I Know a Secret is the 12th and so far final book in Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli & Isles series. I have now read all 12 books in the series. I Know a Secret left me hoping it’s not the last of the series.
A woman is murdered. Her eyes are removed and set in her hands. A man is murdered and three arrows are stuck in his chest.
At first, there is no seeming connection between the murders, but Detective Jane Rizzoli and Medical Examiner Maura Isles don’t know who killed either victim or why.
As the story unfolds, we learn about a mother, son, an father sent to prison two decades earlier for molesting children at their daycare. The son was prosecuted for the murder of a then nine-year-old girl whose body has never been found. But the jury acquitted the man on the murder charge. Recently, he was released from prison. Now, he’s the leading suspect.
I Know a Secret was an entertaining, sometimes thrilling read. While I had a good idea that one of the characters was involved for much of the book, I never figured out their exact involvement. The moral questions raised by the actions of some of the characters, including Dr. Isles, were interesting.
While reading the book, I kept wondering if it was partially based on the Fells Acres sex abuse scandal from Massachusetts in the ’80s. While reading the book, I was reminded of it. So, my thoughts on the story were influenced by my knowledge of what happened around the Fells Acres daycare. It was interesting to see how the novel compared to what I remember of that story.
I Know a Secret is another excellent read. Even though I don’t agree with Rizzoli or Isles all the time, I think they are great characters. I appreciate the fact that I’m always kept guessing by the plots of the Rizzoli & Isles books. While I wait for what I hope is another book, I’m going to give the television series based on the books a try.