First Cut

Dr. Evelyn Sutcliffe #2

by Leah Ruth Robinson

Dr. Evelyn Sutcliffe's world is a place chaos, violence, and, sometimes, miracles. Now terror has followed her into the emergency room of University Hospital. A tough professional addicted to the adrenaline rush of life-and-death emergency medicine, Dr. Evelyn Sutcliffe has already crossed paths with the faceless, cold-blooded psychopath whom the press has named "the Babydoll Killer." She knows what he is capable of, having seen his gruesome handiwork close-up. She survived. Others were not so lucky. Now, in an unbearably tense and steamy August, a savage slaying perilously close to home is pulling Dr. Sutcliffe deeper into the razor's edge bedlam of the ER -- and to the icy brink of panic. Because all evidence is beginning to suggest the that someone in Evelyn's tightly knit circle of healers -- someone supposedly dedicated to the sanctity of human life -- is a killer. Someone as close to her as a heartbeat. Someone who is watching.

Genres: Fiction, Crime

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Leah Ruth Robinson Rousmaniere, the author of the novels First Cut and Blood Run, is a New York State certified emergency medical technician. She has served in the Emergency Department of St. Luke's Hospital (St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital Center) in New York City and taught Basic Life Support for several years at Lenox Hill Hospital, also in New York City. She currently serves on the national board of directors of Mystery Writers of America and is a member of the steering committee of the New York/Tri-State Chapter of Sisters in Crime. Married to writer John Rousmaniere, she divides her time between Manhattan and Stamford, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

From cover:

"Dr. Evelyn Sutcliffe's world is a place of chaos, violence and, sometimes, miracles. Now terror has followed her into her sanctuary: the emergency room of University Hospital.

A serial murderer is prowling Manhattan's Upper West Side, leaving a child's doll at the scene of each brutal crime. Evelyn Sutcliffe has already crossed paths with the faceless, cold-blooded psychopath...and she survived. Others have not been as lucky.

A tough professional addicted to the adrenaline rush of life-and-death emergency medicine, Dr. Sutcliffe has seen close-up what the so-called "Babydoll Killer" is capable of - observing his handiwork with the cool detachment her job requires. But her world is rocked when yet another brutalized young woman on the brink of death is brought into the ER. Because 'THIS' victim is someone Evelyn knows: a medical student and respected colleague. A friend.

In an unbearably and steamy August, a savage slaying perilously close to home pulls Dr. Sutcliffe deeper into the razor's edge bedlam of the ER-and propels her recklessly into the arms of a handsome and dangerously secretive fellow physician. And all evidence is beginning to suggest the unthinkable; that someone in Evelyn's tightly knit circle is a killer-someone supposedly dedicated to the sanctity of human life and as close to her as a heartbeat.

Someone who is watching her."

[Jeff Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A welcome return of Dr Evelyn Sutcliffe following her debut in Leah Ruth Robinson's "Blood Run". I suspect someone mentioned that all the doctor's featured we're all heavy smokers and it wasn't a good look. No doctor smokes in "Intensive Care". Set in the early 1990s, Dr Evelyn Sutcliffe is still working in the ER in New York with the outbreak of AIDS never far from the surface. Else where "The Babydoll Killer stalks New York and his brought close to home by the murder of German girl Theresa Kahr. When Evelyn's favourite intern Lisa Chiu is found stabbed to death the doctor's to believe the killer is one their own. Like "Blood Run", Evelyn Sutcliffe's behavior is completely normal and all actions believable thus making this a gripping, if sometimes confusing, thriller.

[Vicki Badgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Fast read!

[Lisa Aldrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading this awile ago and forgot to update. I thought this book was great and well written for a medical thriller.

[Andrea De La Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay, I only liked it because the medical terminology however there were parts that were slow to read. I did like the ending, I did not suspect who the person was that killed Lisa and Hal.

[Paula Kramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good medical mystery. Of course, I don't know when an ER doctor would have the time to solve a mystery, but "it's only a story" as my Mom used to say. The Baby doll killer was the suspected murderer, but of course, all clues point to someone closer to Dr. Evelyn Sutcliffe. I liked it.

[Tytti · Rating 1 out of 5]

A BookCrossing find. This was a detective story set in a hospital but personally I am just not that interested in the genre. There was simply too much medical stuff for my taste. The characters were interesting enough and I didn't guess the killer too early.

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow in parts.Would have enjoyed this much more 40 years ago when I was really into medical thrillers.

[Marisol · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has a lot of slow parts but I must admit that there were suspenseful Elements.The climax wasn't as exciting as I hoped and reminded me of a Lifetime channel movie.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ Keep busy.
~ Don't sit home alone.
~ Time heals all wounds.
~ Do something nice for someone who's worse off than you.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this back in the Spring of 2004. It was a good thriller.

[Brigid · Rating 2 out of 5]

This thriller rates as a good book for vacations, airplane rides, gloomy weekends alone. Fast-paced and full of suspicious characters. It's fun to guess who done it before the reveal.

[Toesnorth's mom]

medical suspense, boring