I Know a Secret: a Rizzoli and Isles Novel

I Know A Secret is the twelfth book in the Rizzoli and Isles series by popular American author, Tess Gerritsen. Boston Pathologist Maura Isles was puzzled when a thorough autopsy of the body of a young filmmaker, who had been found dead in her apartment, did not offer any clues as to cause of death. The post-mortem mutilations, too, were baffling: were they symbolic?

Days later, a seemingly unrelated death again presented with post-mortem injuries, different ones, but this time, Maura detected a faint clue. When Detectives Jane Rizzoli and Barry Frost, after much investigative work, finally discover a connection, they fear that a convicted paedophile is out for revenge. But Maura isn't convinced.

Gerritsen gives the reader Holly Devine, whose connection with earlier victims make her a potential victim, to provide a different narrative perspective, even if narrator strikes a discordant note and is not entirely reliable. She also throws in several twists and red herrings to keep the reader guessing. She touches on the plasticity of memories and the hysteria that surrounds child abuse allegations.

In this instalment, Maura is distracted by Amalthea Lank's deterioration in an ICU; Jane is distracted by her long-suffering mother Angela's situation; and Frost is distracted by patching things up with his ex-wife, Alice; Maura brings Father Daniel Brophy in to consult on certain religious elements, adding to her distraction. Once again, interesting pathology tidbits and excellent detective work make this another brilliant read.