I read my first Tess Gerritsen novel when we were out in Malta a few years ago. I fact our hostess had several Gerritsen books up on her shelves and, having nothing better to do while I lazed around on the beach, I read them all. I don’t remember each book in detail, but I do remember that they made easy reading. So when I saw The Silent Girl in Waterstones when I dashed in at 5.59 to get myself something for a train trip, I looked no further.
   I enjoyed the book. I thought the action and overall feeling of mystery were well done, though I’d guessed pretty much what was happening long before the end. Lots of subplots are piled up early on and Gerritsen is good at switching from one to another, keeping the reader on his or her toes. It’s not a masterpiece but it certainly isn’t dross. It’s the ideal sort of book for a long train trip or – yes – lazing around on a sunny beach somewhere.