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BODY DOUBLE scared the heck out of me. Do you really need to know anything else? It might well be the most frightening novel I have read thus far. If THE COLOR PURPLE can demonstrate the triumphs that the human spirit can attain, then BODY DOUBLE illustrates the depths that can be plumbed by the quiet demon within.
Before I go any further, let me assure you that Tess Gerritsen is not treading into Stephen King territory here. It begins with an interesting, tantalizing mystery. Dr. Maura Isles returns from a Forensic Pathology conference in Paris to discover that her front yard is a crime scene. The murder victim is a woman who is the mirror image of Isles. It turns out that the women share not only the same features, but also the same birthrates and blood types --- and, as is later determined by DNA, the same parentage. The murder victim is Isles's twin sister, the sibling she never knew she had. Isles begins to retrace her sister's path, attempting to discover what brought her to such an untimely end and to resolve the question of their unknown heritage.
Meanwhile, Boston Police Detective Jane Rizzoli, dealing with the late stages of her pregnancy, attempts to determine who murdered Isles's sister, and why. Rizzoli's and Isles's respective investigations slowly converge and reveal a heretofore unknown cross-country killing spree that has lasted for decades and that is irrevocably linked to Isles's past and present. As Isles gets closer to establishing her own identity, it appears that the unknown killer is reaching out yet again --- and targeting her.
Gerritsen's craftsmanship in BODY DOUBLE is outstanding in every way. The plotting is first rate --- I thought I had cleverly figured everything out, and am proud to say that I was completely wrong. Gerritsen's descriptive powers have never been stronger. There is one passage that describes the use of Luminol on a suspected crime scene. It is so quietly and subtlety effective that you will want to stop your forward movement through the book just to read it three or four times. Then there are the villains of the piece, as cold-bloodedly calculating as any you will find. They wouldn't be so bad if they were insane. They're not. Gerritsen quietly and effectively demonstrates that they are much, much worse.
Gerritsen's many long-time fans will be recommending BODY DOUBLE to their literary-minded friends who, for whatever reason, don't read Gerritsen regularly. They won't be sorry, but they will keep the lights on long after they've finished reading. Very highly recommended.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
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