I’ve recently discovered Gerritsen’s Boston-based Isles and Rizzoli series, which introduced these two main characters in The Surgeon. Dr. Maura Isles, Medical Examiner, and Boston Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli are complex and compelling characters. The cool, contained Isles, with her nickname “The Queen of the Dead,” is utterly absorbed in her work to the detriment of her social life. Firecracker Rizzoli is strident, brash and efficient. If their personalities seem diametrically opposed, the two women share a sense of justice and dedication to their respective jobs. This dedication fosters a mutual respect which characterizes their working relationship, even while their personal relationship is often entertainingly testy.
Ice Cold finds Maura Isles at a pathologists’ conference in Wyoming. Maura runs into a fellow student from medical school and agrees to accompany him and some friends on a ski trip. After losing their way in a blizzard and becoming stranded, the group takes refuge in an abandoned religious community known as “Kingdom Come.” From the way all the houses in the village have been abruptly abandoned, it is apparent that something bad happened there. It also appears that they are not alone in the village after all. A malevolent being makes its presence known, and soon Maura, completely cut off from civilization, is fighting for her life.
Meanwhile, back in Boston, Jane Rizzoli becomes concerned that no one can contact Dr. Isles. She and others head to Wyoming to investigate. The community of Kingdom Come and what happened there become the key to the mystery, and to rescuing Maura.
I love listening to these on audio. It is so easy to get caught up in the suspense. If you enjoy police procedurals with a forensic component, fast-paced suspense, and observing the lives of two strong-minded women in the big city, you will enjoy this series.
Check the WRL Catalog for Ice Cold
Check the WRL Catalog for the audiobook
