Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles are the detective duo in the Rizzoli & Isles mystery thriller series. Readers love the gripping, chilling thrills that Tess Gerritsen creates in her well-plotted mysteries. Being a medical doctor, Gerritsen also brings extensive medical knowledge to the stories, giving them an extra edge of reality not found in many police procedurals. The two heroines face many dangers and personal difficulties throughout the series, adding to the suspense and emotional stakes.

Standing out in the series are the lead characters, Jane and Maura. They are complex, multi-faceted characters that readers become emotionally invested in. Tess Gerritsen says of the characters’ friendship, which is the core of the series, “The underlying message I wanted to tell with Jane and Maura is that two smart, professional women can be devoted friends and stand by each other through thick and thin. Even though they’re very different people.” She says the pair were inspired by her experiences as a doctor working with primarily women in hospitals. “We were professionals who knew we could count on each other, and I wanted to show that in the working lives of Jane and Maura.”

Although it’s not completely necessary to read the books in order, readers recommend doing so because of the character development and several ongoing plot elements that are revealed as the series progresses.