Tess Gerritsen
Encyclopedia
Tess Gerritsen, M.D.
, (born June 12, 1953) is a Chinese-American novelist and retired physician
. Her first name is really Terry; she decided to feminize it when she was a writer of romance novels.
immigrant and a Chinese American seafood chef in San Diego, California
. While growing up, Gerritsen often dreamt of writing her own Nancy Drew
novels. Although she longed to be a writer, her family had reservations about the sustainability of a writing career, prompting Gerritsen to choose a career in medicine
. In 1975, Gerritsen graduated from Stanford University
with a B.A.
in Anthropology
, intrigued by the ranges of human behavior. She went on to study medicine at the University of California, San Francisco
. She received her medical degree in 1979 and started work as a physician in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
While on maternity leave, she submitted a short story to Honolulu Magazine’s statewide fiction contest. Her story, "On Choosing the Right Crack Seed," won first prize and she received $500. The story focused on a young male reflecting on a difficult relationship with his mother. Gerritsen claimed the story allowed her to deal with her own childhood turmoil, including the repeated suicide
attempts by her mother.
. He told her that young orphans were vanishing from the streets of Moscow
, and police believed the kidnapped children were being shipped abroad as organ donors. Harvest was Gerritsen’s first novel to be published in hardcover, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list at #13. Following Harvest, Gerritsen wrote three subsequent bestselling medical thrillers, Life Support, Bloodstream, and Gravity.
In 2001, Gerritsen's first crime thriller, The Surgeon
, was released introducing homicide detective Jane Rizzoli. Although Rizzoli was only a secondary character in The Surgeon, the character has been a central focus of a series of seven books along with medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles and the Rizzoli & Isles
television series with Angie Harmon
and Sasha Alexander
portraying the main characters respectively.
Although most recent publications have been in the Rizzoli/Isles series, Gerritsen wrote a stand-alone historical thriller, The Bone Garden
in 2007. The Bone Garden, a tale of gruesome murders, takes place primarily in 1830s Boston
and includes a character based upon Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes
.
Gerritsen's books have been published in thirty-one countries and have sold 15 million copies.
and Bruce Greenwood
.
She has contributed essays in volumes published by Mystery Writers of America
and International Thriller Writers
. She also blogs regularly about the writing business, both on her own website and on a mystery writers site, Murderati.com.
, and lives in Camden
, Maine
.
in 2002 for Best Romantic Suspense Novel.
In 2006, Vanish received the Nero Award
for best mystery novel, and was nominated for both an Edgar Award
by the Mystery Writers of America
and a Macavity Award
. She has also won approval from several of her contemporaries, including James Patterson
and Stephen King
, the latter of whom described her as being "even better than Michael Crichton
".
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, (born June 12, 1953) is a Chinese-American novelist and retired physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. Her first name is really Terry; she decided to feminize it when she was a writer of romance novels.
Early life
Tess Gerritsen was the child of a ChineseChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
immigrant and a Chinese American seafood chef in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. While growing up, Gerritsen often dreamt of writing her own Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew is a fictional young amateur detective in various mystery series for all ages. She was created by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate book packaging firm. The character first appeared in 1930. The books have been ghostwritten by a number of authors and are published...
novels. Although she longed to be a writer, her family had reservations about the sustainability of a writing career, prompting Gerritsen to choose a career in medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. In 1975, Gerritsen graduated from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, intrigued by the ranges of human behavior. She went on to study medicine at the University of California, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
. She received her medical degree in 1979 and started work as a physician in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
While on maternity leave, she submitted a short story to Honolulu Magazine’s statewide fiction contest. Her story, "On Choosing the Right Crack Seed," won first prize and she received $500. The story focused on a young male reflecting on a difficult relationship with his mother. Gerritsen claimed the story allowed her to deal with her own childhood turmoil, including the repeated suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
attempts by her mother.
Early writing career
Inspired by the romance novels she enjoyed reading while working as a doctor, Gerritsen’s first novels were romantic thrillers. After two unpublished 'practice novels', Call After Midnight was bought by publisher Harlequin Intrigue in 1986 and published a year later. Gerritsen continued on to write another eight romantic thrillers for Harlequin Intrigue and Harper Paperbacks.Genre shift
In 1996, Gerritsen published her first medical thriller novel, Harvest. Having already decided to pursue the medical thriller genre, the plot was inspired by a conversation with a retired homicide detective who had recently been travelling in RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He told her that young orphans were vanishing from the streets of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, and police believed the kidnapped children were being shipped abroad as organ donors. Harvest was Gerritsen’s first novel to be published in hardcover, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list at #13. Following Harvest, Gerritsen wrote three subsequent bestselling medical thrillers, Life Support, Bloodstream, and Gravity.
In 2001, Gerritsen's first crime thriller, The Surgeon
The Surgeon (novel)
The Surgeon is a suspense novel by Tess Gerritsen, the first of the Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli series.-Plot:A terrifying new serial killer begins stalking the streets of Boston, using his vast medical knowledge to systematically torture and kill vulnerable women, a modus operandi which has earned...
, was released introducing homicide detective Jane Rizzoli. Although Rizzoli was only a secondary character in The Surgeon, the character has been a central focus of a series of seven books along with medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles and the Rizzoli & Isles
Rizzoli & Isles
Rizzoli & Isles is a TNT television series starring Angie Harmon as police detective Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles. The one-hour drama is based on the Rizzoli & Isles series of novels by Tess Gerritsen...
television series with Angie Harmon
Angie Harmon
Angela Michelle "Angie" Harmon is an American fashion model and television/film actress. She became a well-known model before gaining international fame for her roles in Baywatch Nights and Law & Order....
and Sasha Alexander
Sasha Alexander
Sasha Alexander is an American actress. She is best known for several roles, including Gretchen Witter, the sister of Pacey Witter on Dawson's Creek; NCIS Special Agent Kate Todd in the first two seasons of NCIS; as Lucy in Yes Man ; and as Catherine in He's Just Not That Into You .She currently...
portraying the main characters respectively.
Although most recent publications have been in the Rizzoli/Isles series, Gerritsen wrote a stand-alone historical thriller, The Bone Garden
The Bone Garden
The Bone Garden is a 2007 novel written by Tess Gerritsen, loosely part of the Jane Rizzoli / Maura Isles series.-Plot summary:The book delves into Boston's past , with Maura Isles playing a cameo role in present-day Boston...
in 2007. The Bone Garden, a tale of gruesome murders, takes place primarily in 1830s Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and includes a character based upon Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. was an American physician, professor, lecturer, and author. Regarded by his peers as one of the best writers of the 19th century, he is considered a member of the Fireside Poets. His most famous prose works are the "Breakfast-Table" series, which began with The Autocrat...
.
Gerritsen's books have been published in thirty-one countries and have sold 15 million copies.
Other works
Gerritsen co-wrote the story and screenplay, Adrift, which aired on CBS as Movie of the Week in 1993, and starred Kate JacksonKate Jackson
Kate Jackson is an American actress, director, and producer, perhaps best known for her role as Sabrina Duncan in the popular 1970s television series Charlie's Angels...
and Bruce Greenwood
Bruce Greenwood
Bruce Greenwood is a Canadian actor and musician. He is generally known for his roles as U.S. presidents in Thirteen Days and National Treasure: Book of Secrets and for his role as Captain Christopher Pike in the 2009 Star Trek film...
.
She has contributed essays in volumes published by Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
and International Thriller Writers
International Thriller Writers
International Thriller Writers, Inc., was founded October 9, 2004, at a meeting at Bouchercon World Mystery and Suspense Conference in Toronto, Canada. Six months later, some 150 authors with more than one billion books sold worldwide had joined the organization as founding members.Co-founders...
. She also blogs regularly about the writing business, both on her own website and on a mystery writers site, Murderati.com.
Interests
Gerritsen is married and the mother of two sons. She enjoys gardening and playing the fiddleFiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, and lives in Camden
Camden, Maine
Camden is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,254 at the 2000 census. The population of the town more than triples during the summer months, due to tourists and summer residents. Camden is a famous summer colony in the Mid-Coast region of Maine...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
.
Reception
The Surgeon received a RITA award Romance Writers of AmericaRomance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America is a national non-profit genre writers association. It provides networking and support to individuals seriously pursuing a career in romance fiction and supports top authors such as Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught.-History:...
in 2002 for Best Romantic Suspense Novel.
In 2006, Vanish received the Nero Award
Nero Award
The Nero Award is a literary award for excellence in the mystery genre presented by The Wolfe Pack, a society founded in 1978 to explore and celebrate the Nero Wolfe stories of Rex Stout...
for best mystery novel, and was nominated for both an Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
by the Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
and a Macavity Award
Macavity Awards
The Macavity Awards are a literary award for mystery writers. Nominated and voted upon annually by the members of the Mystery Readers International, the award is named for the "mystery cat" of T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. The award is given in four categories -- best novel,...
. She has also won approval from several of her contemporaries, including James Patterson
James Patterson
James B. Patterson is an American author of thriller novels, largely known for his series about American psychologist Alex Cross...
and Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
, the latter of whom described her as being "even better than Michael Crichton
Michael Crichton
John Michael Crichton , best known as Michael Crichton, was an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
".
Romantic suspense
- Call After Midnight (1987)
- Under the Knife (1990)
- Whistleblower (1992)
- Never Say Die (1992)
- Presumed Guilty (1993)
- Peggy Sue Got Murdered (1994) re-released as Girl Missing
- In Their Footsteps (1994)
- Thief of Hearts (1995)
- Keeper of the Bride (1996)
Medical thrillers
- Harvest (1996)
- Life Support (1997)
- Bloodstream (1998)
- Gravity (1999)
- The Bone GardenThe Bone GardenThe Bone Garden is a 2007 novel written by Tess Gerritsen, loosely part of the Jane Rizzoli / Maura Isles series.-Plot summary:The book delves into Boston's past , with Maura Isles playing a cameo role in present-day Boston...
(2007) medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles is a secondary character
Rizzoli/Isles series
- The SurgeonThe Surgeon (novel)The Surgeon is a suspense novel by Tess Gerritsen, the first of the Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli series.-Plot:A terrifying new serial killer begins stalking the streets of Boston, using his vast medical knowledge to systematically torture and kill vulnerable women, a modus operandi which has earned...
(2001) introduces police detective Jane Rizzoli - The ApprenticeThe Apprentice (Gerritsen novel)The Apprentice is a 2002 novel written by Tess Gerritsen, second book of the Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli series. Both the hardcover and paperback editions reached number 10 in The New York Times Best Seller lists.-Plot:...
(2002) introduces medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles - The SinnerThe SinnerThe Sinner is a 2003 mystery novel by Tess Gerritsen, the third book of the Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli series.-Plot:The Sinner involves Detective Jane Rizzoli and a main character new to the series, first seen in "The Apprentice" as a minor figure, medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles...
(2003) - Body DoubleBody Double (novel)Body Double is a 2004 novel written by Tess Gerritsen, the fourth book of the Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli series.-Plot:Returning to Boston from a business trip in Paris, Maura Isles encounters delays at Charles de Gaulle Airport, and finds upon landing in Boston that the airline has lost her luggage...
(2004) - Vanish (2005)
- The Mephisto Club (2006)
- The Keepsake / Keeping the Dead (US / UK, 2008)
- Ice Cold / The Killing Place (US / UK, 2010)
- The Silent Girl (US / UK, 2011)
External links
- Interview aired on NPR's All Things Considered July 12, 2010
- Literary-oriented interview by Lenn Wanner on The Crime of It All website (oct 10, 2010)
- Pictures of Tess Gerritsen's office and office view, with her comments, on the Murderati website