Series reading guide · updated September 2026
Rizzoli & Isles Books in Order
Every Rizzoli & Isles book in publication order — 15 in total, spanning 2001–2017.
Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles are one of the best duos in crime fiction — a scrappy, blue-collar Boston homicide detective and a coolly brilliant medical examiner whose friendship anchors some of the sharpest procedurals going. Tess Gerritsen, a physician herself, brings real medical authority to the forensics, and the result is smart, tense, character-rich mystery writing that never talks down to you. The series opens with The Surgeon in 2001, and while the later TNT show softened and reshaped the pair for television, the books are darker, twistier, and — for many fans — better. This is the reading order, straight through.
Publication Order of Rizzoli & Isles Books
| # | Title | Year | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  The Surgeon | 2001 | Amazon US UK |
| 2 |  The Apprentice | 2002 | Amazon US UK |
| 3 |  The Sinner | 2003 | Amazon US UK |
| 4 |  Body Double | 2004 | Amazon US UK |
| 5 |  Vanish | 2006 | Amazon US UK |
| 6 |  The Mephisto Club | 2006 | Amazon US UK |
| 7 |  The Keepsake / Keeping The Dead | 2008 | Amazon US UK |
| 8 |  Ice Cold | 2010 | Amazon US UK |
| 9 |  The Killing Place | 2010 | Amazon US UK |
| 10 |  The Silent Girl | 2011 | Amazon US UK |
| 11 |  Last to Die | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 12 |  Die Again | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 13 |  I Know A Secret | 2017 | Amazon US UK |
Publication Order of Rizzoli & Isles Short Stories Books
| # | Title | Year | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freaks | 2007 | Amazon US UK |
| 2 | John Doe | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
Every title by year All 15, oldest to newest
| # | Title | Year | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Surgeon | 2001 | Amazon US UK |
| 2 | The Apprentice | 2002 | Amazon US UK |
| 3 | The Sinner | 2003 | Amazon US UK |
| 4 | Body Double | 2004 | Amazon US UK |
| 5 | Vanish | 2006 | Amazon US UK |
| 6 | The Mephisto Club | 2006 | Amazon US UK |
| 7 | Freaks | 2007 | Amazon US UK |
| 8 | The Keepsake / Keeping The Dead | 2008 | Amazon US UK |
| 9 | Ice Cold | 2010 | Amazon US UK |
| 10 | The Killing Place | 2010 | Amazon US UK |
| 11 | The Silent Girl | 2011 | Amazon US UK |
| 12 | Last to Die | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 13 | John Doe | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 14 | Die Again | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 15 | I Know A Secret | 2017 | Amazon US UK |
Rizzoli & Isles on screen
Rizzoli & Isles ran for seven seasons on TNT (2010–2016) with Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles. The show leaned lighter and more buddy-comedy than the novels — so if the TV pair hooked you, the books are a darker, richer version of the same friendship.
- 2010Rizzoli & IslesTV series — TNT; 7 seasons with Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.
If you liked the show, read the books
Liked Rizzoli & Isles (TNT)? Start with the novel The Surgeon and read the series in publication order — the books go deeper and darker than the show.
Frequently asked
What is the correct order for the Rizzoli & Isles books?
Publication order: The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice, The Sinner, Body Double, Vanish, The Mephisto Club, The Keepsake, Ice Cold, The Silent Girl, Last to Die, Die Again, I Know a Secret, and on through the newest titles.
Is the Rizzoli & Isles TV show the same as the books?
They share the two lead characters and the Boston setting, but the plots diverge significantly. The novels are grittier and more suspense-driven; the show is lighter and more focused on the friendship. Both are worth your time — just know they're different animals.
Do I need to read the Rizzoli & Isles books in order?
You can follow most cases on their own, but Jane and Maura's personal lives evolve across the series, so publication order gives you the full arc of their friendship.
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