Full Disclosure: I received an advanced copy of Listen to Me, the 13th book in the Rizzoli & Isles series, by Tess Gerritsen from Ballantine Books via NetGalley.

I was so excited to have a new Rizzoli & Isles book! I've read all the books, I've watched all the episodes of the TV show, I missed these characters. It was so wonderful to have them back, and to have Angela, Rizzoli's mom, take a more prominent role. She could almost have her own spin-off after this book. Catching up with our favorite characters is great, but we came here for what Rizzoli & Isles do best, crime-solving. There's plenty of that to go around. Be ready for some twists and turns. Not everyone is as they seem.

I hope we won't have to wait so long for the next one.

Rizzoli & Isles will keep you on your toes with this mystery! This is a fun & thrilling ride to find answers. I really enjoyed Jane’s mom Angela’s neighborhood pov.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for
providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. I love this series of books, The characters in the book are engaging and their relationships with each other bleed through the pages to the reader to make them seem even more real. In this book Detective Jane Rizzoli's mother, Angela, pays a larger part than usual. Angela is one of my favorite characters in this series. She is the resident neighborhood snoop and wants to "report" everything to Jane, which inevitably drives Jane completely bonkers. Angela's quirky personality makes her want to help everyone, but she is that mom that everyone cannot help but like. Angela Rizzoli always provides a little humor in an otherwise dark mystery. A nurse is killed in her home in the beginning of the book. While they are investigating this murder, they get involved in another case where a student is being stalked. You will be trying to guess if the two mysteries are tied together. The mystery was well plotted. Tess Gerritsen always provides plenty of twists and turns, but she always ties it up with a nice neat bow in the end. If you like a good police procedural, you will enjoy this book and this series. Each character has a distinct personality trait that makes them relatable to the reader. This is a good solid mystery with some of my favorite characters in all of fiction.

It is not necessary to read all of the books before this one (this is #13). However, I highly recommend all of them. You will not be disappointed.

Gerritsen’s Rizzoli & Isles series never disappoint!, Fast moving and extremely enjoyable to read and the story never really ends until the actual ending. Thanks for the advanced copy!

Rizzoli and Isles do it again. With a lot of help from Jane's nosy mother. This is mostly Angie's story of her neighborhood and the little attention paid to older women and their concerns. Angie comes into her own in this book and shows off where Jane got her smarts.

Love this series so much! The characters just leap off the pages. There’s humor, suspense, action and danger. I love how the author always throws in a twist in her books. I feel like I know it’s coming but I am shocked when it arrives. This is one series that I hope does not ever end. Angela in this book was awesome. I have to add that in to this review. I get a kick out of how exasperated Jane and her colleagues get with her.

Listen to Me is the 13th book in the Rizzoli & Isles series. This story begins with Amy leaving later than usual from college. The weather is not good and she is focusing on her shoes getting ruined instead of her surroundings. As she steps of the pavement, her foot slips and she is then run over by a car with serious injuries.

Next up is Angela, Jane's mother is a huge busybody and pays particular attention to what is going on in her neighborhood. So we get the run down of who's who and how they all connect. But a new couple has moved in and Angela notices odd things that to her don't make sense. After too many calls to Jane and the police she is told to but out. Then a teenage girl goes missing which just happens to be the daughter of one of Angela's close friends. Meanwhile Jane is investigating the murder of Sofia Suarez, a nurse from the local hospital. Amy is recovering from her hit and run accident goes to the funeral of Sophie. but a man approaches her that she does not recognize. He walks away from Amy but keeps an eye on her. Amy's father arrives after parking the car and asks about the man that was talking to her, to which Amy describes the conversation which is benign on the surface. Jane notices the man watching in the distance decides to question him and he leaves quickly.

So, we have most of the important incidents a third of the way thru the book and nothing is connected, yet. Jane and her partner will work together to solve the murder, but all the other things that have occurred will get in Jane's way thanks to Angela being overly nosy and interjecting herself in all the odd things that happen in her neighborhood.

I think that this is first book where Jane's mom Angela plays an primary role and adding to the craziness. This can easily be a stand alone, but I really think that each book builds upon themselves. There is so much back history that is missed if you start with this book. I started reading this series after it had begun, but doubled back to start at the beginning. Having said that, this is a wonderful addition to the series. It is an entertaining mystery which starts off with a mystery hit and run and continues from there. I highly recommend this book and all the others. This book does not disappoint.

Listen to Me by Tess Gerritsen is a very highly recommended investigative procedural combined with an unofficial neighborhood watch. This is the thirteenth novel in the Rizzoli & Isles Series.

Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and her partner, Barry Frost are investigating the murder of Sofia Suarez, a widow and nurse. Medical examiner Maura Isles is also on the case. Sofia was liked by everyone and no one can believe there would be a reason for the horrific murder. Rizzoli and Frost follow the clues, including her calling burner phones. It seems Sophia knew something, but what? And how does it tie into a hit and run accident injuring Amy Antrim from months earlier and the man now seemingly following her.

During the same time Jane's mother, Angela, has several neighborhood events that she thinks Jane needs to investigate. First a teenager has runaway down the block and the police aren't taking it seriously. More importantly, a new couple has moved into the neighborhood. Not only did they reject her welcome to the neighborhood zucchini bread, but they are suspiciously keeping to themselves and there appears to be a lot of construction noises coming from the house. Angela is suspicious and she wants Jane to look into everything.

It is always a pleasure to read an excellent procedural and Listen to Me certainly fits that description. The procedural part of investigation into Sofia's murder is intricate and the clues are carefully followed. There are unpredictable twists and turns in both investigations and both offer surprising conclusions. Gerritsen effortlessly switches between the two story lines in Listen to Me, although, even though they are both compelling and complex, the truth is that at times Angela steals the show. She also provides levity at points in the narrative that allow some of the built up tension to be released.

As a long running series fans will know the characters, although there are a few surprises in character development presented. For those who have never read a Rizzoli & Isles novel, Listen to Me can be read as a standalone novel and will be just as enjoyable for you as it will be for long time readers of the series. This is an excellent addition to the series and it will encourage those new to the series to read some of the earlier outings of the duo.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Random House.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, Google Books, and Amazon.

I always look forward to a new Rizzoli and Isles book. I gotta say though, some of the characters in this one were so annoying that it made some chapters hard to get through. But otherwise, a good read!

This is the thirteenth installment of the Rizzoli & Isles series and I've read them all (guess that tells you I like them, right?).

The Blub: Detective Jane Rizzoli and Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles are investigating the gruesome murder of a nurse, whilst also protecting a young student from a stalker. But immersed in their day jobs, will they lose sight of something sinister happening much closer to home?

I have to say in this one I enjoyed the story of what was happening at home the most. But both stories are good and kept my attention. All the characters are back and there are, of course, a few new ones. I enjoyed the investigation into the nurse's murder. Angela, Rizzoli's mom, was blowing up her phone about something suspicious happening across the street, but Rizzoli was absorbed in the investigation of the murder and didn't pay much attention to her mom. There are some great twists to this story.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 5, 2022.This is the thirteenth installment of the Rizzoli & Isles series and I've read them all (guess that tells you I like them, right?).

The Blub: Detective Jane Rizzoli and Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles are investigating the gruesome murder of a nurse, whilst also protecting a young student from a stalker. But immersed in their day jobs, will they lose sight of something sinister happening much closer to home?

I have to say in this one I enjoyed the story of what was happening at home the most. But both stories are good and kept my attention. All the characters are back and there are, of course, a few new ones. I enjoyed the investigation into the nurse's murder. Angela, Rizzoli's mom, was blowing up her phone about something suspicious happening across the street, but Rizzoli was absorbed in the investigation of the murder and didn't pay much attention to her mom. There are some great twists to this story.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 5, 2022.

I am so glad that Rizzoli and Isles are back! It fits so nicely into my plans for a thriller summer. I was concerned that I would have a hard time slipping back into the story, but that was certainly NOT the case. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

4.5 stars. It has been five years since the last Rizzoli & Isles book and I have missed Jane and Maura. After I finished "Listen to Me" I understand why. This is another incredibly strong book in the series. I was hooked from the first. Told from the POV of Amy, the daughter of a doctor; Angela, Jane's mother; and Maura; and Jane, the book actually has a couple of plots going. In one, Jane and Maura investigate the murder of a beloved ICU nurse and the stalking of a doctor's family. Meanwhile Angela, the neighborhood busybody, is convinced there is something shady about the new neighbors. (I did think there was a little too much of the shady neighbors storyline). There was a nice twist, although not unexpected, as the finale. I would recommend reading the series in order because of the character development.

A Difficult Case While Pestered by Her Mother

The novel has two introductory chapters before the main storyline thread begins. The novel starts with a traffic accident that left a pedestrian, Amy Antrim, severely injured leaving her with a long recovery effort for her to walk again. Then, the main storyline switches to Rizzoli’s mother, Angela. She describes the neighborhood where she has lived for 40 years and her current neighbors. In that description, she introduces two subthreads, one of a neighbor’s missing 16-year-old daughter and the other of new neighbors who, in Angela’s opinion, are very reclusive and act suspiciously. She spends much time letting Jane and the local police know about these issues. Finally, the main storyline thread starts with Jane, her partner, Barry, and Maura at the murder scene of Sophia Suarez, a widowed nurse. The novel proceeds from this broad start.

The main storyline thread starts as a very puzzling mystery. No reasons at home or at work immediately shed light on why anyone would want a recently widowed wife dead. Leads were hard to discover, and, then, their meaning only added to the mystery. Then, Amy’s hit and run accident turns sinister and drags Jane into another investigation. Competing for Jane’s attention was her mother who continually asking for her help on the missing teenager and the suspicious behavior of her neighbors across the street. Jane’s mother does not live within Boston Police’s jurisdiction. The local police apply pressure on Jane to convince her mother’s to curtail her constant reports to them. These two subthreads occupy significant portions of this novel. My attention was captured to see how the murder, the stalking of Amy, and what was going on in Jane’s mother’s neighborhood would be solved.

First, about the B-storyline, I only have read the previous novel in this 13-novel series, so my comments are based upon this limited exposure. Besides Rizzoli’s interaction with her partner and her current thought, the B-storyline has the main storyline thread the also doubles as a B-storyline thread—her interaction with her mother. This thread is the very extensive on Jane’s relationship with her mother in this novel. The second thread in the B-storyline was between Jane and Maura on a personal level. It exhibits that not all relationships are harmonious all the time. This tread for me provided much insight into Maura’s character. These two threads increased my enjoyment in reading this novel.

As for the aspects that can reading a novel unenjoyable, there is very little in this novel that should offend readers. Intimacy is a green with just a drop of yellow due to live styles. Profanity and impious language are just a little more yellowish green. Lastly, most of the violence is described in the less edgy after the fact. I believe that the vast majority of readers will not find any of these areas objectionable.

I did not find any aspect of this novel that I not like. There were many positives with the author’s ability to keep my interest when progress was so slow through most of the novel. While I did not see it at the start, there are several instances where Jane cuts through the obscuring facts to see what really happened. This storyline wouldn’t let me to stop reading. By the end of the novel, all loose ends were tied up, including issues raised in the B-storyline. The author has reaffirmed my author rating of Must-Read. I do recommend reading this novel, and I am looking forward to reading further books in this genre by this author. As I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, I rate it with five stars.

I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Ballantine Books. My review is based only by my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!!
I have been a huge fan of Tess Gerritsen for years and I am obsessed with her Rizzoli and Isles series. It had been a while since her last installment to the series and I was hoping she wasn’t finished just yet; and I was right!
I loved the multiple POVs and how involved Angela was in the storyline. This book dove deeper into the dynamics of neighborhood relationships, how secrets never truly stay secret, and how overlooked women, especially mothers, are. A common theme in throughout the story was “trust your instincts” and I think it was so well down.

It is very hard to read these books now, without picturing Angie Harmon and the rest of the TV show actors playing out the lines! This is book 13 in the series, and Angela starts off the book in this outing, taking more of a center stage role. It's an unique way to get more background info on one of the main character, while adding some freshness to the series. By having 2 stories in one, the reader starts soon wondering if and how they will intersect, adding to the reading fun. Great for fans of the series, and new readers alike, this book will keep you guessing!

A digital ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Ballantine Books. The opinions are my own and freely given.

Listen to Me is #13 in Rizzoli and Isles series. If you have followed this series from the beginning, you will find the same cast of characters, the determination in solving the cases and Angela still trying to get her daughter Jane, to listen to her. There were quite a few stories going on in this book: a murdered nurse, a hit-and-run accident, a mysterious couple who moves into the neighborhood. This was told from the POV of Jane, Angela, Maura and Amy, the hit-and-run victim. This was action packed, but not heart pounding. It flowed very nicely. All of these stories are solved and wrapped up neatly. You aren't left to wonder what happened. I enjoyed this book. I have been awaiting #13 for a while so I was very happy and can't wait to read #14! Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and Tess Gerritsen.

This new Rizzoli and Isles thriller is a worthy addition to the series. Detective Rizzoli and forensic Pathologist Isles team up to solve the brutal murder of nurse Sofia Suarez. At the same time, Detective Rizzoli's mother Angela is bothered by happenings on her street, and a man is stalking Amy Antrim. The story lines come together in the end , but I didn't suspect who the killer was until I was 90% through the book. Another winner by Tess Gerritsen!

Terrific. I didn’t realize how much I missed the Rizzoli and Isles series. After so many years, the characters had me feeling like I was in a reunion with old friends. Story kept me turning pages and enjoying every turn. Great book. Here is hoping Ms. Gerritsen returns to more Rizzoli and Isles very soon.

Rizzoli and Isles will keep you on your toes for this mystery! This latest book is a fun and thrilling ride to find answers. Enjoyed it!

I’m a little early with this review, but when I received the DRC, I couldn’t wait to read it.

I’ve missed this series. Although it is #13, it has been 5 years since the last one. I have read all of them. They feature Boston detective Jane Rizzoli , Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles, and Jane’s mother, Angela, a force with whom to be reckoned. Then there is Jane’s partner, her family, and Maura’s love interest

In this installment, a nurse is murdered, a young woman has a stalker, and there is something going on in Angela’s neighborhood. This is a solid police procedural with interacting plots and, as often in the series, family drama. Angela is featured a bit more than usual, Maura a bit less.

I did not want to put this book down. I wanted to read it all in one sitting, but, unfortunately, life got in the way and I had to do it over two days. If one can say a book featuring danger and death is fun, then this is a fun read!

If you have not read any of this series, this could work as a standalone….but then go back and acquaint yourself further with these characters through the earlier books.


Thanks to Netgalley and Ballentine books for the DRC.