Customer Reviews

The Mephisto Club: A Novel

5 star:		(72)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I came across this book randomly while I was waiting for another book to be shipped to me from Amazon. I didn't know that this was part of the Isles/Rizzoli series, I just thought the descriptions of it sounded good and thought I'd pick it up. The whole time I was reading this book I kept going back and forth trying to guess the outcome of the plot and whenever I thought I was pretty sure it would be one thing, I'd come across something that would lead me to flip flop on that assumption. The whole book is engrossing and every chance I got I wanted to read to find out if my guesses were right.

Also, another huge plus of this book is that the protagonists/main characters are real people with real problems. Unlike a lot of other mystery/thriller books, the main characters here have both triumphs in whatever they're trying to figure out/accomplish, as well as major life problems that have potentially enormouos conseqences.

I recommend this book full-heartedly and will certainly pick up on the rest of Gerristen's novels.

This book really pulled me in and I found it hard to put down. I contemplated many times who the 'bad guy' was going to be. I was so looking forward to the finale to find out which of the characters was doing all the dirty deeds!

But then - arrrrgh - not another book that has such a wonderful overall plot and then fizzles out at the end!! Noooo -- this book had so much promise. How could Tess Gerritsen write such an intricate and complicated novel and then finish it up with such a lackluster ending?

I was so disappointed to finish reading and find that Tess seemed to suddenly realize that it was time to turn in her manuscript to the publisher, so she wound up things very quickly with no real explanation at all. I seriously think that readers who stuck with this book for so many pages and chapters deserve a good conclusion that fills the readers in and gives them a satisfying finish to the story. It was so interesting up until it abruptly ended - psssttt......

Let me start off by saying that if you haven't read any of Gerritsen's books featuring her two main characters, don't even consider reading this book. So much about the characters deeply depends on your being familiar with their history. Even if you have read other books with these characters, The Mephisto Club, while starting off with a lot of suspense, is a disappointment. The plot drags and requires you to suspend belief way too much, there are too many subplots that are left dangling, and the ending -- what there is of one -- is weak and unsatisfying. All in all, I'd advise you to skip The Mephisto Club. Your time and money are too valuable to spend on a book that, at best, is mediocre.

Gerritsen's latest thriller had me reading relentlessly and breathlessly up until the final 20 pages. The ending of the book seemed to be patched together with the literary equivalent of Duct Tape, as unusual pieces were put in place to tie the loose ends together, and though they didn't really fit together, they have to suffice. Up until the ending this book was a 5-Star thriller.

Recommended, but be aware of the lousy conclusion.

Having followed Jane Rizzoli from the beginning of the series, has been

a bit like watching a beloved child mature into an even more beloved adult, as she finds confidence, learns to be a bit less abrasive,

falls in love with the right guy, and has a baby. Her professional relationship and blossoming personal ties with Maura Isles have also been a delight to witness. Maura herself becomes more intriguing with each new book, and the fact that she has a mother who is the female

equivalent of Hannibal Lecter before Thomas Harris lost control of him,

is just the icing on the cake. All of that said, "The Mephisto Club"

is one of the most deliciously creepy books I have read in a long time.

I actually found myself shivering a couple of times. The supporting

cast of characters is beautifully drawn, from the members of the club to Jane's amazingly dysfunctional family to Maura's forbidden lover. One of the things at which Ms.Gerritsen has become more adept with each new novel in the series is her ability to inject levity--albeit gallows humor--into the mix, without losing sight of the seriousness of the subject matter. I am greatly looking forward to the next novel featuring Jane and Maura, though I cannot imagine how Ms. Gerritsen could possibly generate more goosebumps than she did with this hugely entertaining book.

The first murder scene is a grisly one. A woman has been butchered, her body dismembered, the scene arranged by the killer into a sickening tableau, complete with indications that the murder was part of a satanic ritual. Detective Jane Rizzoli and Boston medical examiner Maura Isles are called in to work the case on Christmas Eve. It's not the last murder they'll try to deconstruct before the book is through. The investigation eventually brings the women into contact with the organization of the book's title. The members of the Mephisto Club are convinced that demons walk the earth in the guise of humans, hunting at will: evil has a face, that is, and it looks like us. Gerritsen's account of the police investigation is punctuated by chapters telling the story of a 15-year-old boy staying with his relatives--the Sauls--after his father's death. The boy is particularly interested in his 16-year-old cousin Lily, whom he watches and takes notes on. Twelve years later, Lily is on the run in Italy, never staying too long in the same place, never telling anyone the truth about her background. Eventually the various strands of Gerritsen's story unite, and we find out the reason for Lily's flight--not quite what readers will be expecting.

The Mephisto Club is the 6th installment in Gerritsen's Jane Rizzoli series. Having read it, I'm wondering why I ever skipped books one through four. It's hard to review a book about which one has nothing negative to say. One is reduced to superlatives and bromides: It's a page-turner. I couldn't put it down. The writing is crisp. Gerritsen doesn't make a false step. I wouldn't change a word.... But in this case, all of that is true.

-- Debra Hamel

It amazes me that Tess Gerritsen is able to write such awesome thrillers, time after time. And yet she does, proving that she is, quite simply, at the top of her game--and at the top of the psychological thriller/mystery genre!

Many others have outlined the plot of THE MEPHISTO CLUB, so let me just say a few things: this is a great storyline, original, and handled deftly. The action-adventure is non-stop throughout the book, and although you know, basically from the beginning of the story, who the bad guy is, it doesn't stop the book from being interesting and intriguing.

I loved that Father Brophy and Dr. Maura Isles finally "got together," but I need this relationship to go beyond The Thorn Birds - The Complete Miniseries!! There has got to be a resolution to this plot line, and soon!

My only complaint with the story is Jane Rizzoli, who I actually love. However, her hard-a**, morally superior attitude in this book ticked me off. I want to see the softer side of Jane, the nurturing mother side, the love of Gabriel's life side--as well as the the tough-as-nails, ball-buster homicide detective.

Believe me, though, THE MEPHISTO CLUB is another winner!

I'm sorry, but the ending of this book just came too quickly, like the deadline had arrived and it had to be wrapped up. Also, the jacket was pretty misleading. It mentions a sinister cabal, 'The Mephisto Club.' which turned out to ...well, no spoilers. Anyway, how did they gain such influence. The question is asked but never answered. How did so snd so get in? The question is asked but never answered. Why Maura? We never found out. There were far too many unanswered questions. Couple that with my thorough dislike of the recurring character, Rizzolli and this book was not one of Gerritsen's best. I've written before that I am tiring of Rizzolli. I think I've gone over the edge with her. While I see Maura Isles as kind of interesting, Rizzolli has got to go. The next time I pick up a book and it says something about this being the latest installment of the Jane Rizzoli series, I am going to pass. On the subject of Maura. Did we just drop the subplot of Brophy somewhere in the middle of the book? sigh. And Gabriel...He just sort of faded from existence for convenience sake. And what about mom and pop Rizzolli? This was resolved off page I guess. The conclusion of this review seemed to take more thought than the conclusion to the novel which seemed kind of thrown together to get it completed. All in all, this was an idea that had potential but just seemed like someone was in a hurry to get this one to the printer.

Detective Jane Rizzoli and Dr. Maura Isles are faced with the question of whether there is true evil. They are called to a gruesome murder scene where a woman has been dismembered except that one of the body parts apparently belongs to someone else. As more victims are found, so are signs indicating the murders to be ritualistic. Members of the Mephisto Club become involved with their objective being to provide that Nephilim, demons descended from a mating of fallen angels and humans, exist among us.

I normally love Ms. Gerritsen's books, but this one less so than some. I always find interesting the question of whether there is true evil. So it wasn't so much the story or plot with which I had a problem. Mainly, it was the structure that bothered me. I found the story slower to start; I really didn't care about the characters other than the protagonists. There was the assumption that the reader had read previous books in this series, so character development was definitely light. There were too many sub-plots, one of which was added for humor but could have been left out entirely, and the ending was weak. This was definitely not my favorite of Ms. Gerritsen's books.

Dan Brown should be getting royalties from sales of "The Mephisto Club," the latest thriller by Tess Gerrtisen. The author posits the existence of a group called the Watchers, fallen angels who have plagued mankind for centuries. These monsters appear to be ordinary people; they are actually demons who commit acts of appalling cruelty.

Boston medical examiner Maura Isles is back, and she is still trying to fight her attraction to Father Daniel Brophy, a priest who is similarly drawn to her. Will Daniel give up his calling to be with Maura? Detective Jane Rizzoli, now a happily married wife and mother, is on hand to investigate a series of sinister and ritualistic slayings. The police find the first victim, Lori Ann Tucker, brutally dismembered with cryptic symbols drawn in blood on the wall near her body. Other similar killings follow, leading Rizzoli to Anthony Sansone, a fabulously wealthy man and the head of a bizarre organization known as the Mephisto Club.

The mission of the Mephisto Club is to find and defeat the evildoers who walk among us. Sansone has unlimited funds, useful political connections, and a huge store of knowledge about demonology. There are a number of other subplots, as well: Lily Saul, a twenty-eight year old woman, is in Italy, on the run from her cousin, Dominic. Lily is trying to stay one step ahead of this sadistic man who harmed her family and has targeted her for death. Providing a bit of comic relief, Gerritsen has Jane Rizzoli's straight-laced mother, Angela, suddenly walking out on husband, Frank. What could have driven Angela to leave home in a fit of pique?

"The Mephisto Club" is escapist fun, with its creepy villains, gory slayings, and arcane lore. The book's chief weakness is that too much is crammed into three hundred fifty pages. Gerritsen covers a great deal of territory, exploring the lure and pain of forbidden love, the fallout from a mid-life crisis that gets out of hand, and the obstacles that skeptical cop Jane Rizzoli encounters when she attempts to solve crimes with supernatural elements. These multiple story lines do not always mesh smoothly; the one about Jane's parents is particularly grating and artificial. However, Gerritsen is a skilled writer who keeps the action flowing and the tension high. Although "The Mephisto Club" is not the author's most accomplished work, it is a suspenseful and entertaining page-turner that will attract legions of devoted fans.