Tess Gerritsen
Terry "Tess" Gerritsen (née Tom; born June 12, 1953) is an American novelist and retired general physician.
Tess Gerritsen

TessGerritsen.jpg: Jacob Gerritsen · TessGerritsen.jpg · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Tess Gerritsen
- Born
- 12 June 1953
- Birth Name
- Terry Tom
- Birthplace
- San Diego, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Author, surgeon
- Nationality
- American
- Education
- Stanford University (BA) University of California, San Francisco
- Spouse
- Jacob Gerritsen
- Fields
- romance.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Terry "Tess" Gerritsen (née Tom; born June 12, 1953) is an American novelist and retired general physician.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Tess Gerritsen. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q6950 · wikipedia · Tess Gerritsen
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Tess Gerritsen • Born — 12 June 1953 • Birth Name — Terry Tom • Birthplace — San Diego, California, U.S. • Occupation — Author, surgeon • Nationality — American • Education — Stanford University (BA) University of California, San Francisco • Genre — Suspense, Mystery • Spouse — Jacob Gerritsen • Children — 2 • Notableworks — The Surgeon • Website — tessgerritsen.com
Early life
Early life
Tess Gerritsen is the child of a Chinese immigrant and a Chinese-American seafood chef. While growing up in San Diego, she often dreamed of writing her own Nancy Drew novels. While she longed to become an author, her family had reservations about the financial sustainability of a writing career, prompting her to go into medicine instead. After graduating from Stanford University in 1975 with a BA in anthropology, she studied medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, receiving her medical degree in 1979. Gerritsen then began work as a physician in Honolulu. While on maternity leave, she submitted a short story to a statewide fiction contest for Honolulu magazine. Her story, "On Choosing the Right Crack Seed," won the $500 first prize. The narrative focused on a young man reflecting on his difficult relationship with his mother. Gerritsen said the story allowed her to deal with some of her own childhood trauma, including her mother's repeated suicide attempts.
Writing career
Writing career
Inspired by the romance novels Gerritsen had enjoyed reading as a doctor, her initial books were romantic thrillers. To feminize her first name, originally Terry, she changed it to Tess for her writing in the romantic genre. After two unpublished "practice novels," she sold Call After Midnight to Harlequin Intrigue in 1986, which published it a year later. Gerritsen subsequently wrote eight romantic thrillers for Harlequin Intrigue and Harper Paperbacks.
Other genres
Other genres
• Illustration — Gerritsen at a book signing. In 1996, Gerritsen wrote Harvest, her first medical thriller. The plot was inspired by a conversation with a retired homicide detective who had recently traveled in Russia. He told her that young orphans were vanishing from Moscow streets, and police believed they were being kidnapped and shipped abroad as organ donors. Harvest was Gerritsen's first hardcover novel, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list, where it ranked number 13. Following Harvest, she wrote three more bestselling medical thrillers: Life Support, Bloodstream, and Gravity. In 2014, Gerritsen sued Warner Bros., charging that Alfonso Cuarón's 2013 film Gravity was derived from her book of the same title, to which Warner-owned New Line Cinema had bought the rights, but without crediting or compensating her. The suit was dismissed in 2015. Gerritsen's first crime thriller, The Surgeon, was published In 2001, introducing homicide detective Jane Rizzoli. Although a secondary character in The Surgeon, Rizzoli—paired with medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles—would become central to 13 subsequent novels (see below). The books inspired the Rizzoli & Isles television series, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander. Gerritsen also made an appearance in the series' final season as a writer who helps Isles establish herself in the literary field. Although most of Gerritsen's recent books have been for the Rizzoli/Isles series, she penned a stand-alone historical thriller, in 2007, entitled The Bone Garden. A tale of gruesome murders, the book is set primarily in 1830s Boston and includes a character based on Oliver Wendell Holmes. Gerritsen's books have been published in 40 countries and have sold 25 million copies.
Other
Other
Gerritsen 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. She is also the composer of the musical piece "Incendio" for violin and piano, a waltz that features in the plot of her novel Playing With Fire. The composition has been recorded by violinist Susanne Hou.
Works inspired by Gerritsen
Works inspired by Gerritsen
Yakov's Lament (2012), a solo violin piece by French composer Damien Top, is inspired by Gerritsen's novel Harvest.
Personal life
Personal life
Gerritsen is married to Jacob Gerritsen, who is also a physician. They have two sons. She enjoys gardening and playing the fiddle, and lives in Camden, Maine.
Romantic thrillers
Romantic thrillers
• Adventure's Mistress (1985) • Love's Masquerade (1986) • Call After Midnight (1987) • Under the Knife (1990) • Never Say Die (1992) • Whistle Blower (1992) • Presumed Guilty (1993) • Girl Missing (Originally released as Peggy Sue Got Murdered) (1994) • Keeper of the Bride (1996) • Perfect Timing (2001) • Murder and Mayhem (2006) • Madame X (2008) • Playing with Fire (2015) • The Shape of Night (2019) • Choose Me (with Gary Braver)(2021)
Medical thrillers
Medical thrillers
• Harvest (1996) • Life Support (1997) • Bloodstream (1998) • Gravity (1999) • The Bone Garden (2007)
Tavistock series
Tavistock series
• In Their Footsteps (1994) • Stolen (Originally released as Thief of Hearts) (1995)
Rizzoli & Isles series
Rizzoli & Isles series
• The Surgeon (2001) introduces police detective Jane Rizzoli • The Apprentice (2002) introduces medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles • The Sinner (2003) • Body Double (2004) • Vanish (2005) • The Mephisto Club (2006) • The Keepsake / Keeping the Dead (US / UK, 2008) • Ice Cold / The Killing Place (US / UK, 2010) • 8.5 Freaks (short story, 2011) • The Silent Girl (US / UK, 2011) • 9.5 John Doe (short story, 2012) • Last to Die (UK / US (2012) • Die Again (2014) • I Know a Secret (2017) • Listen to Me (2022)
The Martini Club Series
The Martini Club Series
Introducing Maggie Bird and Jo Thibodeau in this new series • The Spy Coast (2023) • The Summer Guests (2025)

A Publicity shot of Tess Gerritsen
Jacob Gerritsen · Email
Film and television
• Adrift (1993) • Rizzoli & Isles (2010-2016) • Island Zero (2018) • Magnificent Beast (2022) Gerritsen co-wrote the story and screenplay for Adrift, which aired on CBS as Movie of the Week in 1993 and starred Kate Jackson and Bruce Greenwood.
Chinese legacy
Chinese legacy
Gerritsen's mother told her traditional Chinese stories, e.g. about Monkey King. Her novel The Silent Girl uses Chinese martial arts and motifs borrowed from Chinese culture in contemporary Boston. One of the victims is a Chinese chef.
Reception
Reception
The Surgeon received a RITA award Romance Writers of America 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".
Primary material
Documents and archives
Institutional database
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q6950: Tess Gerritsen
Scholarly · Wikimedia Foundation
reference work
- “Tess Gerritsen”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Writers and secret identities. tessgerritsen.com.
- 2.WRITERS AND SECRET IDENTITIES an essay by Tess Gerritsen posted to her blog Sunday, October 7, 2007 @ 11:45
- 3.BIO from the Tess Gerritsen Official Blog
- 4.Barr, Nikki. An Interview With Tess Gerritsen. Daily Express. February 4, 2008.
- 5.High, Chris. Interview with Tess Gerristen 2007. Chris High. 2007.
- 6.Cultural and Social Anthropology Department, Stanford University. CASA Newsletter. 1999.
- 7.Karm, Ali. Shots Magazine Interview: Tess Gerritsen. Shots Magazine. September 2002.
- 8.Holton, Carlotta G. Literary Spotlight: Tess Gerritsen. WritersNewsWeekly. April 29, 2008.
- 9.Rowe, Beverly. Author of the Month. MyShelf.com. December 2005.
- 10.Daley, Yvonne. Author, Author. Stanford Alumni. 1997.
- 11.White, Claire. A Conversation With Tess Gerritsen. WritersWrite. November 2001.
- 12.PAPERBACK BEST SELLERS: September 22, 1996. The New York Times. September 22, 1996.
- 13.Best Sellers: Paperback Fiction. The New York Times. August 16, 1998.
- 14.PAPERBACK BEST SELLERS: September 5, 1999. The New York Times. September 5, 1999.
- 15.Best Sellers: Hardcover Fiction. The New York Times.
- 16.Gerritsen, Tess. TESS GERRITSEN’S STATEMENT REGARDING: GRAVITY. tessgerritsen.com. April 29, 2014.
- 17.Beaumont-Thomas, Ben. Judge downs Gravity lawsuit from bestselling author Tess Gerritsen. The Guardian. February 2, 2015.
- 18.Keyes, Bob. Putting pen to paper. Portland Press Herald Dead link. October 2010.
- 19.'Law & Order's' Angie Harmon: 'I hope they make a museum out of the stages.'.
- 20.Ori, Jack. Rizzoli & Isles Season 7 Episode 6 Review: There Be Ghosts. tvfanatic.com. June 11, 2016.
- 21.Tong, Denise. One-on-One with Tess Gerritsen. Current Vine. September 1, 2007.
- 22.Sege, Irene. Medical mysteries add twists to historical thriller. Boston Globe. November 14, 2007.
- 23.Island Zero. www.islandzeromovie.com.
- 24.Magnificent Beast. www.magnificentbeastmovie.com.
- 25.Vey, Barbara. Paging Dr. Tess Gerritsen. Publishers Weekly. February 7, 2008.
- 26.For author Tess Gerritsen, success brings more artistic freedom – finally. May 1, 2016.
- 27.INCENDIO TRACK - NOW AVAILABLE on iTunes & Amazon!! - Susanne Hou. www.susannehou.com.
- 28.Gerritsen, Tess. Cool media crossover: a violin solo based on my character. August 26, 2012.
- 29.Mehegan, David. Death becomes her. The Boston Globe. September 2, 2006.
- 30.Tess Gerritsen: Official Site.
- 31.Romance Writers of America. Comprehensive List of RITA Winners.
- 32.The Nero Award Press Release.
- 33.Edgar Awards.
- 34.Mystery Readers International. Mystery Readers International's Macavity Awards.
- 35.Tess Gerritsen: Official Site of the NY Times Bestselling Author.
- 36.News & Events – Tess Gerritsen.
- 37.Penguin Random House. Rizzoli & Isles: Listen to Me.
- 38.Gerritsen, Tess. The Spy Coast: From the Sunday Times bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series. Transworld. 2023-11-01. 978-1-5299-2501-2.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
Wikidata, structured authority record Q6950: Tess GerritsenWikimedia Foundation
Verifiedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
39,285 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Terry RossioAuthor
- Terry Tempest WilliamsAuthor
- Terter YerevantsiAuthor
- Tess GallagherAuthor
- Tess GuntyAuthor
- Tess Osonye OnwuemeAuthor
- Tessa RansfordAuthor
- Tessema EsheteAuthor
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Tess Gerritsen?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.