The Sinner Audio CD – Audiobook, April 26, 2011

Third book of the Rizzoli and Isles Series that starts with the brutal bludgeoning of two nuns, Sister Camille, a beautiful young 20 year old and Sister Ursula, a 60 year old nurse back from serving abroad in India at a lepers village. Camille dies in the attack and Ursula is hospitalized with severe head injuries. At first they are distracted by Camille, because Dr. Isles does the autopsy and discovers that she has very recently given birth. But that is only coincidental and Sister Ursula was the intended victim while Camille was collateral damage. Sister Ursula does in the hospital after a code blue and when Dr. Isles notices severe edema and requests a toxicology screen her Dr. gets hostile and Maura realizes that her ex-husband, Dr. Victor Banks, who reestablished contact with her after 3 years right after she was assigned to this case, may know more about the case and a larger situation than he is telling her.

Spoiler alert.Who would kill a nun ¿ there is a killing of to nuns. Who was the intended victim. A story of cover up, incest , is the goals always worth the means?

Tess Gerritsen can make her series books standalone where you can actually begin in the middle of the series but why would you want to? You can follow how some of the characters get where they are. Two nuns are murdered, and one had a baby. We find out why Maura is the way she is and why Jane has her insecurities. It's a great read though wish the attraction with a priest wasn't a part of her love interest.

First there was Detective Jane Rizzoli, then you were introduced to Maura Isles, now you get to know her as Tess Gerritsen tells you a part of the story through her point of view. You get to see where she lives and how she works beyond the operating table in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Two nuns were attacked in a Convent, one a young runaway from a family of skeptics and the other a old-aged humanitarian. Each had a deep dark secret, but whose was the reason for the attack? In Maura's personal life, she is reunited with her ex who just happens to be home for the holiday. A philanthropist doctor. Jane, the investigating Detective on the case on the other hand has been feeling sick for the last few days. The reason for her morning sickness is something she rather not have her colleges know about and especially not Agent Gabriel Dean, the FBI Agent who helped aided her in The Apprentice. This one keeps the material especially the contents of the crime dark while at the same time shedding some light into the background of the principle characters of the series. There seems to be more focus on Dr. Isles, but you'll barely notice it so it'll seem like they're equally spread out. Lepers, a corporate scam, religion, love and family are some of the topics that come up in this excellent page-turner that surpasses The Apprentice. With Maura have a more prominent role in this book as opposed to The Apprentice, I think it is safe to say that this was the first Rizzoli & Isles novel.Also I'd like to add, that unlike the TNT drama series, Rizzoli & Isles relationship in this book isn't as girlfriends, but rather close working friends. Jane is bound to meet Maura from time-to-time, but not as often as seen in the show. In here their relationship is more like Lennie Briscoe and Claire Kincaid.If you felt uncertain after reading The Apprentice, buy this book and you will wish you had read the books first.

This is the third Rizzoli & Isles novel, and I will read all of them. Good, fast paced thrillers. Not books that will be life changers, but quite enjoyable.

I discovered Gerritsen two years ago and have since read many of her novels, in particular those featuring Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli. Isles is Boston's Medical Examiner and Rizzoli is a detective. They form an interesting duo, one of them a cold-headed woman, the other as strong-headed as the other one is cold. The Sinner is one of the earlier novels in the series. Each book stands alone and you don't have to know the personal lives of the main characters to enjoy the fast-paced, sometimes gruesome crime stories that have made Gerritsen famous. In the Sinner, two nuns are brutally murdered - when it turns up that one of them recently gave birth, things turn ugly. Good plot, arresting characters, good pace. What I found interesting in reading The Sinner after having read many of Gerritsen later instalments is the difference in the author's writing and in how she treats her subject. The first thing I quickly noticed is that her writing wasn't then quite as slick as it is now. Not the style or choice of words (Gerritsen is good at triggering images in your mind) but the way she described her characters' personal lives was a little heavy-handed in this novel. Instead of underpinning the story, I found it was sometimes in your face - we were either in the story or in the character's personal dilemmas, not in both at the same time. To me, her recent novels show better skills in mixing the plot with the characters' lives. She's also more subtle, and it works well. Don't get me wrong, Gerritsen's early Isles and Rizzoli's books are excellent, always exhibiting an arresting plot and fast pace. I have another one of hers to read in my pile and I look forward to reading it.

I swear Tess can write a book! Aside from a few spelling mistakes this book was quite good! I will continue on with Rizzoli and Isles, some new heros and new series. Keep them coming Tess!

I couldn't put this down! All the twists and turns kept me reading on. And once again Tess pens another non stop thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.

But still, her books can also be read as a stand-alone. The only deterrent was only for her die hard fans, like me, who suddenly found that one of the characters gave birth in my previous read and now learning that she was pregnant. Aiyah!The story is so well written, the usual ‘surgical’ style, with all the gory anatomy details, the medical terms, the names of the drug and the bloody surgical procedures. Gerritsen has the ability to make me cringe with the autopsy details, also, once in a while, the way a patient is being treated.This book, however, gave me a sense that Gerritsen was rushed to finish the book. Publisher’s pressure? The ending is too abrupt. I would expect her usual wrap up style, but this was so sudden, and then the story ended.As a consolation, this series 3 has all the love expressions and coming clean with their deepest desire, to love or to let go. That makes up for the swift wrap-up. Still a 5-star read for me.

I came to the Rizzoli and Isles books after having watched the TV show (which is a completely different kettle of fish). The books are far more violent, more realistic, and I think better for it. The characters of the two women are finely drawn, they feel very real and you become invested both in their home lives and in their investigation. This book focuses on the murder of two nuns, drawing in themes of religious intolerance and past sins. Recommended.

This book is a fast page turner. I've read loads of TG's books and this one doesn't fail to keep you absorbed. I couldn't put it down and read it in two days. The only problem I have is that I'd read the books she wrote afterwards........first! So in one way, I knew a little bit about the characters relationships ahead of time. However, it is a stand alone novel if you ignore relationships and is sooooo gooood!! I loved it. I struggle to get my hubby to read anything other than his model railway magazines but I know he will read and enjoy this book. Well worth every penny.

Another great book by Fess Gerritsen.Her pathology and forensic knowledge is vast, very descriptive, but not to a point of being confused or word blind. She captures you from the start..If your ever at a loss as to what to read next, pick up one of her novels, you won't be disappointed.

The Sinner is the 3rd in Gerritsen's Rizolli and Isles series and it is definately no disappointment. Gerritsen gets to the heart of the matter and has attention to detail like no other crime novelist.Rizzoli and Isles come together to solve the murder of Sister Camille and the attack of Sister Ursella in a local parish. A case that even has the famous tough skinned Jane Rizzoli scuirming.Gerritsen highlights the conflict of science and faith masterfully between Father Brody and Dr Maura Isles who was raised catholic. Isles is a woman who wants and believes in the facts. She does not believe in 'miracles'. She simply believes that the facts can't have been looked at correctly. She is a woman who lives and breathes science. Where as Father Brody believes in his faith, even in his parish's darkest hour. He believes faith is what will get people through.Rizzoli tries to remain as tough as ever in order to keep up her reputation. Rizzoli and Isles end up working closely, helping one another through the difficulty and horror of the case as well as the added complications of someone from Isles's past showing up and Rizzoli trying to deal with the after effects of her relationship with Gabriel Dean.I highly recommend that all Tess Gerritsen fans read this. If you enjoyed 'The Surgeon' and 'The Apprentice', 'The Sinner' will not disappoint you.