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Available
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Series
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Collection
Publication
Ballantine Books (2006)
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles�the inspiration for the hit TNT series�continue their bestselling crime-solving streak. � Evil exists. Evil walks the streets. And evil has spawned a diabolical new disciple in this white-knuckle thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen. PECCAVI The Latin word is scrawled in blood at the scene of a young woman�s brutal murder: I HAVE SINNED. It�s a chilling Christmas greeting for Boston medical examiner Maura Isles and Detective Jane Rizzoli, who swiftly link the victim to controversial celebrity psychiatrist Joyce O�Donnell�Jane�s professional nemesis and member of a sinister cabal called the Mephisto Club. On top of Beacon Hill, the club�s acolytes devote themselves to the analysis of evil: Can it be explained by science? Does it have a physical presence? Do demons walk the earth? Drawing on a wealth of dark historical data and mysterious religious symbolism, the Mephisto scholars aim to prove a startling theory: that Satan himself exists among us. With the grisly appearance of a corpse on their doorstep, it�s clear that someone�or something�is indeed prowling the city. The members of the club begin to fear the very subject of their study. Could this maniacal killer be one of their own�or have they inadvertently summoned an evil entity from the darkness? Delving deep into the most baffling and unusual case of their careers, Maura and Jane embark on a terrifying journey to the very heart of evil, where they encounter a malevolent foe more dangerous than any they have ever faced . . . one whose work is only just beginning. This ebook edition contains a special preview of Tess Gerritsen�s I Know a Secret..… (more)
Media reviews
The New Yorker
I like this book its the only book I've sat down and completed it pulls you from begining to end and dosen't let go I really enjoy this book. At first it seems like the characters do not trust each other but through out the story they learn to. I don't think that Tess Gerritsen could have done any
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better, if I had too I would read it all over again. I'll be looking for her next books. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member Carl_Alves
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot was tight and the suspense lasted through the end. What I really liked is how the author tinkered with the supernatural existing in the world of this story. Even after reading the novel, I'm not sure which way to think, if there was a supernatural element or
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if there wasn't. It delicately straddled the fence. Everything about the novel was well done and the ending did not disappoint. Show Less
LibraryThing member delphimo
Tess Gerritsen delivers another striking novel. In this installment the feelings between Maura and Father Brophy heat the frigid winter. Jane has problems at home with the separation of her parents and her mother dating one of Jane's ex-partners. The story centers on the evil and different beliefs
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concerning the fallen angels. As usual, Gerritsen weaves a tale abundant in characters and setting. The story abounds in humanity and psychology. Show Less
LibraryThing member scot2
A good Rizzoli and Isles book. It is a crime story with a touch of the supernatural. I have read about these creatures from the old testament before. It is as good a reason as any to explain why some people are so utterly evil and corrupt. It was never explained who Mr. Sansone actually was other
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than he was rich and had influence over government officials. Enjoyed it. Show Less
LibraryThing member CloggieDownunder
The Mephisto Club is the 6th of Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli/Isles series. On Christmas Eve, Rizzoli and Isles are called to a horrific murder scene where the female victim has been decapitated and dismembered. During the autopsy, however, they realise there must be more than one victim as the left
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hand does not match the arm. And a call has been made from the victim’s phone to Dr Joyce O’Donnell, the neuropsychiatrist who has made a career of defending serial killers. Before they can discover to whom the hand belongs, one of their own, a female police detective, is murdered in the backyard of a house where Joyce O’Donnell is dining. Symbols and words at both crime scenes, made with an unusual ochre clay, point to a Satanic element; or do they? When events in Isles’ personal life coincide with the same symbols on her own front door, the action really starts to heat up. And Rizzoli has problems of her own with the way her parents are behaving. Gerritsen gives us two back stories which will have the reader convinced they know who the culprit is, although everyone but Rizzoli starts to wonder if their perp is, in fact, human. Gerristen touches on celibacy in the Church, secret societies, Satanic possession, mid-life crisis, and whether evil can have a physical form. Once again, Rizzoli provides some humour; the story is full of suspense and has plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engrossed. Another Gerritsen winner. Show Less
LibraryThing member Carl_Alves
This novel succeeded in many areas, not the least of which was maintaining a high level of tension and suspense through the entire novel. The villain in this novel, Dominick was well developed, something I rarely see in fiction novels these days. My favorite aspect of the book is how the author
Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity
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skillfully teetered on whether or not there was a supernatural element to this novel. By the end of the book, I still couldn't say one way or the other. I also liked how the author weaved in backstory throughout the novel. It was very cleverly done. The ending did not disappoint as well.Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity
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LibraryThing member Kaysbooks
Ghosts of the past gather in this sixth thriller with Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles. The psychologist who works with the serial killer Hoyt, the surgeon, and the murderous mother of Maura, appears to be a member of a demon fighting group, called the Mephisto Club. Being in the world of ghosts,
While fighting crime Jane has to face the end of her parent's marriage and Maura finally gives into her love for a man she'll never really have.
It is obivous that this is a very thrilling and entertaining read. A real page-turner you fully enjoy when you have become of the R&I family because you can put everything into the right perspective. The best situation to enjoy the bloody, thrilling and o so entertaining ride. Ride along!!
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spirits and satanic villains, the murder scenes are getting more and more gruesome until there is a great showduwn in the end, when evil really shows his vicious face.While fighting crime Jane has to face the end of her parent's marriage and Maura finally gives into her love for a man she'll never really have.
It is obivous that this is a very thrilling and entertaining read. A real page-turner you fully enjoy when you have become of the R&I family because you can put everything into the right perspective. The best situation to enjoy the bloody, thrilling and o so entertaining ride. Ride along!!
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LibraryThing member Carol420
Having followed Jane Rizzoli from the beginning of the series, has been
a bit like watching a beloved child mature into an even more beloved adult, as she finds confidence, learns to be a bit less abrasive,
She falls in love with the right guy, and has a baby. Her professional relationship and
One of the things at which Tess.Gerritsen has become more adept with each new novel in the series is her ability to inject levity--albeit gallows humor--into the mix, without losing sight of the seriousness of the subject matter. I am greatly looking forward to more Jane and Maura.
a bit like watching a beloved child mature into an even more beloved adult, as she finds confidence, learns to be a bit less abrasive,
She falls in love with the right guy, and has a baby. Her professional relationship and
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blossoming personal ties with Maura Isles have also been a delight to witness. Maura herself becomes more intriguing with each new book, and the fact that she has a mother who is the female equivalent of Hannibal Lecter before Thomas Harris lost control of him, is just the icing on the cake. The Mephisto Club is one of the most deliciously creepy books I have read in a long time. I actually found myself shivering a couple of times. The supporting cast of characters is beautifully drawn, from the members of the club to Jane's amazingly dysfunctional family to Maura's forbidden lover. One of the things at which Tess.Gerritsen has become more adept with each new novel in the series is her ability to inject levity--albeit gallows humor--into the mix, without losing sight of the seriousness of the subject matter. I am greatly looking forward to more Jane and Maura.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
While this story of ancient evil recurring again to kill is interesting it doesn't really fit in my mental picture of the series starring Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli. It's almost as if Ms Gerritsen had a story to tell and hung it on this series.
The story is of a series of strange murders,
It's not a bad read but somehow it felt like a story Ms Gerritsen wanted to tell and used this series as a prop, but it's a prop that doesn't quite flow as well as it might.
The story is of a series of strange murders,
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seemingly focused on a small but strange group of people, the Mephisto club, a group who have a lot of power and influence. Their theories about the murders don't fit well with Jane's worldview and other issues flare in both Jane and Maura's worlds.It's not a bad read but somehow it felt like a story Ms Gerritsen wanted to tell and used this series as a prop, but it's a prop that doesn't quite flow as well as it might.
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LibraryThing member absurdeist
Pleasant surprise. Patricia Cornwell, darn her, continues her spiral into mediocrity & self-plagiarism with the recent release of her latest, The Front, on the disappointing heels of her last four or five Scarpettas going back to the turn of the century, so I desperately needed another CSI crime
The Mephisto Club, sixth in the Jane Rizzoli detective series (though my virgin Rizzoli read) incorporates several favorite interests of mine: mysterious, though not-at-all-like-Da-Vinci-Code, secret societies, apocryphal literature (i.e., The Book of Enoch & The Book of Jubilees), symbiology and, dare I admit it (please don't strike me down dead Lord, please!) demon, uh, demonology. Now, I'm no aspiring warlock or wiccan, and The Mephisto Club would probably bore a fun loving Aleister Crowley type occultist (might as well try interesting a Navy Seal in an exciting game of Battleship), but for a Luciferish lightweight like me possessing merely an unhealthy interest in stories satanic, The Mephisto Club, with its ritualistic skin carvings & dismemberments, demon & Devil hunting, priestly affairs, & crowded cobblestone chases through the dark & dank back alleys of Rome, beautifully fits the fun, page-turning, Beelzebub bill.
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thriller option, another writer/former doctor/medical examiner/coroner/detective type to infuse some freshness & excitement into the genre since I needed a break from the tedium of reading Gravity's Rainbow start to almost finish, and wouldn't'cha know it, Tess Gerritsen, bless her heart, was there to see me through.The Mephisto Club, sixth in the Jane Rizzoli detective series (though my virgin Rizzoli read) incorporates several favorite interests of mine: mysterious, though not-at-all-like-Da-Vinci-Code, secret societies, apocryphal literature (i.e., The Book of Enoch & The Book of Jubilees), symbiology and, dare I admit it (please don't strike me down dead Lord, please!) demon, uh, demonology. Now, I'm no aspiring warlock or wiccan, and The Mephisto Club would probably bore a fun loving Aleister Crowley type occultist (might as well try interesting a Navy Seal in an exciting game of Battleship), but for a Luciferish lightweight like me possessing merely an unhealthy interest in stories satanic, The Mephisto Club, with its ritualistic skin carvings & dismemberments, demon & Devil hunting, priestly affairs, & crowded cobblestone chases through the dark & dank back alleys of Rome, beautifully fits the fun, page-turning, Beelzebub bill.
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LibraryThing member NPJacobsen
A gruesome murder bring Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles out in the frigid Boston night on Christmas eve. Inverted cross symbols, a circle with five black candles along the circumference at the points of a pentagram, and a dismembered body lead the police to believe they are dealing with a Satanist or
The book is full of history, albeit no history I have read before. Stories of Nephilim, fallen angel who mate with humans, and ancient symbols abound. There is also some history given about some of the ruins in Rome, and reminded me of Dan Brown's books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and did not see the end coming. I would recommend this to any fan of mysteries who doesn't mind missing out on a little sleep, because you won't be able to put it down.
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satanic cult. A few weeks later another body is found in the garden of Anthony Sansone, who we learn is a member of a very unique organization - the Mephisto Club. The purpose of thisclub is to track evil around the world and try to put a face on it. Sansone and his fellow members believethe killings are directed at the club, and so begins the game of cat and mouse.The book is full of history, albeit no history I have read before. Stories of Nephilim, fallen angel who mate with humans, and ancient symbols abound. There is also some history given about some of the ruins in Rome, and reminded me of Dan Brown's books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and did not see the end coming. I would recommend this to any fan of mysteries who doesn't mind missing out on a little sleep, because you won't be able to put it down.
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LibraryThing member judieharren
Searching for a murderer leads detective Jane Rizolli to encounter a group who is dedicated to searching for demons who appear to be ordinary people but who are entirely evil. Page turner.
LibraryThing member Irisheyz77
This is the latest installment of the Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli mystery series and while I liked it, I liked the books that came before it better. I just couldn't identify with some of the characters in this book as I have in the past. Overall though it was a good read.
LibraryThing member emhromp2
Another brilliant story in the Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles series. The story begins with the finding of a dismembered body of a young woman. It does not take long to link this murder, and the following murder, to the Mephisto Club, a group of people with farfetched theories about evil. What I like
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about Tess Gerritsen, is that she builds up various story lines, which come together in the end. For this book, it is advisable to have read 'Body Double', for there are a few links to that story. Show Less
LibraryThing member bellmorejer
Excellent. TG never disappoints. Just when I think I've got it all figured out it turns out to be someone else. This book has vague similarities to of a couple of John Saul's books as well as The DaVinci Code.
LibraryThing member mtnbiker1
This was the first book I had read by Tess Gerritsen, and I really enjoyed it. The story moved along at a nice pace. The plot was convoluted enough to keep you guessing.
LibraryThing member ctfrench
Boston Medical Examiner Maura Isles is called to a gruesome scene early on Christmas morning, where a young woman has been brutally killed and dismembered, with satanic symbols all around her body and the Latin word "Peccavi" (I have sinned) scrawled backwards across her bedroom wall. Detective
This captivating thriller touches on a fascinating subject: demonology, its origins and presence in the world today. Gerritsen's outstanding characterization is once more on display along with a thrilling, fast-paced plot. Jane Rizzoli remains a strong character, a jaded woman whose marriage and baby have become a calming force. Maura is a lonely woman intrigued by a priest, and this relationship is a painful one for Maura as well as the reader, who longs for Maura's happiness. Gerritsen offers a galvanizing look at Rizzoli's parents, the two people who shaped her, which helps the reader understand her cynicism and insecurities. An electrifying read.
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Jane Rizzoli, back on the job after maternity leave, suspects a serial killer is on the loose when Maura's nemesis, psychiatrist Joyce O'Donnell, is murdered in the same manner. Dr. O'Donnell was part of a group of scholars from around the world calling themselves the Mephisto Club that track demons. When members of this group are murdered and Maura's life is threatened, the action moves to Europe in search of a young woman whom the Mephisto Club is certain will draw the demon to them. This captivating thriller touches on a fascinating subject: demonology, its origins and presence in the world today. Gerritsen's outstanding characterization is once more on display along with a thrilling, fast-paced plot. Jane Rizzoli remains a strong character, a jaded woman whose marriage and baby have become a calming force. Maura is a lonely woman intrigued by a priest, and this relationship is a painful one for Maura as well as the reader, who longs for Maura's happiness. Gerritsen offers a galvanizing look at Rizzoli's parents, the two people who shaped her, which helps the reader understand her cynicism and insecurities. An electrifying read.
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LibraryThing member Darrol
By far my favorite Gerritsen. It seems that several are interested in the Book of Enoch. I am not sure who started this trend, but this is a very good installment.
LibraryThing member oxlena
A good read, not something I'd usually seek out, but it was lent to me by a friend. 2.5 out of 5 typical crazy people that could probably benefit from some Paxil and a great deal of Jack Daniel's.
LibraryThing member bashert
excellent plot & writing with good character development
LibraryThing member ImBookingIt
This is the first book I've read (or in this case, listened to) from this series. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt by giving it 4 stars rather than 3, since I was on the borderline of how to rate it, and I suspect I would have gotten into the book much faster if I had been familiar with the
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characters at the start.The book did a good job of being very creepy, and I'm not usually susceptible to that sort of atmosphere. Outside of that, the writing was good but not intrusive. I was able to enjoy the book without paying attention to the individual words (unlike another book I'm reading, where the words scream out as to how literary they are).At first,the recurring characters seemed flat, but I think the depth had been developed in previous books, and came out more as I read further. Most of the one-time characters were flat, but that is to be expected. I'd like to get to know the primary and secondary continuing characters better.The plot itself was decent, but the details surrounding it were intriguing and well developed. I'll probably track down other books from this series at some point, particularly if they are also available for library download. Show Less
LibraryThing member SFM13
The graphic detail in this book made me feel as if I was on the scene as a CSI agent. Horrible descriptions! Jane is one tough cop ... and smart too.
There are interesting historical details about the origins of evil, going all the way back to Seth ... Adam's third son. And, the Mephisto Club seems
One question ... whatever happened to Jane's parents? Did they make up and get back together? And what happens with Maura and the priest? I guess those issues will be continued in the next novel.
There are interesting historical details about the origins of evil, going all the way back to Seth ... Adam's third son. And, the Mephisto Club seems
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like a group that might actually exist. One question ... whatever happened to Jane's parents? Did they make up and get back together? And what happens with Maura and the priest? I guess those issues will be continued in the next novel.
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LibraryThing member mazda502001
I love this Isles/Rizzoli series and find each one a page-turner.
Back Cover Blurb:
In a rundown house, a woman has been dismembered in an act of carnage that leaves veteran cops in shock. The last person called from the dead girl's phone: Dr Joyce O'Donnell, a celebrity psychiatrist who's made her
But there are other clues left at the rundown house that make the police wonder if this slaying was part of a satanic ritual. Drawn on the wall, in blood, are ancient symbols, and a mirror-image word in Latin that, translated, says 'I have sinned'.
Then a second woman is found butchered on Beacon Hill, just outside the grand residence of Anthony Sansone, a reclusive historian. He is the leader of the Mephisto Club, an old and secret society dedicated to the study of evil and to confronting it in its purest form. On the door to Sansone's house have been scrawled yet more ancient symbols. Are they clues? Or threats?
When the same symbols appear on Maura Isles's door, Maura and Detective Jane Rizzoli must call on the Mephisto Club for assistance. Because this is a form of evil Boston PD has never encountered before. And the only way they can defeat it is by turning to the people who understand the devil himself.
Back Cover Blurb:
In a rundown house, a woman has been dismembered in an act of carnage that leaves veteran cops in shock. The last person called from the dead girl's phone: Dr Joyce O'Donnell, a celebrity psychiatrist who's made her
Show More
name defending serial murderers.But there are other clues left at the rundown house that make the police wonder if this slaying was part of a satanic ritual. Drawn on the wall, in blood, are ancient symbols, and a mirror-image word in Latin that, translated, says 'I have sinned'.
Then a second woman is found butchered on Beacon Hill, just outside the grand residence of Anthony Sansone, a reclusive historian. He is the leader of the Mephisto Club, an old and secret society dedicated to the study of evil and to confronting it in its purest form. On the door to Sansone's house have been scrawled yet more ancient symbols. Are they clues? Or threats?
When the same symbols appear on Maura Isles's door, Maura and Detective Jane Rizzoli must call on the Mephisto Club for assistance. Because this is a form of evil Boston PD has never encountered before. And the only way they can defeat it is by turning to the people who understand the devil himself.
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LibraryThing member devenish
The members of 'The Mephisto Club' of the title are a group of people who study Evil in it's darkest form. Soon after the book begins the police are called to a house in which are found the dismembered remains of a young woman. What appears to be Satanic symbols and letters are also discovered
This is an exciting and thrilling read which is only slightly spoilt by the extraneous love/lust interest between Isles and her Priest lover and this is why the book loses the full 5 star rating.
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daubed in blood on the walls. Gerritsen's series characters ,Dr Maura Isles and Detective Jane Rizzoli are quickly on the scene and are soon drawn ever deeper into a spiral of death. Soon other murders occur which seem to implicate the members of "The Mephisto Club' in these murders. Rizzoli is given information about 'The Watchers' who are described,somewhat fancifully as 'Fallen Angels', who are intent on bringing discord and death to all who oppose them. This is an exciting and thrilling read which is only slightly spoilt by the extraneous love/lust interest between Isles and her Priest lover and this is why the book loses the full 5 star rating.
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LibraryThing member moukayedr
A quick read and an interesting thriller. Officer Jane Rizzoli is called to investigate the murder of a woman who was dismembered in what looks like a satanic cult murder. There are a number of subsequent victims, and the murders seem to be connected to the Mephisto Club whose members are
I always liked the writing-style of Tess Gerritsen, who always provides interesting information and factual background to her novels. This one contains a study of the history of evil from some ancient text that were rejected by the Church.
The plot twists its way to a final show-down, with a few surprises along the way. The narrative touches on the private lives of Jane and Maura, with the issues there remaining unresolved, until the next book perhaps.
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interested in studying evil and hunting it. The murderer soon starts targeting members of the Mephisto Foundation and as the hunt intensities so does the involvement and threats on Dr. Maura Isles (the Medical Examiner in this case) and Jane Rizzoli herself.I always liked the writing-style of Tess Gerritsen, who always provides interesting information and factual background to her novels. This one contains a study of the history of evil from some ancient text that were rejected by the Church.
The plot twists its way to a final show-down, with a few surprises along the way. The narrative touches on the private lives of Jane and Maura, with the issues there remaining unresolved, until the next book perhaps.
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LibraryThing member jwlowery
It was a pretty quick read--good beach fare, but little more. I borrowed this book from the Stillwater Public Library.
Subjects
Original publication date
2006
ISBN
0739474006 / 9780739474006
Other editions
Mephisto Club (Large Print) Edition: Reprint by Tess Gerritsen (Hardcover)