RIZZOLI & ISLES: Bloodlines

Witches and women that rhyme with “witches” kept our heroes guessing on this week’s Rizzoli & Isles. When a woman is burned at the stake in Salem, the team are quickly led to a local coven that appears to be targeted by a killer. Meanwhile, Frankie’s ex-girlfriend returns to Boston with a surprise: a daughter.

The ex is not a favorite of either Jane or Ma Rizzoli – Jane is holding quite a grudge about a car loan Frankie co-signed for her years before while Ma favors her with a “I can’t stand you” hug. While Frankie embraces the idea of being a father, the other women in his life are suspicious and sneak DNA for a paternity test. As usual, Jane’s instincts are on target and the test proves that the little girl is not Frankie’s daughter.

The case of the persecuted witches is a little harder to crack. Three suspects emerge, leading the survivors to suggest a seance to ask their fallen leader who killed her. Jane agrees but quickly becomes uncomfortable with the sensual ritual involved. Korsak and Frost are into it, though, and Maura is fascinated. When the spirit of the murdered woman seems to speak through Grayson, the lone male in the coven, followed by a rushing wind that douses the candles used in the ritual, sexy time is over. Not satisfied with killing the coven’s leader, the murderer strikes again, injuring young Sabrina and drowning Grayson in his bathtub. Sabrina remembers scripture being spoken when she was attacked, which suggests that her father, a pastor, is the killer, but when Maura discovers that Grayson was killed before the attempt on Sabrina, she realizes that there’s nothing supernatural about this case. Sabrina believes that she inherited her faith, but what she actually received from her ancestors was schizophrenia. The mental disease coupled with her Christian upbringing at odds with her Wiccan beliefs caused a “break” and sent her on a killing spree, trying to get rid of what one part of her mind believed was evil.

The twist in the case was compelling, and completely unexpected. I love it when I can’t figure out the resolution until the show itself unveils it, so this episode gets two thumbs up from me.

Rizzoli & Isles airs Mondays at 10/9c on TNT.