In Review

21 November 2008 23:07 BST

The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen

Published by Bantam Press, out January 15th, paperback, 351 pages, £11.99

In a nutshell…

Edgy. Unsettling. Addictive. Thrilling. Evocative.

What's it all about?

Medical examiner Maura Isles and Boston police detective Jane Rizzoli become involved in investigating an alarming murder in a rundown house in the city where a young woman has been brutally murder and then meticulously dismembered by her killer. The words "I have sinned", written in blood, are left scrawled on the wall.

Soon afterwards, a second murder scene is found and some striking similarities between the crime scenes draw the interests of The Mephisto Club – a society of religious and crime historians with an unhealthy appetite for all the gory details.

Can the club help to uncover the secrets behind the crimes? Or is their presence merely angering the devil incarnate that is carrying out the deadly attacks?

It's the sixth in a series of books, all stand-alone thrillers, featuring heroines Isles and Rizzoli.

Who's it by?

In addition to being a best-selling author, Tess Gerritsen is also a qualified American physician and former anthropology student. During her studies at Stanford University, Gerritsen developed a fascination with ancient cultures and also the workings of the human body and human remains. It was this combination of elements that led her into writing – developing her stories through her travels across the world, as well as her studies.

Gerritsen's first-hand experiences of autopsy rooms and the medical professional comes across clearly in her writing - she tends to dwell on these aspects whenever she sets a scene.

As an example…

"I'm talking about evil, distilled to its purest form. Manifested in the shape of real flesh-and-blood creatures, walking among us. This isn't about the impulsive kill, the jealous husband who's gone over the edge, or the scared soldier who mows down an unarmed enemy. I'm talking about something entirely different. People who look human, but are the farthest thing from it."

"Demons?"

"If you want to call them that."

"And you really believe they exist, these monsters or demons or whatever you call them?"

"I know they do," he said quietly.

Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster

The story would lend itself well to the big screen and it would be no surprise to see another religious-based thriller hit cinemas sometime in the future. The massive success of the Da Vinci Code has re-opened the door for bestsellers of this genre making the leap from print to the big screen and The Mephisto Club is not so different from Dan Brown's creation, except without quite so many puzzles along the way.

What the others say

"Action-packed, entertaining, and compulsively readable" – The Chicago Sun-Times

"A powerful story that will haunt you long after the last page is turned" – The Orlando Sentinel

"Some sizable plot holes, some purplish prose, but the Gerritsen fan base will survive intact" – Kirkus Reviews

So is it any good?

Crime thrillers with a religious edge are usually very hit-or-miss but this effort leaves you very much in the positive camp.

The story itself is strong, and meanders through the various plot twists with skill and control. While there are certain tangents and characterisations that do not quite work, Gerritsen' overall approach is spot on and makes for a fantastic piece of storytelling that would not be out of place in a Hollywood film (see above) – usually a sign that a book has the makings of widespread popular success.

As you edge towards the spooky but ultimately thrilling ending, the plot does threaten to make a mockery out of all the great story-telling that has gone before. However, the author does a great job of pulling you back in for the finale just as you think it will drift into the realms of absurdity.

Overall, a riveting read.

8/10

Alistair Potter