What do you think?
Rate this book
Studentka
Istnieją dziesiątki sposobów, by się zabić. Frankie Loomis, detektyw bostońskiej policji, poznała już wszystkie. Kiedy jednak zaczyna badać sprawę tragicznego w skutkach upadku młodej dziewczyny z balkonu apartamentowca, instynkt podpowiada jej, że to nie było samobójstwo. Dlaczego w mieszkaniu zmarłej nie znaleziono telefonu komórkowego? Dlaczego atrakcyjna i zdolna Taryn Moore targnęła się na swoje życie, skoro właśnie miała rozpocząć wymarzone studia doktoranckie?
Podejrzenia padają na Liama, byłego chłopaka Taryn, ale policjantka ma również na oku przyjaciela dziewczyny, nieśmiałego Cody’ego, który skrycie podkochiwał się w studentce.
Wkrótce wychodzi na jaw mroczna strona Taryn, chorobliwa obsesja na punkcie związków i mężczyzn, którzy coś dla niej znaczyli. Czy ta niebezpieczna skłonność zagrażała innym, czy może najbardziej jej samej?
Podejrzenia padają na Liama, byłego chłopaka Taryn, ale policjantka ma również na oku przyjaciela dziewczyny, nieśmiałego Cody’ego, który skrycie podkochiwał się w studentce.
Wkrótce wychodzi na jaw mroczna strona Taryn, chorobliwa obsesja na punkcie związków i mężczyzn, którzy coś dla niej znaczyli. Czy ta niebezpieczna skłonność zagrażała innym, czy może najbardziej jej samej?
367 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2021
17931 people are currently reading
19122 people want to read
About the author
Tess Gerritsen
204 books21.1k 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,211 reviews
June 29, 2021
"women pay the price when their passions threaten men.”
― Tess Gerritsen, Choose Me
Choose Me
by Tess Gerritsen and Gary Braver
My review:
Have you ever had a book that showed hints of greatness?
Maybe the whole book wasn't a ten but elements of it were absolutely extraordinary? This is how I felt with "Choose me."
On the surface, the plot appears nothing more then the tragic tale of a young woman's fall from a window. Or was it a fall? Was it suicide? Could it have been murder? It is up to a stoic Police Officer by the name of Frankie to find out.
There is so much more crackling beneath the surface of this book. While it is seemingly your standard Police procedural mixed with some naughty "gone wrong" romance, there is more to it then that.
Choose me grapples with the question of passion. And sin. What happens when you play by the rules all your life? What happens when you think you are a good person-and then engage in behavior that until the moment you do it, you'd always thought was behavior that was beneath you?
There are elements of Shakespearean tragedy to "Choose me." You can see aspects of other great books as well. One of my favorite books in the world is called "Damage" by Josephine Hart and if you are lucky enough to have read that, you may understand what I am trying to tell you with "Choose me." Because this book reminded me so much of Damage.
It also reminded me of the book, "The Drowning girls". This was also a book I enjoyed greatly. Forbidden fruit is not a new theme in literature but when done well, it holds much power. I was mesmerized by aspects of Choose me.
And this book contains much Historical aspects as well. The themes of Greek Mythology are huge and as I am a fan of the subject, that appealed to me.
The characters are etched in shades of gray. No one character is all good or all bad, although at times that would not seem to be the case. And although my opinion will not be popular, there were times I felt for Taryn. Did I also at times despise her? Oh yes! But all of the characters are complex.
And so yes, the book was good. I would give it 3.5 stars. The reason I cannot go higher is because of the same problem that plagues many books. It simply became to unreal.
As we get closer to the end, many things happen that caused me to raise my eyebrows and shake my head in disbelief. The thing about great tragic books is that they never feel like books. But toward the end-well-for me anyway-this became very much like the standard thriller. Elements made no sense. Characters did things that were not needed. It started to feel like twists for the sake of twists. And by the end, I was a bit exhausted.
That doesn't mean I did not like the book. I did and would recommended it. But I didn't LOVE it. It would be more accurate to say I loved aspects of it.
SPOILERS:
I was actually glad John lived so I had no issue with that nor the fact that Maggie and Frankie became friends. My problem was the fact that John got shot in the first place. It was obviously done to move the plot along. I was let down, I'll admit. There wasn't any need for that. And making Charlie the one who shot him was bizarre.
Also I could not figure out what Cody's purpose in the book was. I felt like his whole arc changed very suddenly and I wish the end, where they're all in the house and bullets start ringing out could have been omitted. It should have been just an intense scene with John and Charlie.
It seems every book these days, has to have crazy stuff happen at the end and most people I know do not like that. It's a long time from Gone Girl. And the book is good enough on its own that no real twist was even needed. I will say I was pretty sure who did it from almost the beginning.
So, I would rate this a three although I wish GR would allow for .5 ratings. I'd recommend it but you have to suspend some disbelief as the book goes on.
― Tess Gerritsen, Choose Me
Choose Me
by Tess Gerritsen and Gary Braver
My review:
Have you ever had a book that showed hints of greatness?
Maybe the whole book wasn't a ten but elements of it were absolutely extraordinary? This is how I felt with "Choose me."
On the surface, the plot appears nothing more then the tragic tale of a young woman's fall from a window. Or was it a fall? Was it suicide? Could it have been murder? It is up to a stoic Police Officer by the name of Frankie to find out.
There is so much more crackling beneath the surface of this book. While it is seemingly your standard Police procedural mixed with some naughty "gone wrong" romance, there is more to it then that.
Choose me grapples with the question of passion. And sin. What happens when you play by the rules all your life? What happens when you think you are a good person-and then engage in behavior that until the moment you do it, you'd always thought was behavior that was beneath you?
There are elements of Shakespearean tragedy to "Choose me." You can see aspects of other great books as well. One of my favorite books in the world is called "Damage" by Josephine Hart and if you are lucky enough to have read that, you may understand what I am trying to tell you with "Choose me." Because this book reminded me so much of Damage.
It also reminded me of the book, "The Drowning girls". This was also a book I enjoyed greatly. Forbidden fruit is not a new theme in literature but when done well, it holds much power. I was mesmerized by aspects of Choose me.
And this book contains much Historical aspects as well. The themes of Greek Mythology are huge and as I am a fan of the subject, that appealed to me.
The characters are etched in shades of gray. No one character is all good or all bad, although at times that would not seem to be the case. And although my opinion will not be popular, there were times I felt for Taryn. Did I also at times despise her? Oh yes! But all of the characters are complex.
And so yes, the book was good. I would give it 3.5 stars. The reason I cannot go higher is because of the same problem that plagues many books. It simply became to unreal.
As we get closer to the end, many things happen that caused me to raise my eyebrows and shake my head in disbelief. The thing about great tragic books is that they never feel like books. But toward the end-well-for me anyway-this became very much like the standard thriller. Elements made no sense. Characters did things that were not needed. It started to feel like twists for the sake of twists. And by the end, I was a bit exhausted.
That doesn't mean I did not like the book. I did and would recommended it. But I didn't LOVE it. It would be more accurate to say I loved aspects of it.
SPOILERS:
I was actually glad John lived so I had no issue with that nor the fact that Maggie and Frankie became friends. My problem was the fact that John got shot in the first place. It was obviously done to move the plot along. I was let down, I'll admit. There wasn't any need for that. And making Charlie the one who shot him was bizarre.
Also I could not figure out what Cody's purpose in the book was. I felt like his whole arc changed very suddenly and I wish the end, where they're all in the house and bullets start ringing out could have been omitted. It should have been just an intense scene with John and Charlie.
It seems every book these days, has to have crazy stuff happen at the end and most people I know do not like that. It's a long time from Gone Girl. And the book is good enough on its own that no real twist was even needed. I will say I was pretty sure who did it from almost the beginning.
So, I would rate this a three although I wish GR would allow for .5 ratings. I'd recommend it but you have to suspend some disbelief as the book goes on.
October 5, 2020
When someone gives a thriller like CHOOSE ME a single star because of what appears to be a overly-sensitive complaint about the subject matter, doing so will simply make people want to read that book all the more. There is no such thing as "bad publicity" today. Controversy drives sales. Our planet is FILLED with fear, hate, and derisiveness among those rarified souls who CHOOSE to be "victimized" by whatever in art and commerce displeases them. Just look at the current state of political affairs in the United States as proof. There is a willing and thankful audience for EVERY SINGLE FORM of expression on a planet with nearly eight billion people on it (up from just three billion in 1960). I have read all of Gary Braver's books, and all are enlightening, thoroughly entertaining, and very cinematic in how they are written. I am very much looking forward to reading (and writing a more in-depth review of) CHOOSE ME, as purchased in a six-figure deal by Thomas & Mercer's editorial director Gracie Doyle (according to Publisher's Weekly). If a reputable publisher saw fit to publish CHOOSE ME, then the book must have quality and validity.
June 18, 2021
Over and over again I kept screaming at the characters not to do what they were about to do, but they never listened. Stupid people making bad decisions. But still the plot was interesting and surprising, and I enjoyed the read.
June 25, 2021
I didn't notice until I finished this book that it was co-written by Gary Braver. I suspect that this book was written primarily by Braver. The story centers on a 41-year-old English professor and a student who becomes obsessed with him. The professor does a number of very stupid things, and although you could blame to aggressive come ons from the female student, this man has been in academia long enough to know better.
I found the characterization of this student as brilliant and a genius to be ridiculous. The excerpts of her writing, and description of her themes were very pedestrian. It is ridiculous that within an hour of meeting a very prestigious female professor, this woman invites this student she just met to co-author a paper with her. That is something that would never happen in the real world. My complaint about this book is that the writer (who turned out to be writers-plural) seemed oblivious to the real world of academia. Then I read that Braver was a retired academic. I was incredulous. Where did he teach? In some remote hamlet far removed from the real world?
I could go on - there are a lot more things I found ridiculous, but this books doesn't merit more of my time.
I found the characterization of this student as brilliant and a genius to be ridiculous. The excerpts of her writing, and description of her themes were very pedestrian. It is ridiculous that within an hour of meeting a very prestigious female professor, this woman invites this student she just met to co-author a paper with her. That is something that would never happen in the real world. My complaint about this book is that the writer (who turned out to be writers-plural) seemed oblivious to the real world of academia. Then I read that Braver was a retired academic. I was incredulous. Where did he teach? In some remote hamlet far removed from the real world?
I could go on - there are a lot more things I found ridiculous, but this books doesn't merit more of my time.
May 29, 2021
Tess Gerritsen is one of my all-time favorite authors, and no one delivers smart, layered, expertly crafted thrillers quite like hers. In CHOOSE ME, teamed up with stellar thriller writer Gary Braver, Gerritsen is at the very top of her game. Don’t miss this edgy, twisting, rocket-paced story of marriage, betrayal, and the damage we do to each other in the name of love.
May 16, 2021
As seen on www.mysteryandsuspense.com
Expected publication date: July 1, 2021
Bestselling author Tess Gerritsen teams up with author Gary Braver for the pulse-pounding, heart-stopping novel, “Choose Me”.
Taryn Moore is a young co-ed, working toward her graduate thesis, with a bright future ahead of her. So when Detective Frankie Loomis is called to investigate Taryn’s possible suicide, it raises red flags. After speaking to Taryn’s close friends and family, they, along with most of the police force, believe it’s possible that Taryn killed herself. But when Frankie finds out that Taryn was pregnant, she starts to think something more sinister happened to the young college student. When another big secret of Taryn’s is revealed, Frankie knows she’s on the right track and soon Frankie and her partner, Mac, are turning over every corner of Taryn’s life- and not everyone likes what they find.
“Choose Me” is a domestic suspense novel, combined with a gripping police procedural. The novel is narrated from the perspective of Taryn, Frankie, and Jack (Taryn’s college professor), and is also told in reverse order, with Taryn’s death as the opening scene, and working backwards. As each character and time segment was clearly labeled and it was easily to identify when and who was speaking, I found this style added to the plot, and served to pull me deeper into the story.
Taryn’s focus of her college graduate thesis is the theme of scorned women in literature. Jack, her professor of English, also relies heavily in his teachings on the theme of women across literature who have paid the price for their passions. As an English literature fan, this was interesting enough on its own, but of course, this same theme ran not-so-subtly through “Choose Me”, which made the novel both relevant and thought-provoking. The entire theme of women paying the consequences for their feelings towards men is rampant throughout this novel, and it added realism to the twisty, unpredictable plot.
Taryn wasn’t extremely likable, but she did emit a sense of empathy. Jack, too, had his own charms underneath his fallibility, as he struggled with being a young college professor trying to start a family with his successful physician wife. Every character had their likable traits, and yet also managed to be equally unlikable, which made them intensely realistic and honest.
Each chapter ended with a page-turner that pulled me right in, and I wanted to devour this book from page one. The ending answered all the right questions, and delivered the satisfying conclusion I was hoping for. An emotionally charged page-turner that will definitely keep readers guessing, “Choose Me” has all of the twists and turns in the right places. Gerritsen and Braver are definitely the co-writing dynamic duo to look out for!
Expected publication date: July 1, 2021
Bestselling author Tess Gerritsen teams up with author Gary Braver for the pulse-pounding, heart-stopping novel, “Choose Me”.
Taryn Moore is a young co-ed, working toward her graduate thesis, with a bright future ahead of her. So when Detective Frankie Loomis is called to investigate Taryn’s possible suicide, it raises red flags. After speaking to Taryn’s close friends and family, they, along with most of the police force, believe it’s possible that Taryn killed herself. But when Frankie finds out that Taryn was pregnant, she starts to think something more sinister happened to the young college student. When another big secret of Taryn’s is revealed, Frankie knows she’s on the right track and soon Frankie and her partner, Mac, are turning over every corner of Taryn’s life- and not everyone likes what they find.
“Choose Me” is a domestic suspense novel, combined with a gripping police procedural. The novel is narrated from the perspective of Taryn, Frankie, and Jack (Taryn’s college professor), and is also told in reverse order, with Taryn’s death as the opening scene, and working backwards. As each character and time segment was clearly labeled and it was easily to identify when and who was speaking, I found this style added to the plot, and served to pull me deeper into the story.
Taryn’s focus of her college graduate thesis is the theme of scorned women in literature. Jack, her professor of English, also relies heavily in his teachings on the theme of women across literature who have paid the price for their passions. As an English literature fan, this was interesting enough on its own, but of course, this same theme ran not-so-subtly through “Choose Me”, which made the novel both relevant and thought-provoking. The entire theme of women paying the consequences for their feelings towards men is rampant throughout this novel, and it added realism to the twisty, unpredictable plot.
Taryn wasn’t extremely likable, but she did emit a sense of empathy. Jack, too, had his own charms underneath his fallibility, as he struggled with being a young college professor trying to start a family with his successful physician wife. Every character had their likable traits, and yet also managed to be equally unlikable, which made them intensely realistic and honest.
Each chapter ended with a page-turner that pulled me right in, and I wanted to devour this book from page one. The ending answered all the right questions, and delivered the satisfying conclusion I was hoping for. An emotionally charged page-turner that will definitely keep readers guessing, “Choose Me” has all of the twists and turns in the right places. Gerritsen and Braver are definitely the co-writing dynamic duo to look out for!
April 19, 2021
The book was well written and compelling, but I couldn’t get over some of the offensive aspects. The book was fatphobic, problematic, and disturbing considering it was written by a college English professor. There were multiple tirades against “political correctness” and trigger warnings. After reading this book, I will make sure to not take a class with this professor.
January 1, 2022
I must have Picked this up as an Amazon first reads as it was only published in July 2021. It was a bit of a departure for Gerritsen.
When the smashed body of 22 year old student Taryn Moore is found on the pavement outside her 5th floor apartment it looks like a cut and dried suicide. There were plenty of witnesses who commented on her break-up with boyfriend Liam and how she unravelled afterwards - not letting go until she embarrassed herself with a scene at a restaurant where Liam was dining with his new girlfriend. Hundreds of texts and unanswered phone calls support this.
But when the autopsy finds that Taryn was pregnant and detectives go back through her apartment with luminol it is clear that this was no suicide. There are bloody drag marks from the living room to the balcony.
What detectives learn is a story of obsessive possession which Taryn shifted from Liam to her English professor Jack Dorian. He had encouraged her writing and supported her and then she seduced the married professor. He eventually admits the affair, but did he kill her? I didn’t like any of the characters. Taryn was freaky obsessive, Jack was weak and the others, we’ll let’s just say that Taryn brought out the worst in them.
3.5 rounded down.
When the smashed body of 22 year old student Taryn Moore is found on the pavement outside her 5th floor apartment it looks like a cut and dried suicide. There were plenty of witnesses who commented on her break-up with boyfriend Liam and how she unravelled afterwards - not letting go until she embarrassed herself with a scene at a restaurant where Liam was dining with his new girlfriend. Hundreds of texts and unanswered phone calls support this.
But when the autopsy finds that Taryn was pregnant and detectives go back through her apartment with luminol it is clear that this was no suicide. There are bloody drag marks from the living room to the balcony.
What detectives learn is a story of obsessive possession which Taryn shifted from Liam to her English professor Jack Dorian. He had encouraged her writing and supported her and then she seduced the married professor. He eventually admits the affair, but did he kill her? I didn’t like any of the characters. Taryn was freaky obsessive, Jack was weak and the others, we’ll let’s just say that Taryn brought out the worst in them.
3.5 rounded down.
September 13, 2025
Took me a while to read this book not cause it was a struggle it was because I had a lot going on.
Tess gerritson has joined up on a book where usually it’s her own work.
A young student is dead was it suicide or foul play??
Goes from one character to the next to finally get to the truth what or who is to blame.
A smart girl is she a stalker? Has life got to bad for her?
Her circumstances has changed getting evolved with a married teacher where is this going to lead to,teacher and student should not mix what’s going to happen now ??? Who’s to blame??
A great stand alone from tess gerritsen when she usually does stories with Rizzoli and Isles
Tess gerritson has joined up on a book where usually it’s her own work.
A young student is dead was it suicide or foul play??
Goes from one character to the next to finally get to the truth what or who is to blame.
A smart girl is she a stalker? Has life got to bad for her?
Her circumstances has changed getting evolved with a married teacher where is this going to lead to,teacher and student should not mix what’s going to happen now ??? Who’s to blame??
A great stand alone from tess gerritsen when she usually does stories with Rizzoli and Isles
June 2, 2021
I was so disappointed in this book. I thought as it was Tess Gerritsen it would be like her others which I’ve enjoyed in the past. Unfortunately although it started off well I didn’t like the way the characters behaved I it. Also, at times, I found it confusing. It’s such a shame but, im hopeful that her next book will be back to her previous novels.
November 2, 2021
Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 4 Stars
Story - 4 Stars
October 7, 2021
„Piekło nie zna takiej furii” – tak brzmiał tytuł eseju literackiego, który tworzyła tytułowa studentka. Eseju o szaleństwie, kobiecej rozpaczy, drapieżnej zemście. Za jej opowieścią Tess Gerritsen i Gary Braver snują opowieść starą jak świat, wciąż jednak niezmiennie aktualną, bez względu na mijające lata. Młoda dziewczyna, uczelniane pokusy i obietnice bez pokrycia. To, co najbardziej zwraca w „Studentce” uwagę to wątek uwiedzionych i porzuconych kobiet, strzaskanych marzeń, zawiedzionych nadziei. Gerritsen i Braver stworzyli niezwykle przejmujący portret dziewczyny, która pragnęła miłości, a odnalazła tylko śmierć.
Tess Gerritsen w stonowanym wydaniu, pośród akademickich sal i największych dzieł literatury światowej – czyta się z prawdziwą zachłannością. Chociaż autorka w duecie z Garym Braverem nieco łagodnieje, proponując kryminał z wątkiem obyczajowym, zagadkę z literackim twistem, to jej finał wcale nie daje ukojenia.
Tess Gerritsen w stonowanym wydaniu, pośród akademickich sal i największych dzieł literatury światowej – czyta się z prawdziwą zachłannością. Chociaż autorka w duecie z Garym Braverem nieco łagodnieje, proponując kryminał z wątkiem obyczajowym, zagadkę z literackim twistem, to jej finał wcale nie daje ukojenia.
June 3, 2021
It’s been ages since I’ve read a book by this author even though I once was a huge fan. Choose Me was a Prime First Reads selection for June and since it is a stand alone I thought I’d give it a try. I’m quite glad that I did. Choose Me is a straight forward police procedural and I loved the characters, not necessarily their actions but the characters themselves. I especially related to Franke , the lead detective on the case. She has a past, yes, but she isn’t laden down with so many of the typical detective character flaws and, most importantly, she’s “middle aged” (gasp) I can only hope this is the beginning of a new series collaboration between these two authors so that this isn’t the last we see of Franke and Mac
ETA - this overweight progressive feminist had no issues with this book and I’d love to take a writing course with either author any damn day of the year. Geez people.
ETA - this overweight progressive feminist had no issues with this book and I’d love to take a writing course with either author any damn day of the year. Geez people.
June 17, 2021
I wouldn’t have minded that I figured out who did it if the path to the end was interesting or framed “hot for teacher”differently. Instead, I’m left wondering what I’m missing amongst all these five star and four star reviews. I thought the ending was weird too, “vibrant, young woman”? Huh? This woman was slowly checking off all the signs of an abusive partner that is escalating towards a violent/fatal encounter.
I wouldn’t recommend this for purchase. It’s just a simplistic journey through stalking and an affair.
I wouldn’t recommend this for purchase. It’s just a simplistic journey through stalking and an affair.
June 16, 2021
I could not put this book down! I went in completely blind. I'm finding more and more often that's the way to go. At least for me anyways :)
Choose Me was excellent! Very well written and the storyline had me hooked. Plus, it's twisty which I love! I thought I had it all figured out ... not even close. Extra stars for that!! The character development is on point and I found the characters to be very believable.
This was a win for me! Huge thank you to MBC Books and Thomas and Mercer for my gifted copy!
Choose Me was excellent! Very well written and the storyline had me hooked. Plus, it's twisty which I love! I thought I had it all figured out ... not even close. Extra stars for that!! The character development is on point and I found the characters to be very believable.
This was a win for me! Huge thank you to MBC Books and Thomas and Mercer for my gifted copy!
June 11, 2021
Cliched and predictable
This is not much of a mystery, and its predictability and 2-dimensional characters make reading this painfully tedious. my advice: don't waste your valuable time.
This is not much of a mystery, and its predictability and 2-dimensional characters make reading this painfully tedious. my advice: don't waste your valuable time.
October 5, 2021
Tess, is this a cry for help? Have you been kidnapped and are trying to signal us? What was this crap?! The storyline was just gross and all of the characters were ridiculously awful humans and completely unlikeable.
August 28, 2021
2.5 stars - for (don’t) Choose Me.
There are a number of factors I struggled with in this novel. 1) it didn’t sound or read like a Gerritsen 2) I hated the characters- I didn’t care for any of the main players. 3) areas that could’ve made a difference to the depth of the story (eg police investigation) hindered rather than helped.
I was so excited to see a new Gerritsen but ultimately I was left underwhelmed and unmoved by this read.
There are a number of factors I struggled with in this novel. 1) it didn’t sound or read like a Gerritsen 2) I hated the characters- I didn’t care for any of the main players. 3) areas that could’ve made a difference to the depth of the story (eg police investigation) hindered rather than helped.
I was so excited to see a new Gerritsen but ultimately I was left underwhelmed and unmoved by this read.
July 10, 2021
Fatal Attraction
I received this book as an Amazon Prime First Reads and wasn't sure I would be pleased with my choice. Happily I can say I am glad of my selection. A college professor that feels neglected by his wife, a beautiful but obsessed student, mix in a crime and suddenly there is a myriad of possibilities of a well written who done it.
I received this book as an Amazon Prime First Reads and wasn't sure I would be pleased with my choice. Happily I can say I am glad of my selection. A college professor that feels neglected by his wife, a beautiful but obsessed student, mix in a crime and suddenly there is a myriad of possibilities of a well written who done it.
July 8, 2021
Wow, this is a great, taut, twisty tale! It’s one of those books you literally can’t put down unless forced, forced by life not, like, forced by a robber or something. I’d ask the robber to wait, but life forced me into taking a few days to finish it.
I felt stressed and tense the whole time reading this book. It’s like being on a rollercoaster, you can see some curves coming but you still scream. It felt like that to me. The past and present chapters pulled you in with a death grip, by the last chapters I was reading so fast I was skimming and forced myself to simmer down and go back and read it. Seriously, this book is GOOD! The ending is a bit outlandish, I guess, but I liked it. It worked for me. Five big chunky, twinkly 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me.
Here’s my one complaint, I loathe cover art like this. They make every thriller seem cheap and unserious. This is a superb thriller and the cheesy cover doesn’t do it justice. Weak complaint, but these face covers bug me. 🤷🏼♀️
I felt stressed and tense the whole time reading this book. It’s like being on a rollercoaster, you can see some curves coming but you still scream. It felt like that to me. The past and present chapters pulled you in with a death grip, by the last chapters I was reading so fast I was skimming and forced myself to simmer down and go back and read it. Seriously, this book is GOOD! The ending is a bit outlandish, I guess, but I liked it. It worked for me. Five big chunky, twinkly 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me.
Here’s my one complaint, I loathe cover art like this. They make every thriller seem cheap and unserious. This is a superb thriller and the cheesy cover doesn’t do it justice. Weak complaint, but these face covers bug me. 🤷🏼♀️
June 13, 2021
At best, this one is an intriguing meld of literary lovers with real life - at least in the eyes of a totally unhinged college student who's totally fixated on her self-absorbed college professor. At worst, it's a sometimes contrived story with characters their mothers would find hard to love.
It begins with the apparent suicide of brilliant college student Taryn Moore, a case investigated by 34-year veteran detective Frankie Loomis of the Boston Police Department. Although it looks like an open-and-shut case, when an autopsy reveals the woman was pregnant, Frankie begins to have second thoughts. From there, scenes shift in time frame and character perspective, with each adding details that help readers understand how and why her death came about and who was responsible.
As a student, Taryn is extremely gifted; one of her passions is what she believes are incorrect "slants" on literary couples such as Romeo and Juliet that favor the male side of the equation. To that end, she believes that love is forever - no matter what - so she goes off the deep end when she personally experiences what she considers an unforgivable betrayal. Left with no one to smother with her undying love, she quickly latches on to the one male who encourages her and sings her praises - her English professor. He's married to and still in love with a beautiful, but extremely busy, medical doctor; can he resist Taryn's obvious charms and unrelenting pleas for his attention? And if he can't, what will happen to his marriage and his career?
Well, whether he caves or not is for me to know and other readers to find out. All I'll say is it's a not-so-merry chase for Frankie to ferret out the truth once the determination of murder is made. Clues are dropped here and there that arouse readers' suspicions as to whodunit, but it's not until close to the end that the truth emerges (for the record, initially I guessed wrong). The epilogue is relatively satisfying for all concerned, I suppose, although it seemed a little too rushed. And although it seemed the authors went to great lengths to rationalize Taryn's behavior (and most of her opinions on the distaff side of those aforementioned literary lovers were astute), I never for one second considered her anything but mentally ill - this coming from a card-carrying feminist. And as a bit of an aside, after I finished it I learned that the male co-author really is a college English professor and really does teach a class like the one taught here by fictional professor Jack Dorian. Writers are often counseled to stick to what they know most about, but in this instance, I'm hoping that the more lurid details were fabricated.
Overall, though? It's a fast-paced, engaging story that held my attention from beginning to end.
It begins with the apparent suicide of brilliant college student Taryn Moore, a case investigated by 34-year veteran detective Frankie Loomis of the Boston Police Department. Although it looks like an open-and-shut case, when an autopsy reveals the woman was pregnant, Frankie begins to have second thoughts. From there, scenes shift in time frame and character perspective, with each adding details that help readers understand how and why her death came about and who was responsible.
As a student, Taryn is extremely gifted; one of her passions is what she believes are incorrect "slants" on literary couples such as Romeo and Juliet that favor the male side of the equation. To that end, she believes that love is forever - no matter what - so she goes off the deep end when she personally experiences what she considers an unforgivable betrayal. Left with no one to smother with her undying love, she quickly latches on to the one male who encourages her and sings her praises - her English professor. He's married to and still in love with a beautiful, but extremely busy, medical doctor; can he resist Taryn's obvious charms and unrelenting pleas for his attention? And if he can't, what will happen to his marriage and his career?
Well, whether he caves or not is for me to know and other readers to find out. All I'll say is it's a not-so-merry chase for Frankie to ferret out the truth once the determination of murder is made. Clues are dropped here and there that arouse readers' suspicions as to whodunit, but it's not until close to the end that the truth emerges (for the record, initially I guessed wrong). The epilogue is relatively satisfying for all concerned, I suppose, although it seemed a little too rushed. And although it seemed the authors went to great lengths to rationalize Taryn's behavior (and most of her opinions on the distaff side of those aforementioned literary lovers were astute), I never for one second considered her anything but mentally ill - this coming from a card-carrying feminist. And as a bit of an aside, after I finished it I learned that the male co-author really is a college English professor and really does teach a class like the one taught here by fictional professor Jack Dorian. Writers are often counseled to stick to what they know most about, but in this instance, I'm hoping that the more lurid details were fabricated.
Overall, though? It's a fast-paced, engaging story that held my attention from beginning to end.
January 11, 2022
I've been in a slump so far this year so I decided to try a new-to-me author and something different than my usual. So it seemed perfect when this book came up on my Amazon recommendations. Tess Gerritsen is a big name in the mystery world and I've heard a lot of great things about her. But honestly from this book I just don't see the hype.
One of my bigger issues was that there was just way too much going on. With all the drama it was like the actual point of the story (well what I assumed it was) was never focused on. What happened to Taryn? Was it suicide or did someone kill her. And if so, who? Those questions felt pushed to the background even as the story moved forward. Sure, getting to know the characters is part of the mystery of finding out what happened, but that just wasn't the way this book felt. It felt more like it was focused on drama that just happened to end with a dead character.
As for the characters, I didn't find any of them likable. Maybe that was the point, but it made it really hard to continue at times. Especially with Taryn who became increasingly more unlikable the further into the story I read. She was all over the place, stalking her ex, acting like they were still together at times, and then dropping her "love" for him the second she decided she was in love with her professor. The professor who, of course, is feeling unloved in his marriage since his wife doesn't make time for him so he gives in to the college student that's fawning all over him. It was all very cliche.
Pretty much every character could have fit in some overdone stereotype which was more than a little eye roll inducing. Taryn wasn't that interesting of a character and actually would have preferred the story focus more on the aftermath of her death. But that was barely shown and made it feel out of place when we did see part of the investigation from the Detectives POV. Especially when things were hinted at about Frankie's personal life but then not even mentioned again until very close to the end. What was the point of adding in anything about her if she was barely a main character? Add in the rushed ending that felt thrown together and an epilogue that seemed very out of place and there's no way I can rate this higher than 2 stars.
One of my bigger issues was that there was just way too much going on. With all the drama it was like the actual point of the story (well what I assumed it was) was never focused on. What happened to Taryn? Was it suicide or did someone kill her. And if so, who? Those questions felt pushed to the background even as the story moved forward. Sure, getting to know the characters is part of the mystery of finding out what happened, but that just wasn't the way this book felt. It felt more like it was focused on drama that just happened to end with a dead character.
As for the characters, I didn't find any of them likable. Maybe that was the point, but it made it really hard to continue at times. Especially with Taryn who became increasingly more unlikable the further into the story I read. She was all over the place, stalking her ex, acting like they were still together at times, and then dropping her "love" for him the second she decided she was in love with her professor. The professor who, of course, is feeling unloved in his marriage since his wife doesn't make time for him so he gives in to the college student that's fawning all over him. It was all very cliche.
Pretty much every character could have fit in some overdone stereotype which was more than a little eye roll inducing. Taryn wasn't that interesting of a character and actually would have preferred the story focus more on the aftermath of her death. But that was barely shown and made it feel out of place when we did see part of the investigation from the Detectives POV. Especially when things were hinted at about Frankie's personal life but then not even mentioned again until very close to the end. What was the point of adding in anything about her if she was barely a main character? Add in the rushed ending that felt thrown together and an epilogue that seemed very out of place and there's no way I can rate this higher than 2 stars.
June 1, 2021
Well Written, But Makes Me Uncomfortable
This book is co-written by two authors, Tess Gerritsen and Gary Braver, which is a nom de plume for an English professor at Northeastern University, Gary Goshgarian. As this story takes place at that university and is about a murdered female English major who had an inappropriate relationship with her professor… there is something very creepy about having an English professor from that university as a co-author.
At least to me.
I found the book itself an interesting read, aside from this creep factor. The authors chose to lead with the young woman’s death and work backward, from the perspectives of the student, the professor, and the detective investigating her death. The authors did a good job having the student’s thesis mirroring the theme of the book, with echoes of the #MeToo movement thrown in for good measure. I didn’t particularly like Taryn (the student), yet the authors are skilled enough to make her empathetic despite this. Chapters ended on mini-cliffhangers, propelling the story forward.
But, given the subject matter, location, and the profession of one of the co-authors, I couldn’t quite get past the “ick” factor.
I was given this as an ARC, but that did not affect my review.
This book is co-written by two authors, Tess Gerritsen and Gary Braver, which is a nom de plume for an English professor at Northeastern University, Gary Goshgarian. As this story takes place at that university and is about a murdered female English major who had an inappropriate relationship with her professor… there is something very creepy about having an English professor from that university as a co-author.
At least to me.
I found the book itself an interesting read, aside from this creep factor. The authors chose to lead with the young woman’s death and work backward, from the perspectives of the student, the professor, and the detective investigating her death. The authors did a good job having the student’s thesis mirroring the theme of the book, with echoes of the #MeToo movement thrown in for good measure. I didn’t particularly like Taryn (the student), yet the authors are skilled enough to make her empathetic despite this. Chapters ended on mini-cliffhangers, propelling the story forward.
But, given the subject matter, location, and the profession of one of the co-authors, I couldn’t quite get past the “ick” factor.
I was given this as an ARC, but that did not affect my review.
July 13, 2021
I usually enjoy Tess Gerritsen, and I really enjoyed her The Surgeon and some of her Rizzoli and Isles series, so I can't say how disappointed I was in this book. What happened? The main character was unlikeable right from the start, the dialogue was stilted and immature, and the story line was predictable. My main beef was the feeling I had read it before, because the plot was such a retread. This read wasn’t terrible, just kinda boring. I actually finished it because I wanted to see if I had guessed the end correctly. I had - another disappointment. Something else that bothered me was the fact that not a single character was remotely likeable.
July 1, 2021
4.0 ⭐. Heb dit boek eigenlijk heel snel gelezen. De schrijfstijl was heel prettig en ik wilde bij elk hoofdstuk toch weer verder lezen. Einde was mwah. Maar toch heb ik genoten van dit verhaal.
July 5, 2021
DNF
Hated everyone in this book. They're all shallow and self-absorbed. Couldn't find anyone to root for, and at 20%, I give up.
Hated everyone in this book. They're all shallow and self-absorbed. Couldn't find anyone to root for, and at 20%, I give up.
June 8, 2021
Greatly enjoyed this one. I've never heard of Gary before but have read Tess's books. This was one of the Kindle First offerings and sounded right up my street and it was. Taryn is a proper madzer and I found her extremely unlikeable altogether and even made a note as I read, "no wonder someone did her in" !! Certainly the professor really knew this at heart, but like many men he was led by his libido before sorely regretting it ! Must say I had little sympathy for him most of the time. I liked Maggie and Charlie and their relationship was a super one.
I actually guessed who'd done what in this book which is extremely rare for me but no matter, it doesn't spoil the story. I had expected to be wrong, anyhow ! And I totally agreed with what the killer stated near the end that Frankie disagreed with....the story itself wasn't anything too new or nothing we've not heard/seen before but it was written very well indeed and kept my interest the whole way.
It's also not full of errors, either, which makes a splendid change these days. Oxford and Luminol both needed capitalising but that was all I spotted. Loved the cover as well on my version.
I actually guessed who'd done what in this book which is extremely rare for me but no matter, it doesn't spoil the story. I had expected to be wrong, anyhow ! And I totally agreed with what the killer stated near the end that Frankie disagreed with....the story itself wasn't anything too new or nothing we've not heard/seen before but it was written very well indeed and kept my interest the whole way.
It's also not full of errors, either, which makes a splendid change these days. Oxford and Luminol both needed capitalising but that was all I spotted. Loved the cover as well on my version.
December 9, 2022
Bardzo wciągająca, do tego świetnie poprowadzona fabuła. Bardzo mi się podobała całościowo.
Główna bohaterka jest fascynująca jeśli chodzi o śledzenie jej perspektywy. Jej osobowość, spojrzenie na różne sprawy i manipulacje.
Ogólnie motyw zdradzonej miłości był bardzo fajnie wpleciony w całą fabułę. Podobało mi się też to, że książka jest feministyczna.
Różne smaczki, które bardzo mi się podobały np. świetnie jest ukazane, jak osoba skrywająca tajemnice plącze się i ma wrażenie, że wszyscy wiedzą albo jak poprawność polityczna na amerykańskich uczelniach potrafi ocierać się o granice absurdu.
Główna bohaterka jest fascynująca jeśli chodzi o śledzenie jej perspektywy. Jej osobowość, spojrzenie na różne sprawy i manipulacje.
Ogólnie motyw zdradzonej miłości był bardzo fajnie wpleciony w całą fabułę. Podobało mi się też to, że książka jest feministyczna.
Różne smaczki, które bardzo mi się podobały np. świetnie jest ukazane, jak osoba skrywająca tajemnice plącze się i ma wrażenie, że wszyscy wiedzą albo jak poprawność polityczna na amerykańskich uczelniach potrafi ocierać się o granice absurdu.
June 19, 2021
This was an Amazon Prime First Read and I have a horrible track record with liking the books I get through this program. I almost abandoned this one early on but decided to give it another 50 pages before I decided. At that point, I was far enough in to see it through. It was not terrible and it was, as promised, as a page-turner to figure it out. However, I didn't really like the way Taryn was portrayed, and I never really rooting for anyone. I just wanted to know how it ended.
October 5, 2022
Choose me was a huge disappointment! I thought Tess Gerritsen is a sure thing, but man was I wrong. The first chapter should have been my warning, suicide was handled all wrong – stigmatising and like something preventable if only one is strong enough to fight. Nope!
I though it couldn’t get much worse after this, but it did! A lovesick girl, stalking her former lover, while suddenly turning genius and . It cannot get more ridiculous and absurd than this I started to skim after 39% and even reading one sentence per page, I did not miss any plotlines to fully get the ending (read the last 5% normally). I can only imagine, that this was mostly written by the co-author. Do not choose this!
I though it couldn’t get much worse after this, but it did! A lovesick girl, stalking her former lover, while suddenly turning genius and . It cannot get more ridiculous and absurd than this I started to skim after 39% and even reading one sentence per page, I did not miss any plotlines to fully get the ending (read the last 5% normally). I can only imagine, that this was mostly written by the co-author. Do not choose this!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,211 reviews