood where she feels duty-bound to be a one woman Neighborhood Watch, tracking dysfunctional couples in every house.
You may have trouble remembering what name is connected with which crime, but just keep reading for an entertaining ending and a satisfying solution to all the mysteries.

A widowed nurse was killed one night in an apparent home invasion. Detective Jane Rizzoli was assigned to the case. Maura Isles, her medical examiner friend, autopsied the body but could find no apparent reason for the murder.
This is the start of several mysteries solved in this book. As Rizzoli and her partner, Frost, start digging, they have a hard time finding anyone who would want to kill the gentle, conscientious nurse.
Jane’s mother, Angela, lived in nearby Revere where Jane was raised. Jane’s parents were divorcing and Angela was in a relationship with Jane’s old boss, Vince Korsack. However Angela was alone in the house while Vince was in California helping his sister. So when Angela saw new neighbors across the street, she tried to befriend them. The couple were not friendly and their behavior made Angela suspicious.
Finally the teen daughter of another of Jane’s neighbors ran away from home and refused to return.
These three mysteries (the murdered nurse, the suspicious neighbors and the stubborn teen) all are solved by the end of this book.
This is the 15th in the series about a Boston PD detective and her friend, a medical examiner. This should appeal to mystery fans as it is fast paced and will keep their interest till the end.

I received this ARC from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

"Listen To Me" says it's a Rizzoli and Isles novel, but it should be labeled a Mrs. Rizzoli and Daughter novel. The story revolves around Detective Jane Rizzoli's mother suspicions of her new neighbors. There is also a murder in Mrs. Rizzoli's neighborhood of a beloved nurse. As always in a Rizzoli and Isles novel the first event leads to other plot developments from the present such as a series of murders and the past disappearance of a murder victim's child.

Listen to Me is an average entry in Gerritsen's long running series. It's well plotted throughout with some good twists. The killer and motive are equally surprising. So what makes this an average entry? First, the chapters from Mrs. Rizzoli's point of view could've been integrated into the story as a third person. As the son of an Italian Mother, I can say that there is no way an Italian woman of her generation would get involved with a man while she's still married. I also did not believe for one minute would accept Maura Isles's involvement with a practicing priest.

Most frustrating is that Maura Isles makes barely a dent here. I couldn't help thinking that Gerritsen decided to include the chapters from Angela's POV because she couldn't figure out what else to do with Isles.

"Listen To Me" isn't the worst book in the Rizzoli and Isles series, but it's far from the best book in the series. I haven't given up on the series, but I hope that Tess Gerritsen goes back to her usual chilling and eerie tone and remembers to equally include both Rizzoli and Isles in the story.

Ok, first I have to admit, I have absolutely loved this series so needless to say I was excited to read this book. I must also admit, I watched the series in it’s entirety and wish it was still going. Now, as for the book, I truly enjoyed the way Gerritsen told the story. There are several intriguing characters. I have also found that these books can be read as standalones and you can still enjoy the books.

I can’t say enough good things about Tess Gerritsen. Her stories always keep me engaged. I find them to be fast easy reads because I find myself rushing to get to the end to see what happens.

Thank you to #netgalley and #randomhousepublishinggroup/ballantine for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

#rizzoli&isles:listentome #tessgerritsen

Listen to Me is the Thirteenth installment in author Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles and the first in 5 years. Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles are the names behind the series, but in this book, there are two other characters you need to pay attention to. First is Angela Rizzoli, Jane's Mother, who has lived in the same neighborhood for 40 years. Nothing happens in the hood without Angela knowing about. Which is why when the new couple moves in, Angela's sense start to tingle.

Angela is of an age where if you see something, you say something to the authorities. But what if the authorities are your own daughter who thinks you have too much time on your hands? Or, the local police who thinks she's sticking her nose in things that she shouldn't be? Or, her boyfriend who is out in California taking care of his sister? But what if her worries come true? Angela is certainly a busy body, but sometimes you need someone to pay attention to their surroundings and not just presume everyone is safe.

The next character is Amy Antrim. When we first meet Amy, she's walking off a curb and getting hit by a hit and run driver which sends her into a coma. At Sonia’s funeral, Amy becomes aware of a stalker: a man who seems vaguely familiar to Amy, and has her mother recalling a couple of hang-up calls. When she spots him again while shopping, Amy tells police she fears for her life. Rizzoli knows they need to protect this young woman, but it’s only tangentially connected to her murder case, isn’t it?

Meanwhile, Jane and her partner Barry Frost are dealing with the brutal murder of Sofia Suarez who was a ICU nurse at Pilgrim Hospital. With very little clues to go by, except a stolen laptop and phone, Detective Rizzoli must piece together the various forensic evidence to solve the murder mystery. Sofia is a recent widow who seems to have plenty of secrets in her last days. She made phone calls to traceless burner phones, and investigated things outside her realm of responsibility.

What exactly was Sofia involved in? One thing is clear: The killer will do anything it takes to keep their secret safe. After everything that Sofia has been through over the past two years with COVID etc, the last thing she expected is to dig up something so dangerous, that it would end her life. But could what's happening to Amy have anything to do with Sofia's death? And if so, what would trigger someone to take an innocent woman's life?

Unfortunately, the only time we are able to enjoy Maura Isles, is when she's playing the piano along with some nurses and doctors who worked with Sofia. The author basically makes Maura a tertiary character but we do see another talent that we've never seen before. As I said, Angela is the real hero of this book. She is like a bulldog who won't let things go, especially when she sees families tearing each other apart. When one of her neighbors daughters missing, Angela wants to help. Especially when she sees an unknown van driving around the neighborhood.

It is fair to say that I have read every single book in this series, except for book # 12, I Know A Secret which I received back in 2017 and should read soon. If is safe to say that I didn't much care for the TV series that ended a few years back. And, now they are on repeat on the Lifetime network. Thank you Netgalley and Random House/Ballantine for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

It's been ages since I last read a Rizzoli & Isles novel, and it was fun reconnecting with this dynamic duo. I think that in the time since I last R&I, I watched the TV series about the pair, and it's impossible to read now with the actors from the series in my head. In most ways it's great -- for instance, visualizing Lorraine Bracco as Rizzoli's wonderful mother Angela, who plays a big role in Listen to Me. On the downside, Maura's personality is much lighter in the TV series than in the novels, and she's not involved with a priest on the TV show. The Barry Frost character is problematic too for a couple of big reasons.

Anyway, in Listen to Me, author Tess Gerritsen takes the reader on two paths. On one, Boston Police detective Jane Rizzoli is trying to solve a mysterious murder of a well-loved nurse named Sofia Suarez. There is no discernible reason for the murder, but during the investigation Rizzoli discovers that the nurse appeared to be tracking down a man from a town where she lived in the past. That case quickly bleeds into another mystery of a man who seems to be stalking a local university student. The second path is all about Jane's mother Angela. Angela is single-handedly trying to make sure everything is safe on her own street. She's a one woman Community Watch. There's a new couple that has just moved into the neighborhood, but they're extremely secretive, which really pings Angela's radar. In finding out about the new couple, we also get to know several of Angela's other neighbors -- an interesting crew for sure.

If you haven't read this series before, it's no problem to jump in with Listen to Me. And if you're an R&I fan, you'll be as happy as I was to reconnect. This is a fun series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me an eGalley. I enjoyed this novel immensely.

We all have our favorite mystery writers and mine, hands down is Tess Gerritsen. Not only did she create Rizzoli and Isles, but she also made them two women who are strong, intelligent, brave, and take no sh*t!
Listen to Me is what other "must read" thrillers wish to be. There are multiple stories that manage to come together without leaving the reader shaking their head, and not so much as a tiny cheat to make it all work.
What I really love in this installment is the fact that we get more time, and adventure, with Angela Rizzoli, Jane Rizzoli's mother. In the early books, Angela was a housewife and the long-suffering mother of a daughter who never listens. But as the novels mounted and life moved, Angela became stronger and more the woman we all knew was hiding inside. No way a weak, meek, housewife gave birth to Jane Rizzoli.
My biggest praise is of course for the conclusion. Tess Gerritsen never relies on some "twist" that defies logic and pisses off the reader. There is always a surprise ending, but you never need to scratch your head over it. Once it's revealed you can only nod and smile, whispering, "Oh hell yeah!"
Read this whether you are a Rizzoli and Isles fan or not. If you are a fan of well-constructed and intelligent mystery novels you cannot go wrong.
Thanks to @netgalley, Randon House Publishing Group- Ballentine, and Tess Gerritsen for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I've long awaited the return of Rizzoli and Isles, and Tess Gerritsen's latest installation did not disappoint. Jane and Maura make a formidable pair, though Jane was the powerhouse in this book with Maura playing a more minor part. While I was able to figure out some parts of the mysteries early on, others kept me guessing until the end. I'm anxiously awaiting the next adventure for Rizzoli and Isles.

Yay - first Rizzoli and Isles book in a while and it does not disappoint. Told from several points of view and with multiple storylines, Gerritsen does a good job of keeping momentum on all of them and giving satisfying solutions for all of them. Jane is looking into the murder of a nurse that may be connected to events years earlier. Her mom is driving her crazy convinced first a local teen is in trouble and then that something is up with the new neighbors.

Great mystery and great to catch up with our favorite characters. Looking forward to more in the series.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A college student gets run over by an unidentified car, a beloved nurse is murdered in her home, a teenager disappears or maybe ran away from home, weird neighbors move in next door to Angela Rizzoli’s house, and both Barry Frost and Maura Isles decide to give another chance to old flames.

All of these stories are happening at the same time and by the end we realize most of them are connected. The 13th installment of the Rizzoli and Isles series is an excellent read! Filled with twists and turns, it switched between different point of views, managing to keep both the mystery and your attention until the very end.

I’m so glad to see that even though there are many books in this series, Tess Gerritsen still writes excellent crime fiction! I absolutely recommend this series. Five stars!

Very easy read and a fun mystery. Stupid me, I had no idea the Rizzoli and Isles tv show was based on this author’s books. That made it even better because I could picture the characters and hear their voices in my head.

Thanks much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review.

Another thrilling Rizzoli & Isles book. The way the background of the victim and the investigation were interwoven really kept me guessing. While some of the relationship dynamics of the characters make it seem very recently ripped from the headlines, Gerritsen brings timeless themes and humanity to the situation.

Jane's mother likes to watch her neighbors and what they are doing. She gets so caught up that she ask her daughter Jane to help her to look into the neighbors backgrounds.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and Ballantine for the book.

My blurb …
In Boston, Rizzoli and Isles are coping with the senseless murder of Sofia Suarez who was a nurse and a widow. Liked by her neighbors and co-workers, she was brutally beaten to death in her home. The more Jane R. digs she learns that Sofia had secrets. When it connects with a months-old hit-and-run case, the murky case becomes more so. One clear piece of the puzzle — the killer wants to keep those secrets safe.

Then there is Rizzoli’s mother, Angela, who worries about her homicide detective daughter. She also is the #1 watcher of her neighborhood. There’s a runaway girl and new neighbors that behave strangely, even weirdly. Angela is positive that something is not right. Guess who she wants to look into it? Jane and Maura must focus on the Sofia case. BUT — is there really something to Angela’s suspicions?

My review …
Jane Rizzoli’s mother, Angela, has a significant role in this thirteenth book of the Rizzoli and Isles series. And you got to like her. She’s pushy but caring. Doesn’t matter that Jane doesn’t work in the precinct where her mother lives. There’s a problem here — two big ones the way she sees it. Her daughter is a policewoman. Of course, she can help. Jane, of course, can “help” only so much and there is the matter of a woman who was murdered brutally in her own home.

This was my first read of any of the Rizzoli and Isles series. I wasn’t sure what to expect and was delightfully surprised by how much I enjoyed reading Listen to Me. The victim Sophia is skillfully presented so that you too will find her a loving, caring nurse. A good neighbor. But as Jane ferrets out one secret after another, you begin to wonder. And no, I give no hints about the Sofia case.

So, yes — I recommend Rizzoli & Isles: Listen to Me, especially if you like mysteries or police procedural stories. Rating: 5 stars.

I received a complimentary e-ARC copy of Rizzoli & Isles: Listen to Me via NetGalley from the publisher, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

#RizzoliAndIslesListenToMe #TessGerritsen #NetGalley

Series Rizzoli & Isles, #13
Genre Mystery
Pub. date 5 Jul 2022
Pages 320
Publisher Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine
Cover The title in red really pops. Good design.
Rating 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This being my second book my Tess Gerritsen, I knew I would probably like it but in truth I really really liked this story. #13 in a series, I have not read any of the other books and found I was able to jump right in. Gerritsen has a way of filling you in on details from previous books that didn't make me feel the need to read from #1 , just to understand the storyline.
The series is about a female homicide detective, Rizzoli and a Medical Examiner, Isles. In this story, Listen to Me, We follow Rizzoli's mom , who tends to be a bit nosy about the neighborhood ~. I mention her first because she was my favorite character! She is constantly bugging her daughter about suspicious characters in her neighborhood , all while Jane Rizzoli is try to solve a murder. It was well written and funny to compare to real life neighborhoods.. we all have that nosy neighbor!
Meanwhile Jane is piecing together a murder involving a well loved nurse. Slowly she collects pieces and finds similar MO's. Eventually getting into dangerous and exciting situations. Isles seems to take a backseat in this story with Jane and her mom in the spotlight but we do hear about her here and there.
If you are a fan of crime with a touch of comedy and reality this was a great book, and I would say reading out of order is allowed!