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Hope Sze Medical Mystery #1
Code Blues: When Medicine Becomes Murder
Dr. Hope Sze rolls into Montreal with three simple goals: 1) survive her family medicine residency, 2) try pain au chocolat, 3) go on a date sometime in the next two years.
Then she discovers a doctor's body in the locker room.
When she tries to uncover his killer, two men dive in to help her.
The one man with charm to burn, the one man who makes her melt, has zero alibi.
Code Blues. Sex, drugs, and doctors.
Written by an emergency physician trained in the crumbling corridors of Montreal, Canada.
Then she discovers a doctor's body in the locker room.
When she tries to uncover his killer, two men dive in to help her.
The one man with charm to burn, the one man who makes her melt, has zero alibi.
Code Blues. Sex, drugs, and doctors.
Written by an emergency physician trained in the crumbling corridors of Montreal, Canada.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2011
790 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
September 26, 2025
2 Stars. I had to check, what does two stars mean on GR? Average and readable. Nothing more. I'm going to break my rule. I generally liked the young Dr. Hope Sze, just starting her residency at St. Joseph's Hospital in Montreal. Bright and committed to being the best she can be. Pretty too. But much of the book is juvenile, with long stretches of romance and explicit lovemaking. Isn't this a murder mystery? She's 26 but has the volatile emotions of some teenagers. Hope explodes over the simplest of things. My rule? Below 3 Stars, I won't do what I usually do, add the characters and other details. Or read later volumes. I checked the ratings; this one comes in at 3.41, but the second and third in the series are 3.95 and 3.99. There's hope (!) so I'll carry on. The book does have pluses. It describes life beautifully in Canada's second largest city; Montreal is well worth visiting. The story? On her second day of residency, Sze discovers a doctor's body in the staff locker room. A supervisor. Others offer to help her find the killer but, can she trust them? Especially Dr. Alex Dyck, the man she finds attractive. Will entry #2 be better? Should I say it? I hope so. (No2022/Se2025)
November 30, 2018
This is the first in the Hope Sze series; I’m afraid that this first does not instill in me any desire to read more of the series.
Dr. Hope Sze arrives for her first year of residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Montreal. The day after she arrives, when she is working her first shift, the body of Dr. Kurt Radshaw, a dedicated and respected physician, is discovered. Since his death is suspicious, Hope immediately sets out to find the killer.
My first issue with the book is Hope’s motivation for wanting to find the murderer. She has just begun working at the hospital and meets Dr. Radshaw once; nonetheless, she appoints herself the lead investigator? She states, “But something in me wasn’t content to sit around and wait for the [autopsy] report. The more I found out about Dr. Radshaw, the more I wanted to uncover the truth” (75). Later, she explains, “’I guess I was one of the first people to find him. When I met him, he seemed like a nice guy. And everyone loved him so much. I just wanted to make it up to him somehow’” (90). Minutes later, she thinks, “Maybe if we looked into his death, it would help free Alex [from Dr. Radshaw’s shadow]” (97). In case the reader is not convinced, she repeats, “But the more I got to know about Dr. Radshaw, the more curious I got” (113). A few pages later, she adds, “Even though I never really knew Dr. Kurt alive, I still respected him and wanted him to be at peace” (121) and “I hadn’t been able to bring him back to life. But maybe I could make sure he hadn’t died in vain” (121). Yet again, “His death wasn’t right. I wanted to fix it’ (158). None of these statements convince me. Would she react the same way if one of her patients died?
Then there are the gaps in logic. A code blue is called for the operating room but the body is found in the men’s change room? While having lunch with Hope, Alex says, “’You don’t even like rum balls’” (96); what a stupid comment since there is no way he would know this, especially when she had just joked that she’d like all the desserts (87). How is it that they have two different desserts when their lunch included “the dessert of the day” (88)? One minute a bed has “an orange, plaid blanket and white sheets” (188) and the next minute it has “orange plaid sheets . . . [with] their pattern of red, yellow, and green stripes” (189). At one point, Hope says, “Alex had turned off the air conditioning” (200) but then he “flicked off the air conditioning” (202) again?
Hope is new to the hospital, yet she knows a lot about its functioning: “I heard you needed a numerical access code for the elevator” (43) and “Bob Clarkson was originally a family doctor, but he’d cut his patients loose after he’d gone into administration” (129). Then at other times, she is so stupid. She actually feels she has to call the police and tell them that if they found Dr. Radshaw’s pager, they could trace who might have called him (226)? She can spot an abused woman, based on contact for a few minutes, yet she can’t recognize drug usage in someone with whom she has regular contact? What “had been nagging at the back of [her] head” (176) should have been at the forefront!
The book has a lot of extraneous detail. Do we always have to be told, in detail, what someone is wearing? “She was wearing a non-descript, black shirt and white, knee-length shorts” (161) and “My gaze moved to his walnut dress pants and leather sneakers. They were like old Adidas, with the stripes and little lace-ups, except instead of red and white canvas, they were made of medium-brown leather” (228) and “a grey shirt with solid red sleeves, ‘80s style, dark olive cargo pants, and sandals” (229) and “A full-length, stretchy black skirt, a white cotton shirt, even a chunky bead necklace” (122) and “a fitted, ultramarine blouse and white, pleated skirt which fell about mid-thigh” (165). Hope’s descriptions of people suggest a shallowness: “Her square-jawed face might have been pretty, if she hadn’t been forcing a smile” (10) and “her eyes a little close-set for classic beauty” (44) and “His features were too coarse to be good-looking” (110).
Did a copyeditor not proofread this book before publication? A couple of errors can be excused but there are just so many. I started keeping track only after the first 100 pages: “we’d only suffered once suspicious death recently” (129) and “I seemed to be doing a lot sneaking around today” (131) and “If I hadn’t been still been breathing hard . . .” (141) and “Those are two the specialties where the nurses are notoriously protective . . . ” (149) and “I check out her way her shoulders seemed to huddle against him” (161) and “released me enough to flick the on the light switch” (188) and “I have to go outside the soak the speculum in warm water” (219) and “I bet attrition took its toll over course of the afternoon” (240).
This is supposed to be a mystery but the mystery is often in the background. I would have preferred more mystery and less romance. That detailed sex scene seems to have been included just to titillate. And don’t get me started on the melodramatic scenes. For example, Mireille’s visit to Hope’s apartment has a lot of “up close” action: “We were so close that I could see the small brown freckles on her nose, cheeks, and forehead” (101) and “Up close, [her eyes] were hazel, green with brown webs in her irises” (102) and “She pressed so close that our noses almost touched” (102) and “She pushed her face in mine” (103) and “She came close enough that I could smell her breath” (103).
From the perspective of an Ontarian living close to the Quebec border, I chuckled at some of Hope’s commentary. “When I hit the Quebec border . . . I noticed that my Ford Focus began bouncing over more frequent potholes” (7) and “Some planning committee thought it was a good idea to run Highway 20 through the heart of little bergs” (7) are comments my husband and I have made on our way east to Montreal. But then, Hope goes on and on about the police: “I never wanted to meet the Sûreté de Québec. The only time they make the national news is when they shoot young black men for no defensible reason. When I got my match results, that I’d be doing family medicine in Montreal, one unbidden thought was, I hope they don’t shoot me. They didn’t regularly mow down young Asian women, but I figured, once unbalanced, always unbalanced” (38). After these remarks, her complaint that “Some people meet you and immediately think they know you through the o-so-true stereotypes” (100) seems hypocritical.
I know my review is harsh, but I honestly found little to like about the book. It should have been more carefully revised and edited. Perhaps the later books in the series are better in this respect? As is, the writing of this book is the equivalent of my doing surgery with only the knowledge gained from a basic first aid course and medical dramas on television.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
Dr. Hope Sze arrives for her first year of residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Montreal. The day after she arrives, when she is working her first shift, the body of Dr. Kurt Radshaw, a dedicated and respected physician, is discovered. Since his death is suspicious, Hope immediately sets out to find the killer.
My first issue with the book is Hope’s motivation for wanting to find the murderer. She has just begun working at the hospital and meets Dr. Radshaw once; nonetheless, she appoints herself the lead investigator? She states, “But something in me wasn’t content to sit around and wait for the [autopsy] report. The more I found out about Dr. Radshaw, the more I wanted to uncover the truth” (75). Later, she explains, “’I guess I was one of the first people to find him. When I met him, he seemed like a nice guy. And everyone loved him so much. I just wanted to make it up to him somehow’” (90). Minutes later, she thinks, “Maybe if we looked into his death, it would help free Alex [from Dr. Radshaw’s shadow]” (97). In case the reader is not convinced, she repeats, “But the more I got to know about Dr. Radshaw, the more curious I got” (113). A few pages later, she adds, “Even though I never really knew Dr. Kurt alive, I still respected him and wanted him to be at peace” (121) and “I hadn’t been able to bring him back to life. But maybe I could make sure he hadn’t died in vain” (121). Yet again, “His death wasn’t right. I wanted to fix it’ (158). None of these statements convince me. Would she react the same way if one of her patients died?
Then there are the gaps in logic. A code blue is called for the operating room but the body is found in the men’s change room? While having lunch with Hope, Alex says, “’You don’t even like rum balls’” (96); what a stupid comment since there is no way he would know this, especially when she had just joked that she’d like all the desserts (87). How is it that they have two different desserts when their lunch included “the dessert of the day” (88)? One minute a bed has “an orange, plaid blanket and white sheets” (188) and the next minute it has “orange plaid sheets . . . [with] their pattern of red, yellow, and green stripes” (189). At one point, Hope says, “Alex had turned off the air conditioning” (200) but then he “flicked off the air conditioning” (202) again?
Hope is new to the hospital, yet she knows a lot about its functioning: “I heard you needed a numerical access code for the elevator” (43) and “Bob Clarkson was originally a family doctor, but he’d cut his patients loose after he’d gone into administration” (129). Then at other times, she is so stupid. She actually feels she has to call the police and tell them that if they found Dr. Radshaw’s pager, they could trace who might have called him (226)? She can spot an abused woman, based on contact for a few minutes, yet she can’t recognize drug usage in someone with whom she has regular contact? What “had been nagging at the back of [her] head” (176) should have been at the forefront!
The book has a lot of extraneous detail. Do we always have to be told, in detail, what someone is wearing? “She was wearing a non-descript, black shirt and white, knee-length shorts” (161) and “My gaze moved to his walnut dress pants and leather sneakers. They were like old Adidas, with the stripes and little lace-ups, except instead of red and white canvas, they were made of medium-brown leather” (228) and “a grey shirt with solid red sleeves, ‘80s style, dark olive cargo pants, and sandals” (229) and “A full-length, stretchy black skirt, a white cotton shirt, even a chunky bead necklace” (122) and “a fitted, ultramarine blouse and white, pleated skirt which fell about mid-thigh” (165). Hope’s descriptions of people suggest a shallowness: “Her square-jawed face might have been pretty, if she hadn’t been forcing a smile” (10) and “her eyes a little close-set for classic beauty” (44) and “His features were too coarse to be good-looking” (110).
Did a copyeditor not proofread this book before publication? A couple of errors can be excused but there are just so many. I started keeping track only after the first 100 pages: “we’d only suffered once suspicious death recently” (129) and “I seemed to be doing a lot sneaking around today” (131) and “If I hadn’t been still been breathing hard . . .” (141) and “Those are two the specialties where the nurses are notoriously protective . . . ” (149) and “I check out her way her shoulders seemed to huddle against him” (161) and “released me enough to flick the on the light switch” (188) and “I have to go outside the soak the speculum in warm water” (219) and “I bet attrition took its toll over course of the afternoon” (240).
This is supposed to be a mystery but the mystery is often in the background. I would have preferred more mystery and less romance. That detailed sex scene seems to have been included just to titillate. And don’t get me started on the melodramatic scenes. For example, Mireille’s visit to Hope’s apartment has a lot of “up close” action: “We were so close that I could see the small brown freckles on her nose, cheeks, and forehead” (101) and “Up close, [her eyes] were hazel, green with brown webs in her irises” (102) and “She pressed so close that our noses almost touched” (102) and “She pushed her face in mine” (103) and “She came close enough that I could smell her breath” (103).
From the perspective of an Ontarian living close to the Quebec border, I chuckled at some of Hope’s commentary. “When I hit the Quebec border . . . I noticed that my Ford Focus began bouncing over more frequent potholes” (7) and “Some planning committee thought it was a good idea to run Highway 20 through the heart of little bergs” (7) are comments my husband and I have made on our way east to Montreal. But then, Hope goes on and on about the police: “I never wanted to meet the Sûreté de Québec. The only time they make the national news is when they shoot young black men for no defensible reason. When I got my match results, that I’d be doing family medicine in Montreal, one unbidden thought was, I hope they don’t shoot me. They didn’t regularly mow down young Asian women, but I figured, once unbalanced, always unbalanced” (38). After these remarks, her complaint that “Some people meet you and immediately think they know you through the o-so-true stereotypes” (100) seems hypocritical.
I know my review is harsh, but I honestly found little to like about the book. It should have been more carefully revised and edited. Perhaps the later books in the series are better in this respect? As is, the writing of this book is the equivalent of my doing surgery with only the knowledge gained from a basic first aid course and medical dramas on television.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
November 26, 2019
This is the first book in the Hope Sze Medical Mystery series. Hope, is a first year medical resident, 28 years old, immature, curious and full of lust. This book is more romance/lust and less mystery, which I prefer. For that reason, I was disappointed and only award 2.5 stars. I hope the next book develops more on the mystery side.
April 21, 2018
I would not really want to be a patient at St Joseph. What a needlessly complicated story, with angst and detours through the life of the residents, doctors and Montreal. I thought the abbreviations of medical terms or the bus company were not exactly helpful.
I will not read another story of Hope Sze, she is a nut case with too many hang ups. I hope Fr Melissa Yi , the author, is more grounded as an emergency doctor!
I will not read another story of Hope Sze, she is a nut case with too many hang ups. I hope Fr Melissa Yi , the author, is more grounded as an emergency doctor!
January 18, 2020
Not my cup of tea...
The murder plot was interesting but the story was less about the murder than about the main character's problems and lousy choices. I didn't care for any of the characters and will not follow the series. I was bored and expected more...
The murder plot was interesting but the story was less about the murder than about the main character's problems and lousy choices. I didn't care for any of the characters and will not follow the series. I was bored and expected more...
December 4, 2015
I didn't mind this book, but it was definitely not what I was expecting,and I don't think I'm the target audience. I would've preferred more mystery and less romance. While it seemed to be setting itself up as a mystery book, the mystery really seemed to take a back seat for most of the book, with Hope's troubles with life and love the main focus of the story. On top of that, I found Hope to be quite unlikeable at times. She's judgemental and rude, she tends to be quite nosy and acts without regard for others, and is quite self-centred. Still, I didn't hate it. Not bad, but not great. 2.5 stars.
September 16, 2021
Not very well written. Inconsistencies in the book and spelling mistakes. The sex scene wasn’t written well. It was more disturb than anything. There wasn’t a real story. No real character developments or story line.
August 24, 2023
Unreadable !!!!
The main character was so unbelievably weak, evoked no sympathy at all. The book wss poorly written and numerous inconsistencies. Would nor recommend this book to anyone. Actually, I hope the Dr sticks to medicine and gives up writing.
The main character was so unbelievably weak, evoked no sympathy at all. The book wss poorly written and numerous inconsistencies. Would nor recommend this book to anyone. Actually, I hope the Dr sticks to medicine and gives up writing.
June 26, 2017
Disliked it. I had the impression of being in the middle of a gossip circle. Might give the author another chance, but I doubt it.
September 30, 2025
…….. wtf. 🤡
September 5, 2023
just not my thing
Seems like a good book. It’s not really a mystery, but actually a bodice-ripper with a murder in the background. I couldn’t finish it, but if you like explicit but not very sexy sex scenes, enjoy.
Seems like a good book. It’s not really a mystery, but actually a bodice-ripper with a murder in the background. I couldn’t finish it, but if you like explicit but not very sexy sex scenes, enjoy.
September 8, 2023
It was okay. Some parts of the plot were page-turning, but other parts lagged. Dr. Sze seems a little immature.
March 15, 2021
I really like medical crime books, I had high expectations for this one.
At the beginning all was fine. Then, suddenly out of nowhere a sex scene with too much information, and, which proved in the end, had not so much to contribute to the story. Don‘t get me wrong, there is no prudeness from my side, but this was too much.
After reading some reviews I continued, as it was promised to be the only of those scenes. True, but after an enjoyable chase for the culprit the next bummer: Having read through 80% of the book, after all was said and done, it did not finish. There was pages and pages of boring story (well, text would describe it better as story was done at the time), I had trouble keeping up. I was relieved to finally having reached the end and being able to write this review (which I usually don‘t do, but in this case I felt like sharing).
At the beginning all was fine. Then, suddenly out of nowhere a sex scene with too much information, and, which proved in the end, had not so much to contribute to the story. Don‘t get me wrong, there is no prudeness from my side, but this was too much.
After reading some reviews I continued, as it was promised to be the only of those scenes. True, but after an enjoyable chase for the culprit the next bummer: Having read through 80% of the book, after all was said and done, it did not finish. There was pages and pages of boring story (well, text would describe it better as story was done at the time), I had trouble keeping up. I was relieved to finally having reached the end and being able to write this review (which I usually don‘t do, but in this case I felt like sharing).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2023
on and on and on
I thought the story was quite boring in a lot of chapters, and the main character had way too many emotions to fathom in someone supposedly a doctor. A third of the way thru the book I eventually skipped to the end to find out the culprit. Then the end was more emotional crap. Way more drama than I care for in a mystery novel
I thought the story was quite boring in a lot of chapters, and the main character had way too many emotions to fathom in someone supposedly a doctor. A third of the way thru the book I eventually skipped to the end to find out the culprit. Then the end was more emotional crap. Way more drama than I care for in a mystery novel
November 11, 2015
I came to this book via StoryBundle and I have to thank the curator for selecting Code Blues. In general I don't read mystery stories but who cares the genre if the story is good. My single concern for the next book is that Alex gets dumped in favour of Tucker but who cares if the story is good.
November 30, 2016
2.5 stars
A new-adult mystery, complete with sex scene, somewhere between a cozy and a thriller, but with doctors. It started out with a lot of promise, but lost me somewhere in the middle, where the characters got extra dumb and the plot started really dragging.
A new-adult mystery, complete with sex scene, somewhere between a cozy and a thriller, but with doctors. It started out with a lot of promise, but lost me somewhere in the middle, where the characters got extra dumb and the plot started really dragging.
April 8, 2023
DNF p. 200+ - Felt like I was in a Junior High novel with real sex.
September 9, 2023
I read half the book. It went around and around and around — all about Hope and Alex. Is it a young adult book? It’s filled with capital letter slang. NYD? Stop. Speak some — any — language.
March 27, 2024
This book wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either. I was hoping for more murder and a little less romance.
June 4, 2024
SLOOOOOOOOOW to get going, and then more of the tiresome main characters' shallow thoughts. Not a good mystery. Very disappointing.
November 10, 2024
Loved all the Montreal nods and the medical setting, but this ended up veering more toward romance than mystery and unfortunately that’s not my cup of tea.
Read
September 29, 2023Read 9/23
September 15, 2023
Code Blues was a difficult book to review. There were some characters that were likeable and easy to identify with. However there were several that were not people that you could root for. The main character had flaws of judgement that seemed below a person of her intelligence. The story did, however, give a good look into the life of a young doctor. When a senior doctor dies there are not many clues as to what happened. I would read further books by this author.
September 14, 2023
Excellent murder mystery with believable characters and twists so the reader doesn’t figure out the ending before you get there.
September 4, 2023
The victim was loved by all except the R1 who was the key to the next Grand Rounds.
April 25, 2017
Not available kindle unlimited, got it through one of my free book sites, one of those amazon says when received ARC or per copy should say got free, no payment, yada yada. Noticed a couple of reviews that said should have been more 'medical' but don't see how, because most people wouldn't understand the terms so would just gloss over them. I think the writer did a good balancing act overall, although yes a few places could have been just a bit tighter possibly but all I have to write is a review of what someone else wrote, and anyone can tell don't have more than bare bones framed idea what all to write spoiler free, look to the stars/rating.by Melissa Yi MD (Author), Melissa Yuan-Innes (Author)
Code Blues (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 1) - Notorious D.O.C. (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 2) - Terminally Ill (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 2) - Stockholm Syndrome (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 4) - Human Remains (Hope Sze Medical Mystery Book 5) -- Student Body: A Hope Sze Novella, with Bonus Radio Drama: No Air (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 4) -- Blood Diamonds: a Hope Sze story originally published in Jewish Noir (Hope Sze medical mystery)- No Air (Hope Sze medical mystery) - Family Medicine (Hope Sze medical mystery)
The Italian School for Assassins (Octavia & Dario Killer School Mystery Book 1) The Goa Yoga School of Slayers (Octavia & Dario Killer School Mystery Book 2)
Other medical type books, other books in general, even some children's books {no, not medical, that may be next who knows}
Have read quite a few of the medical mystery series, go like a decent series. This is the start of them obviously, although didn't seem to be absolutely necessary to read in order but that might just be me with these.
Code Blues (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 1) - Notorious D.O.C. (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 2) - Terminally Ill (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 2) - Stockholm Syndrome (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 4) - Human Remains (Hope Sze Medical Mystery Book 5) -- Student Body: A Hope Sze Novella, with Bonus Radio Drama: No Air (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 4) -- Blood Diamonds: a Hope Sze story originally published in Jewish Noir (Hope Sze medical mystery)- No Air (Hope Sze medical mystery) - Family Medicine (Hope Sze medical mystery)
The Italian School for Assassins (Octavia & Dario Killer School Mystery Book 1) The Goa Yoga School of Slayers (Octavia & Dario Killer School Mystery Book 2)
Other medical type books, other books in general, even some children's books {no, not medical, that may be next who knows}
Have read quite a few of the medical mystery series, go like a decent series. This is the start of them obviously, although didn't seem to be absolutely necessary to read in order but that might just be me with these.
February 1, 2025
I gave it 3 Stars but I could have easily given it 1 Star. I gave it 3 Stars because at First it was interesting. Ultimately though it was a complete mess.
Good Mystery Writers are extremely rare. This book was mostly a bad CW TV Show. Too much of a Soap Opera.
The Author wanted a lot of suspects so she made almost everyone unlikable.
Bottom line the Story was Convoluted. The Ending Ridiculous. She was Not able to weave Everything together so like Bad Writers she has to Explain what happened After the Killer was Revealed.
The Conclusion we are supposed to Believe is too Thin and Not Credible.
She hid the Solution completely, Horrible Writing, then Suddenly 2 people Solve (Off camera so to speak. We don't have it in writing how 2 people Solved the Murder.) it but she hides it because she doesn't know how to make it sound credible. If she would have gone into it in the Book it would have been obvious who the Killer was so she springs it All at the end afterwards. There was No Realistic Motive for Murder.
As written the Explanation for the Murder was Ignorant. Nobody would Murder someone for that reason especially considering the information we knew about each of these people. For there to be any Motivation for Murder at All the Victim would have had to behave completely different than he was written in the Book. There was No reason for the Killer to think there was a Risk, a Reason to Murder him. The Explanation doesn't ring True at All.
I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone to read.
Good Mystery Writers are extremely rare. This book was mostly a bad CW TV Show. Too much of a Soap Opera.
The Author wanted a lot of suspects so she made almost everyone unlikable.
Bottom line the Story was Convoluted. The Ending Ridiculous. She was Not able to weave Everything together so like Bad Writers she has to Explain what happened After the Killer was Revealed.
The Conclusion we are supposed to Believe is too Thin and Not Credible.
She hid the Solution completely, Horrible Writing, then Suddenly 2 people Solve (Off camera so to speak. We don't have it in writing how 2 people Solved the Murder.) it but she hides it because she doesn't know how to make it sound credible. If she would have gone into it in the Book it would have been obvious who the Killer was so she springs it All at the end afterwards. There was No Realistic Motive for Murder.
As written the Explanation for the Murder was Ignorant. Nobody would Murder someone for that reason especially considering the information we knew about each of these people. For there to be any Motivation for Murder at All the Victim would have had to behave completely different than he was written in the Book. There was No reason for the Killer to think there was a Risk, a Reason to Murder him. The Explanation doesn't ring True at All.
I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone to read.
October 27, 2020
Location - Montreal, Quebec
Genre - contemporary, medical mystery
Rating - 3.4
The author of this novel is an emergency physician who works in Vancouver, but trained in Montreal. It is not surprising therefore, that all the medical details, and the inner workings of a general hospital are well portrayed. My career as a nurse enabled me to recognize a lot of the "types" of doctors and other staff that peopled this book. It was a great pleasure to be reading about Canadian places and events as well.
I have been fortunate to have travelled, and have lived in many areas of Canada - except for Quebec. The descriptions of Montreal were vivid, and gave me a great desire to experience this city.
One of my favorite genres is murder mysteries. The murder that occurs in this book is that of a much loved , respected, and dedicated physician who heads family medicine at the hospital. The main character is Hope Sze, a first year resident who has just arrived from Ottawa. Her interactions with the other residents, patients, and staff are often humorous but can also be dramatic.
There are lots of misunderstandings, missteps, and problems to overcome, but the killer is finally brought to justice,
Genre - contemporary, medical mystery
Rating - 3.4
The author of this novel is an emergency physician who works in Vancouver, but trained in Montreal. It is not surprising therefore, that all the medical details, and the inner workings of a general hospital are well portrayed. My career as a nurse enabled me to recognize a lot of the "types" of doctors and other staff that peopled this book. It was a great pleasure to be reading about Canadian places and events as well.
I have been fortunate to have travelled, and have lived in many areas of Canada - except for Quebec. The descriptions of Montreal were vivid, and gave me a great desire to experience this city.
One of my favorite genres is murder mysteries. The murder that occurs in this book is that of a much loved , respected, and dedicated physician who heads family medicine at the hospital. The main character is Hope Sze, a first year resident who has just arrived from Ottawa. Her interactions with the other residents, patients, and staff are often humorous but can also be dramatic.
There are lots of misunderstandings, missteps, and problems to overcome, but the killer is finally brought to justice,
January 19, 2015
Although Hope Sze, our heroine, gets into frustrating situations which are often due to the inefficiencies of the roads, transit system, hospitals, etc., the author still paints Montreal as a vibrant place with a giant joie de vivre. Being new to the city, Hope is trying to succeed professionally and socially. The travails of moving, dating and working are all told with a humorous tone. I was particularly amused by Hope’s relationship with her family. Despite the demands of work and love life, Hope gets involved in trying to solve a murder that occurs on her first day on the job. She endures numerous setbacks along the way, but all the while we are rooting for Hope. All in all, an enjoyable read.
January 28, 2018
Intrigued by the author’s back story, I decided to read Code Blues, the first book in the Hope Sze Medical Mystery series. Captivated from the start, I found myself enmeshed in a medical drama that kept me up two nights in a row. From Ms. Yi’s vivid descriptions, I could easily imagine the dilapidated Montreal hospital and the conflicted characters, who struggle with boundaries and relationships. The murder of a beloved doctor sets in motion a riveting narrative that takes many unexpected twists and turns. I continually second-guessed myself as I attempted to identify the murderer in this well-plotted, character-driven novel.
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