Cut: A Medical Murder Mystery

by Amy S. Peele

While the federal government is launching a national investigation on the “equity” of organ distribution a female tech CEO flies across country to get a liver transplant. Soon, well-respected transplant nurse Sarah Golden and her best friend, Jackie, find themselves tangled up in an intense plot to uncover the answer to the question on everyone’s Can you buy your way up to the top of the waiting list? Their pursuit of justice brings them to Miami, San Francisco, and Chicago—a sometimes fun, sometimes dangerous roller coaster ride from which they barely escape with their lives.

Genres: Fiction

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2017

About the author

Amy S. Peele has been an RN since 1974 and enjoyed a 35-year career in organ transplantation, retiring from the University of California San Francisco, one of the largest and most successful transplant programs in the U.S. In addition to killing people and using their organs in her murder mysteries, Amy enjoys meditating, teaching yoga,swimming and pursuing her spirituality by studying the teachings of Deepak Chopra. She also enjoys comedy and studied at Second City in Chicago for a year.

Reviews

[Susan Hampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a planned trilogy of 'medical murder mysteries with a mission' and if this one is anything to go by it is going to be a cracking series. It has been written with passion on a subject that is close to the author's heart.
Sarah Golden works in a specialised field of nursing and is sort after for her skills and dedication as a transplant nurse.  So when the opportunity comes up with a package that is hard to turn down she takes it.  Having the experience that she has soon highlights something that is very off with one of her patients. Amanda is a very wealthy patient that has had a liver transplant. Then over hearing a one sided telephone conversation by Sergio, Amanda's boyfriend just puts Sarah into investigation mode, with a little help from former nurse Jackie Larsen her best friend.
This pair of super sleuth besties make a formidable team that are the equivalent of playing hide and seek with hobnail boots on. Bless them they haven't a clue what they are letting themselves in for but what they lack in skill they make up in good intentions. Those hobnail boots soon tread on toes and soon puts their lives in danger. Will the pair have the guts to continue to delve into a corrupt transplant system where money talked and will it do more harm than good?
There are some super characters in this book especially Sarah and Jackie who just bounce off each other. I love the names they make up for people that they meet and when Jackie is out and about on her own she is just wicked. Loved a scene with 'Biker Bob'. Does nothing stop this woman!
The story does switch between these very brave nurses and Amanda and her sleazy boyfriend making a story that unfolds and picks up sped as you go along. A brilliant start to this series, a great story, super characters and a little bit of romance of the way too.
I wish to thank Kris Verdeck Publicist for a copy of this book which I have chosen to review.

[Erika Bain · Rating 5 out of 5]

We never give a second thought on organ donations and the process of it all. There are only a couple occasions when this discussion is actually had;

1. When we decide to be a donor or not on our ID’s and 2. If a situation arises where organ donation affect us directly.

And then sometimes a book like this one comes around to remind us of both the greatness in donating and the possible horrors that are kept hidden.

Sarah Golden is currently a traveling organ transplantation nurse (one of the best in the country depending on who you ask). She didn’t expect the shit storm that was about to hit her head on the day she walked into work where Amanda Stein was recovering from her liver transplant.

Amanda Stein could not be bothered with the world. It was all about her—even ask her boyfriend Sergio Torres. The millionaire was in dire need of a liver due to her Hep C escalating. It’s not too hard to find one when you’re best friend is married to Dr. Bower, the number one transplant doctor in the US, or so we might believe. That’s not the way the system works, unless you make it work in your favor.

Sergio Torres is an addict. He’s addicted to women but none more than Amanda Stein. 6 years of an on and off, open relationship with the devil, they couldn’t possibly be more perfect for each other. There are no boundaries he wouldn’t step over for Amanda.

Jackie Larsen is Sarah’s BFF since nursing school. She’s a rum loving lesbian with the best personality you could ask out of a supporting character role. The possibility of trouble is limitless when her and Sarah get together and they’re about to play detective to get to the bottom of Amanda Stein and how she received her liver.

Can money really buy you anything you want?



I completed this book in just 5 hours. Putting it down was not an option. Amy Peele has a way with mystery especially medically. She knows her way

around the hospitals, clinics, etc and gives us an inside look on transplantation I never thought of engaging myself with—because luckily I’ve never had to. This book got me interested in the topic of donation. I am currently not an organ donor but I also feel I am not educated on the matter to do so. I feel some research in my near future so I can understand, change my mind, and be able to help someone in need if it ever came to it.

I totally recommend this book for anyone who has a tough stomach. There are so parts that’s go in depth, I myself getting a little squeamish at certain parts. It’s a good solid mystery with the perfect amount of comic relief. You’ll wish you were friends with Sarah and Jackie!

[Mayra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Honestly I loved this story. I've always just stuck to romance and stuff but I might start checking more of these out.

[Missi Martin (Stockwell) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You couldn't ask for a better debut book by Amy S. Peele. Her Medical Murder Mystery, Cut, will have you reading well over your bedtime !!

You follow Sarah Golden from Miami to San Francisco and back to Miami but it's no vacation. While finishing her contract in Miami as a traveling nurse for the organ transplant department one of the patients rubs her the wrong way. She tries to put it out of her mind so she can concentrate on planning a trup to Cuba with her best friend Jackie. Unfortunately the patient, Amanda, lives in San Francisco and is best friends with the head of the department that she just took a job with.

Sarah cannot shake the feeling that Amanda didn't receive her liver through the proper channels and she knows that Amanda's boyfriend, Sergio had something to do with it. But while her and Jackie are "investigating", they are threatened.....

Sarah has to make a quick decision whether to pursue the case or let it go. After all is it really worth her and Jackie's lives ?? Is one organ donation case going to change things ?

Amy Peele opens your eyes on the organ distribution field and everything that pertains to it. It amazes me when authors write a story that has a lot of research and fact finding involved. The reader doesn't always think about it...we just read and enjoy the story. But as Peele has been an RN for many years and her field of choice was organ donation and transplantation, you can rest assure that you will walk away with some knowledge as well as a good story !!!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing in this book is quick witted and allows for the reader to become entranced with who the characters are. I love that . I loved how the book progressed leaving me guessing and hypothesizing along the way.

[booksofallkinds · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was asked to review this medical mystery novel I instantly agreed as it is such an intriguing topic which I know so little about, and I wondered how the story would play out. And boy am I glad I did because CUT by Amy S. Peele is an expertly researched, well-paced novel with plenty of twists and witty dialogue along the way to keep the reader's attention throughout.

Best friends Sarah and Jackie are thrown into a dangerous journey centred around organ transplants, when Sarah stumbles across a situation where the rich and powerful seem to control the waiting list. But as they dig deeper their questions are not going unnoticed. While there is plenty of suspense and medical drama in this novel, this is also a tale of friendship with plenty of humour sprinkled among the danger.

CUT by Amy S. Peele is a unique and interesting take on the medical community and a thoroughly fascinating and gripping read that deals with an important subject, and I am looking forward to more from this author.

*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the author

[Jean Minton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this one in less than 24 hours! It is a perfect summer read for the beach, or in my case, waiting for a storm to pass in a mountain hut. I especially appreciated this book for its focus on organ transplant, a topic so important for people to understand (www.donatelife.net for more info and to become an organ donor). Peele draws on her extensive professional experience to tell a believable murder mystery which kept my attention and had me laughing out loud.
If you are interested in reading about organ transplant, I also recommend: The Power of Two: A Twin Triumph Over Cystic Fibrosis by Isabel Stenzel Byrnes and Anabel Stenzel.

[Michelle Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be given an ARC to read of Amy's new book. Here's my official review:
Cut is a wonderfully suspenseful read! Peele expertly infuses the unfolding mystery with the perfect amount of romance, all the while leading us through the fascinating world of organ donation. Crisp, fun prose peppered with witty dialogue and well-drawn characters leaves one hoping there will be a sequel!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love page turners, and this book did not disappoint! It was a really fun read about two feisty nurses who start looking into a questionable liver transplant, and wind up in all sorts of adventures. If you enjoy a good mystery with a solid dose of humor, you won't want to miss CUT.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great topic, organ transplantation can save many lives. I enjoyed the medical part of the mystery and would like to hear more about live donors. Nurses Sarah and Jackie are lucky to have a great friendship but their social life is a little over the top.

[Judith McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Cut: A Medical Murder Mystery" - nicely written by Amy S. Peele. Not sure if a sequel is planned but I hope so as the characters are interesting and the plot is a compelling one.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Registered nurse Amy Peele has a decent premise for her book. But unfortunately, she had no skill or the dedication to really put it all together to make this other than a painful read.

Sarah Golden is a traveling nurse who works with transplant patients. Her current assignment is with the Miami Transplant Institute where she works with patients receiving liver transplants, including Amanda Stein, wealthy, childish and unrealistically demanding. Beside her bed, is Amanda's boyfriend Sergio Torres, who also is wealthy, but drawn as an accomplished, if selfish successful businessman.

Every doctor, nurse — or working professional, frankly — has come across someone who tries to pull rank, who thinks they will get things their way if they argue, demand and threaten. But we don't immediately think that they are criminal. Often it's fear, ignorance or something in their past that causes their actions.

But Golden reacts as if Amanda and Sergio ARE criminals and that she, and she alone, can find out what they have done, despite not having anything to go on other than some suspicion based on what???

So, she calls up her best friend Jackie and they decide to chase the bad guys down, dropping everything (including Golden's new job — very realistic), chase this couple across country (despite apparently saving money for a special trip to Cuba) and bumble around, conducting a truly very amateur investigation that is painful to read.

First of all, the premise is all too simple and the mystery is no mystery at all. Second, every character in this book is drawn broadly, one-dimensionally and as immaturely as young high schoolers. Consider that both Golden and her friend are supposedly skilled nurses who work with liver transplant patients — and they frankly drink like fish. Golden picks up boyfriends on one thing, their looks, bed them and moves on. Really? Her friend Jackie is supposedly married with a child but she acts as if that fact is a broken nail — oh yeah, its there but don't think about how your actions will affect your wife and son.

Finally, while Peele is smart enough to write nursing reports, probably letters to her family, etc., she is not a mystery writer. Her writing is flat, the dialogue overly simplistic and the situations so unrealistic to be laughable. I seriously doubt she has ever talked to a real investigator, a real policeman (despite what she says in her acknowledgments). It's painful to read and too difficult for the reader to take this as anything a pipe dream; there is no real story here, no mystery and no fun.

[Elise Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, I appreciate having been given a free copy of this book to read and review. Sadly, though, I didn't think much of it. The plot is good enough, I guess, a story of people who are cheating the system where liver transplants are concerned. However, I didn't find much, if anything, to like about the main character, Sarah Golden. I grew tired on the focus on her love/sex life, which was very distracting -- practically every man she meets is evaluated as a potential bedmate. I liked her best friend well enough but found it a bit implausible that her wife wouldn't mind her constantly leaving home/town to spend time with Sarah -- or, for that matter, that Sarah could constantly leave her job without anyone complaining.

I also found myself irritated with things that just weren't possible or seemed implausible -- for example, Sarah and Jackie are in the lobby of a Four Seasons hotel, when two women they're keeping tabs on head out the door and into a town car. Seconds later, Sarah and Jackie hop into the car and are following them . . . in the car that they'd parked "behind the hotel." Doesn't seem likely that they could pick up the trail after they'd walked through the hotel and found their car in the parking lot. In another instance, Sarah and Jackie stop by the police station to speak to an officer (about whom Sarah immediately starts fantasizing, repeatedly); they go to an interview room and the man "took off his police hat." How many officers working in the station are wearing their hats? Jackie, alone, visits a bar she's never been to, where "the customers were indeed mostly cops" -- how does she identify them as such? Cops can't sit in a bar drinking with their uniforms on . . . One more example: The officer winds up with the suspect's cell phone and says, "It would be helpful if I could keep the cell phone, as we can have our IT people see what other valuable information we can get out of it that might help the case" -- in Florida, police can't go into someone's phone without a warrant, and they certainly didn't have that. I could go on, but I'll stop now.

I found these kinds of things so distracting that, combined with the unlikable main character, I had a hard time enjoying the book. Maybe at some point I'll try another one of Peel's medical mysteries, but this one wasn't a winner for me.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cut bills itself as "A Medical Murder Mystery". The real mystery is why it is called a mystery. It is not. Nor is it a thriller as some reviews have stated. There is no race to the finish. The story just moves along at a steady pace. It does go quickly because there's not much to the plot. And you don't even know there's a murder until 2/3 of the way through the book.
Then there are the characters. The behavior of Sarah and Jackie is just too stupid to be believable. Some of their actions are simply criminal. They put their lunch on the hotel bill of Amanda because they think she wouldn't notice. Sarah repeatedly pulls patient records in violation of HIPAA. And Jackie is the definition of impending a police investigation.
That brings up the next problem. If you want to write about criminal law proceeding, do the research first. The end of the book is so completely wrong. If you hire a hitman in Florida to commit a murder in Florida, you will be tried in Florida and serve your sentence in Florida. The fact that your main home is in California does not give California jurisdiction. And benefiting from a crime does not make you a co-conspirator. There is no evidence in the book that Amanda committed a crime.

It says this is the first of a trilogy. I will not be back for books 2 and 3.

I received a free copy of this book through the First Reads program.

[_sassy_39 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cut: A Medical Murder Mystery written by the author Amy S. Peele is a gripping read. The main character of the story is Sarah Golden. She has transplant experience and recently took the traveling nurse job. Now, she works as a traveling transplant nurse at the Miami Transplant Institute. Her best friend Jackie has been with her since nurses' training. They have been planning a trip to Cuba for a long time.

Sarah was asked to take care of a deceased-donor liver transplant recipient Amanda Stein. Sarah didn't like the toxicity of being around Amanda. Amanda's disease had stopped responding to the drugs about six months before, so she had been listed for a liver in Miami.

Sarah was amazed how Amanda got the liver so soon and from where. Her old colleague Dr. Bower asked Sarah to join the senior transplant coordinator position. Sarah considered it and told Dr. Bower that she has decided to settle in San Francisco. Read this story to find out whether Sarah and Jackie will solve the mystery of Amanda's liver reception.

The writing style of the author is nice. The storyline is interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat as I read this book. The character of Sarah is well written and my favorite from the book. Those who love reading murder mysteries should definitely get their hands on this book.

[Caitie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just want to say I got an ARC of this through a goodreads giveaway, I was excited for this as the plot line sounded fun and different and I really tried to read it but I had to quit halfway through. The main character is a highly regarded nurse in a highly regarded place in the hospital but all she talked about was booze, boys, and vacation like she was a 16 year old girl her best friend was equally as annoying and insufferable with how she talked about her kid and how she hated his activities. There is no mystery to this book it tells you pretty early on what happened and the fact that this woman went through all these links to “solve the mystery” was just unbelievable at best. The dialogue was so cringey and hard to read, the characters were all very annoying and hard to relate to and cheer for. I tried really hard to like this book, I tried really hard to get through it but ultimately I could not and had to stop for the sake of my sanity.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cut is a wonderful book all about how far humans are willing to go to survive. Peele uses her novel to not only shed light on the medical world of life saving transplants but to also reveal that it’s yet another system where money can buy a livelihood. Because of this, she describes the delicate balance of saving lives, convincing families to make the hard decision of donating their deceased loved ones organs, and acknowledges that sometimes the system is cheated.

Peele creates a dynamic duo that represents so many in us questioning the rules of the game between life and health. The game is rigged but how do we stop it? Do authorities care? How far can they even go to stop the broken system?

With dynamic writing and a keen sense of self awareness, Peele brings light to this world. She presses the will to stand your ground and the nerve to stand up for what is right-even when it’s the dangerous thing to do.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Organ donation is very near and dear to me. I watched my father slip slowly towards death waiting for a liver. and I have a best friend who's brother did not get a kidney in time, so when I hear people cheating the system it infuriates me. This is a story of calling out a cheater of the system. The friend Jackie is quite stupid in this story. I'm all for this is a fictional book, but some fiction is to unrealistic for me. Most people would not go to the levels of stupid that she did. The story itself was interesting and kept my attention. I listened to it and the narrator did a great job. This story was intriguing enough that I'll be moving on to her next book.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a serviceable but ultimately disappointing first novel. The premise is intriguing, but the characters are facile and often ridiculous. (They also drink a lot and nearly everyone is always having mind-blowing sex, and I feel bad about objecting to this, and actually I don't object in principle, but jeez, everything in moderation, please: this is just Too Much.)

I want to support a local author. I will read another book by this author, but I'll be hoping that she aims for better story-telling and more compelling and relatable characters.

[Larisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a fun, easy read. Jackie and Sarah are a likeable duo and their easy, fun friendship kept me reading. I generally like murder mysteries, but this was really lacking in the "mystery" aspect. I wish the Amy Peele had given less foreshadowing and kept the audience more in the dark regarding the murder plot. Being able to read Sergio's perspective so often in the book really ruined any surprises. I had easily figured out the plot and motives early on in the book. I kept reading, hoping there would be some big twist, but unfortunately that never happened.

[Sherry · Rating 2 out of 5]

The two stars is for the topic. The story revolves around liver transplants and provides a great deal of information about the subject. However, the story itself was filled with unrealistic juvenile characters, trite characterizations of types of people and couldn't decide if it was a medical mystery or a raunchy romance novela. Not at all what I thought the book would be like based on the synopsis. I was very discouraged but hung in there hoping the story would redeem itself. Nope.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise is a good one I think, but the execution of the story telling was lacking. A lot of the situations that the two nurses find themselves in are simply not believable. The unnecessary focus on excessive drinking and the sexualization of every single character became an unwelcome distraction to the point of being off putting. All in all it was a quick read and if you can filter out the annoying phrasing/extraneous ‘character building’ it was a good story.

[Regan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this book because it was a local author and I wanted to support someone local. For a debut it was a decent start but there was so much telling and recitation of what Sarah, the main character, was doing. The characters were two dimensional and after 64 pages I just couldn't keep pushing to read it.

[Amy Rumrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book! I’m sure things like this are happening in real life so was interesting to read a book about it. It kept me on my toes the whole time and didn’t feel like it was wrapped up quickly or took to long. Liked that the book ended with answers to everything and didn’t really leave it open for me to have to wait to read another one. Definitely suggest reading this.

[Angie Comfort · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart, suspenseful, and refreshingly original!

Cut is a captivating medical thriller with sharp wit, well-drawn characters, and a fast-paced plot that keeps you hooked. Amy S. Peele blends humor, suspense, and insider knowledge of the healthcare world perfectly. A five-star read from start to finish!

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free ARC, to review. I loved the setting, and learning a little more about the world of organ transplant. But the storyline didn't have much mystery/excitement/thrills, and left me feeling only vaguely invested to find how all the details were wrapped up at the end.

[mary arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah and Jackie, friends from nursing school. Amanda and Sergio, wealthy lovers who have schemed to get a liver for Amanda. When Sarah and Jackie start asking questions, money buys thugs to stop them.

[Lisa Towles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read and an interesting premise - I like learning new things and I didn’t know anything about the politics and drama of organ donations before this. I liked the character interplay and a nice, snappy pace. Will definitely come back for more in this series.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard to find medical mystery. I miss Robin Cook’s older books. This was a decent story and enjoyable listen. Author uses a little humor as well. I liked the duo solving the mysteries. I’m going to listen to the other two in the series.

[Bridget Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept the action and entertainment going. It is the first time I have read a book like this. I enjoyed every bit of it. I could not put this book down. Very creative writing and story. It has it all. Medical, romance, crime,…….!