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Male, Unknown
EDIE CARTER. FORGIVE ME.
The four words carved into the body of an unidentified patient which bring the repressed childhood trauma of young trainee anaesthetist Edie Carter flooding back.
But what terrible secret does the sedated man fighting for his life in her intensive care unit hold?
And when she finds out, will she still want to save him?
Young doctor Edie Carter is bright, talented and ambitious. She is embarking on her dream career in anaesthetics and is engaged to a man who adores her. The one thing she doesn't have is a childhood. Suffering from traumatic repression, large parts of her past are blank spaces.
When an unidentified patient arrives in her intensive care unit with her name carved on his body, she realises that memories can refuse to stay buried. The man is unknown to Edie, but digging deeper, she discovers that the patient is Samuel Cox, a man imprisoned and brutalised over the last two decades for horrifying crimes he had committed.
As she investigates further, and begins to reveal Cox's motives, Edie realises that even those she trusts have been complicit in deceiving her.
With the lives of those closest to her at risk, is Edie ready for the truth of what happened all those years ago?
And will she do whatever it takes to keep it hidden?
The four words carved into the body of an unidentified patient which bring the repressed childhood trauma of young trainee anaesthetist Edie Carter flooding back.
But what terrible secret does the sedated man fighting for his life in her intensive care unit hold?
And when she finds out, will she still want to save him?
Young doctor Edie Carter is bright, talented and ambitious. She is embarking on her dream career in anaesthetics and is engaged to a man who adores her. The one thing she doesn't have is a childhood. Suffering from traumatic repression, large parts of her past are blank spaces.
When an unidentified patient arrives in her intensive care unit with her name carved on his body, she realises that memories can refuse to stay buried. The man is unknown to Edie, but digging deeper, she discovers that the patient is Samuel Cox, a man imprisoned and brutalised over the last two decades for horrifying crimes he had committed.
As she investigates further, and begins to reveal Cox's motives, Edie realises that even those she trusts have been complicit in deceiving her.
With the lives of those closest to her at risk, is Edie ready for the truth of what happened all those years ago?
And will she do whatever it takes to keep it hidden?
303 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2025
6 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 24, 2025
Where to start?! There is so much to say but I don’t want to spoil anything.
Edie is happy in life, training in a field of medicine she loves, a loving relationship with Harry (even if the in laws are a little prickly). but one patient turns her life upside down forever.
I felt Edie’s uncertainty and curiosity as to what she was meant to forgive this man for. She didn’t recall meeting him before so playing detective was the only way she could put things to rest.
Edie wasn’t the only one I heard from as I navigated my way Male, Unknown. Harry gave me his perspective on proceedings and this was the voice of a concerned partner but one who’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. He wants to help Edie but there are others interfering both in broad daylight and behind the scenes.
This is a very tight thriller. Griffiths didn’t give me many clues as to where he was taking me. I had to follow relatively blindly. The switching of narrator kept things very interesting as each party was hiding something from the other. This is a cracking debut from Griffiths with with oodles of intrigue and the odd twist to boot.
Edie is happy in life, training in a field of medicine she loves, a loving relationship with Harry (even if the in laws are a little prickly). but one patient turns her life upside down forever.
I felt Edie’s uncertainty and curiosity as to what she was meant to forgive this man for. She didn’t recall meeting him before so playing detective was the only way she could put things to rest.
Edie wasn’t the only one I heard from as I navigated my way Male, Unknown. Harry gave me his perspective on proceedings and this was the voice of a concerned partner but one who’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. He wants to help Edie but there are others interfering both in broad daylight and behind the scenes.
This is a very tight thriller. Griffiths didn’t give me many clues as to where he was taking me. I had to follow relatively blindly. The switching of narrator kept things very interesting as each party was hiding something from the other. This is a cracking debut from Griffiths with with oodles of intrigue and the odd twist to boot.
September 24, 2025
This kept me on my toes through out, following lies and deception. I did find the middle of the book dragged a little, but the ending was gripping, a brilliant psychology thriller
July 24, 2025
A wonderfully twisted tale of lies and deceit with people having secrets and ulterior motives for every action. I did find the middle a bot of a drag but the ending was definitely eyebrow raising and I had no idea that was how it was going to end. A good psychological thriller.
September 30, 2025
this book was brilliant 👏 loved the twists and the plot!
September 11, 2025
Male, Unknown is the debut novel from CJ Griffiths. His background is working in the NHS and his knowledge shines through in this tense and twisty thriller. I love the fact that our lead character, Edie, is a anaesthetist, something a little different.
Edie suffers from traumatic repression and memory loss, there are huge swathes of her past that she does not remember. Although she is doing her dream job and is happily engaged she does struggle with her fragmented past and when a patient is admitted to intensive care with her name carved on his body, those hidden memories begin to surface.
That patient is Samuel Cox, a brutalised convict and he has connections to Edie's past. As Edie investigates more she uncovers things about her loved one; betrayal, deception and the truth, at last.
This is an unusual setting; the Intensive Care Unit makes the story feel more claustrophobic and the author expertly weaves NHS ethics and how a breach of trust can create terrible outcomes for those involved.
From the dramatic opening, through to the unexpected finale, this is a tense, sometimes unsettling and at times, very dark thriller with themes of amnesia, dangerous pasts and internal conflicts. Edie is a flawed, yet compelling protagonist
A fabulous debut. I look forward to reading more from this author. Recommended.
Edie suffers from traumatic repression and memory loss, there are huge swathes of her past that she does not remember. Although she is doing her dream job and is happily engaged she does struggle with her fragmented past and when a patient is admitted to intensive care with her name carved on his body, those hidden memories begin to surface.
That patient is Samuel Cox, a brutalised convict and he has connections to Edie's past. As Edie investigates more she uncovers things about her loved one; betrayal, deception and the truth, at last.
This is an unusual setting; the Intensive Care Unit makes the story feel more claustrophobic and the author expertly weaves NHS ethics and how a breach of trust can create terrible outcomes for those involved.
From the dramatic opening, through to the unexpected finale, this is a tense, sometimes unsettling and at times, very dark thriller with themes of amnesia, dangerous pasts and internal conflicts. Edie is a flawed, yet compelling protagonist
A fabulous debut. I look forward to reading more from this author. Recommended.
October 1, 2025
Oh my word. Where do I start with reviewing Male Unknown ? I thought this was going to be a straightforward read with all the classic components of a good mystery . I was wrong. Male Unknown takes you down different psychological paths as the characters, and consequently what you think their role is and who , or what, they are change as you turn the pages.
It plays with your mind . You think you are secure in what you are learning and so you allow yourself to feel compassion and revulsion depending on whose chapter you are reading. Then, it starts to change , and consequently you start to question what you thought had happened and why. You will question what you are reading and what you have already read and, if you are like me, you will go back and read chapters of it again looking at some of the characters in a different light.
This is a story where nothing is as it seems , nothing is straight forward and , as it happens, nothing is left uncovered.
Who can you trust ? Who do you believe? Who stands to gain ? Who stands to lose ?
This is a very clever story that will play with your mind from the very first page to the very last drawing you into the life, and past of Edie Carter.
It plays with your mind . You think you are secure in what you are learning and so you allow yourself to feel compassion and revulsion depending on whose chapter you are reading. Then, it starts to change , and consequently you start to question what you thought had happened and why. You will question what you are reading and what you have already read and, if you are like me, you will go back and read chapters of it again looking at some of the characters in a different light.
This is a story where nothing is as it seems , nothing is straight forward and , as it happens, nothing is left uncovered.
Who can you trust ? Who do you believe? Who stands to gain ? Who stands to lose ?
This is a very clever story that will play with your mind from the very first page to the very last drawing you into the life, and past of Edie Carter.
September 13, 2025
A good medical/psychological drama with an opening that grabs you from the start. An unidentified man arrives at the hospital ICU where Edie works as a trainee anaesthetist. Nothing strange about that other than the man has the words “ Edie Carter forgive me” carved on his stomach! Told from multiple POVs this is a dark and engaging read.
Briefly, Edie has a history whereby she cannot remember her youth due to repressed trauma. Edie is engaged to Harry, son of an eminent Consultant, and Edie’s mother has been in and out of mental institutions for many years. However, Edie is determined to find out the man’s identity and the motive behind the carved words. It doesn’t take long for her life to descend into chaos, with one discovery after another resurrecting memories of her past and she starts to wonder who she can really trust.
This is a slow burner but totalling compelling. Full of suspense and with a raft of pretty unlikeable characters, including the main protagonist Edie who is clearly flawed and as such an unreliable narrator. There are some shocking revelations and a great but unsettling climax. A good debut.
Briefly, Edie has a history whereby she cannot remember her youth due to repressed trauma. Edie is engaged to Harry, son of an eminent Consultant, and Edie’s mother has been in and out of mental institutions for many years. However, Edie is determined to find out the man’s identity and the motive behind the carved words. It doesn’t take long for her life to descend into chaos, with one discovery after another resurrecting memories of her past and she starts to wonder who she can really trust.
This is a slow burner but totalling compelling. Full of suspense and with a raft of pretty unlikeable characters, including the main protagonist Edie who is clearly flawed and as such an unreliable narrator. There are some shocking revelations and a great but unsettling climax. A good debut.
September 12, 2025
Rounded up from 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed Male, Unknown, especially as a debut. The pacing is fantastic. I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down. The tension particularly in the hospital setting is brilliantly handled, and the medical details feel authentic without slowing the story.
The multiple POVs work perfectly. You never quite know who to trust and are constantly questioning what is going on, particularly around the motivations of Harry’s father. Right up to the final pages you are questioning everyone’s motives.
The twist at the end is clever—I only guessed it two pages before it happened—and it made the story click in a really satisfying way. C.J. Griffiths has delivered a gripping, polished debut that mixes medical drama and psychological suspense brilliantly. 4.5 stars
Thank you to @randomthingstours @cjgriffithsauthor and @noexitpress for the ARC
September 15, 2025
We meet Edie Carter who is training in anaesthesias and working in an Intensive Care dept when she is tasked with treating an unknown male who is brought in,this in itself is not so much a problem however the fact her name is carved into him is…imagine the horror that would give you!
And so the mystery begins,Who?,Why? and Where? and as the book develops we find out that Edie has large areas of her memory repressed due to terrible things that have happened and we also find out the man in question is someone who has committed shocking crimes in his past
How are the two connected? And who is playing a shocking game with her? Can she trust those she thinks she can…
A well written debut and you can tell the author has prior knowledge of medical environments and procedures etc this is to our advantage as readers as things are explained and scenes set that can easily be imagined
Intriguing and original,mostly fast paced and a good twisty read that kept me reading ( always a good sign ) 😊
And so the mystery begins,Who?,Why? and Where? and as the book develops we find out that Edie has large areas of her memory repressed due to terrible things that have happened and we also find out the man in question is someone who has committed shocking crimes in his past
How are the two connected? And who is playing a shocking game with her? Can she trust those she thinks she can…
A well written debut and you can tell the author has prior knowledge of medical environments and procedures etc this is to our advantage as readers as things are explained and scenes set that can easily be imagined
Intriguing and original,mostly fast paced and a good twisty read that kept me reading ( always a good sign ) 😊
September 15, 2025
This is one of psychological thrillers that slowly trickles through, and unfolds things piece by piece, really building the tension. I think it works perfectly, because it does not throw twists and crazy motives left and right, but you can feel the walls closing in as Edie starts to piece together her past and this convict's dirty deeds, slowly recognizing that there may just be a lot more to what is going on than even she is willing to open up and admit.
There are definitely things that will make you feel disgusted, things that will throw you for a loop and plenty of things to make you angry, so this book will keep you hooked and completely keep you on the edge of your seat!
There are definitely things that will make you feel disgusted, things that will throw you for a loop and plenty of things to make you angry, so this book will keep you hooked and completely keep you on the edge of your seat!
September 14, 2025
An addictive debut told from multiple POVs with some flashbacks to the past. This storyline will have you hooked from the get go in the most intriguing fashion. Twists throughout that will keep you turning the pages, claustrophobic in its nature this tale of a medical drama mixed with psychological suspense is thrilling to its very core.
Noting the authors NHS background there is a good variation of medical jargon but not so much that someone with no medical knowledge would be left confused.
I’ll be keeping an eye out for C J Griffiths future work!
Noting the authors NHS background there is a good variation of medical jargon but not so much that someone with no medical knowledge would be left confused.
I’ll be keeping an eye out for C J Griffiths future work!
September 18, 2025
I love dark thrillers and no amount of gore, evil acts, or sadistic acts phase me, exceptitons to these, are the special form of ‘branding’ with in this book.
Edie finding her name in that way freaked me right out 😳😳😳, it certainly grabbed me by nonexistent ball and kept me hooked throughout out. This is a debut, but it feels that they author has been writing for years as they nailed this book.
My favourite parts were Edie discovering memories which had been suppressed and seeing how that all come together.
The author is definitely one to watch out for!! Add thi to your TBR!
Edie finding her name in that way freaked me right out 😳😳😳, it certainly grabbed me by nonexistent ball and kept me hooked throughout out. This is a debut, but it feels that they author has been writing for years as they nailed this book.
My favourite parts were Edie discovering memories which had been suppressed and seeing how that all come together.
The author is definitely one to watch out for!! Add thi to your TBR!
September 9, 2025
What a great story! It kept me hooked and couldn't put it down as wanted to know the who, the what and the why! the characters were set up well and i never guessed the ending!
September 24, 2025
My thoughts
I enjoyed this story and it had me invested in the characters.
The plot was well thought out and carried me through the story as the intrigue built. I don’t read many medical crime novels as they can get very samey, but this one had a good edge to it and I was sold by the blurb.
The final twist I had seen coming, although not quite to the extent it does! It’s a very cleverly written story, twisting and twisted in turn.
The story is one that throughout has you wondering who is on whose side, who did what and why. This will have you asking questions about the story, characters and the hospital system! Well worth reading.
With thanks to Anne Cater, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
I enjoyed this story and it had me invested in the characters.
The plot was well thought out and carried me through the story as the intrigue built. I don’t read many medical crime novels as they can get very samey, but this one had a good edge to it and I was sold by the blurb.
The final twist I had seen coming, although not quite to the extent it does! It’s a very cleverly written story, twisting and twisted in turn.
The story is one that throughout has you wondering who is on whose side, who did what and why. This will have you asking questions about the story, characters and the hospital system! Well worth reading.
With thanks to Anne Cater, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews