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Call Game
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Expected 23 Oct 25“An exceptional debut novel full of intrigue, surprising twists, and medical stories portraying the drama found every day in the hospital.” –Gary Gerlacher, Bestselling Author of the AJ Docker Series
Chief orthopedic resident, Dr. Rylan Fraser, knows she’s in for a bad on-call night when she arrives in the trauma bay to find a young father barely holding on after a major motorcycle accident. It’s the eve of Thanksgiving, so staffing is thin, but things slide further downhill when she learns her junior resident is AWOL and the blizzard raging outside has stranded her supervising attending in a roadside ditch. This means she must fly solo, breaking the established chain-of-command to perform a series of emergency operations she is almost-but-not-entirely qualified to do on her own. Just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, they do. In between surgeries, Rylan is summoned to the ward to check on her post-op patients—only to find one after the other dead in their beds.
With stress levels skyrocketing, Rylan teams up with the friendly (and handsome) on-call psychiatrist, Dr. Paul Bennet, to puzzle out what’s happening. Nothing is quite what it seems, though. As the night unfolds, Rylan and Paul are pulled deeper and deeper into a sick cat and mouse game in which their very own lives hang in the balance.
Chief orthopedic resident, Dr. Rylan Fraser, knows she’s in for a bad on-call night when she arrives in the trauma bay to find a young father barely holding on after a major motorcycle accident. It’s the eve of Thanksgiving, so staffing is thin, but things slide further downhill when she learns her junior resident is AWOL and the blizzard raging outside has stranded her supervising attending in a roadside ditch. This means she must fly solo, breaking the established chain-of-command to perform a series of emergency operations she is almost-but-not-entirely qualified to do on her own. Just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, they do. In between surgeries, Rylan is summoned to the ward to check on her post-op patients—only to find one after the other dead in their beds.
With stress levels skyrocketing, Rylan teams up with the friendly (and handsome) on-call psychiatrist, Dr. Paul Bennet, to puzzle out what’s happening. Nothing is quite what it seems, though. As the night unfolds, Rylan and Paul are pulled deeper and deeper into a sick cat and mouse game in which their very own lives hang in the balance.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 23, 2025
1386 people want to read
About the author
Graham Elder
7 books7 followersDr. Graham Elder runs a busy surgical practice in Northern Ontario. He is the author of the bestselling medical fiction series A Covid Odyssey. Very outdoorsy, he enjoys Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, biking, and hiking with his two massive dogs. Graham has been married thirty-four years and has two wonderful children.
Dr. Laura Cody is a forensic psychiatrist, fiction writer, and lover of books. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous publications. She is happiest hiking and adoring beautiful vistas and gorgeous sunsets. She loves chocolate (addiction-level), spicy food, and cats. Laura lives in New York with her three children, two cats, and one husband.
Laura and Graham met over a cadaver in the anatomy lab their first week of medical school and have been friends ever since. In 2015, they joined forces and twodocswriting.com was born. A forensic psychiatrist writing with an orthopedic surgeon? What devilish harm could come of that?
Dr. Laura Cody is a forensic psychiatrist, fiction writer, and lover of books. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous publications. She is happiest hiking and adoring beautiful vistas and gorgeous sunsets. She loves chocolate (addiction-level), spicy food, and cats. Laura lives in New York with her three children, two cats, and one husband.
Laura and Graham met over a cadaver in the anatomy lab their first week of medical school and have been friends ever since. In 2015, they joined forces and twodocswriting.com was born. A forensic psychiatrist writing with an orthopedic surgeon? What devilish harm could come of that?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 18, 2025
Call Game grabs hold from the very first chapter and doesn't let go. Told through the alternating perspectives of medical professionals and patients, the novel takes us deep into the high-pressure world of a Northern Michigan hospital over a chaotic holiday weekend. When a mysterious young woman known only as Jane Doe vanishes, the ripple effects touch everyone—from a jaded orthopedic resident to a psychiatrist with a troubled past. What begins as a fast-paced medical drama slowly unravels into something darker and more mysterious, blending psychological suspense with eerie undertones. With sharp dialogue, vivid characters, and a steadily mounting sense of dread, Call Game keeps the tension high all the way to its haunting and explosive conclusion. A gripping, genre-bending read that I highly recommend.
September 13, 2025
4.5 stars. (I rarely give modern-day books 5 stars.)
I received an ARC copy of Call Game, a medical thriller that takes place over the Thanksgiving holiday in a remote hospital during a blizzard. The story starts out with ER drama, and initially, I felt impatient for the first body to fall. There’s a scene where the MC, a fifth year ortho surgeon, does surgery with another resident to try to save a guy, and from there, I was totally hooked. The story builds from there and never stops. At least once, I thought I knew who the killer was, but I was dead wrong. (No spoilers here.) The suspense really builds, and with each chapter, I found the book harder to put down—so I didn’t! I finished it in two days.
Call Game is a great whodunit, set in a hospital during a holiday where no one wants to be a patient (or in the building). The medical lingo is explained, when needed. As someone who has experienced disrespectful doctors, I appreciated the authors (who are both doctors) portraying real doctors: caring, apathetic, uncaring, overworked, selfish, hopeful, exhausted, lonely, rich, broke, etc.
I’m particularly picky about book endings and this one does not disappoint. Again, no spoilers.
I received an ARC copy of Call Game, a medical thriller that takes place over the Thanksgiving holiday in a remote hospital during a blizzard. The story starts out with ER drama, and initially, I felt impatient for the first body to fall. There’s a scene where the MC, a fifth year ortho surgeon, does surgery with another resident to try to save a guy, and from there, I was totally hooked. The story builds from there and never stops. At least once, I thought I knew who the killer was, but I was dead wrong. (No spoilers here.) The suspense really builds, and with each chapter, I found the book harder to put down—so I didn’t! I finished it in two days.
Call Game is a great whodunit, set in a hospital during a holiday where no one wants to be a patient (or in the building). The medical lingo is explained, when needed. As someone who has experienced disrespectful doctors, I appreciated the authors (who are both doctors) portraying real doctors: caring, apathetic, uncaring, overworked, selfish, hopeful, exhausted, lonely, rich, broke, etc.
I’m particularly picky about book endings and this one does not disappoint. Again, no spoilers.
October 3, 2025
I love locked-room mysteries. I've read plenty of medical thrillers. But I'm not sure I've ever read a combination of the two--a hospital with a suffocating blizzard on the outside and a killer on the inside. Laura Cody and Graham Elder fill that gap with a rip-roaring, non-stop pace that makes their novel impossible to put down.
"Call Game" is like Lucy Foley (The Guest List) teamed up with Robin Cook (not title needed) to write a bestseller! Chief resident Dr. Rylan Fraser is supposed to be supervised for critical medical procedures. The storm prevents that. Now she has to figure out how to save lives while her patients are dropping like flies. Suspiciously. Fortunately, she has the new on-call psychiatrist to help her make it through her shift.
Hang on for an ending you'll never see coming!
"Call Game" is like Lucy Foley (The Guest List) teamed up with Robin Cook (not title needed) to write a bestseller! Chief resident Dr. Rylan Fraser is supposed to be supervised for critical medical procedures. The storm prevents that. Now she has to figure out how to save lives while her patients are dropping like flies. Suspiciously. Fortunately, she has the new on-call psychiatrist to help her make it through her shift.
Hang on for an ending you'll never see coming!
October 2, 2025
This story written by Graham Elder and Laura Cody is an absolute page turner! Set in a hospital, late at night, during a ragging blizzard, with a lack of staff unable to get there, it follows Dr. Rylan Fraser, chief orthopaedic resident , and the new psychiatrist, Dr Paul Bennett, as they encounter a series of unsettling events.
What I really enjoyed about the book is how it blends medical drama with psychological suspense. The strange events that begin happening to patients are both chilling and mysterious making the plot that’s full of twists and turns.
Overall I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys thrillers. It’s an intense, fast paced read making for a plot that will keep you hooked until the last page.
What I really enjoyed about the book is how it blends medical drama with psychological suspense. The strange events that begin happening to patients are both chilling and mysterious making the plot that’s full of twists and turns.
Overall I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys thrillers. It’s an intense, fast paced read making for a plot that will keep you hooked until the last page.
October 20, 2025
Call Game completely pulled me in. It’s got the same psychological tension as The Silent Patient, but set in a hospital, where the stakes somehow feel even higher. The story jumps between multiple perspectives, and every time you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, another twist hits and changes everything.
The medical setting feels real, the long shifts, the pressure, the quiet moments where everything could fall apart and it makes the suspense feel so much more intense. I was totally hooked from the first few chapters and basically couldn’t stop until I finished it.
If you like thrillers with sharp writing, complex characters, and endings that actually surprise you, Call Game is 100% worth picking up.
The medical setting feels real, the long shifts, the pressure, the quiet moments where everything could fall apart and it makes the suspense feel so much more intense. I was totally hooked from the first few chapters and basically couldn’t stop until I finished it.
If you like thrillers with sharp writing, complex characters, and endings that actually surprise you, Call Game is 100% worth picking up.
August 19, 2025
This medical thriller delivers on every front, from the claustrophobic atmosphere of a snowbound hospital to the realistic medical emergencies. Rylan Fraser makes for a compelling protagonist, balancing her surgical expertise with growing paranoia as patients begin dying around her.
The authors excel at misdirection, making readers question every character's motive while building romantic tension between Rylan and the handsome psychiatrist Dr. Bennett.
I’m the one who figures out the mystery during the opening credits of every movie, and the twist at the end of this one is genuinely shocking. Elder and Cody did the thing here, and now I’ll read all their books.
The authors excel at misdirection, making readers question every character's motive while building romantic tension between Rylan and the handsome psychiatrist Dr. Bennett.
I’m the one who figures out the mystery during the opening credits of every movie, and the twist at the end of this one is genuinely shocking. Elder and Cody did the thing here, and now I’ll read all their books.
October 6, 2025
I read Call Game cover to cover in one day—I couldn’t put it down! Set in a remote hospital in Northern Michigan during a Thanksgiving blizzard, this medical thriller unfolds through the perspectives of different patients and doctors. The shifting viewpoints build tension and suspense, making you suspicious of everyone and their possible motives.
The authors, both doctors, make the hospital setting feel super authentic—the medical details and fast pace pulled me in right away. Having recently spent several days in a hospital with a relative, I found myself thinking about this book often—especially while walking to the vending machine after hours in the dark cafeteria…
The authors, both doctors, make the hospital setting feel super authentic—the medical details and fast pace pulled me in right away. Having recently spent several days in a hospital with a relative, I found myself thinking about this book often—especially while walking to the vending machine after hours in the dark cafeteria…
October 17, 2025
Chief resident Dr. Rylan Fraser faces what should be a typical chaotic long-weekend call shift, but it quickly turns sinister as unexplained deaths begin occurring in the hospital. Elder and Cody expertly blend the frenzy of hospital life with the mounting dread of something far more sinister unfolding. The tension builds with every chapter, keeping you guessing who’s next — and who’s behind it all. Sharp, suspenseful, and genuinely funny in the way only hospital life can be, it had me hooked from start to finish.
September 8, 2025
This is my first traditionally published collaboration with longtime friend and coauthor, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Laura Cody. If you are in a medical field, like whodunnits, love a deep dive into psychological thrillers, or simply enjoy a fast-paced, can’t-put-it-down, don’t-read-before-bedtime novel, then I think you’ll enjoy this book. Tell your friends. Leave a rating. Thanks for reading. Cheers 😀📖
October 6, 2025
Rylan is in the final year of her orthopedic training and covering the hospital on Thanksgiving, when her patients start mysteriously dying. Isolated by a winter storm, she must work with a psychiatrist to stop the killer before she becomes the next victim. This is an exceptional debut novel full of intrigue, surprising twists, and medical stories portraying the drama found every day in the hospital!
October 14, 2025
This book gave you a somewhat sense of what can go on behind those curtains in the ER with the upheaval you dont see as a patient. An episode of "Greys Anatomy" is what first came to me the first few chapters. Then, the unexpected turn of events certainly suprise you. The plot twists and turns keeps you
captivated. I didn't want to put it down! Great read. Highly recommend this one!
Lori-Lee Suurna.
captivated. I didn't want to put it down! Great read. Highly recommend this one!
Lori-Lee Suurna.
October 18, 2025
An edge of your seat medical thriller that keeps you guessing from start to finish. I don’t have a medical background but that did not deter me in the least from thoroughly enjoying this read. The medical aspects were not patronizingly dumbed down by the authors. In fact, they were clearly explained and deftly integrated into the story. A solid five star recommendation and looking forward to further works from this writing duo.
October 9, 2025
Nobody can leave but nobody wants to stay. Super fast paced thriller, loved the multiple povs. I thought i had this figured out many times but I was wrong! Intense and Suspenseful and will keep you guessing. Throughly enjoyed this book and raced through it. Just found myself a new author to read from.
October 15, 2025
Call Game is a suspense-filled medical thriller set in a hospital cut off during a blizzard. I could not put this book down, nor could I figure out who dunnit! The setting is unique, and the authors have done a great job building suspense with a final twist. I can’t wait to read more from these authors. I hope there is a sequel!
October 16, 2025
Call Game is awesome. It kept me hooked from start to finish and felt real and very intense. The story is full of suspense, heart, and surprising twists, with just the right mix of medical drama and human emotion. I stayed up late reading it because I just had to know what happens next. It was so fun to read!
October 18, 2025
I work in the healthcare field, and this book definitely kept my interest! A must read that entices you in with its intelligence, suspense and intrigue. I enjoy medical thrillers, and this is one of the best I have read. You won’t be able to put this book down until you find out who the killer is, and you will be shocked by the ending!
October 19, 2025
I’m going to keep this short for fear of coming across nit-picky. 😂
I clearly did not like this book. I thought it was distasteful, boring throughout the majority, and disjointed.
Language: 4/5
Spice: 3/5
Violence: 5/5
‼️Check trigger warnings!
*side note, I really would love for authors to disclose spice content, especially if it’s in genres that do not typically have romance/spice. 🥲
I clearly did not like this book. I thought it was distasteful, boring throughout the majority, and disjointed.
Language: 4/5
Spice: 3/5
Violence: 5/5
‼️Check trigger warnings!
*side note, I really would love for authors to disclose spice content, especially if it’s in genres that do not typically have romance/spice. 🥲
August 25, 2025
Spoilers below!!
Combines disturbingly plausible medical accuracy with suspense..
The book was a great read. I loved how medically detailed it was and how the authors explained enough so the reader would understand but didn’t spend too long on erroneous details. Each chapter was fast paced and ended with just a little tease that made me want to keep reading. I loved the red-herrings sprinkled in in the form of the janitor and the psychosis patient.
I also loved the morgue scene. It was really memorable for being eerie and interesting. When they explained the potassium being found in the victims, it was great story telling to have Paul ask for an explanation for himself and the reader. During that scene, I found myself thinking “wow this psychiatrist has a lot of time on his hands” and despite that, I still guessed the killer wrong. I thought it was Helen!
I also found myself really caring about Rylan. I loved all the interactions with different physicians and patients, the power dynamics and pride (ex that head surgeon that spoke down to her, the way Pockface made crude comments towards her). I loved the scene where she talked back to the Anesthesiologist and got that nod of respect and at the end, when she got it from Mike, too.
The cliffhanger at the end makes me think they are teasing a sequel!
Combines disturbingly plausible medical accuracy with suspense..
The book was a great read. I loved how medically detailed it was and how the authors explained enough so the reader would understand but didn’t spend too long on erroneous details. Each chapter was fast paced and ended with just a little tease that made me want to keep reading. I loved the red-herrings sprinkled in in the form of the janitor and the psychosis patient.
I also loved the morgue scene. It was really memorable for being eerie and interesting. When they explained the potassium being found in the victims, it was great story telling to have Paul ask for an explanation for himself and the reader. During that scene, I found myself thinking “wow this psychiatrist has a lot of time on his hands” and despite that, I still guessed the killer wrong. I thought it was Helen!
I also found myself really caring about Rylan. I loved all the interactions with different physicians and patients, the power dynamics and pride (ex that head surgeon that spoke down to her, the way Pockface made crude comments towards her). I loved the scene where she talked back to the Anesthesiologist and got that nod of respect and at the end, when she got it from Mike, too.
The cliffhanger at the end makes me think they are teasing a sequel!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2025
Spoiler alert. The premise is very good. There is a lot of profanity which is a distraction for me. The secondary characters are interesting and very well portrayed. The love scene between Rylan and Paul seems unlikely under the circumstances.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2025
This was a page turner with some unexpected twists. I appreciated how well the medical dialogue was defined, there was just the right amount of information and I learned a few things. It kept me curious the whole way through and I recommend you give it a try.
October 9, 2025
A captivating story that makes you hope for a quiet night on call so that you have lots of uninterrupted reading time. The tension is palpable as the story builds towards an unexpected conclusion that brings clarity to this fast paced medical thriller!
October 13, 2025
Being in the medical field, I always enjoy a great thriller set in a clinical setting and this novel didn’t disappoint!
It definitely kept me guessing as well as really empathizing with the main character. I read this in two days and love when I have a book I don’t want to put down! Well done!
It definitely kept me guessing as well as really empathizing with the main character. I read this in two days and love when I have a book I don’t want to put down! Well done!
October 16, 2025
This book should come with a warning... Not to read before bedtime... To call it gripping would be an understatement. I have lost two nights sleep reading it and just finished the book at 6:15am.
If you love medical thrillers this is the book for you.
Well done!!! Five stars!!!
Cheers!!!
If you love medical thrillers this is the book for you.
Well done!!! Five stars!!!
Cheers!!!
October 21, 2025
Call game is unyieldingly captivating. From the first chapter you’re pulled into the gripping suspense of a trauma centre after dark and the addicting blend of mystery and medicine is mesmerizing down to the last page.
October 21, 2025
Not to sound cliche, but definitely a page-turner. I thought I had it figured out -- and then I didn't! Realistic details in a over-the-top scenario of non-stop adrenaline that makes you need to known what happens.
August 9, 2025
A gripping thriller from start to finish. If you're looking for a pacy, addictive read with one heck of a twist, read this!
August 25, 2025
An absolute thrill ride—this novel gripped me from page one and left me desperate for the next adventure!
September 29, 2025
Tense, smart, and full of twists, it’ll keep you guessing until the final page.
September 30, 2025
I could not put this book down! I work in the healthcare field and it kept me interested from beginning to end. Well done! I would definitely recommend!
October 13, 2025
Thrilling book, couldn’t put it down. Big plot twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. Highly recommend to anyone even if not in medical field!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews