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Girl Missing
From Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series, her stunning first thriller!
A beautiful young woman’s corpse is found dumped in a garbage-strewn alley. Now laid out in the office of medical examiner Kat Novak is an unidentified body that betrays no secrets—except for a matchbook clutched in one stiff hand, seven numbers scrawled inside. When a second victim is discovered, Kat begins to fear that a serial killer is stalking the streets, using a deadly drug to do his dirty work. The police are skeptical. The mayor won’t listen. One of the town’s most prominent citizens, with a missing daughter of his own, is also Kat’s chief suspect. As the death toll rises, Kat races to expose a deadly predator who is close enough to touch her.
Praise for Tess Gerritsen
“[The author] has a knack for creating great characters and mysterious plots that seem straightforward but also dazzle with complexity and twists.”—Associated Press
“[Gerritsen] has an imagination that allows her to conjure up depths of human behavior so dark and frightening that she makes Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft seem like goody-two-shoes.”—Chicago Tribune
“One of the most versatile voices in thriller fiction today.” —The Providence Journal
Previously published as Peggy Sue Got Murdered
From the Paperback edition.
A beautiful young woman’s corpse is found dumped in a garbage-strewn alley. Now laid out in the office of medical examiner Kat Novak is an unidentified body that betrays no secrets—except for a matchbook clutched in one stiff hand, seven numbers scrawled inside. When a second victim is discovered, Kat begins to fear that a serial killer is stalking the streets, using a deadly drug to do his dirty work. The police are skeptical. The mayor won’t listen. One of the town’s most prominent citizens, with a missing daughter of his own, is also Kat’s chief suspect. As the death toll rises, Kat races to expose a deadly predator who is close enough to touch her.
Praise for Tess Gerritsen
“[The author] has a knack for creating great characters and mysterious plots that seem straightforward but also dazzle with complexity and twists.”—Associated Press
“[Gerritsen] has an imagination that allows her to conjure up depths of human behavior so dark and frightening that she makes Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft seem like goody-two-shoes.”—Chicago Tribune
“One of the most versatile voices in thriller fiction today.” —The Providence Journal
Previously published as Peggy Sue Got Murdered
From the Paperback edition.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1994
1190 people are currently reading
7964 people want to read
About the author
Tess Gerritsen
202 books21.2k followersInternationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 997 reviews
March 17, 2016
Well, I can say I was disappointed. Very disappointed.
First let me say, the author has a note at the beginning that states that she wrote this book long ago (1994) and she updated it in 2008 for the times (republished in 2009). I'm not sure what times she updated it for because cell phones didn't exist and neither did caller id in her story. Both of which did in fact existed in 1994 & 2008 for that matter.
But outside of that, this book had many plot holes and a touch of insta love. The later I hate. But she straddled the line so much, that was the least of my worries. The plot holes bugged me. I'll list them in spoiler tags for those who plan to read and want to form your own opinion.
There were many others, but those are the first to come to mind.
Also, this book read like J.D. Robb's Eve Dallas series. Replace the cop with the medical examiner. You have the rich guy who helps solve the crime. The female lead has parent issues. Etc. Unfortunately, it read as a bad copy.
I will say that I wasn't bored just not sold on it. I wouldn't recommend. But don't take my word on it. Read and see what you think.
Rating 2.5 stars.
First let me say, the author has a note at the beginning that states that she wrote this book long ago (1994) and she updated it in 2008 for the times (republished in 2009). I'm not sure what times she updated it for because cell phones didn't exist and neither did caller id in her story. Both of which did in fact existed in 1994 & 2008 for that matter.
But outside of that, this book had many plot holes and a touch of insta love. The later I hate. But she straddled the line so much, that was the least of my worries. The plot holes bugged me. I'll list them in spoiler tags for those who plan to read and want to form your own opinion.
There were many others, but those are the first to come to mind.
Also, this book read like J.D. Robb's Eve Dallas series. Replace the cop with the medical examiner. You have the rich guy who helps solve the crime. The female lead has parent issues. Etc. Unfortunately, it read as a bad copy.
I will say that I wasn't bored just not sold on it. I wouldn't recommend. But don't take my word on it. Read and see what you think.
Rating 2.5 stars.
August 22, 2019
Tess Gerristen is one my favourite writers. As always, this book was a real page-turner. Unlike her other books, this stand alone thriller comprises not only a crime but also a romance. Though I'm not fond of romances, I liked this one very much, because the main line of the book was, in any case, an investigation, not a romance and this combination of both was very nicely presented. The plot was really very interesting, as in all her books. Well-deserved 5 starts :)
October 2, 2025
Romance, shmo-mance ... this is a perfectly enjoyable medical thriller!
Assistant coroner MJ Novak is terrified that she's discovered a lethal designer drug that the pushers have turned loose on the streets of her city. One death is just another footnote to big city life, a day-to-day drug overdose. The second death might constitute a coincidence. But three deaths are a full-blown epidemic with the promise of many more deaths to come if nothing is done about it. When Novak goes to the police and the mayor to alert the public, she's confronted with, at best, an uncaring administration that sees drug deaths as an entirely legal and convenient way to rid the streets of junkies, druggies, prostitutes, pot heads and low-lifes. At worst, Novak fears a potential conspiracy and cover-up of a drug leaked from research trials at a local pharmaceutical company.
The plot device of a sole practitioner, be it a GP, physician with hospital privileges, medical examiner, coroner or forensic pathologist, tilting against a corporation or government conspiracy is old hat (and, if I may say so, spectacularly overworked) for medical thrillers. But this is one of Tess Gerritsen's earliest works and, as such, can be accepted as a ground-breaking pioneer as opposed to a derivative copycat.
There is also the issue of the "romance". Other readers have suggested that this is a weakness that makes PEGGY SUE GOT MURDERED less successful. It's only my opinion, of course, but, for my money, the romantic interludes (well written without being the least bit Hollywood or syrupy) are entirely entertaining and make PEGGY SUE GOT MURDERED a perfectly legitimate contender for 4-stars even in today's crowded medical thriller field. I have to admit that I also like the fact that the ending is not in the least predictable.
Great job, Ms Gerritsen. I've been a fan for a long time and it was a treat to go back and fill the hole that I missed in your body of work. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
Assistant coroner MJ Novak is terrified that she's discovered a lethal designer drug that the pushers have turned loose on the streets of her city. One death is just another footnote to big city life, a day-to-day drug overdose. The second death might constitute a coincidence. But three deaths are a full-blown epidemic with the promise of many more deaths to come if nothing is done about it. When Novak goes to the police and the mayor to alert the public, she's confronted with, at best, an uncaring administration that sees drug deaths as an entirely legal and convenient way to rid the streets of junkies, druggies, prostitutes, pot heads and low-lifes. At worst, Novak fears a potential conspiracy and cover-up of a drug leaked from research trials at a local pharmaceutical company.
The plot device of a sole practitioner, be it a GP, physician with hospital privileges, medical examiner, coroner or forensic pathologist, tilting against a corporation or government conspiracy is old hat (and, if I may say so, spectacularly overworked) for medical thrillers. But this is one of Tess Gerritsen's earliest works and, as such, can be accepted as a ground-breaking pioneer as opposed to a derivative copycat.
There is also the issue of the "romance". Other readers have suggested that this is a weakness that makes PEGGY SUE GOT MURDERED less successful. It's only my opinion, of course, but, for my money, the romantic interludes (well written without being the least bit Hollywood or syrupy) are entirely entertaining and make PEGGY SUE GOT MURDERED a perfectly legitimate contender for 4-stars even in today's crowded medical thriller field. I have to admit that I also like the fact that the ending is not in the least predictable.
Great job, Ms Gerritsen. I've been a fan for a long time and it was a treat to go back and fill the hole that I missed in your body of work. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
September 25, 2025
This was Tess Gerritsen's first ever novel, and you could tell.
If I had read this one first, I would have loved it, but I've read most of her books now and I know what she is capable of.
Glad I read this, but I wouldn't rave about it.
Two stars.
If I had read this one first, I would have loved it, but I've read most of her books now and I know what she is capable of.
Glad I read this, but I wouldn't rave about it.
Two stars.
March 15, 2020
"They were relics from an earlier age, born of good intentions, but doomed by location and design".
Girl Missing by Tess Gerritsen
Originally entitled, "Peggy sue got murdered", this one was all right. I read it on a plane and it served its purpose. I finished it as we were landing!
It is a somewhat generic thriller about girls dying all over a town. There is a mystery drug involved and a lady trying to solve the case and some romantic entanglements. If I sound vague it is because I am. I actually read it a long time ago and never reviewed.
It is not a great read but perfect when aboard a plane for a long trip. Even though it is thriller territory, there is a nice little romance in there too so it is a combo of a mystery and chick lit.
They do get graphic when discussing the..um m..Corner's evidence. Actually very graphic . That was a bit off putting.
This book really strongly reminded me of a CSI episode which is not so bad if you are a CSI fan. I have read many worse books out there. This one held my interest but was not anything remarkable.
Girl Missing by Tess Gerritsen
Originally entitled, "Peggy sue got murdered", this one was all right. I read it on a plane and it served its purpose. I finished it as we were landing!
It is a somewhat generic thriller about girls dying all over a town. There is a mystery drug involved and a lady trying to solve the case and some romantic entanglements. If I sound vague it is because I am. I actually read it a long time ago and never reviewed.
It is not a great read but perfect when aboard a plane for a long trip. Even though it is thriller territory, there is a nice little romance in there too so it is a combo of a mystery and chick lit.
They do get graphic when discussing the..um m..Corner's evidence. Actually very graphic . That was a bit off putting.
This book really strongly reminded me of a CSI episode which is not so bad if you are a CSI fan. I have read many worse books out there. This one held my interest but was not anything remarkable.
April 11, 2014
In her introduction to this updated edition of the 1994 novel, Tess Gerritsen describes it as the bridge between those books she wrote that were more overtly romances and the more recent novels which are more aptly placed in the mystery/crime/thriller family. The link between this novel and her more famous books is the career of the protagonist of Girl Missing, that of Medical Examiner.
People are dying of an unknown drug, a powerful, apparently new, narcotic. Among the questions which confront Kat Novak, M.E. are what is the drug and where did it come from. Also --- how to stop it. But since it seems that junkies are dying, does anyone else care. The remaining part of the bridge of Gerritsen's romance days arises during Kat's investigation, in people, more specifically a person, she meets. It really is enveloped fully and well into the crime story.
While I have enjoyed Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles books somewhat more than this, They were written by a more developed writer and are also more fully in the mystery/crime genre I enjoy.
If Goodreads allowed that often-mentioned half star, I would rate this at 3.5.
An ecopy of an updated version of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for the purpose of review.
People are dying of an unknown drug, a powerful, apparently new, narcotic. Among the questions which confront Kat Novak, M.E. are what is the drug and where did it come from. Also --- how to stop it. But since it seems that junkies are dying, does anyone else care. The remaining part of the bridge of Gerritsen's romance days arises during Kat's investigation, in people, more specifically a person, she meets. It really is enveloped fully and well into the crime story.
While I have enjoyed Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles books somewhat more than this, They were written by a more developed writer and are also more fully in the mystery/crime genre I enjoy.
If Goodreads allowed that often-mentioned half star, I would rate this at 3.5.
An ecopy of an updated version of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for the purpose of review.
December 10, 2013
When I first requested this book from Edelweiss the title didn't seem familiar. At first I thought it was a new book outside the Rizzoli and Isles series. When I got settled down to read this book, I was surprised to find that I had read it before. Originally title "Peggy Sue Got Murdered" and published some time back, this reissue is now available in digital format and has been updated a little. If you never read this one- don't expect Rizzoli and Isles. I still think this one is a must for Tess Gerritsen fans. Below is my original review. Remember the book has been updated just a bit.
M.J's name has been changed to Kat in the new version.
Peggy Sue Got Murdered is a blast from the past. Published way back in 1994, this title and the cover of the paperback I have, makes this book look and sound like a cozy mystery. However, it is a serious mystery/romantic suspense novel by Tess Gerritsen, yes, THAT Tess Gerristen. The author best known for the wildly popular Rizzoli and Isles novels.
M.J is a medical examiner putting her life back together after a divorce from her politically ambitious husband. When a Jane Doe comes in with track marks on her arms, the obvious conclusion would be a drug overdose. But, when another body comes in and the toxicology report is read, it seems the drug that killed these women was not a street drug, but an experimental drug being tested.
One of the Jane Doe's had a matchbook in her possession that had a phone number written on it. M.J. calls the number on the off chance the person may be able to ID her Jane Doe.
Adam is stunned by the phone call. He drives to the medical examiner's office fearing the worse. But, when he sees the body, he is relieved he doesn't know the girl.
Adam is a very wealthy man, working for a pharmaceutical company. He is a widower with a missing step daughter. When the drug in question turns out to be from Adam's lab, M.J. doesn't know if she can trust Adam or not, despite the attraction she has for him.
The more M.J. digs into the deaths, the clearer it becomes that someone wants her to stop.
I picked this book up because it was an older title by a now really popular author. The cover of this book may be collectable. The book is a romantic suspense novel. The plot is very interesting and M.J. is a likeable character from the 'other side of the tracks'. She's a tough cookie, but hides a soft and fragile side behind the veneer.
This is a quick read and an enjoyable mystery with a little romance on the side. This one is a B.
M.J's name has been changed to Kat in the new version.
Peggy Sue Got Murdered is a blast from the past. Published way back in 1994, this title and the cover of the paperback I have, makes this book look and sound like a cozy mystery. However, it is a serious mystery/romantic suspense novel by Tess Gerritsen, yes, THAT Tess Gerristen. The author best known for the wildly popular Rizzoli and Isles novels.
M.J is a medical examiner putting her life back together after a divorce from her politically ambitious husband. When a Jane Doe comes in with track marks on her arms, the obvious conclusion would be a drug overdose. But, when another body comes in and the toxicology report is read, it seems the drug that killed these women was not a street drug, but an experimental drug being tested.
One of the Jane Doe's had a matchbook in her possession that had a phone number written on it. M.J. calls the number on the off chance the person may be able to ID her Jane Doe.
Adam is stunned by the phone call. He drives to the medical examiner's office fearing the worse. But, when he sees the body, he is relieved he doesn't know the girl.
Adam is a very wealthy man, working for a pharmaceutical company. He is a widower with a missing step daughter. When the drug in question turns out to be from Adam's lab, M.J. doesn't know if she can trust Adam or not, despite the attraction she has for him.
The more M.J. digs into the deaths, the clearer it becomes that someone wants her to stop.
I picked this book up because it was an older title by a now really popular author. The cover of this book may be collectable. The book is a romantic suspense novel. The plot is very interesting and M.J. is a likeable character from the 'other side of the tracks'. She's a tough cookie, but hides a soft and fragile side behind the veneer.
This is a quick read and an enjoyable mystery with a little romance on the side. This one is a B.
March 13, 2016
Girl Missing is the first Tess Gerritsen book I have ever read, and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. To be completely honest, it was much better than I expected. In the introduction to the book, Tess Gerritsen refers to this book as a bridge book between romance and crime. Having not read any of her other books I cannot compare this but I am willing to say that I am happily going back for more, to see what else she has to offer.
The story is highly addictive, so much so that I sat and read the book in one sitting. I kept telling myself to put it down and do something else for a while but each time I reached the end of a chapter I told myself ‘just one more’ until I reached the end of the book. Admittedly such a thing was aided by the fact that the book is short, but that does not remove the fact that it is a truly gripping story – if anything, it just makes it a nice quick read that you can complete in a couple of hours.
Both the criminal aspects and the romantic aspects were addictive – each in their own way. There is much to find out in relation to the crime, with Kat wanting to get to the bottom of the mystery even though the police seem somewhat unwilling. The deeper she looks the more to the mystery there appears to be. The romantic aspect seems like a somewhat cliché topic but it was much better written than many I have seen and whilst I’m not the biggest of romance fans I was certainly engrossed and there were no groans of protest when something overdone came to light. It is your usual rich guy finds girl who grew up in the lower income part of town who has made something for herself, but with more to it than you will find in many other books.
Now whilst I hate working out who is behind the crimes in book, and I did work this one out, I was not at all disappointed. Information, the links between events, is slowly given to you throughout the book. By the time you realise who is to blame the reveal is just around the corner meaning you are not working your way through another hundred pages of the characters being ten steps behind you. As it was not a case of working things out two chapters in, I can say that I’m glad to have found a crime book in which the answers were not screaming at me from the start.
Overall, I loved it!
The story is highly addictive, so much so that I sat and read the book in one sitting. I kept telling myself to put it down and do something else for a while but each time I reached the end of a chapter I told myself ‘just one more’ until I reached the end of the book. Admittedly such a thing was aided by the fact that the book is short, but that does not remove the fact that it is a truly gripping story – if anything, it just makes it a nice quick read that you can complete in a couple of hours.
Both the criminal aspects and the romantic aspects were addictive – each in their own way. There is much to find out in relation to the crime, with Kat wanting to get to the bottom of the mystery even though the police seem somewhat unwilling. The deeper she looks the more to the mystery there appears to be. The romantic aspect seems like a somewhat cliché topic but it was much better written than many I have seen and whilst I’m not the biggest of romance fans I was certainly engrossed and there were no groans of protest when something overdone came to light. It is your usual rich guy finds girl who grew up in the lower income part of town who has made something for herself, but with more to it than you will find in many other books.
Now whilst I hate working out who is behind the crimes in book, and I did work this one out, I was not at all disappointed. Information, the links between events, is slowly given to you throughout the book. By the time you realise who is to blame the reveal is just around the corner meaning you are not working your way through another hundred pages of the characters being ten steps behind you. As it was not a case of working things out two chapters in, I can say that I’m glad to have found a crime book in which the answers were not screaming at me from the start.
Overall, I loved it!
September 1, 2010
This book was terrible. It was advertised as a thriller. It might have been better advertised as "a pretty crappy thriller with pretty crappy romance parts, too." In Gerritsen's defense, she has noted that this was her first book when moving from the romance to thriller genre, but that isn't enough of a reason for this to be so bad. The writing is choppy and feels unnatural. The characters are flat and uninteresting. The situations they get in and many of the things that happen are downright unbelievable. This book was awful.
February 27, 2014
This book, previously published as Peggy Sue Got Murdered is the bridge book, where Tess Gerritsen went from writing romance to writing thrillers. There is still plenty of romance in this book, but if edge-of-your-seat thrill rides are your thing, then this book does not disappoint. The characters are so personable you actually feel as if you know them, The storyline is fresh, and it leaves you guessing until the very end.
January 20, 2020
A fast-paced enjoyable stand-alone read.
Popsugar 2020 challenge - a book with an upside-down image on cover
Popsugar 2020 challenge - a book with an upside-down image on cover
November 5, 2022
This was a fast-paced thriller about a slew of overdoes happening in an inner-city neighbourhood. I enjoyed the romantic aspect, appreciate the female lead, but really couldn’t get over all the stigmatic language used. I understand this was written quite a few years ago but the number of times I read “junkie” just wasn’t cool. Or the reasoning that they just wanted to get rid of the problem by killing the drug users??? I get that this is in fact many people’s mentalities, I just don’t really want to read about it. So just 3 stars for this one.
February 9, 2011
It was nice to read a Tess Gerritsen book that I haven't read yet. I've read all her stand-alone medical thrillers and all the books of the Rizzoli/Isles Series.
This was our February 2011 Group Read in the Tess Gerritsen Fans Group. If you're a Tess Gerritsen fan, we'd love to have you in the group :-)
I listened using the audiobook version. For some reason, the audio seems more readily available than the printed book. I enjoyed the story. I was a little hesitant about the romance aspect (this being Gerritsen's "bridge" from Romance to Crime Fiction) but it didn't overwhelm the story as a whole and I felt Tess did a fine job. I enjoyed the introduction read by the author as well the interview at the end - Tess has a great voice - she would be a great narrator herself :-)
Something I didn't like: It seemed to me that some information was changed/updated in the book/audio but other details were left. For example, the book was originally published in 1994. The characters stopped at payphones, had to be home to receive a call and Kat's ex-husband couldn't figure out how to program the VCR. Yet, there is a girl watching the popular Sponge Bob cartoon which did not debut until 1999. It was a bit inconsistent for me - it seems the story was set in 1994 but they decided to throw Sponge Bob in the story just because he's such a popular character. I don't like Sponge Bob so it really bothers me :-)
Also, there is no explanation whatsoever as to why this book was originally titled "Peggy Sue Got Murdered". Who in the hell is Peggy Sue?
This was our February 2011 Group Read in the Tess Gerritsen Fans Group. If you're a Tess Gerritsen fan, we'd love to have you in the group :-)
I listened using the audiobook version. For some reason, the audio seems more readily available than the printed book. I enjoyed the story. I was a little hesitant about the romance aspect (this being Gerritsen's "bridge" from Romance to Crime Fiction) but it didn't overwhelm the story as a whole and I felt Tess did a fine job. I enjoyed the introduction read by the author as well the interview at the end - Tess has a great voice - she would be a great narrator herself :-)
Something I didn't like: It seemed to me that some information was changed/updated in the book/audio but other details were left. For example, the book was originally published in 1994. The characters stopped at payphones, had to be home to receive a call and Kat's ex-husband couldn't figure out how to program the VCR. Yet, there is a girl watching the popular Sponge Bob cartoon which did not debut until 1999. It was a bit inconsistent for me - it seems the story was set in 1994 but they decided to throw Sponge Bob in the story just because he's such a popular character. I don't like Sponge Bob so it really bothers me :-)
Also, there is no explanation whatsoever as to why this book was originally titled "Peggy Sue Got Murdered". Who in the hell is Peggy Sue?
June 22, 2016
I had forgotten how easy this author was to read. And it was just what I felt like, so I found two others of hers and will read them soon!
March 9, 2021
This book was originally written in 1994. It was updated in 2014, but adding modern technology (like cell phones) doesn't help to overcome the problems I had with the plot and narrative.
I generally really like Gerritsen's books and I really noticed how her writing has become so much more sophisticated and intense over the years. This is not that book though.
There are quite a few plot holes. Kat is a medical examiner, although she plays armchair detective/cop through much of the story and not much in the way of medical examination goes on at all. There's an insta-love scenario that jumps from antagonism to "I love you" in the blink of an eye. And the mystery isn't much of a mystery. All in all, this book reads like the plot of an hourlong TV drama like CSI or Quincy and not like a well-developed mystery novel. I'd recommend giving this one a pass and reading Gerritsen's more current work.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
I generally really like Gerritsen's books and I really noticed how her writing has become so much more sophisticated and intense over the years. This is not that book though.
There are quite a few plot holes. Kat is a medical examiner, although she plays armchair detective/cop through much of the story and not much in the way of medical examination goes on at all. There's an insta-love scenario that jumps from antagonism to "I love you" in the blink of an eye. And the mystery isn't much of a mystery. All in all, this book reads like the plot of an hourlong TV drama like CSI or Quincy and not like a well-developed mystery novel. I'd recommend giving this one a pass and reading Gerritsen's more current work.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
January 11, 2020
Verhaal was wel oke! :-)
January 18, 2010
Girl Missing is the new revised version of Tess Gerritsen’s novel, Peggy Sue Got Murdered. I listed to the audio version of this book. In a brief interview with Tess herself, she describes this book as her bridge novel from romantic suspense to thriller.
Medical examiner Kate Novak works down in the morgue of a Boston hospital. Kate’s world is about to get turned upside down when the drugged out body of Jane Doe is rolled into her morgue. The only thing that the Jane Doe has to help Kate maybe identify her is a matchbook with a phone number in it.
Kate calls the phone number and leaves a message. Later an Adam Quantrel from a pharmaceutical company shows up at the morgue. He doesn’t recognize Jane Doe but Kate has a feeling that there is more to Adam than he is letting on. As more bodies show up, Kate will have to with Adam’s help figure out what is killing people before it is too late.
Girl Missing is the first romantic suspense thriller I have read by Tess Gerritsen. I have to say that I am more favorable to her darker, gruesome thrillers. Not to say that this book wasn’t bad but I just kept waiting for more intensity in the characters and story line and never got satisfied. I did liked Kate’s determination and drive to discover the truth no matter how risky the situation got. The story line seemed some what predicable. Also, I didn’t really feel the relationship between Kate and Adam. This book was read by Susan Erickson, which I felt she did a good job of trying to bring this book to life. Overall, I think I will stick to Tess Gerritsen’s thrillers.
Medical examiner Kate Novak works down in the morgue of a Boston hospital. Kate’s world is about to get turned upside down when the drugged out body of Jane Doe is rolled into her morgue. The only thing that the Jane Doe has to help Kate maybe identify her is a matchbook with a phone number in it.
Kate calls the phone number and leaves a message. Later an Adam Quantrel from a pharmaceutical company shows up at the morgue. He doesn’t recognize Jane Doe but Kate has a feeling that there is more to Adam than he is letting on. As more bodies show up, Kate will have to with Adam’s help figure out what is killing people before it is too late.
Girl Missing is the first romantic suspense thriller I have read by Tess Gerritsen. I have to say that I am more favorable to her darker, gruesome thrillers. Not to say that this book wasn’t bad but I just kept waiting for more intensity in the characters and story line and never got satisfied. I did liked Kate’s determination and drive to discover the truth no matter how risky the situation got. The story line seemed some what predicable. Also, I didn’t really feel the relationship between Kate and Adam. This book was read by Susan Erickson, which I felt she did a good job of trying to bring this book to life. Overall, I think I will stick to Tess Gerritsen’s thrillers.
June 2, 2010
While this plot kept me rivited there were a few things that were irritating. Kat Novak, the ME, is out on the streets tracking down info that lead to the murders of several lowlife citizens. In the process, her house gets blown up. Where are the police in all of this? Eating donuts. Lots of them. As a matter of fact, every time Det. Ratchet is mentioned he is eating, thinking about food or talking about food, with a description of how fat and disgusting he is tacked on just in case you missed what sort of sorry character he is. It was over and above cliche. And why is an ME doing all the investigative work? Make Kat Novak a police officer and give Ratchet some character, and Gerritsen would have had a pretty decent book.
December 27, 2014
REVIEW: GIRL MISSING by Tess Gerritsen
Originally published in 1994 and revised for this new edition, GIRL MISSING marks the transition between author Tess Gerritsen' s earlier romantic suspense novels, and crime thrillers. In this mystery, an acutely intuitive city Medical Examiner clues into a series of untimely deaths, that others refuse to view either as connected, or as homicides. But as ME Kat Novak proceeds, she is soon validated, by finding her own life newly endangered.
Originally published in 1994 and revised for this new edition, GIRL MISSING marks the transition between author Tess Gerritsen' s earlier romantic suspense novels, and crime thrillers. In this mystery, an acutely intuitive city Medical Examiner clues into a series of untimely deaths, that others refuse to view either as connected, or as homicides. But as ME Kat Novak proceeds, she is soon validated, by finding her own life newly endangered.
July 20, 2015
The author lists her book as more a romantic read with basic thriller elements, apparently before she went into full thriller mode with later, more well known books that she is famous for. I admit I was a bit cautious as I'm not into romance haha but I found it to be a fairly solid thriller nonetheless!
December 21, 2012
İlk başta söyleyeceğimşey şu: Edisyonu daha iyi olabilirdi.
Onun dışında yine katili tahmin edemedim. Güzel bir kurgu, fena olmayan karakterler, iyi diyaloglar. Kısacası sevdim kitabı, tavsiyemdir.
(Dikkat Spoiler: Ben Belediye Başkanı azmettirdi sanıyordum ama çok başkaymış )
January 24, 2020
Originally published as Peggy Sue Got Murdered. Gerritsen describes this book as a "bridge book" between romance and crime/mystery. The crime mystery part is fine, the romance is bleh; too much gazing into each others eyes and heart throbbing. I'm glad she switched to crime/mystery. Her Rizolli and Isles books are hard to beat.
January 14, 2019
I really enjoyed this! I read it so long ago that I forget everything about it except that I enjoyed it!
This was my first Tess Gerritsen book and I remember thinking I'd found a new author to get addicted to. I read another soon after, and have another sitting on my shelf.
I liked the medical angle, because it was a refreshing take for a crime novel.
Really must get around to reading the other one that's hiding on my shelf somewhere!
This was my first Tess Gerritsen book and I remember thinking I'd found a new author to get addicted to. I read another soon after, and have another sitting on my shelf.
I liked the medical angle, because it was a refreshing take for a crime novel.
Really must get around to reading the other one that's hiding on my shelf somewhere!
December 1, 2012
I love the Rizolli & Isles series so decided to read the rest of her work and I wasn't disappointed.
I wish she was more prolific I am running out of her books to read.
I wish she was more prolific I am running out of her books to read.
April 22, 2017
When you start this book be sure you have time to read it because it is difficult to put aside even for a minute.
July 19, 2023
Stand-alone novel that the author says is her transition from romance writer to thriller.
It was ok, I liked the mystery but wasn’t a fan of the characters or the romance. I was surprised that a medical coroner (with her super rich love interest) were going out and investigating instead of the detectives.
It was ok, I liked the mystery but wasn’t a fan of the characters or the romance. I was surprised that a medical coroner (with her super rich love interest) were going out and investigating instead of the detectives.
December 28, 2018
Wow, ein Buch, das vor Mittelmäßigkeit und Klischees nur so trotzt. Ich bin froh, dass das eher die Ausnahme bei Tess Gerritsen ist.
Das Buch ist schon ein paar Tage älter, aber man merkt ein wenig, dass es die Blaupause zur Rizzoli & Isles Reihe ist. Zumindest erinnert mich hier vieles an Dr. Isles.
Das Buch ist schon ein paar Tage älter, aber man merkt ein wenig, dass es die Blaupause zur Rizzoli & Isles Reihe ist. Zumindest erinnert mich hier vieles an Dr. Isles.
August 14, 2019
If her first thriller can be this good, then I wonder how the next ones will be...
Hope I will give them 5 stars 🤗.
Hope I will give them 5 stars 🤗.
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