2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

Not even the icy temperatures of a typical New England winter can match the bone-chilling scene of carnage discovered at the chapel of Our Lady of Divine Light. Within the cloistered convent lie two nuns–one dead, one critically injured–victims of an unspeakably savage attacker. The brutal crime appears to be without motive, but medical examiner Maura Isles’s autopsy of the dead woman yields a shocking surprise: Twenty-year-old Sister Camille gave birth before she was murdered. Then another body is found, mutilated beyond recognition. Together, Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli uncover an ancient horror that connects these terrible slaughters. As long-buried secrets come to light, Maura Isles finds herself drawn inexorably toward the heart of an investigation that strikes close to home–and toward a dawning revelation about the killer’s identity too shattering to consider.

Setting
Andrha Pradesh, India
Boston, Massachusetts

Prologue
24 Chapters

Character List
(view spoiler)[
Jane Rizzoli: Homicide detective with the Boston Police Department (BPD). She’s the only female and is partnered with Barry Frost. She’s 34-years old.
Maura Isles: Medical examiner who Tierney recruited a year ago. Nicknamed Queen of the Dead by the Homicide Unit. She has shoulder length black hair with blunt bangs.
Gabriel Dean: FBI agent with whom Jane has a relationship.
Barry Frost: Homicide detective with the BPD and Jane’s partner.
Jerry Sleeper: Boston Police Department homicide detective and Thomas’ partner.
Darren Crowe: Boston Police Department homicide detective.
Vince Korsak: Retired Newton police detective. Jane saved him when he had a heart attack.
Yoshima: Maura’s medical assistant.
Louise: Maura’s secretary.
Walt DeGroot: Crime lab DNA tech.
Sister Camille Maginnes: Nun at Graystones Abbey who was murdered. She was 20-years old.
Sister Ursula Rowland: Nun at Graystones Abbey who was also assaulted. She’s 68-years old.
Sister Isabel: Nun at Graystones Abbey.
Mother Mary Clement: Abbess at Graystones Abbey.
Father Daniel Brophy: Priest from the neighboring church parish, Our Lady of Divine Light.
Grace Otis: Cook for Graystones Abbey.
Noni Otis: Grace’s 7-year old daughter.
Victor Banks: Maura’s ex-husband.
Lauren Maginnes: Camille’s stepmother.
Randall Maginnes: Camille’s father.
Justin: Lauren’s son from her first marriage. He’s in college at Bowdoin.
Blake: Lauren’s son from her first marriage. He’s in college at Amherst.
Dr. Abe Bristol: One of Maura’s colleagues.
Dr. Costas: One of Maura’s colleagues.
Dr. Julie Cawley: Archaeologist at Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology.
Matthew Sutcliff: Sister Ursula’s internist.
James Yuen: Sister Ursula’s neurosurgeon.
Jane Doe: Murder victim found with no hands or feet. Referred to as the Rat Lady as she was found in a rat-infested place.
Howard Redfield: Murder victim. Former SVP of Octagon Chemicals.
(hide spoiler)]

Spoiler Info
(view spoiler)[
Matthew Sutcliff was the doctor working at Octagon in India who was responsible for all those deaths. He included injured people in the pyre. His target was actually Sister Ursula instead of Sister Camille. He killed Howard Renfield and Jane Doe.

Jane learns she’s pregnant and after awhile informs Gabriel. She ultimately decided to keep the baby and married Dean.

Maura’s ex-husband Victor has a connection to Octagon. His organization received an extraordinarily large grant from them. (hide spoiler)]

I’m listening to this and the narrator pronounces Jane’s last name as “Ritz-zoli” and it’s driving me nutty.

Oh that would drive me nutty! I'm a little behind in my reading and am just starting this today.

I’ll have the discussion questions up by the end of the day. Working on finishing another book:)