If you watched the show and found yourself wanting more, here’s the complete Rizzoli and Isles books in order. Tess Gerritsen’s series is where it all started, and the books go darker than the TV version ever did.
There are 13 novels. Here they are.
TL;DR: There are 13 Rizzoli and Isles books starting with The Surgeon (2001). Read them in publication order. Maura Isles doesn’t appear until Book 2, so don’t panic when you open The Surgeon and she’s nowhere to be found.
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Rizzoli and Isles Books in Order
- The Surgeon (2001)
- The Apprentice (2002)
- The Sinner (2003)
- Body Double (2004)
- Vanish (2005)
- The Mephisto Club (2006)
- The Keepsake (2008)
- Ice Cold (2010)
- The Silent Girl (2011)
- Last to Die (2012)
- Die Again (2014)
- I Know a Secret (2017)
- Listen to Me (2022)
Where to Start
Start with The Surgeon. It introduces Jane Rizzoli as a Boston homicide detective hunting a serial killer, and sets up the case that carries into Book 2.
One thing worth knowing if you’re coming from the show: Maura Isles doesn’t appear until The Apprentice, Book 2. The Rizzoli-Isles dynamic you know from the show takes a book to develop, but it’s worth the wait.
A Few Worth Calling Out
The Apprentice and The Sinner are where the series finds its footing. By Book 2, Isles is in the picture, and the partnership that defines the whole series starts to click. The Sinner builds on that quickly, and by the end of it, you’ll understand why people get attached to these two.
What About the TV Show?
The TNT series ran from 2010 to 2016, seven seasons, Angie Harmon as Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as Isles. If that’s what brought you here, the books are worth your time. Gerritsen writes her characters darker and more clinical than the show did, and the cases get genuinely unsettling. The character relationships take longer to develop, but that’s part of what makes them stick.
The Most Recent Book
Listen to Me (2022) is the latest entry, coming five years after I Know a Secret. It brings the characters back for a new case and picks up cleanly where the series left off. Whether there’s more coming isn’t clear yet, but Gerritsen hasn’t said the series is finished.
FAQ
Do you need to read Rizzoli and Isles books in order?
Yes. The character relationships and ongoing storylines build across the series. These aren’t standalones.
How many Rizzoli and Isles books are there? 13 novels in the main series.
Where’s the best place to start? The Surgeon (2001). That’s Book 1.
Is Maura Isles in the first book? No. She appears starting in The Apprentice, Book 2.
Is the series still ongoing? No new book has been announced, but Gerritsen hasn’t confirmed it’s over either. Listen to Me (2022) is the most recent.
If you’re looking for something to read between books, the James Patterson books in order is a good place to start.
For more crime fiction with strong female leads, the Women’s Murder Club books in order is worth checking out, or browse authors like James Patterson for more recommendations.
