Tess Gerritsen
Tess Gerritsen (Terry Tom) was born on June 12th, 1953 and is currently 71 years old. Tess Gerritsen was born in San Diego, California, USA. Gerritsen attended Stanford University where she received a B.A. Anthropology and University of California, San Francisco where she received a Ph.D Medicine.
Tess Gerritsen is the author of the Rizzoli & Isles series which currently consists of 13 novels. The Rizzoli & Isles series started in 2001 with the novel The Surgeon. The most recently released novel in the Rizzoli & Isles series was Listen to Me which was released in 2022. There are no upcoming novels for the Rizzoli & Isles series.
Tess is a retired physician, and she wrote some romantic thriller novels while working as a physician, but on materinity leave. She initially wrote romantic thrillers before branching out into medical thriller novels and crime thriller novels.
In 1993, the movie
Adrift aired on CBS and was the CBS Movie of the Week. This was co-written by Gerritsten.
Tess's first medical thriller was
Harvest and she debuted on the NYT Bestseller list with that novel.
Tess has also made multiple films. Her and her son Josh made
Magnificent Beast, a documentary. They also made
Island Zero, a horror movie, in 2018.
She currently lives in Camden, Maine as per her website.
Tess was shortlisted for the 2017 Dead Good Reader Award in The Kathy Reichs Award for Fearless Female Character category for her character Jane Rizzoli.
Tess was shortlisted for the 2018 Dead Good Reader Award in The Holmes and Watson Award for Best Detective Duo category for her characters Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles.
Tess Gerritsen: Awards & Accolades
Gerritsen's books have won multiple awards, Vanish won the Nero Award, Best Mystery Novel, in 2006. Last to Die won the Suspense Magazine Awards, Crimson Scribe Award, in 2012.
The following novels by Tess Gerritsen were nominated for these awards:
- The Surgeon: RITA Award, Best Romantic Suspense (2002).
- Vanish: Edgar Award, Best Mystery Novel (2006). Macavity Award, Best Mystery Novel (2006).
- The Mephisto Club: CrimeFest, Sounds of Crime Award (2008).
- The Bone Garden: CrimeFest, Sounds of Crime Award (2009).
- Ice Cold / The Killing Place: Nero Award, Best Mystery Novel (2011).
- The Silent Girl: Goodreads Awards, Best Mystery and Thriller (2011). Nero Award, Best Mystery Novel (2012).
- Die Again: Goodreads Awards, Best Mystery and Thriller (2015). The Dead Good Reader Award, The Val McDermid Award for Fiendish Forensics (2015).
- Playing with Fire: International Thriller Writers Award, Best Hardcover Novel (2016).
- The Spy Coast: International Thriller Writers Award, Best Original Paperback Novel (2024).
Tess Gerritsen: TV/Movies Based on Books
The book series Rizzoli & Isles was adapted to television. It aired from 2010 through 2016. It starred Angie Harmon as homicide detective Jane Rizzoli, and Sasha Alexander as Dr. Maura Dorothea Isles. Rizzoli first appeared in The Surgeon, the first novel in the series and then Isles appeared in The Apprentice, which is the basis for the television show.
Related Authors
The most common authors followed by users who also follow Tess Gerritsen are:
- Michael Connelly, author of the Harry Bosch Series.
- David Baldacci, author of the Amos Decker Series.
- James Patterson, author of the Alex Cross Series.
- Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher Series.
- Harlan Coben, author of the Myron Bolitar Series.
Tess Gerritsen: F.A.Q
When was Tess Gerritsen Born? How old is Tess Gerritsen?
Tess Gerritsen was born on June 12th, 1953. Tess Gerritsen is currently 71 years old.
Where was Tess Gerritsen Born?
Tess Gerritsen was born in San Diego, California, USA and is American.
What book awards has Tess Gerritsen won?
Vanish: Nero Award Best Mystery Novel (2006).
Last to Die: Suspense Magazine Awards Crimson Scribe Award (2012).
What was the first book Tess Gerritsen wrote?
The first book written by Tess Gerritsen was Adventure's Mistress, published in 1985.
What was the most recent book Tess Gerritsen wrote?
Her most recently released work was The Summer Guests on March 18th, 2025.
Will there be any more books by Tess Gerritsen?
Tess Gerritsen has a new book coming out on November 17th, 2026 called The Shadow Friends.
How many books has Tess Gerritsen written?
Tess Gerritsen has written 38 books excluding contributions to anthologies. 2 Short Stories/Novellas, 1 book in the Her Protector Series, 17 Standalone Novels, 3 books in The Martini Club Series, 13 books in the Rizzoli & Isles Series, 2 books in the Tavistock Family Series.
What sort of a doctor was Tess Gerritsen?