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Call After Midnight & Under The Knife
Call After Midnight & Under the Knife by Tess Gerritsen released on Apr 25, 2006 is available now for purchase.
560 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2006
5 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
About the author
Tess Gerritsen
202 books21.3k followersInternationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 9, 2015
Both stories have much in common: Women who are witness to or may know something and are being hunted for this reason. Men, who start out in officious or oppositional positions to the women but end up being the romantic interest. The destruction of the woman's current life/career and the need to flee. The protection of the women by the men who are falling in love, including car chases and shoot outs. The romantic couples, who are denying their attraction, have to live together for protection. Misunderstandings, denials, fights, and ultimately romantic fulfillment.
One story is about a woman whose husband of 2 months has died in a fire, but there are loose ends and his wife tries to find out if he really is dead and if he is not, where is he?
The other story is about a woman anesthesiologist who has a patient die on the operating table and gets blamed although she knows she did not make an error. She is being sued and goes to talk to the prosecuting attorney thinking maybe he will listen to her story.
A quick, easy and entertaining book.
One story is about a woman whose husband of 2 months has died in a fire, but there are loose ends and his wife tries to find out if he really is dead and if he is not, where is he?
The other story is about a woman anesthesiologist who has a patient die on the operating table and gets blamed although she knows she did not make an error. She is being sued and goes to talk to the prosecuting attorney thinking maybe he will listen to her story.
A quick, easy and entertaining book.
April 30, 2013
I grabbed this off the library shelf because it was by Gerritsen. I didn't discover until I'd been reading awhile that something seemed slightly amiss. Ah ha. Both of these novels (published in one cover) were written under the name Terry Gerritsen, and are a couple of Ms. Gerritsen's early works. They have much stronger emphasis on "romance" than is present in her later, more sophisticated medical/police procedural thrillers. Still, they were good enough to read as a guilty pleasure.
December 1, 2019
I only read Call after Midnight. If I had noticed that this was a Harlequin book, I would not have read it. I am not fond of the"gushy" descriptions between budding lovers. However, it is a quick and entertaining mystery.
The main characters were Nick O'Hara and Sarah, newly wed to Geoffrey Fontaine. Nick is calling her after midnight to notify her that her that her husband is dead. However, the first chapter tells of how Geoffrey killed his attacker. A "novel" trick, the end is the beginning, but only for the reader.
Nick loses his job with the U.S. State Department because he becomes too sympathetic with the people to whom he is assigned and because of his other departures from protocol. Then, you guessed it, Nick and Sarah are off to find Geoffrey. This takes them to London and elsewhere. They meet spies and gangsters, but no hints that Geoffrey is alive. Sarah is naive and unprepared for mixing with these folks. She gets into several dangerous situations. Guess who saves her.
The main characters were Nick O'Hara and Sarah, newly wed to Geoffrey Fontaine. Nick is calling her after midnight to notify her that her that her husband is dead. However, the first chapter tells of how Geoffrey killed his attacker. A "novel" trick, the end is the beginning, but only for the reader.
Nick loses his job with the U.S. State Department because he becomes too sympathetic with the people to whom he is assigned and because of his other departures from protocol. Then, you guessed it, Nick and Sarah are off to find Geoffrey. This takes them to London and elsewhere. They meet spies and gangsters, but no hints that Geoffrey is alive. Sarah is naive and unprepared for mixing with these folks. She gets into several dangerous situations. Guess who saves her.
January 23, 2025
Brilliant story/writing as usual. Tess Gerritsen is a master storyteller. Love her books,all of them❤️❤️
July 29, 2020
Call After Midnight finished July 28☆☆☆☆
Under The Knife finished July 29 ☆☆☆☆
Under The Knife finished July 29 ☆☆☆☆
July 12, 2014
I've read Call After Midnight before so I will not review it again. I did enjoy Call After Midnight and thought it was good to great even though it was a romance/mystery. I give 4 stars to Call After Midnight and 2 for Under The knife.
So I will just review Under the Knife here. I'm glad this was not the first Tess Gerritsen novel that I've read. It was definitely not her best. The problem was the love story and all of the passages describing their lust for each other. They were like two teen agers whose hormones were interfering with their ability to think and act like adults. "She tried not to think what he'd look like, standing under the stream of water, but the image had already formed in her head, the soapsuds sliding down his shoulders, the gold hairs matted and damp on his chest." Sounds like a moon struck teen aged girl.
As many of Gerritsen's female characters, she tries to portray them as being strong females but more often than not they fall back into a stereotypical female role by needing and wanting the man to protect them and basing their worth on whether the man loves them. In more than one novel, the female convinces herself that the man does not love her and instead of confronting him, she tries to run away from the situation. The lead female is always is insecure in the relationship and needs the male to constantly reassure her.
The mystery part of the story was good even though I'd figure out most of the ending by about the middle of the book. So if the romance had been handled differently, this could have been rated a 3 star.
So I will just review Under the Knife here. I'm glad this was not the first Tess Gerritsen novel that I've read. It was definitely not her best. The problem was the love story and all of the passages describing their lust for each other. They were like two teen agers whose hormones were interfering with their ability to think and act like adults. "She tried not to think what he'd look like, standing under the stream of water, but the image had already formed in her head, the soapsuds sliding down his shoulders, the gold hairs matted and damp on his chest." Sounds like a moon struck teen aged girl.
As many of Gerritsen's female characters, she tries to portray them as being strong females but more often than not they fall back into a stereotypical female role by needing and wanting the man to protect them and basing their worth on whether the man loves them. In more than one novel, the female convinces herself that the man does not love her and instead of confronting him, she tries to run away from the situation. The lead female is always is insecure in the relationship and needs the male to constantly reassure her.
The mystery part of the story was good even though I'd figure out most of the ending by about the middle of the book. So if the romance had been handled differently, this could have been rated a 3 star.
August 21, 2025
I love Tess Gerritsen. I really do. Both of these stories remain fresh despite having been older ones that Harlequin has repackaged. I think the first one may have actually referenced the Berlin Wall as still being there--that's what we're talking about.
Call After Midnight is the story of a scientist who's married to a man she doesn't know. She's told her husband has been killed, but he's really a spy so....maybe? Maybe not? She goes off to Europe to find him, and the US diplomat she got fired (accidentally) follows her. The opposite of hilarity ensues. There are lots of nice twists and turns to the story, but love conquers all.
I didn't think I was going to like Under the Knife as much, but I ended up liking it even better. A doctor is sued fro malpractice. The lawyer representing her opponent's case has a very personal score to settle. You wanna talk about star-crossed lovers. Still, these two have a relationship that evolves even while the mystery around them gets more confusing--until they figure it all out in the end.
Great romantic suspense with well motivated heroines. Great for a plane ride or vacation or just the fun of it.
Call After Midnight is the story of a scientist who's married to a man she doesn't know. She's told her husband has been killed, but he's really a spy so....maybe? Maybe not? She goes off to Europe to find him, and the US diplomat she got fired (accidentally) follows her. The opposite of hilarity ensues. There are lots of nice twists and turns to the story, but love conquers all.
I didn't think I was going to like Under the Knife as much, but I ended up liking it even better. A doctor is sued fro malpractice. The lawyer representing her opponent's case has a very personal score to settle. You wanna talk about star-crossed lovers. Still, these two have a relationship that evolves even while the mystery around them gets more confusing--until they figure it all out in the end.
Great romantic suspense with well motivated heroines. Great for a plane ride or vacation or just the fun of it.
August 2, 2011
Awalnya agak malas baca buku ini, karena di awalnya diceritain kisah yang cukup menyedihkan. Seorang istri yang ditinggal mati suaminya, suaminya mati di Berlin padahal seharusnya ia berada di London. Awalnya kisah ini agak bertele-tele, keterlibatan Nick dan Tim Greenstein menambah kebingungan yang agaknya menemui jalan buntu. Sampai Sarah akhirnya pergi ke London, dan Nick menyusulnya, muncul fakta-fakta yang mengejutkan tentang Geoffrey dan Eva. kisah cinta antara Nick dan Sarah juga diuji keyakinannya.
Buku yang sangat bagus memadukan antara action, misteri, dan kisah cinta yang cukup menyenangkan untuk dibaca.
Buku yang sangat bagus memadukan antara action, misteri, dan kisah cinta yang cukup menyenangkan untuk dibaca.
February 14, 2011
I really liked this book. It is a well written, readable, fast paced and accurate story of espionage. The story line keeps you guessing as it weaves the characters through the United States and Europe chasing the unknown and being persued by the same. I would highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys action and suspense. This is my first introduction to the works of Tess Gerritson but it won't be the last.
September 22, 2012
I'm giving this book four stars, because I loved Under the Knife but wasn't a big fan of Call After Midnight.
I felt Call After Midnight was too predictable. I saw everything coming miles away and it felt like the characters fell in love waaaay too fast.
Under the Knife was much better. It felt like more of her style and reminded me of her later books. I liked the mystery and didn't see where it was headed until the end. I felt the characters were much better written in this one.
I felt Call After Midnight was too predictable. I saw everything coming miles away and it felt like the characters fell in love waaaay too fast.
Under the Knife was much better. It felt like more of her style and reminded me of her later books. I liked the mystery and didn't see where it was headed until the end. I felt the characters were much better written in this one.
Read
May 1, 2011Sort of the same format of Male and Female dislike and tension leading to protectiveness, lust and love; but always a different and interesting mystery set in different locations. An easy read for lazy days.
April 19, 2014
Although they are two of her earlier works, they were still good, although not as polished as the newer stuff. I've enjoyed all of her books that I've read. Going back through and catching the ones I've missed over the years.
August 11, 2016
I really like Tess Gerritsen. I find the way she writes easy to follow and very well done. The stories themselves are good too. Sometimes, I wonder if the romantic aspects are a bit rushed, but I still can't help but get hooked. Gotta love Tess.
March 10, 2025
I've only read Call After Midnight so far. The book was an easy read. I didn't dislike the book but I didn't love it either. A little too predictable.
August 26, 2009
I only read "Under the Knife" because that was the only one that interested me, but I like her books so far...of the few I've read.
February 17, 2011
come read my review at DoubleShot Reviews (Doubleshotreviews.com)
July 27, 2011
Translated "Call After Midnight" in Romanian for Quality Books - a quite fun crime mystery. Not Agatha Christie, to be sure :P
December 20, 2012
Lots of twists and turns. But seemed to be more love story than mystery. Enjoyed them but not as much as I enjoy the Rizzoli and Ilse series.
March 14, 2013
The epilogue of Under the KNife left me in tears. Both of these books were total page turners. I never thought of myself as a romance reader, but this is an author I can get behind.
May 5, 2015
Bad!!!
Read
September 6, 2014Okay, but not her best works.
February 25, 2018
Enjoyed reading this, holds attention throughout. Read this in an Omnibus edition, the second book being 'Under the Knife' which was also an enjoyable read.
April 12, 2016
I love, love love her books
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews