This is my first Tess Gerritsen. It won't be my last. I've gathered that the book is one of a series, but that simply doesn't matter. The characters, some of whom appear in other Gerritsen books apparenty, are stand-alones who become quickly quite believable.

A clever plot brings together two seemingly unconnected stories, and we find ourselves in a violent world of human trafficking, police and FBI corruption, and a nine-and-a-bit-months pregnant detective, Jane Rizzoli. Whether you're blanching at the details of a too-much-information autopsy, being quietly horrified at the bleak life of a young trafficked woman, willing a siege situation to come out right - since our pregnant cop is right in the thick of it - or following the convoluted politics of the case, you'll be involved in this narrative.

It's not a good book for an insomniac like me, as I chose to read yet another chapter before trying to settle down at last to sleep...and then another ... and another. A thoroughly involving read. ( )

My second read of a natl intelligence conspiracy to hide the truth behind the killing of five slave prostitutes. A gripping story.

(2005)Very good next in series. Jane Rizzoli is in labor at hospital when two supposed terrorists hold her and others hostage trying to expose a sex slave ring. From Publishers WeeklyRetired internist Gerritsen serves up another prescription for bad dreams in her latest thriller to feature Boston medical examiner Maura Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli (Body Double). The catalogue of terrors this time out includes sexual slavery, hostage-taking and torture; there are also government bad guys, post?9/11 red herrings and a heart-tugging cadre of young Eastern European women known only by their first names. Fierce Olena, thought dead, wakes up in Maura's morgue, recovers in the hospital, and¥with the help of a mysterious colleagueÂ¥takes a group of hostages, including Jane, who's about to give birth. Jane's husband, FBI agent Gabriel Dean, tries to reason with the hostage-takers, and learns that Olena wants publicity to bring down the Washington bigwig responsible for sexually enslaving, then murdering, her friends. Maura feels a frisson for Tribune columnist Peter Lukas, and he seems to be the guy to tell the story, but readers will quickly apprehend that he's playing both sides. As usual, the medical details are vivid and read authentic, while the action is just this side of super-hero comic exaggeration.

One of the best Rizzoli and Isles books thus far, it drew you in right from the start and held your attention until the very end. Tess Gerritsen is a literary genius ( )

This one while fast to read was really hard to get through. The subject matter is very rough and very detailed. If you are not prepared for dealing with rape and child murder this book will totally fuck you over. ( )