Order of Tess Gerritsen Books

There are authors who write thrillers, and then there are authors who live them before ever putting pen to paper. Tess Gerritsen belongs to the latter. Born on June 12, 1953, in San Diego, California, Gerritsen’s life is the very definition of "unexpected plot twist." With Chinese-American heritage running through her veins, her story isn’t just a tale of success—it’s a masterclass in reinvention, grit, and brilliance.

Before she ever dreamed of making readers lose sleep with her bone-chilling stories, Tess Gerritsen wore a white coat and held a stethoscope. Yes, the very woman who gave us Rizzoli & Isles—the detective and medical examiner duo who became household names—was herself a physician. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Stanford University, a foundation that gave her a deep understanding of human behavior and culture. But Tess didn’t stop there. With a passion for science and saving lives, she went on to earn her M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco. Medicine was not just a career—it was her first act.

But even while she worked as a doctor, a fire smoldered quietly in the corners of her heart—a longing to tell stories. And not just any stories. Stories that gripped you by the throat, dragged you into a world of secrets, and made you question the safety of your everyday life.

It wasn’t until she took maternity leave that the future bestselling author dared to send out her first manuscript. The response? A hit. Her debut novel, a romantic thriller titled Call After Midnight, was published in 1987. And with that, a new chapter began—one where Gerritsen traded prescriptions for plot twists, surgeries for suspense.

But it wasn’t until the release of “Harvest” in 1996—a medical thriller rooted in the dark underworld of organ trafficking—that Tess Gerritsen truly carved out her niche. Drawing from her firsthand knowledge of medicine, she created narratives that weren’t just fictional—they felt terrifyingly possible. She took real-life fears and dressed them up in fiction, the kind that leaves your heart racing and your bedside lamp on a little longer.

And then came the explosion: Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles. With the release of The Surgeon in 2001, Gerritsen introduced the world to two women as compelling as they are complex. Detective Rizzoli, with her hard-edged determination, and Dr. Isles, with her clinical brilliance and haunting secrets, became icons of the crime fiction world. What followed was a bestselling series that captivated millions and eventually made its way onto screens as TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.

But Gerritsen didn’t stop with thrillers. No, she kept evolving. Venturing into science fiction with Gravity, a tale so captivating it caught the attention of none other than James Cameron. She’s written gothic horror, espionage thrillers, and even dipped into historical fiction. Each book, no matter the genre, bears her unmistakable signature: atmospheric tension, smart storytelling, and a slow-burn fear that creeps up when you least expect it.

And the irony? For someone who spent years saving lives, Tess Gerritsen has made a career out of killing off characters in the most unexpected and brutal ways. But it’s that medical insight—that razor-sharp understanding of the human body and mind—that gives her novels their chilling realism.

As of today, Tess Gerritsen is alive and still writing, still weaving worlds that haunt your dreams. She lives in Maine, the kind of quiet, scenic place you might expect a thriller novelist to inhabit—secluded, misty, mysterious.

So next time you pick up a Tess Gerritsen novel, remember: behind every surgical slice of suspense is a woman who once held lives in her hands... and now plays with your mind instead.

Will her next book send shivers down your spine? Probably. Will it leave you breathless and begging for more? Most definitely.