The Apprentice

I like well thought out thriller/mysteries. some mysteries I find rather trite because I do not by into the motive and how clever the murder was carried out. I want the mystery to be exciting, realistic, and a bit unpredictable. to give you an idea of what I like, I watch Criminal Minds and love the show (some stories are dumb and a waste of time), but overall the motives are realistic and believable.
So far, Gerritsen's books seem realistic to me much the way Criminal Minds is. Don't take my comment as a comparison, it is just to explain the parts I like about this book.
The other parts of this book, the characters, the plot, the settings all draw me in and leave me wanting more.
Another part I enjoyed was the climatic ending of the show more book. Hoping not to spoil too much, I will say it was intense, realistic, and short. I don't like long drawn out stands offs with the bad guy at the end. Some authors lose me at the end because it was too long. This ending was short but satisfying.
I loved it and want to read more of the series so I give it a solid 4 stars. (I only give 5 stars to exceptional books, so 4 stars from me is high praise) show less

I know this goes against everything I believe in, but I just finished reading Tess Gerritsen's The Apprentice (the second book in the Jane Rizzoli series, and the first in the Rizzoli & Isles relationship) and I'm officially ready to take on the TNT series.

Much like when reading The Surgeon, I was unsure how I felt about the novel. When sequels repeat villains, I become wary of the writer's ability to keep me attentive. Tess Gerritsen has a powerful gift in her prose. Not only was she able to recycle Warren Hoyt (a.k.a. The Surgeon), she also shined a new light upon him, gave him a new partner and made him more vicious than before. She made the monster come to life.

It's hard to compare the two novels because each has its own merit. show more Tess Gerritsen has the ability to captivate her audience and pull in newbies from the sidelines. The Apprentice isn't just a sequel to The Surgeon, it's also a powerful glimpse of the monster that lives within each of us. Gerritsen pulls back the blind, the masks we hide behind only to reveal the deepest, darkest desires that linger within. Despite our denying our true nature, we cannot help but to acknowledge that each of us could be capable of becoming a Warren Hoyt, or something far worse - given the right (or wrong) circumstances.

We're also a glimpse into what we fear the most: Despite all our efforts of keeping a facade, we are all prone to vulnerability brought on by fear. It's what we do with the fear that molds us; that separates us from those who lie down to die and those who have the gall to fight back. show less

The Apprentice is the second novel in Tess Gerritsen’s Jane Rizzoli/Maura Iles series, and the first book in which Maura Iles makes her appearance. About a year after Rizzoli solved “The Surgeon” case and sent Warren Hoyt to jail, another hot Boston summer sees another serial killer on the loose. This killer is mimicking many of The Surgeon’s actions, but with some differences. As Warren Hoyt is safely locked up, is this a copycat? As well as dealing the with the psychological scarring the Surgeon inflicted on her, Rizzoli is once again up against her male chauvinist colleagues, but now there’s also an (extremely attractive) FBI agent, Gabriel Dean, who has involved himself in her case (why?). The autopsies are performed by show more the very efficient Maura Iles, often dubbed “The Queen of the Dead”. Soon, to everyone’s dismay, Hoyt is no longer in custody, and it seems the killers are a team. Even as she is giving us a solid plot enriched with detail, Gerritsen once again touches on issues: women needing to prove themselves capable and strong; the “victim” role; the use of neuropsychiatry as a defence; is the hunting instinct in our DNA and if so, what stops us as humans from acting on our less appropriate instincts. The characters, the dialogue, the descriptions are all convincing. Plenty of suspense: another page-turner. I’m looking forward to reading The Sinner. show less

This is the second in Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli & Isles books. They’re so incredibly different from the TV show (which I also enjoy, but for very different reasons). This book hooked me from the beginning with its fast pace, great characters and fluid writing style. I thought the ending was a little too pat and easy… the lead-up to the final encounter was so dramatic that the quick wrap-up felt like a bit of a let-down, but definitely not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of this book. I’ll be looking for the next in the series!

I actually bought The Apprentice before I ever bough The Surgeon though I DID read the series in order. The Surgeon provided an interesting and entertaining look into Jane Rizolli- a protagonist that I both love and at times get bored by. In the end though Jane held enough interest for me to actually read this second book rather than to scrap it and I was pleasantly surprised. The more defined character development of Jane here was welcoming as was the return of the surgeon- and his M.O. This is one of those cases where I feel as though the second book in a series far outshines the first book and because this one held my interest so well that’s the only reason I decided to continue the series. I would definitely recommend this series show more to anyone who likes either female protagonists, interesting murder cases or both. show less

Jane Rizzoli, the terrific detective character created by Tess Gerritsen, is back in the second Rizzoli & Isles book. Beginning a year after the resolution of The Surgeon, Rizzoli is tormented by a copycat killer. At first, she's the only one who sees the parallels, including an FBI agent who arrives uninvited. The autopsy work by Dr. Isles proves her right, and puts her in danger.
Rizzoli is a complex and troubled woman, struggling for acceptance in a male-dominated profession. She feels forced to deal with her fears and doubts alone, in spite of offers of help from friends. Ms. Gerritsen has crafted another excellent mystery, including her trademark medical knowledge. Tense, fast-paced, and well written. Five stars all the way.

From Amazon:

It is a boiling hot Boston summer. Adding to the city’s woes is a series of shocking crimes, in which wealthy men are made to watch while their wives are brutalized. A sadistic demand that ends in abduction and death. The pattern suggests one man: serial killer Warren Hoyt, recently removed from the city’s streets. Police can only assume an acolyte is at large, a maniac basing his attacks on the twisted medical techniques of the madman he so admires. At least that’s what Detective Jane Rizzoli thinks. Forced again to confront the killer who scarred her—literally and figuratively—she is determined to finally end Hoyt’s awful influence . . . even if it means receiving more resistance from her all-male homicide show more squad. But Rizzoli isn’t counting on the U.S. government’s sudden interest. Or on meeting Special Agent Gabriel Dean, who knows more than he will tell. Most of all, she isn't counting on becoming a target herself, once Hoyt is suddenly free, joining his mysterious blood brother in a vicious vendetta.

My Thoughts:

This was a well-written book that allowed you to get to "know" detective Rizzoli and perhaps even like her this time around. The characters were all well developed and the use of medical terminology was not left undefined so a layperson could understand what was going on. This is a sequel to the book "The Surgeon" but it can still stand-alone. You will not have a hard time following the story line or how characters interact with each other. This was a true edge of your seat read but be aware that some of the descriptions of murder scenes , and autopsies are very vivid. A great read for the fan of Thrillers! show less